Virginia’s craft distillers had another big year to celebrate. The First Landing Cup returned for another round of recognizing the best of the commonwealth’s spirits industry, and 2026 proved the competition is only getting bigger. Designed to showcase the quality, craftsmanship and diversity of Virginia-made spirits, the competition brought together producers from across the state for a blind-judging process led by some of the most respected names in American craft spirits. By the Numbers Competition Overview This year’s entries spanned whiskey, gin, rum, vodka, brandy,…
As the FIFA World Cup takes over North America this summer, one of the most talked-about branding moments hasn’t happened on the pitch. It’s happened on the side of a stadium. To comply with FIFA’s longstanding “clean venue” requirements, host stadiums across the United States have temporarily shed their corporate identities. Levi’s Stadium became “San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.” Mercedes-Benz Stadium became “Atlanta Stadium.” SoFi Stadium became “Los Angeles Stadium.” The goal was to ensure FIFA’s official sponsors own the commercial landscape during the tournament….
We take great pride in the content creation and copywriting our teams produce, because while efficiencies are important, so is creating authentic, valuable and rich content. For many of our clients, our content creation strategies are less about volume and more about impact because keeping humanity at the forefront is important to us (and we’d argue, your audience, too). Here are a couple of ways we’re keeping authentic and human-centric content in our content marketing work.
USA TodayColonial Williamsburg sought national attention for the opening of its new Campbell Archaeology Center by highlighting its role in preserving and uncovering American history. A targeted media strategy secured a USA Today feature, positioning the center as both a showcase for a century of archaeological discoveries and a catalyst for future exploration.
In a rapidly evolving media landscape, tools and tactics will continue to change, but the importance of human connection remains constant. For PR professionals, strong media relationships are essential. Members of the media rely on sources they trust, professionals who consistently provide accurate information, relevant stories and timely responses. When PR professionals understand journalists on a deeper level – their beat, their audience, their style – they can craft pitches that resonate. Building this trust takes time and proactive effort. It requires PR professionals to…
How do you take a usually quiet Tuesday and entice shoppers to walk through the streets? You gamify the experience, which is exactly what our team did this spring. When developing a campaign for Find Local on behalf of InUnison, the goal was to capture attention, build brand loyalty and stay grounded in the community. From the start, it was clear the campaign needed to be thoughtfully executed with a strong focus on meaningful, local engagement. Find Local, an initiative by InUnison, highlights independent businesses…
When the Virginia Telemental Health Initiative (VTMHI) began putting together its annual impact report, it was working with something complex: a story told through both numbers and people. VTMHI connects patients with providers through telehealth services to expand mental health care services across Virginia. The report needed to clearly show the impact the organization has made while keeping the people behind the work at the center. And that’s where we come in. Pulling the Pieces Together Many impact reports have the challenge of balancing statistics…
Operational roles might make magic happen behind the scenes, but this Hodger’s impact is front and center. Hillary Hammock is stepping into the role of Operations Coordinator, overseeing day-to-day operations and supporting events for both Hodges and the Virginia Spirits Marketing Board Office. Hillary is a Richmond native with a degree in marketing from James Madison University. In her free time, you can find Hillary reading, camping, working on her latest craft project, or doing all three. With her two cats, Freya and Binx, of…
From Rome to RVA, Gabriella has always had a story to tell. A strategic storyteller with a journalistic instinct, Gabriella Lacombe joins the team as our newest Account Executive. She specializes in turning complex ideas into clear, concise narratives that educate audiences and ignite their curiosity. Born in Italy, Gabriella graduated closer to home from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2017. When she’s not storytelling, she can be found enjoying pistachio gelato or spending time with her two parakeets, Paloma and Iris. Why did you decide…
Yet another intern-turned-Hodger, Aaron Kurz joins Hodges once again, only this time he’ll be working as a communications specialist for the Virginia Spirits Board Marketing Office. Aaron brings media relations savvy and content marketing smarts to the team, finding stories worth telling and getting them told. From working as communications manager for an ad agency to managing emergency response teams at a disaster restoration company, Aaron has picked up a wide range of skills since his intern days. Aaron is a Richmond native and graduate…
She spent the summer jamming on assignments with our creative services team, but as she neared the end of her initial contract with us, Alex Clark started to flex her public relations muscles working on the account side. Now, officially a full-time Hodger, she’s splitting her duties between creative and accounts as our newest account coordinator. Alex was born and raised in RVA and went to Elon University to study strategy communications and communication design, with a little side of studio art, making her a…
I recently sent a two-sentence pitch to a national reporter—and within minutes, I got a reply. That quick response led to a meaningful conversation, and ultimately, coverage. It was a powerful reminder that sometimes, the less you say, the more impact you make. In a world flooded with content and competing messages, brevity is more than a courtesy—it’s a strategy. Whether you’re pitching a local journalist or a national reporter, the ability to say more with fewer words is one of the most effective tools…
