Cadillac’s sponsorship of the 2023 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) in Miami, FL, was marked by a captivating panel discussion titled “Creating Cultural Capital.” The panel celebrated the intersection of creativity and innovation, bringing together esteemed industry leaders to share their insights and experiences. The panelists included General Motors (GM) executive Tarshena Armstrong, director of diversity marketing and development, alongside Franklin Leonard of The Blacklist, Tommy Oliver of Confluential Films, and Liliana Lopez of Spike DDB Ad Agency. The panel, moderated by Stacey Walker-King, chief brand officer of MACRO, highlighted Cadillac’s commitment to supporting diverse talent and championing big dreams in the film and entertainment industry.
Each panelist was carefully selected for their significant contributions and impact on the industry. GM executive Armstrong was very influential throughout the discussion and shared several impactful examples of how Cadillac is striving to be inclusive in their storytelling. “In one of our commercials, we have a Black-owned Cadillac dealer, who’s literally next door to our office space [in metro Detroit]. He hands the keys to his children, representing the passing of the torch and the creation of generational wealth. You don’t see that often, but it’s captured in Cadillac advertising.” She went on to describe the sound that was curated as an accompaniment of the spot: Lucky Daye’s “Real Games.” Armstrong continued, “The storytelling of the sound was Lucky Daye, which is cued by the phrase #PlayMyCadillac. It sounds amazing! With that type of thoughtfulness, that’s how you embrace culture. There are so many Cadillac references in hip-hop/rap culture, and that is because we embrace culture authentically and organically within Cadillac, and all around GM.
Leonard’s work with The Black List and the GM Incubator Fund made him a fitting choice. The GM Incubator Fund supports emerging filmmakers by providing grants and resources, nurturing their talent and helping them bring their creative visions to life. Leonard’s passion towards empowering and supporting emerging creatives was evident through the majority of his panel responses. When asked how he approaches inclusivity in his work, while at the same time knowing that every audience will be diverse, Leonard stated that he was “…deeply uncomfortable with the nature of the representation in Hollywood.” He went on to give his explanation: “I don’t believe that every piece of work should represent everybody. It’s fundamentally impossible. Ideally, I would like for all artists to be able to tell the stories they seek to tell, however they seek to tell them; and for the system to be such that every artist has the opportunity to create the story with the resources necessary to tell their stories that befits their merit, regardless of their backgrounds.”
Oliver, whose work Cadillac had the pleasure of supporting during his Black Love Summit, shares the luxury brand’s vision of championing audacious endeavors. His zeal for supporting budding creatives aligns perfectly with Cadillac’s commitment to nurturing talent and helping individuals achieve their dreams. Oliver was also very passionate, as well as intentional, about describing how he approaches inclusivity in his work. He stated, “Historically, our content overperforms, again and again, empirically, always has. Confluential Films is very much the confluence of art, entertainment and business, done in a culturally specific fashion, and made authentically. So, for us, we’re only making [features] with the people who are making [authentic films]. We are able to control what we do and how we do it, [just like we did] with Netflix’s ‘The Perfect Find’, starring Gabrielle Union and Keith Powers.”
Lopez, an executive producer at Spike DDB, and her colleagues have made a significant cultural impact both nationally and globally. Under her visionary leadership, Cadillac’s multicultural spots have resonated with a global audience. Lopez’s inclusion in the panel highlighted Cadillac’s commitment to authentic representation while supporting diverse-owned companies in the entertainment industry.
Through Cadillac’s thought-provoking panel discussion “Creating Cultural Capital”, they aimed to amplify diverse voices, celebrate innovation, and inspire the next generation of creatives. By bringing together such a diverse group of industry leaders, Cadillac reaffirmed its commitment to driving inclusivity, supporting emerging creatives, and creating a vibrant and diverse film and entertainment industry.
Photo Gallery courtesy of: Nice Crowd/Eric Ellis
