Recently, we helped long-time client, Chesapeake Bank, host a community event to unveil a mural installation at the future site of the bank's first Richmond branch located in the Westhampton neighborhood of the City of Richmond. With several months of construction ahead before the branch is completed, Chesapeake Bank decided to install a mural as a way to thank neighboring residents and businesses for their patience while also obscuring the construction site. The woman behind the mural is local artist Emily Herr, of HerrSuite. Herr is a…
Read MoreAccording to a recent BLS reports, Americans (25-54) spent nearly nine hours per day at work or doing work-related activities. And we’ve all heard that Americans spend more time working than any other developed country. Knowing this, it’s more important than ever for companies to keep finding ways to reward and recognize employees in ways that let them know they’re valued. Above everything else, a company’s greatest asset is its people. From word of mouth to social media, your employees have the ability to shape…
Read MoreSo, you're the content manager for your company's social media channels. Congratulations! You've been selected as the voice of the company and the one who "gets it." On top of that, everyone thinks you're hip and in tune with what's going on in the world. Life is pretty good for you, my friend. Until there's a social crisis. Then, all eyes are on you and everyone will wonder how you let this happen. My advice? Don't let it happen. Growing up, my mom often reminded…
Read More(You won’t believe how Facebook’s recent change will affect you…) ^See what we did there? That sigh you heard on Monday was the sound of PR professionals everywhere rejoicing at Facebook’s new “click bait” changes. Finally, content will reach more people due to quality writing, and not because of teasing, deceptive headlines often ending in an ellipsis. Sure, this is another change to Facebook’s frequent algorithm changes, but this is one content creators can get behind because it will impact how brand content is distributed….
Read MoreBefore you read the remainder of this blog, ask yourself the following questions: Am I free on the evening of Wednesday, June 4? Do I listen to or watch public broadcasting? Would I enjoy showing others how freaking smart I am? Do I enjoy the taste of local, craft beer? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions above, then you might be interested in the Big Idea Challenge, a puzzle-solving adventure that benefits the Community Idea Station – and specifically children’s programming. Yes,…
Read MoreAt Hodges we break for brainstorming, breaking news, good news, beers, gong-able moments, birthdays, laughs and, well, just about any reason we can find. Today, Cameron wanted to test Instagram’s new video feature. So, you guessed it, disruption accepted! We had some fun. Made a video or two. Tried a few filters. Debated Vine vs Instagram. (Note: Results are still inconclusive.) One thing’s for sure and Instagram’s CEO said it best: “It’s everything we know and love about Instagram, but it moves.” Take a look…
Read MoreIt’s always nice when you can add “award-winning” in front of words like ‘agency’ and ‘campaign.’ And last night at the Virginia Public Relations Awards, put on by PRSA Richmond, we were honored to be able to add some more award-winning work to our portfolio. Kudos to all of our PRSA friends who took home top awards this week. We may not have taken home Best in Show this year but we’re grateful to our clients who brought us these interesting and fun projects. Below…
Read MoreI’ll admit it, I’m one of those women who saw the new Dove video and was moved. Moved enough to share it on Facebook, add a caption “Dove does it again” and then check to see if my mascara ran. And I meant it. I was just getting started in my career when Dove first launched its Campaign for Real Beauty. I remember thinking that’s how a brand can make a difference. When the Dove video ended a few thoughts ran through my head. First,…
Read MoreWe’ve all heard the quote and seen the bumper sticker, “well-behaved women rarely make history.” For the purpose of this conversation let’s tweak it to “well-behaved women rarely make more money.” It’s an interesting decision-making process one goes through to determine whether or not to weigh in on a controversial subject that the country has been talking about since Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In, was first introduced to us. My initial thought was “I think I can speak to that … but should I?”…
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