Mult icultural Marketing News February 2022 February is Black History Month In this issue: Multicultural Marketing News presents newsmakers, experts and speakers as featured on multicultural.com in our Experts Directory and Speakers Showcase. Newsmakers - From Crown of Glory to a Social Movement: More Than Just Hair (CultureBeat®, a division of C+R Research)
- Honoring Those At The Heart Of Black Health (EMCAY)
- Community Marketing & Insights: Black LGBTQ Community Survey
- To Do Better, Do Your Research. (Horowitz Research)
Speakers - Lauren Wesley Wilson, Founder & CEO, ColorComm Media Group
- Arva R. Rice, President and CEO, New York Urban League
- Ashleigh Williams, Senior Research Director, C+R Research
Experts - Bold Culture LLC
- ColorComm, Inc.
- CultureBeat®, a division of C+R Research
- Ethnic Technologies
- fluent360
- INFUSION
- Lighthouse List Co.
- MIKADO International
- My Code Media
- New York Urban League
- Quantasy + Associates
- Sensis
- Vision Strategy and Insights
Destinations/Events - Black Life & Art Highlighted in Chicago’s Newest Exhibit
- St. Augustine to Celebrate Rich African American History During Black History Month
- Carolina Core, NC
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From Crown of Glory to a Social Movement: More Than Just Hair They say, “it’s just hair, it will grow back,”…right? While that saying may be somewhat true, we know that hair is seen as a crown of glory (especially for women). Hair can be something people envy others for, and it can also be used as a weapon to label a group or culture as “other.” The expression of beauty through hairstyles has been a long-standing signature of Black culture. From the “fro” to hair wraps to braids, Black men and women use their hairstyles as a personal expression of who they are and to show the evolution of Black culture over time. We’ve certainly come a long way from when we first took a look at how hair connects to identity in Black culture. The natural hair movement had just caught on and was in full swing back then. This hair evolution has brought us to a time when more and more Black women are embracing the natural beauty of their own hair. To help in understanding the emotional significance hair has on Black culture and identity, one doesn’t have to look too far within our Black communities to understand the effects. Each woman has her own story or “hair journey,” often marked by struggles stemming from childhood. Read more By Ashleigh Williams, Qualitative Research Senior Director, CultureBeat. View full company profile here. |
Honoring Those At The Heart Of Black Health Black History Month is a time of recognition of the many contributions that Black Americans have made in numerous fields including, education, art, sciences, sports, film, and more. In honor of this year’s theme, Black Health and Wellness, which pays tribute to healthcare providers and medical scholars, we are pleased to recognize some of the many Black American pioneers in medicine and healthcare; James McCune Smith, MD, the first Black American to receive a medical degree, Rebecca Lee Crumpler, MD, the first Black woman in the United States to receive a medical degree and Alexa Irene Canady, MD, the first Black neurosurgeon in the United States. Their contributions inspire us during this celebratory month to reinforce the continued need to address ongoing health and wellness disparities and challenges that impact the Black community today. EMCAY continues to be on the forefront of healthcare communications in the Black community. Year after year, our award-winning African American market campaigns are truly making a difference in helping to address healthcare disparities across the nation. View full company profile here. |
Community Marketing & Insights: Black LGBTQ Community Survey The Center for Black Equity and Community Marketing & Insights would like to thank our partners in the study: AARP, Freddie Mac, Human Rights Campaign Foundation, and Wilson Media Group, Inc. Key study finding: Cannot Be Their Full LGBTQ Selves 92% of survey participants feel pride in being an LGBTQ person. However, while Black LGBTQ participants feel pride in being an LGBTQ person, many cannot fully be themselves at work, school, or in their neighborhood. Only 49% definitely agree that they can be themselves at school and work, and 47% definitely agree they can be themselves in their neighborhood. Overall, cisgender Black lesbian women appear to experience greater acceptance than gay men and bisexual participants. Transgender and non-binary participants report the least acceptance in the workplace, school, and their neighborhoods. Summary of Study Key Findings: https://www.cmi.info/documents/temp/CMI_Black-LGBTQ-Survey-2021-PR.docx Webinar review of the study: LGBTQtu.be (scroll down to CMI Black LGBTQ Community Survey Webinar) To receive a free copy of the full Black LGBTQ Community Survey report, please send your request to: research@cmi.info |
To Do Better, Do Your Research. While many brands are celebrating Black History Month in February with campaigns targeted to Black Americans, it is important that they plan to make sustained, meaningful efforts to resonate with the Black audience year-round, not just one month out of the year. Our FOCUS Black: Consumer Engagement 2021 report reveals that Black audiences are increasingly skeptical of companies they perceive as opportunistically pandering: 41% tell us they are seeing more companies that are insincere in their efforts towards diversity and inclusion now than ever before. Making a sustained effort will impact ROI: two-thirds (66%) of Black Americans say that they would be more compelled to buy from a company that features diverse people, lifestyles, and cultures in their ads. This is why investments in research among Black audiences to understand brand perceptions and get reactions to creative and messaging is more important than ever. By Adriana Waterston, Chief Revenue Officer and Insights and Strategy Lead, Horowitz Research, 914-834-5999, adrianaw@horowitzresearch.com. View full company profile here. |
