Her Voice Blog

I was never a fan of Angelina Jolie. Until today. By sharing the story of her decision to take control of her health and opt for a double mastectomy, she has done a great service to women. As a woman whose entire career relies on beauty and the vitality of youth, Angelina has proven that she has substance and depth far greater than I’ve ever given her credit for.

We salute you, Angelina. Thank you for empowering women everywhere. http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/angelina-jolie-reveals-preventative-double-mastectomy-064002088.html

Note: For more information on BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing visit http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/GeneMutationsampGeneticTesting.html.

We’ve all heard the phrase “loose lips sink ships” before. Now the phrase “loose tweets sink markets” can be coined, as long as you don’t mind if your idioms don’t rhyme.

On Tuesday, Apr. 24, the Syrian Electronic Army hacked the Associated Press’s official Twitter account. The hacker group then tweeted there had been an explosion at the White House and President Barack Obama had been injured in the blast.

Aside from stirring up panic among the AP’s massive online audience (the AP has more than 1 million Twitter followers), it also created hysteria at the New York Stock Exchange. The NYSE streams certain Twitter feeds across electronic banners on the trading floor, and you guessed it, the AP is one of those accounts the exchange broadcasts. After Wall Street traders got a glimpse at the offending tweet, a massive sell-off occurred, creating what is often referred to as a “flash crash.”

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 130 points, nearly one percent, over the span of two minutes. Six minutes later, the Dow had gained back nearly all that lost value. Another major index, The S&P 500, lost $121 billion dollars in value during this flash crash.

The stock market is known for experiencing wild swings, but these typically occur over the course of days, weeks or months. It is very unusual for such a large drop (or gain for that matter) to happen in the span of just a few minutes.

This incident demonstrates the power of social media. One fake tweet was able to move the entire stock market and cause people to react in such drastic fashion. Nearly 9 million shares of Dow stocks were traded during that dip. Let this incident serve as a demonstration of the power of social media.

At FletcherPR, we are so excited to be working with the Knox County Health Department. One project we are right in the middle of is addressing how leadership, environment and business all impact our overall community health.

Social media has given our voices a 24-hour, multinational broadcasting signal. As a result, those regrettable conversations you used to have in face-to-face settings can now turn into front-page headlines.

Sometimes these gaffes are funny, such as when a staffer for a U.S. Congressman tweeted “Me likey Broke Girls” on the Congressman’s Twitter account. Other times, though, the mishap is much less innocuous. A tragedy or serious news event is not something brands should be using as a selling tool, but we’ve seen them ignore this sage advice time and time again.

We’ve seen it in Kenneth Cole’s infamous Arab Spring tweet, and earlier this year, Australian online retailer, Sellitonline, posted that it would donate to wild fire victims based on how many Facebook likes it received.

Now, Epicurious is in hot water for a couple of tweets it published this week in relation to the recent Boston Marathon bombing tragedy. It received instant backlash and has had to resort to an aggressive apology campaign on Twitter.

It shouldn’t have to be said, but brands need to leave these sort of catastrophic events alone. This is not an appropriate way to promote a brand. Messages of condolences are fine. Charitable donations are acceptable as well, as long as the donation is straightforward and not made into a contest like Sellitonline attempted to do.

At the end of the day, Epicurious did much more harm to its image that greatly outweighs any potential sales those tweets could have generated.

The Huffington Post recently posted a list of the Worst Ads for Women 2012. As an agency that specializes in marketing to women, we love to look at these lists. We usually have a pretty good sense of humor, but sometimes these ads are just offensive. Here is their full list:

Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, is a genius when it comes to marketing to women, and she’s has been all over the news after her recent interview on 60 Minutes. Sandberg’s book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, is a topic of controversy among both men and women. I was captivated by her interview and immediately ordered the book. She believes we are our own worst enemies when it comes to climbing the corporate ladder and accessing positions of leadership and power. Sandberg cites a number of reasons.

Did you know that heart disease is the number ONE killer of women? February is heart health month, and we want to change this statistic. According to the American Heart Association, 43 million women in the U.S. are affected by heart disease, and it is the cause of one in three women's deaths every year.

It is important to take the time every month, but especially this month, to talk to the women in your life about heart health. This year AHA’s slogan markets to women with Take 5 to Tell 5. So take five minutes out of your day to tell five women you care for about the risks associated with heart disease. Even the symptoms of heart attacks are different for women than for men.

Knowledge is power, and there are many things we can be doing to protect our hearts. First, be aware of the symptoms and risks for women. Second, eat heart-healthy foods like broccoli and salmon. Finally, exercise regularly to get your heart pumping and your blood flowing.

Remember, this month, take 5 to tell 5. You can bet we are.