By Sherrell Dorsey, The Root

The statistics are clear: There is a stark shortage of women in leadership roles at top technology companies in Silicon Valley and beyond. When it comes to addressing the lack of black women in managerial or senior roles within the industry, the numbers are grim.

Despite their gross underrepresentation, several black women are paving pathways for innovation and increased diversity at their respective companies. Their roles run the gamut, from serving as lead software engineers to heading up strategy to directing public policy or creative marketing campaigns. We’ve compiled a list of eight black women leading America’s most prominent technology brands.

By Charles Sims Jr., Special to The New Tri-State Defender

A Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), commonly known as a reverse mortgage, is a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured loan. A HECM enables seniors to access a portion of their home’s equity to obtain tax free funds without having to make monthly mortgage payments as long as they live in the home as their primary residence, continue to pay required property taxes, homeowners insurance and maintain the home according to FHA requirements. Consult a financial advisor and appropriate government agencies for any effect on taxes or government benefits.

Eligibility for a reverse mortgage loan

To be eligible for a HECM reverse mortgage loan, all homeowners must be at least 62 or older and must meet financial eligibility criteria as established by HUD. The home must be owned free and clear or all existing liens and mandatory obligations would need to be satisfied through the reverse mortgage proceeds.

Eligible home types

Many home types are eligible: one to four unit* owner-occupied homes and approved townhomes, condominiums and manufactured homes.

Difference between a reverse mortgage and a home equity loan

With a HECM, the borrower doesn’t have to make any monthly mortgage payments. Whereas borrowers with a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) must pay back any funds borrowed, plus interest, within the repayment period.

The interest rates for a HECM versus a HELOC are fairly comparable. Upfront costs for a HECM reverse mortgage are significantly higher than they are for a HELOC. Unlike a HELOC, however, there are no draw or utilization fees with a HECM. In addition, HECMs do not have a set draw period or a limit on the number of draws after the first 12-month disbursement period. Therefore, a HECM gives borrowers the flexibility to use the line of credit any time and in any amount, until the line of credit is exhausted. With a HELOC, the lender can reduce or cancel the line of credit under certain circumstances.

When the loan becomes due

The loan generally does not have to be repaid until the last surviving homeowner on title permanently moves out of the property or passes away. At that time, the estate can repay the balance of the reverse mortgage loan and keep the home or sell the home to pay off the balance. The borrower must also live in the home as their primary residence, continue to pay required property taxes, homeowners insurance and maintain the home according to FHA requirements.

Estate inheritance

If the equity in the home is higher than the balance of the loan when the house is sold, the remaining equity belongs to the heirs/estate.

The estate is not personally liable if the home sells for less than the balance of the reverse mortgage loan. No other assets are affected by a reverse mortgage. For example, investments, second homes, cars, and other valuable possessions cannot be taken from the estate to pay off the reverse mortgage.

Available loan proceeds

The amount of funds that you can receive depends on many factors, such as: age, current interest rate, and the lesser of the appraised value of the home, the sale price or the FHA maximum lending limit.

The funds available to you may be restricted for the first 12 months after loan closing, due to HECM requirements. In addition, the borrower may need to set aside additional funds from the loan proceeds for taxes and insurance. Generally, the higher the value of the home, the higher the loan amount will be, up to the FHA’s maximum lending limits. Use our reverse mortgage calculator to estimate how much you could receive.

Distribution of money from a reverse mortgage loan

There are several ways to receive the proceeds from a reverse mortgage loan:

• Lump sum – a lump sum of cash at closing

• Tenure – equal monthly payments as long as the homeowner lives in the home

• Term – equal monthly payments for a fixed period of months

• Line of Credit – draw any amount at any time until the line of credit is exhausted

• Any combination of those listed above

Borrowers may access the greater of 60 percent of the principal limit amount or all mandatory obligations, as defined by the HECM requirements, plus an additional 10 percent during the first 12 months after loan closing for all adjustable rate loans. For fixed rate loans, the additional 10 percent may only be taken at loan closing. The combined total of mandatory obligations plus 10 percent cannot exceed the principal limit amount established at loan closing. The principal limit is the amount of funds available to the borrower through a HECM loan. Speak with a Liberty advisor for further details.

*Not applicable to HECM for Purchase

(Charles Sims Jr., CMFC, LUTCF, is President/CEO of The Sims Financial Group. Contact him at 901-682-2410 or visit www.SimsFinancialGroup.com.)