Lauren Wesley Wilson, Founder & CEO, ColorComm Media Group Lauren Wesley Wilson is an Award –Winning Diversity and Inclusion Strategist. Lauren currently serves as Founder and CEO of ColorComm Media Group and ColorComm, Inc. In 2011, Lauren founded ColorComm, Inc., the nation’s leading women’s platform addressing diversity and inclusion across the communications, marketing, media, advertising, and digital arena. Lauren has provided 100,000+ professionals with the tools and resources to advance, has secured 500+ jobs for ColorComm Members, and has worked with Fortune 500 companies on their D&I strategy. Lauren has been recognized by PR Week’s 50 Most Powerful in PR, Ad Age ‘Women to Watch’, PR Week’s 40 under 40 Award, The Root 100, New York Women in Communications, among many others. In 2017, Lauren was selected to serve on the Glass Lions Jury at Cannes Lions Festival in Cannes, France. Prior to ColorComm, Lauren worked in political communications serving as the Communications Director for Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and as a Media Strategist/Media Booker for President Barack Obama’s Reelection Campaign. Following the Campaign, Lauren worked as a Communications Strategist at the prestigious crisis firm Qorvis/MSL overseeing media strategy and crisis communications for international governments and consumer brands. Lauren graduated from Spelman College with a B.A. in Political Science and from Georgetown University with an M.A. in Communications. www.colorcommnetwork.com View Lauren’s full Speaker profile here. |
Arva R. Rice, President and CEO, New York Urban League Arva Rice is a passionate community leader who has dedicated herself to creating pathways to success for young people with a focus on girls and women. Arva currently serves as President & CEO of the New York Urban League. The New York Urban League is leading the way underserved African-Americans are educated, employed and empowered across the 5 boroughs. For the past 100 years we’ve inspired, influenced and ignited over 1 million black people to achieve their highest aspirations. Arva is a member of the Women’s Forum, Greater New York Chapter of The Links Incorporated, a Commissioner for the NYC Equal Employment Practices Commission and Trustee at First Corinthians Baptist Church. Arva is a 2013-2014 Annie Casey Fellow, a national fellowship for government and nonprofit leaders focused on supporting innovation solutions for children. Arva graduated from the Northwestern University. She currently lives in Harlem. View Arva’s full Speaker profile here. |
Ashleigh Williams, Senior Research Director, C+R Research Her own cultural context and expertise illuminates her research style and enables empathic connections with consumers of various backgrounds. In addition, she helps spearhead the CultureBeat PULSE ezine at C+R and holds experience working with multicultural teens, harnessing her passion to uncover the thoughts and desires of the next generation. Prior to joining C+R Research, Ashleigh worked as a Design Strategist at BrandImage Schawk Inc. She also spent 4 years collaborating with a variety of research and design firms (Kelton Global Research, Insight Product Development, and Webb de Vlam to name a few) to conduct qualitative research projects for Fortune 100 clients, Ashleigh holds her BFA in Industrial Design from the University of Illinois Chicago. View Ashleigh’s full Speaker profile here. |
Bold Culture LLC Bold Culture is a data-driven multicultural communication consultancy with expertise in cross-cultural marketing insights and developing inclusive workplace cultures. Through its dual-lens of marketing and talent development, Bold Culture offers marketers, advertisers, recruiters and HR managers tailored research & insights, workshops, audits, strategic plans, roundtables, ongoing consulting, and connections to diverse talent at all levels. Bold has a specific focus on helping companies connect to Black, Latinx, LGBTQIA+ audiences and talent across their intersections. View full company profile here. |
 ColorComm, Inc.Founded in 2011, ColorComm, Inc. serves more than 100,000 professionals across the ColorComm Network, ColorComm Executive Conference, ColorComm NextGen Summit, ColorComm Media Group, and Men of Color in Communications Community. ColorComm initially started over a lunch where 34 women gathered for the first ColorComm Luncheon in May 2011 at a restaurant in Washington, D.C. Several ColorComm Luncheons later, attendees expressed interest in transforming ColorComm from a luncheon series to a professional membership community with direct access to leaders and decision makers. ColorComm, Inc. is the nation’s leading women’s platform addressing diversity & inclusion across the communications, marketing, advertising, and media industries. ColorComm Network is a national professional membership organization with chapters located in New York, Washington, DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and London. View full company profile here. |
