One thing is certain in the constantly evolving world of advertising: Black voices are becoming more prevalent in this industry. Despite making up only 7% of the advertising sector, many African Americans are working to increase the visibility of Black voices in marketing (Colvin, 2024). This article talks about three campaigns that were successful in accomplishing this.
You Love Me—directed by Melina Matsoukas (a two-time Grammy Award–winning filmmaker) in partnership with Beats by Dr. Dre—is a powerful short film that features notable celebrities such as Lil Baby and Naomi Osaka. The film highlights how Black culture is widely beloved but that that love is not extended to Black people. A lot of people watch their favorite athletes, like Osaka, on TV and admire the music made by Black musicians. However, the film challenges viewers to examine their own attitudes and beliefs by asking, "You love my culture, but do you love me?" Whether it's Lil Baby's music or Osaka's raw talent, the short film serves as a reminder that one can’t claim to love Black culture without acknowledging the problems that Black people face on a daily basis. The film was a successful campaign for Beats, becoming the fifth most watched video on their YouTube channel and garnering industry awards, including second place on Adweek’s Best Ads of the Year and third place on Ad Age’s 30 Best Creative Brand Moves of 2020 (Shorty Awards, 2020).
The Fenty Beauty campaign, presented by Rihanna, made a huge impact on the beauty industry. By challenging industry norms, the cosmetics brand channeled the power of inclusivity to provide those with different skin tones more options for cosmetics, describing “40 shades for each and every skin tone” (Latana, 2020). Although this campaign is not overtly political, it does address the beauty industry's lack of products that best suit people with darker skin tones. This campaign brought much-needed awareness to this issue, and the Fenty brand made beauty products more inclusive. The ad itself beautifully showcases models with a variety of ethnicities and skin tones with meticulous lighting. The campaign launched in 2017 with Rihanna herself starring in the project and was hugely successful. It built awareness around the product line and helped the brand generate $100 million in the 40 days after its launch (Latana, 2020).
Dream in Black took a different, ongoing multimedia approach to reach Black audiences through cultural connection. AT&T developed the project to establish itself as an internet service provider that understands and fuels cultural expression. They debuted the platform Dream in Black during Essence Fest, a festival that showcases Black talent. The center of this campaign is a digital platform that showcases the skills and accomplishments of Black creatives. The platform is still in use today and promotes various initiatives, such as the Rising Future Makers program. The program supports creators attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with $5,000 grants and mentorship for their creative aspirations. The AT&T Rising Future Makers initiative honors and recognizes up to 25 HBCU students who are making a difference on campus and in their community.
Dream in Black was effective because it increased sales for AT&T and created marketing engagement—20% of Dream in Black users said they were more likely to purchase AT&T services after using the platform (Shorty Awards, 2019). The platform also continuously supports Black creatives by providing networking opportunities and a space where Black creative talent is showcased and celebrated.
Sources:
Colvin, C. (2024, February 23). Black talent remains underrepresented in advertising industry. HR Dive. https://www.hrdive.com/news/black-representation-advertising/708345
Beats by Dr. Dre - You Love Me. The Shorty Awards. (n.d.). https://shortyawards.com/13th/beats-by-dr-dre-you-love-me
How Fenty Beauty built brand awareness—and won. Latana. (2020, October 29). https://resources.latana.com/post/build-brand-awareness-fenty
Dream in Black. The Shorty Awards. (n.d.-b). https://shortyawards.com/11th/dream-in-black