By Carlee McCullough, Esq., Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Ashley Perry says her goal is to build a loyal customer base, expand into new markets nationally and internationally. (Courtesy photos

Move over CoverGirl, Maybelline and Mac. A new kid is in town by the name of Naturelle Cosmetique, a company formed in 2014 with 97 percent natural ingredients, gluten free, and never tested on animals. Ashley Perry, the proprietor, shares her unique journey on how she created Naturelle Cosmetique.

Carlee McCullough: Thank you for taking the time to share with our readers your experience and knowledge about Naturelle Cosmetique.

Ashley Perry: Using the knowledge and expertise from Nail Technician School, it was initially created to help my mother recover from the scaring and hyper pigmentation left from a condition called Cellulitis. Using only honey, apple cider vinegar, tea tree, vitamin E, and coconut oil, I made my first product. In a matter of weeks, my mother experienced dramatic improvement in the texture, and appearance of her skin. From that, I have developed premium, deeply moisturizing formulations using rich essential oils, botanicals, extracts, and locally sourced Tennessee Honey.

C.M.: Why do you use honey in your products?

A.P.: Honey is one of the oldest foods in existence, known for healing and anti-microbial properties; it has been delighting humans for centuries symbolizing health, beauty, purity, and strength. That is precisely why I use it in every product I create. Products include soap, scrubs, body butter, and serums. All products are naturally scented, cruelty-free, environmentally friendly and perform beautifully without false promises.

C.M.: When did you discover that you wanted to go into business?

A.P.: I knew for quite some time. But while I was in Nail Technician School, I learned so much about the skin and how to care for it that I knew I wanted to make products to help effectively take care of the skin.

C.M.: How did you decide on the cosmetics business?

A.P.: I consider myself a beauty enthusiast. I love all things that enhance what we naturally have as women. It just made sense for me. I studied chemistry at the University of Memphis. So making things just comes naturally for me.

C.M.: Tell us about your products and what makes them unique.

A.P.: I have all natural Tennessee Honey based soaps, scrubs, body butter, and serums. We take unexpected ingredients such as ground raw almonds, apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger, and locally sourced honey that has amazing results on the skin.

C.M.: What is your goal for the business?

A.P.: I want to grow and build awareness for the brand, grow by 30 percent this year, and expand into more stores and new markets outside of Memphis.

C.M.: What does it take to maintain the business?

A.P.: It takes lots of time and commitment to the overall success of business.

C.M.: Where can people find the products?

A.P.: They can be found via our website at www.livenaturelle.com or in stores such as the Trolley Stop Market & Curb Market in Memphis and Valley Pecans in Texas.

C.M.: As a young entrepreneur, what advice would you give to others interested in following your footsteps?

A.P.: First, to be 100 percent committed because there will be failures, constant No’s. But with determination, doors will start to open for you.

C.M.: What did you do in preparation for the business?

A.P.: I did two years of research before I made a single product so I could be well informed. I did market research to see whom my competitors were and saved every dollar I could get my hands on.

C.M.: What is next for Ashley Perry?

A.P.: Well, I am focused on building my brand and expanding my market share by making products available nationally and globally.

C.M.: As a business owner, what is the greatest reward?

A.P.: The biggest reward for me is to see others appreciate and acknowledge the hard work I’ve put into building this company.

C.M.: What’s most challenging as a business owner?

A.P.: I’m a workaholic. So keeping things separate and making time to do other things that I love is the biggest challenge for me.

C.M.: What’s your overall goal in this industry?

A.P.: My goal is to build a loyal customer base, expand into new markets nationally and internationally. I would also like to see my products in stores like Kroger, Wal-Mart and whole foods. Additionally, I would love to create a new movement in beauty, where natural products are the new standard in beauty.

C.M.: Any closing remarks?

A.P.: “If you’re not willing to fail, you won’t succeed!” – Shai Agassi

For more information, contact Ashley Perry at (901) 421-1597. The website address is www.livenaturelle.com

(Contact Carlee M. McCullough, Esq. at 901-795-0050; email – jstce4all@aol.com.)

By Carlee McCullough, Esq., Special to The New Tri-State Defender

As an attorney, I have seen the impact of a business on relationships. Whether the business is successful or not, it can have a detrimental impact on all parties involved. Owning a business is supposed to be the “American Dream.” But entrepreneurship can send a healthy relationship into a tailspin if the participants are not adequately prepared for the challenges ahead.

