Happy Independence Day! With the United States approaching its 250th anniversary in 2026, it feels fitting to spotlight the wave of patriotic energy shaping American-made marketing campaigns across industries. From red-white-and-blue packaging to messaging rooted in national pride, marketers are leaning into “Made in America” themes more than ever. This momentum is driven not just by the upcoming semiquincentennial milestone, but also by ongoing geopolitical and economic pressures — most notably tariffs and supply chain instability — that are pushing brands to emphasize American-made goods….
It’s been nearly two years since we first started working with a client in the home visiting space. From Early Impact Virginia, a statewide alliance helping elevate and support local programs, to The Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing the home visiting profession through career development and resources, these are some of the organizations making important strides to strengthen the young families in our communities. Home visiting is an evidence-based, voluntary service where trained professionals visit pregnant…
Ahead of the presidential election, celebrities and influencers have made (quite possibly) a bigger political splash than ever before. Whether it includes joining the #NationalVoterRegistrationDay movement or explicitly endorsing a candidate – which, for Taylor Swift, means racking up more than 400,000 users to vote.gov from a singular Instagram post, we’re reminded that the power of influence matters and those who wield it have the power to spark action and sway opinion (according to 19% of young voters). Why It Matters Aside from playing a part…
If you’re reading this post and you work in the Richmond region, chances are you are highly familiar with the annual “PR Prom,” otherwise known as the Virginia PR Awards hosted by PRSA Richmond. This annual event has been around for decades, and it celebrates a wide swath of work – from independent practitioners to large agencies. Hodges was honored to take away 10 awards this year across our account teams, but we were even more thrilled to be celebrating our friends and peers who…
In the age of social media dominance, businesses must answer one critical question: Why is your audience on social media in the first place? The answer to this question is what guides their digital journey. Whether the goal is community engagement, driving website traffic, boosting brand awareness, showcasing subject matter expertise or increasing sales, your approach to social media should match your marketing objectives. It’s not just about being on social media; it’s about making it work for you. Organic vs. paid social media: When…
According to Statista, there were four billion email users across the world by 2020 and 99% of them check their email at least once per day. That’s why if you aren’t leveraging email marketing as a client offering, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Email marketing may not be one of the first things you think of under the rubric of public relations, but it can be an important tool to increase brand awareness, re-engage audiences and repurpose and share original content. Diversify your client offerings…
