Sandra McGrew
Sandra McGrew, a former Little Rock TV news reporter and magazine editor, has joined Ghidotti Communications to run its new content communications division, the firm announced Tuesday.
As director of content marketing McGrew will manage the agency’s web-based news and events platform, called The Arkansas 100, overseeing its website, podcast, and devising digital content marketing strategies for clients.
“Content really is king, and in a fast -paced digital world, content marketing isn’t the future, it’s now,” she told Arkansas Business, for whose sister publication, Little Rock Soirée magazine, she once served as editor in chief. “At my core, I am a storyteller, and my journalism background taught me the value of that skill across many platforms and industries.”
That experience includes seven years as an assignment editor and reporter at KLRT-TV, Channel 16 in Little Rock, and a stints in public relations as a spokesperson for former Arkansas Secretary of State Charlie Daniels and as public information officer for the Arkansas Insurance Department’s Rate Review Division. There, she helped launch a statewide education campaign promoting provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
At Soirée, a society, philanthropy and lifestyle magazine, she helped launch a successful website and daily e-newsletter. Before joining Ghidotti, she was director of digital presence for Vines Media in Little Rock.
“Sandra has the knowledge and expertise to identify effective, creative ways for businesses to convey key messages to their target audiences,” said Natalie Ghidotti, CEO of Ghidotti Communications, which is based in the Regions Center in downtown Little Rock. “She will help us continue building on the success of the Arkansas 100, identifying key partnerships and ways to expand the platform.”
Ghidotti described McGrew as “the right person” to anchor the firm’s new division, contributing to a “growing team dedicated to providing marketing services rooted in the foundation of public relations.”
McGrew was born in Germany and grew up around Frankfurt with her American father, who was stationed there in the Army, and her German-born mother.
“I loved my time there and still visit family and friends whenever I can,” she said. “When I have a visitor from across the pond, they are required to bring two things: Kinder Schokolade (chocolate) and knodel (dumplings).”
She graduated from Harding University in Searcy with a degree in electronic media and has 14 years of experience in media and marketing.
“Brands want to create dynamic relationships with their consumer, and content marketing allows just that by offering something of value to someone in an interesting way,” McGrew said in a news release. “Natalie and her team understand the relevance of this strategy, and that’s why the agency created The Arkansas 100 and the newly launched Arkansas 100 podcast. I am excited to continue and elevate The 100 brand, in addition to creating comprehensive digital content marketing strategies for clients.”
The Arkansas 100 is a biweekly digital newsletter with stories of 100 words or less sand videos of 100 seconds or less, telling stories about businesses, communities, events and personalities around the state. The website can be found at TheArkansas100.com.
McGrew talks about the firm’s content marketing efforts in this video.
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