CultureBeat®, a division of C+R Research Culture defines and shapes consumers, implicitly and explicitly affecting the way we interact with organizations, products and brands. CultureBeat®, C+R Research’s multicultural research division, helps brands understand how different cultures, ethnicities and lifestyles – and the dynamics that intertwine them – influence their consumers. Our team focuses on getting to the core of what drives consumers’ interactions with your brands to help you form long-lasting connections with them. Our CultureBeat® team is comprised of a group of researchers from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds who bring years of experience and cultural relevance. And our Hispanic research consultancy, LatinoEyes®, brings additional experience and deep understanding of both U.S. and Latino cultures. Our insights are driven by our passion to uncover how culture influences consumers/shoppers and the decisions they make. We leverage our company’s agility to develop the best research approaches, utilizing both traditional and emerging methods. View full company profile here. |
Ethnic Technologies Ethnic Technologies® is the global leader in multicultural marketing, digital applications, research, data enhancements and analysis. The Ethnicenter from Ethnic Technologies is the result of over 40 years of continuous multicultural, religious and language preference research. E-Tech’s multicultural and language preference selects repeatedly outperform the competition in accuracy and response rates. Whether in digital applications, mailing, telemarketing or email campaigns, the E-Tech® data achieves excellent results. View full company profile here. |
fluent360 fluent360™ is one of the foremost agency leaders shaping the multicultural marketing industry. Equal parts integrated marketing agency and cultural hub, we specialize in giving brands a resonating voice to effectively speak to various cultural segments– both ethnic and consumer niche followings. As a multi-talented, multicultural agency, we offer a full spectrum of communication services from our Chicago, Nashville and New York City offices. fluent360 works across Hispanic, African American, Asian American, and LGBTQ with seasoned specialist teams for each audience sector. We call this “True Multicultural” – an agency approach designed for the realities of today’s consumer. View full company profile here. |
INFUSION INFUSION is a WMBE full-service agency that provides Fortune 500 Clients best-in-class Multicultural strategic leadership and consistent results, led by dynamic Stanford MBA Liz Castells and a powerhouse team with ‘brains, heart and grit’, who thrives on challenges. They are known for infusing analytics and insights for deeper business and marketing strategies, first-in-kind thinking, and cultural narratives that compel ROI-Powered ideas. Multicultural capabilities include the Hispanic, African-American and Asian segments. Their Transculturation™ model helps Clients profitably integrate Multicultural across the P’s factoring both ethnic needs and GM commonalities, to develop a mix of unique, universal and cross-cultural Marcomm efforts – across Brand, Direct, Retail, Digital, Social, CRM, Experiential and Virtual platforms. Clients like Toyota, McDonald’s and Charter Communications have facilitated INFUSION breaking sales records, and driving category firsts, awards and Total Market success. View full company profile here. |
 Lighthouse List: Your #1 Ranked Source for Accurate African American Consumer DataDid you know that you may have wasted thousands of dollars on inaccurate African American data in the past? According to trusted independent data evaluator, Truthset, for every dollar spent targeting an African American consumer, 73 cents was spent reaching a non-African American consumer. The answer? Work with a leader in multicultural data accuracy. Ranked no. 1 for multicultural marketing data multiple times by Truthset, Lighthouse is a small boutique data company that provides quick, custom segments with great accuracy and 2-3 times the scale. Our data is multichannel and actionable across direct mail, telemarketing, email, social, mobile, CTV and other digital channels. Nearly 50% of our PII data has at least ten matches from different sources, whilst 50% our phone data has at least two matches. What’s more, we link our data to three billion transactions daily, ensuring maximum accuracy. Choose from our on-demand audiences or have us build you a custom audience for your exclusive use. Find out more or speak to us today about your data needs on +1 (800) 684-2180. View full company profile here. |
MIKADO International MIKADO International is a culture-first advertising agency that strives to create a world more connected. Through opportunity analysis, research, and market planning, we explore the intersection between creativity and effectiveness, helping brands to effectively cater to underserved and fragmented cultural and/or religious communities with unparalleled expertise. Our work represents the world we live. Our latest projects targeting the African American communities have included reaching out to specific segments such as Caribbean Americans or Nigerian Americans for brands such as Xfinity. View full company profile here. |
