Her Voice Blog

One of the staples of every December is the annual avalanche of year-end lists. There are lists ranking the year's best movies, the year's biggest social media blunders and yes, even the year's most important cats.

One list that caught our eyes was Forbes' list of the 10 Most Talked About Women of 2012. It includes quite an eclectic mix of politicians, entertainers and even a Duchess. The list, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

• Beyoncé
• Hillary Clinton
• Angelina Jolie
• Lady Gaga
• Lindsay Lohan
• Jennifer Lopez
• Angela Merkel
• Kate Middleton
• Michelle Obama
• Rihanna

So why did we talk about these women so much in 2012? For some, the reasons are obvious. Rihanna and Lady Gaga spent good portions of the year perched atop the music charts, Lindsay Lohan couldn't stay out of trouble and Kate Middleton revealed she would be adding to the royal family.

Obama got a big boost from having a famous husband, although she has done a great job at handling herself with grace and poise in the limelight. As polarizing as any president can be, there seems to be universal adoration for the First Lady.

The ones we find most interesting are Clinton and Jolie, not because they are being talked about, but because of what sparked the conversation. Hillary has been a tour de force this year, getting a lot of ink and air time due to her political exploits. However, perhaps the real reason we are talking about her so much is that she got meme-ified. Texts from Hillary went viral on the internet and became one of the most popular memes of 2012.

Likewise, Angelina Jolie received a similar popularity boost from the internet after the 2012 Oscars. Her dress featured a large slit, from which she proudly displayed her leg. From there, the Angelina Jolie's Leg meme was born.

All this is to say that whether you are marketing women or marketing to women, the internet can be a powerful tool for spreading messages and increasing profiles. Which women do you see being the most talked about in 2013? Leave your answer in the comments.

FletcherPR is a national communications firm that specializes in reaching women through the power of media. Headquartered in Knoxville, TN with staff in Nashville & Los Angeles, we are a full-service agency providing strategic public relations, social media and marketing communications services to our clients throughout the U.S.