Mentally absent

In business, the pressure to be successful is so great that the business owner can be physically present but not mentally available. During special events, dinner, PTA meeting, and date night, the entrepreneur’s thought process is on how to make payroll for the business or how to pay the utility bill or the home mortgage. It is not enough to simply be present. The lack of engagement, for example, can trigger discussion by the significant other. Unfortunately, if there are children involved, they feel when a parent is aloof or disengaged. So extra effort has to be made to leave the office problems behind when it is family time.

Physically absent

Business, whether it is old or new, frequently requires after-hour meetings with the opposite sex or even out of town travel. In a two-parent home, frequent meetings and travel by the entrepreneur requires the other parent to pick up the slack. This can be overwhelming for the parent with the children the majority of the time.

Often times the business owner is caught up in their own day-to-day operations and the advancement of the business that he or she repeatedly and inadvertently minimizes the contributions made by his or her partner to maintaining the family.

This lack of compassion for the stresses that both parties endure contributes to resentment. Therefore, communication is required to overcome the challenges presented by a physically absent parent. The entrepreneur has to remember that his or her partner needs a break as well. A break does not necessarily include the children.

Financially strapped

A business can be more than a drain on a household. Regularly, the business requires extra funds to meet payroll, taxes, and all of the ancillary expenses incurred on a day-to-day basis. The startup may require loans from family, friends and maybe even against assets. Servicing the debt can be even more of a challenge when you have to face the same family, friends and spouse with no money to pay them back. The stress builds and so does the resentment when there is no communication involved.

One of the top reasons for separation and divorce involves financial problems in a relationship. The buildup of anger and bitterness is difficult to overcome and contributes to problems. The communication breaks down and the individuals completely shut down sharing their feelings with each other. Even in times of financial strife, sharing with a spouse or significant other becomes most important in getting over the hurdle. Beware of sharing with others while not sharing with your loved one. This creates a recipe for disaster.

Business success

The business is a success and all should be well. Money is rolling in, the bills are paid, and the entrepreneur is vindicated that starting the business was the right decision. Sometimes the spouse or significant other is still not happy. Success is not necessarily the answer when damage to the relationship has been done along the way and animosity has built up over time. Regardless of the success of the business, it can still be stressful on the relationship. Sometimes money has a way of changing people…sometimes for the good and sometimes for the bad. Remember, every step of the way, communication is the key to overcoming challenges.

A form of infidelity

It is so easy for the business to become a form of infidelity in a relationship. The business consumes all of the entrepreneur’s time, effort and energy. The owner’s mind is always on the business and not on the family. The entrepreneur travels, dines, and meets consistently with colleagues and staff. The company requires commitment and devotion. But remember, in the long run, so does the family, spouse and/or significant other.

While it may seem simple enough to divorce or end a relationship for the sake of the business, understand that ending a relationship takes an emotional toll and frequently leaves a path of destruction on not only the participants, but the business as well. Just as the business requires nurturing, those personal relationships require attention as well.

(Contact Carlee M. McCullough, Esq. at 901-795-0050; email – jstce4all@aol.com.)

By Nielsen

No matter where you live or who you are, dirt and grime are inescapable facts of life. As such, we all need to clean—and we spend a significant amount of time keeping our homes and clothes clean and fresh. In a Nielsen online survey about home-cleaning and laundry habits, nearly one-third of global respondents (31%) say they clean every day, and the same percentage (31%) say they do laundry daily.

“While cleaning is a common (and essential) practice everywhere around the globe, a one-size-fits-all strategy to get the job done doesn’t work globally,” said Sarah Peters, Nielsen Global Business Partner. “Home-care habits and preferences vary widely around the world. Taking an ‘under-the-covers’ look at today’s in-home practices, coupled with an understanding of the larger forces influencing the home-care industry, provides insight about the products consumers want and need—now and in the future.”

The Nielsen Global Home-Care Survey polled more than 30,000 online respondents in 61 countries to understand cleaning and laundry behaviors and sentiments around the world. We examine who’s cleaning, the tools they’re using and the benefits they’re looking for in home-care products. We also explore the underlying macroeconomic forces affecting the home-care industry, and we offer insights into how to adapt to the changing environment by aligning offerings to consumer needs and desires.