My Code Media My Code is a digital media company that enables brands, agencies, publishers, and storytellers to decode and connect with multifaceted and diverse audiences. The B Code Media division was established to empower brands with the tools and resources to deliver impactful and culturally–nuanced messaging for Black consumers. We continuously gather consumer insights on the Black community through direct research and leverage what we learn to design and execute culturally resonant solutions. The B Code Publisher Network ensures that brand messages thrive in trusted and endemic digital environments while directing increased ad spend to minority-owned and minority-targeted publishers. With a diverse team of marketers, sellers, researchers, and storytellers specializing in an ever-growing selection of Cultural and Affinity Codes, My Code helps companies of all sizes reach millions of Hispanic, Black, and AAPI consumers with unmatched authenticity. My Code is now a robust, minority-dominant organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of the diverse communities and audiences it represents. View full company profile here. |
New York Urban League For over 100 years, the New York Urban League (NYUL) has led the way in the education, employment, and empowerment of underserved African-Americans across the five boroughs of New York City. During this time, we are proud to have inspired, influenced, and ignited over one million Black people to achieve their highest aspirations. NYUL remains a vital resource for our city’s African-Americans and other underserved groups. We invest to transform the lives of over 8,000 families each year by providing quality higher education options, economic opportunity, and community engagement. Visit us at https://www.nyul.org/; https://www.facebook.com/newyorkurbanleague/ and https://twitter.com/NYUrbanLeague View full company profile here. |
Quantasy + Associates Quantasy is a fully integrated brand services agency that exists at the intersection of entertainment, advertising, technology and culture. With expertise that spans the four pillars of Advertising, Content, Influencers, and Platforms + Technology, Quantasy empowers brands to push culture forward. Founded in 2011 and based in Los Angeles, Quantasy delivers business growth results and provides counsel for Fortune 500 companies, high-growth start-ups, civic leaders and global entrepreneurs. What we believe at Quantasy + Associates: At Quantasy we’re introducing a new era of thinking. We’re marrying influence and creativity to unlock new possibilities. We’re innovating in new and unexpected ways to drive culture in the right direction. We don’t seek opportunity, we create it. We don’t just embrace change, we drive it. We are the voice of the new generation, Asking new questions to finally get new answers. View full company profile here. |
Sensis Sensis is an integrated cross-cultural marketing agency. We connect brands with people, through meaningful marketing that builds sustainable demand. Our cross-cultural model combines Hispanic, African American, Asian market expertise to inform all our work. We are a strategy-led agency, built around robust cross-cultural research and insights. Our integrated capabilities – both culturally and tactically – are a cost-efficient solution to a fragmented media landscape and a reflection of the cultural fusion of the U.S. View full company profile here. |
Vision Strategy and Insights Vision Strategy and Insights is a full-service market research, strategy and communications firm. Women- and minority-owned, we specialize in raising the voices of Black/African American consumers and voters through a deep understanding of the culture and its diversity. VSI regularly engages within the Black community on issues, candidates and a range of consumer products and services. These varied touchpoints, gives us a broad and well-rounded expertise that fuels actionable, nuanced research insights that are the building blocks for creating a brand relationship. Brenda P. Lee is a Founder and Partner at VSI. She leads the company’s African American practice and brings to this role over 20 years of living, learning and thinking about the Black experience. Brenda holds a BS from Florida A&M University, an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and an MA from the School of Advanced International Studies, at John Hopkins University. She is a RIVA-certified Master Moderator and teaches the art of cross-cultural communication to clients and the science of moderating to other researchers across the U.S. View full company profile here. |
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Black Life & Art Highlighted in Chicago’s Newest Exhibit Rebuild Foundation and Anthony Gallery announced a yearlong partnership to present a series of exhibitions spotlighting the importance of Black space, Black art and Black artists at the Stony Island Arts Bank in 2022. Run by Chicago native Isimeme “Easy” Otabor, Anthony Gallery, which is located in the Fulton River District of Chicago, will collaborate with artist Theaster Gates’ Rebuild Foundation to highlight emerging and established contemporary artists working in the field of African and Black American identity. Rebuild Foundation and Anthony Gallery kicked off the series on January 20th with ‘Is where it’s at!’, a special exhibition from Chicago-based Nigerian American artist Adeshola Makinde. ‘Is where it’s at!,’ a presentation of new and existing works drawing upon the celebrated EBONY and JET Magazines, pays homage to the Johnson Publishing Company’s reign in documenting, celebrating and amplifying all aspects of Black life in America. The exhibition’s title is a nod to musician Nina Simone’s “Young, Gifted and Black” performance at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, marrying themes of Black empire, Black life and Black music found throughout the archives at the Arts Bank. Makinde, whose work is informed by a strong social justice and activism lens, has had his work featured in collaborations with notable brands Nike, Nordstrom, Soho House, and Notre, to name a few. ‘Is where it’s at!’ opened at 5pm on Thursday, January 20. The exhibition will be on view at the Stony Island Arts Bank Thursdays through Sundays from 12pm to 6pm from January 21, 2022, to February 27, 2022. Rebuild Foundation and Anthony Gallery will collaborate throughout the year to produce and present a number of exhibitions at the Arts Bank. For more information about this collaboration, please visit www.rebuild-foundation.org. |
