How important are diversity and cultural authenticity to your marketing, branding and community relations strategies?
Jason Carter: It is placed at the top of the list. Far too many times brands throw money at a problem and/or a community and think that is enough. It’s not. Cultural authenticity cannot be manufactured. If you truly want to connect with a community, you not only have to invest your money but also your time while committing to understanding their ethos. As for diversity, it goes hand in hand with our brand strategies. Our culture is not vanilla. Our culture is not solely hip hop. Our culture isn’t he or she … it’s we, us, them, and they. Our power is based on collective action, so whatever we build, present and promote it must reflect the entire soul of our community.
How does your brand use influencers, and what role do they play in your marketing strategy?
SC: Influencers are very important to the growth of our brands; however … picking the right influencers is even more important. At OVG, we leverage unique technology for influencer identification and making sure their audiences align with the brand and consumers we’re trying to reach. Followers do not always equal influence. The big question is, do your followers believe you? Do they believe in you? Would they buy something from you? Do they engage with your content? Do they share your content? Picking the right influencers is extremely important in rolling out new ideas, concepts, products and services. We use influencers to be our voice when addressing their specific audience, we use influencers for more than just top-of-the-funnel reach and engagement. They help create an intimate and familiar space for new adopters to get to know our brands. People trust people. Brands have to earn your trust.