THE HIS AND HERS OF HOUSEWORK

When it comes to home care, who does the majority of the cleaning? Perhaps not surprisingly, it’s predominantly still women. Around the world, 44% of respondents say the female head of household does the majority of cleaning, with the highest percentages in Europe and Africa/Middle East (49% each).

But even if they aren’t leading the charge, men are sharing some of the load. Globally, 28% say housecleaning is a shared responsibility between the two heads of the household, and 17% of respondents say men do the majority of cleaning. In North America, men are contributing to the cleaning duties at the highest response levels: Nearly one-third of respondents (32%) say the male head of household does the majority of the cleaning, nearly double the global average.

Responsibility for product purchasing largely mirrors who is doing the cleaning—with even greater female influence. More than half of global respondents (51%) say the female head of household buys the majority of cleaning products. Nearly one-quarter (23%) say it’s a shared responsibility, and slightly fewer (21%) say the male head of household is responsible for the majority of purchasing. Just as North America has the highest percentage of men who are primarily responsible for cleaning, the region also has the highest percentage of respondents who say men purchase cleaning products. One-third of North American respondents (33%) say the male head of household is primarily responsible for buying these items, 12 percentage points above the global average.

“The perception that home care is only women’s work is inaccurate,” said Peters. “The female head of household remains a key stakeholder in the cleaning process in many homes, but as more men play an active role in housework, marketing strategies need to reflect a more balanced approach—from product innovations to marketing messages. This will require a deeper understanding of how each gender approaches the task of cleaning and where gaps in current offerings may exist.”

As males continue to take a more active role in housework, they present a strong growth opportunity. Perhaps products with masculine fragrances or rugged packaging designs are opportunities worth considering, but unlocking the segment’s true potential will come from an in-depth understanding of how these users’ needs aren’t being met. In addition, marketers need to understand what motivates brand choice. Brands with higher equity tend to get considered more often, and typically represent a greater share of consumers’ purchase requirement. For both men and women, brand choice is emotional and rational. To win consumers’ hearts and minds, marketers need to capture attention and engage consumers to drive them to take action.

Other findings from the global Home Care report include:

Seventy-seven percent of global respondents say they purchased household cleaning products from a large retail chain in the past 12 months, compared with 23% who said they purchased from an online retailer.
Cleaning tools of the trade are as diverse as the regions themselves.
Efficacy is a must-have attribute for cleaners, with 61% of global respondents saying that performance is very important when selecting a household-cleaning product, but new-product development strategies also must differentiate through secondary attributes that appeal to salient trends like natural, ecofriendly offerings and single-dosage packaging.
Two-thirds of global respondents (67%) say they do laundry at least twice per week.
Forty percent of respondents in Asia-Pacific say they seek laundry detergents that don’t contain harsh chemicals, compared with 35% globally.
Value is being redefined in the laundry-care market. Lowest price is not always most important, as products with high-efficiency benefits are popular.

For more detail and insight, download Nielsen’s Global Home-Care Report. If you would like more detailed country-level data from this survey, it is available for sale in the Nielsen Store

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ABOUT THE NIELSEN GLOBAL SURVEY

The Nielsen Global Home-Care Survey was conducted Aug. 10-Sept. 4, 2015, and polled more than 30,000 online consumers in 61 countries throughout Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East/Africa and North America. The sample includes Internet users who agreed to participate in this survey and has quotas based on age and sex for each country. It is weighted to be representative of Internet consumers by country. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. However, a probability sample of equivalent size would have a margin of error of ±0.6% at the global level. This Nielsen survey is based only on the behavior of respondents with online access. Internet penetration rates vary by country. Nielsen uses a minimum reporting standard of 60% Internet penetration or an online population of 10 million for survey inclusion.

By Your Black World

By theGrio

A new women’s hair magazine named CRWNMAG about black women’s beauty and natural hair topics was founded to start new and “progressive dialogue around what it really means to ‘go natural’ in America.”

Started by founders Lindsey Day and Nkrumah Farrar, who collaborated to “create a platform that documents the experiences of natural-haired black women,” the magazine is out to start a new standard for beauty that encourages women everywhere to take on their hair journeys together.

