By now, it’s no secret that Pavone has a thriving digital media department whose members are busy helping clients create and manage blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, YouTube channels and a host of other social media tools.

But what if you used a blog or Facebook page to bring a company’s marketing icon to life?

That’s exactly what Pavone and Utz Quality Foods did when they took one of the most recognizable corporate mascots in the eastern United States – the Little Utz Girl – and brought her to life with her very own blog and Facebook page. Yes, after nearly 90 years, the ageless, ruddy-cheeked little girl on the front of millions of Utz packages finally has a voice. And like any preteen suddenly given access to the World Wide Web and social media, she’s got a lot to say.

Since its launch on February 1st, the Little Utz Girl’s blog has been visited more than 3,600 times and her Facebook presence has attracted more than 700 fans.

What’s interesting about this social media case study isn’t  that it’s proof that these new tools really can work for a brand… we knew that already. This one is noteworthy for its ability to create a personality that toes the company line (as all good corporate social media channels should), but also has her own distinct identity. She has likes, dislikes, hobbies, friends, pets, and her own unique sense of humor and writing style (including a love of exclamation points exceeded only by her love of Utz snacks and her dog, Doodle).

In other words, we took an iconic symbol and made her real – at least as real as a person can be in the ether of cyberspace.

I know, I know, another story about digital media, right? Well, get used to it, because it isn’t going anywhere any time soon, and the people who scoff at the power of this new medium are the same people who called e-mail a “dying fad” 15 years ago. I was not one of those people, and I continue to be awed by the power of social media, particularly in its role as a fundraising tool in the wake of natural disasters.

Following the earthquake in Haiti, there should be no doubt about digital media’s ability to mobilize the masses and influence their behavior. Take text messaging, for example. Just 48 hours after the quake leveled much of central Haiti, text message donations totaled more than $21 million. Most of the cash was raised simply by asking people to text “Haiti” to 90999. A $10 charge on their phone bill would then be donated to disaster relief efforts.

And how was word spreading about this magical five digit number? Via Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other social media channels. And e-mail, of course. Can’t forget about that dying fad.

So what does this mean for digital media’s use as a marketing tool? It means if you’re not onboard at least in some capacity, you’re destined to be left behind. It means great things can happen in 140 characters or less. And it means if you give people a good enough reason to take action, they will… even if it’s while standing in line at McDonalds.

By the way, funny story* about the whole Haiti text messaging thing. A girl (age and location unknown) mistakenly thought that each time she texted “Haiti” to 90999, someone else would donate $10 to the cause. A $2,000 phone bill a few weeks later proved otherwise. I’m guessing somewhere in Port-au-Prince a medical ward is named after her.

* Assuming you’re not her parents.

Over the holidays, I found myself in an odd discussion with my grandfather. He wanted to know what a blog was. As we continued to talk, I assured him it was not a new breed of chickens but in fact it was a new breed of his “Lancaster Farmer.” In today’s information obsessed culture, limitless amounts of both useful and non-useful facts are at our fingertips.

The conversation reminded me how much many of us take for granted these “newfangled” communication methods and how a large segment of the 21st century population (older Americans) still has little knowledge of these channels (or little use for them). Will blogging alter consumer habits in the future? Some would say it already has, and the influx of “non-credible” blogging has become more worthy than the facts and ultimately change how people make decisions for their lives.

Fundraising no longer means reaching out to your network using traditional channels (phone calls and letters). The “new fundraising” means reaching people via social platforms like Twitter and Facebook while providing them accessible methods to easily donate.

Take the case of Haiti, a country ravaged by disaster that is experiencing much-needed relief thanks to Web 2.0 fundraising efforts.

Relief is arriving in the form of donations to organizations like the Red Cross, Yele Haiti Foundation, Doctors without Borders, The Salvation Army, UNICEF and many more. These organizations are not only receiving donations the tradition way of checks through the mail or credit cards over the phone, they’re also receiving them digitally. And we’re not just talking about credit card donations on a corporate website. Some of the most popular methods of donations include text messaging, iTune purchases and Facebook applications.

Text messaging is by far one of the largest generator of donations for the Haiti relief efforts. The Red Cross has raised more than $25 million dollars through texting “Haiti” to 90999. Wyclef Jean even got involved by driving his 1.4 million Twitter followers to donate to his charity Yele Haiti Foundation via texting “Yele” to 501501. It’s reported that he has been able to raise over $2 million for his foundation. Some carriers are even waiving their text messaging fees for these transactions.

You can even purchase songs and donate to the Red Cross via iTunes. Pop singer Rhianna is selling her performance of “Redemption Song” (as seen on Oprah) for $1.29 with proceeds benefiting the Haiti relief efforts. In addition to buying music, you can also donate multiple amounts to the Red Cross via iTunes.

iTunes will continue to provide opportunities to donate when it releases the video and performances from “Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief” on Saturday. The proceeds from these items will go to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, Oxfam America, Partners in Health, Red Cross, UNICEF, United Nations World Food Programme and the Yele Haiti Foundation.

Facebook’s Farmville even raised money for Haiti by selling “Sweet Seeds for Haiti.” Zynga donated 50% of the proceeds to help the children of Haiti. In all, Farmville raised $1.5 million dollars by selling virtual goods for this relief effort.

I could give even more examples, as new digital donation methods crop up daily, but I think you get the point. Personally, I find it both amazing and refreshing how digital and social media are not only impacting the lives of those who use the channels, but also impacting the lives of those who don’t.

Some may describe it as an obsession, a compulsion or the constant need to be “in the know.” Other can’t fathom communicating without it, including the 77 percent of Americans who use this tool at work.  News flash! Social networking sites — Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter — are transforming the way people, business and certainly advertising communicate.  Hard copy communication channels are a thing of the past; our world is now a viral operation. Logging on while on the clock is corporate America’s most publicized controversy and some employers should re-consider the benefits of the web before enforcing a ban.

Social networking is no longer just a “hobby.”  It’s become a vital organ of the world in which we live, work and play. However, more than half of employers across the nation have banned access to social media in the workplace. Obviously, employers think it’s a bad idea to take advantage of your social networking savvy employees to positively promote your business for FREE. Did I mention FREE promotion? Facebook alone has over 350 million members who could potentially see, hear and interact with your company. Capitalizing on this technology now, may help ease companies into the digital transition to come.

“In today’s difficult business environment, the instinctive reaction can be to batten down the hatches and return to the traditional command-and-control techniques that enable managers to closely monitor and measure productivity. Allowing workers to have more freedom and flexibility might seem counter-intuitive, but it appears to create businesses more capable of maintaining stability,” said Peter Bradwell, a Demos researcher.

In other words, be a lover, not a fighter.

Employers should consider options on how to incorporate social networking into daily work priorities to benefit their company. While here at Pavone, social networking for personal use is not permitted during work hours, we’re encouraged to use it to positively promote the agency. The agency itself is an active participant in Twitter and Facebook, in fact our latest post includes our holiday e-card.

Face it, this generation is like no other and social networking is here to stay. Knowing that, social networking at work should be a trained, monitored and encouraged activity.  Its capabilities should never be questioned because you shouldn’t question a good thing. After all, we’re living in a digital world and it’s about time companies learn to live there too.