How important are multicultural agencies to advertising?
Very important. Ad Week posted a very interesting article speaking on this exact topic earlier this year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people who identify as African American or Black, account for only 5 percent of those working in advertising and public relations … that’s alarming. From H&M’s “coolest monkey” sweatshirt to Gucci’s “blackface” incident, these branding issues will continue to surface until there is actual diversity in the workplace.
What are two of your favorite marketing and advertising campaigns and why?
One of the dopest campaigns I’ve seen in awhile was actually a co-branded campaign between KFC and Spotify. KFC … brought in Sid Lee Paris agency to help compile a Spotify playlist called “Bucket Bangers.” I thought it was pretty unique how they were able to connect their brand as a fast-food restaurant to the music industry and leverage Spotify’s viewership to draw social engagement.
Name two iconic brands you would like to be in charge of from a marketing perspective and explain why.
Easy call. Mercedes-Benz and Rolex. In the Black community specifically, most kids grew up with ambitions of owning the latest Benz, as it was culturally seen as a status symbol. The popularity of Rolex watches [is similar] with the rise of hip-hop culture. If the opportunity ever presented itself, I would love to do a co-branded photo shoot capturing the true essence of what these brands meant culturally during the ’90s era, in contrast to now and highlight the differences in fashion [and] lifestyle using some of today’s hip-hop artists.