When asked in an interview with HuffPo Black Voices what ingredients in the magazine make theirs different and interestingly unique from other online or print magazines on the topic, the founders said that “there was a void when it came to publications that were really celebrating and edifying black women.” They continued to explain that the overall quality and creativity needed to be raised to a higher level when representing this topic and publications. They said that too many women out there are encouraged to “lighten” their skin and hair, straighten it, and so on, to make everything seem thinner. Co-founders Lindsey and Nkrumah said that they wish to celebrate the “diversity, the uniqueness and the beauty that black women naturally embody.”

Lindsey and Nkrumah also stated that they felt many black women have always been seen as ‘strong’ women but are not always seen for their beauty. This was a problem they set out to fix as many of their first publications included shots of women who were not models but simply beautiful and gorgeous women.

One of the founders went so far as to say, “We seek to immortalize in print a conversation that already exists online. We are creating a print platform for the culture.” Thus far, the magazine has printed their August issue, “Zero,” and also their Zine, which will both lead up to a spring release of the next issue, “One.”

WATCH: A Memphis hair stylist went on to create her own natural hair care empire thanks to the inspiration her father gave her at an early age:

By Breanna Edwards, The Root

The tech industry has a long way to go in terms of adequately diversifying and incorporating the perspectives of different people from different backgrounds.

However, one lawyer is making strides in the often white and male-dominated arena, smashing open gates not only for herself but also for those who will come after her.

“You have those moments when you’re the only woman in the room, you’re the only black woman in the room and you kind of say, ‘Should I be here? Is this the right thing?’” Elke Suber, assistant general counsel at Microsoft, where she currently oversees global legal support for the company, tells The Root.

Suber says that she started out in digital entertainment and technology being heavily invested in gaming or the interactive side, which she describes as being even more male-dominated when she first got involved.

“You have to break through that and realize that you have to take a seat at the table and that you’ve got a background, a difference of opinion, that is going to bring something to the forefront or help add a different voice to the conversation,” she says.

“That’s what’s kept me going, and also just wanting to be a role model for others coming behind me,” she continues. “I can’t stress the importance of how role models, mentors and sponsors have been so critical and important to my own career.”

For Suber, the organization that’s guided her on her journey and provided her with those role models, mentors and sponsors is the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association, which she now, perhaps fittingly, heads as chair of its board of directors, the second woman to do so in the organization’s 36 years of existence.

BESLA’s upcoming midyear conference is all about “Succeeding in the Entertainment and Sports Industries.” The conference, which will be held Monday at Fordham University in New York City, will include several panels covering topics from digital media to tips about climbing the corporate ladder.

Several big influencers will participate in the conference, with music-industry veteran L.A. Reid as a featured guest speaker and National Football League Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith and National Basketball Players Association Executive Director Michele Roberts headlining a special luncheon panel.

Suber attributes a good portion of her success to the knowledge and support she received at her first BESLA conference.

“A mentor suggested I go to [the BESLA conference] to just learn more, and so I attended, had a great time [and] went to so many amazing panels,” she says.

“One of the panels was on digital media, and I came out of that panel, out of learning from those industry influencers, and I thought to myself, ‘You know what? That’s what I want to do.’ And really, from that day forward, I literally started looking for opportunities to practice in digital entertainment, digital media, and took focus on copyright and technology issues,” she says.

From there, Suber became more and more active in the organization, working her way up through the years until she was invited to sit on the board of directors before ultimately becoming the chair. Suber describes her dedication as being such because of the ability to “give back” to other young lawyers in the same way that she was so deeply influenced.

“I have gotten a lot out of BESLA in terms of my career, in terms of development, in terms of networking and relations, and I want to be there just as those lawyers were there for me when I was a young lawyer, and help others find their passion and just really be prepared to succeed in this industry,” she says.

By Sherrell Dorsey, The Root

The excuse that top tech companies and large firms can’t find stellar, diverse talent will become a thing of the past if Stephanie Lampkin, founder of Blendoor, has anything to say about it. Lampkin announced the app’s official debut at a rooftop party Saturday during South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.

Blendoor is a mobile job-matching app that helps companies identify talent “based on merit, not molds.” Lampkin developed the app out of the frustration of not being taken seriously in the tech industry despite boasting an engineering degree from Stanford and an MBA from MIT Sloan.

Lampkin, who has been coding since the age of 13, worked hard to develop her skills and expertise in the tech field. When she went to apply for a data-analytics role at Microsoft after working for the tech behemoth for several years, she was turned down with the suggestion that she’d be a better fit for a sales or marketing position.

“We’re moving the word ‘diversity,’ which has become highly diluted, from our vocabulary and exchanging it with the word ‘merit,’” Lampkin told The Root. Lampkin, like most highly qualified candidates, knows she has the qualifications to be successful in the industry but may not necessarily fit the traditional mode, which has led to the kind of disproportionate representation for which top tech companies are now being criticized.

For the last two years, Lampkin has been grinding away to get Blendoor off the ground. She has since developed several strategic partnerships with IBM, Intel and Apple. Blendoor, operating akin to platforms like LinkedIn and Monster, draws companies that pay upward of $400 to advertise available positions for candidates who subscribe to the service for free.

Her pitch to partner companies goes beyond increasing diversity to revolutionizing the way big data can drive innovation in talent recruitment.

“To date, there hasn’t been good measurement or tracking around diversity as it relates to recruiter behavior,” Lampkin explained. “We will be able to challenge the idea that there is a pipeline problem. There are a diverse number of candidates that are qualified, but they aren’t making it past the phone screen. Our app, which is a ‘blind-recruiting platform’ is positioned to help companies make better decisions at the gate.”

So far, Lampkin has won $50,000 from various pitch competitions and another $50,000 from angel investors like Pipeline Angels. She’s also working with Kapor Capital to close a larger round of funding. Her strategy for the remainder of the year is to gain traction with partner companies and work with affinity groups to acquire high-caliber candidates. Recently, Lampkin met with the president of the National Black MBA Association to discuss how Blendoor can add value to the multichapter organization by providing data on conversion and statistics on their members hired to top companies.

“We’re getting inbounds daily from companies within and outside of the tech companies,” Lampkin said. “Blendoor’s goal is to also attract people of color 10 to 15 years out of college, working for investment or consulting firms, that may not be aware of the opportunities at big companies.

Sign up to download the Blendoor app today at its website.

By Nielsen

Whether you were watching for the game, the halftime show, or the ads, this year’s showdown between the Broncos and the Panthers made it a Super Bowl to remember. The minute-by-minute excitement could be felt from the field, on screens across the country, and through social media as millions took part in the action on Twitter. 15.2 million people in the U.S. saw Tweets about Sunday’s telecast of Super Bowl 50 on CBS. Those Tweets were seen a total of 1.3 billion times (Twitter TV impressions) throughout the night. The audience reached by Tweets about the event was 53% male and 56% over the age of 25.

Fans weren’t just Tweeting about the game and halftime – tons took to Twitter in response to celebrity-

filled ads, to participate in contests and to comment on character cameos, whether they be babies, animals or a creative combination. The ads were scoring touchdowns across the board, driving 1.4 million authors to send 4.6 million brand-related Tweets during the TV event. The word “commercial” was mentioned in 590,000 Tweets.

Overall Twitter activity peaked at 8:44 p.m. ET, with a total of 162,000 Tweets sent during the minute

after the halftime show. Brand activity hit a high at 7:04 p.m., with a total of 49,000 Tweets sent in the minute after Mountain Dew Kickstart aired its “Puppymonkeybaby” ad.

The game, halftime show and advertisers fueled the activity. “Super Bowl” was mentioned 2.3 million times. Beyoncé was mentioned in 967,000 Tweets, Coldplay was mentioned in 734,000 Tweets and Bruno Mars was mentioned in 514,000 Tweets.

The Denver Broncos stole the show on and off the field: they were mentioned in 1.5 million Tweets, while

the Carolina Panthers were mentioned in 1.2 million Tweets. For the Broncos, the top player on Twitter for the night was Peyton Manning, with 1.1 million mentions, while the Panthers’ Cam Newton was mentioned in 487,000 Tweets.

The excitement around the TV event didn’t just start on game day. We also took a look at Twitter activity happening on a 24/7 basis in the two weeks leading up to the event, specifically tracking mentions of the

Super Bowl, along with related terms (#SB50, @SuperBowl, etc.), as well as mentions of the teams playing in the big game. Fans sent a total of 3.5 million Tweets about the Super Bowl, 796,000 Tweets about the Denver Broncos, and 912,000 Tweets about the Carolina Panthers in the two weeks leading up to the main event.

Through the lens of the Super Bowl, we can see how consumers experience live TV events today, with their smartphone and tablets in hand and social media at their fingertips. This immediate consumer response to the game and the ads through social media brings benefits to networks looking to understand audience engagement and offers opportunities for advertisers and agencies to boost earned media for their brands