| Ade Makinde. Courtesy of Rebuild Foundation and Anthony Gallery. Photographer: Sulyiman Stokes. |
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 St. Augustine to Celebrate Rich African American History During Black History MonthToday, Black history can be seen and celebrated throughout the year in St. Augustine – from the downtown Plaza de la Constitucion to the beaches of Anastasia Island. But, there’s no better time to experience this rich heritage than Black History Month. Narrated tours, museums, historic sites, and concerts are just a few ways to experience the rich history of the Black experience in the Nation’s oldest city. The Lenny Foster Photography Exhibition: “Where We Stand” will be on display at the St. Johns County Courthouse daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, through April 22, 2022. Work from this series provides a glimpse into the rich African American history of Florida’s Historic Coast. Admission is free. From February 18 – 25, 2022 Fort Mose State Historic Park will host the inaugural Fort Mose Jazz and Blues Series featuring some of America’s most well-known and accomplished performers including The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, Amythyst Kiah, Gregory Porters, and more. The Series includes five unforgettable performances over two weeks. On February 19 Resilience Family Fest will feature cultural dance and musical performances, historical reenactments and more at the city’s Solomon Calhoun Community Center. The Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center chronicles more than 450 years of St. Augustine’s black history through exhibits, arts, lectures and live performances. The Lincolnville Jazz at the Excelsior will feature performance by Eric Carter & Company on February 11 and Longineu Parsons II on February 26. I Lived Here as Well – A Woman’s Story, the story of urban slavery from the woman’s perspective is a guided tour led by costumed actors taking place which take place each Thursday- Saturday in February and March at Ximenez Fatio House Museum. For the most up-to-date event information visit www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com/events. |
The Carolina Core, a region encompassing cities such as Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point has played a major role in African American history. Greensboro is the home of the Civil Rights Sit-in and the Historic Magnolia House, one of only four Green Book sites in North Carolina. The Magnolia House served as a safe retreat for some of our nation’s most well-known African Americans during the segregated Jim Crow Era including Ray Charles, Jackie Robinson, Ike and Tina Turner, and James Baldwin. The house then moved on to operate as a living museum following a restoration in 1996, fast forward to January 2022, the Magnolia House recently reopened to serve as a hotel after more than 50 years. Owner, Natalie Miller took on the family legacy to restore the house to a modernized replica of its heyday. It includes four second-floor guest rooms, a concierge lounge, and an on-site restaurant featuring the hotel’s signature Sunday Brunch and “shoebox lunches”—a tribute to the packed meals Black travelers would travel with when on the road. Additionally, the Magnolia House hosts live music events throughout the year. Also while in Greensboro, visitors can learn about the famous Civil Rights Sit-In at the Woolworth’s Lunch Counter. Just 30-minutes away in Winston-Salem, visit the Old Salem Museums & Gardens, one of America’s most comprehensive history attractions where travelers can learn about the city’s history and contributions of Black Moravians. If a fan of photography, the first exhibition dedicated to the pioneering photographer, Kwame Brathwaite will be on display at the Reynolda House Museum of American Art from February 5- March 8. For events to attend, support local actors by attending the 17th biennial National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF) from August 1 – 6. The festival will transform North Carolina’s city of arts and innovation into a mega-performing arts center with over 130 performances in a number of the city’s venues. |
| Greensboro Chamber of Commerce |
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Would you like to see your company, expert, speaker or POV featured in our next theme newsletter? If you are interested in including your paragraph and logo in our next issue of Multicultural Marketing News/MMRNews ($425), please visit here for more information or sign up here or contact Lisa Skriloff at 212-242-3351 or Lisa@multicultural.com. Participation is free to organizations featured on multicultural.com. Sign up here to feature your organization/company on multicultural.com.Next Issues: March 2022 Newsletter Women’s History Month Deadline for reservations: March 4th Deadline for copy: March 8th Create your Listing and Order here Save the Dates for Key 2022 Multicultural & Diversity Conferences + events Deadline for reservations: March 4th Deadline for copy: March 8th Order your Featured Event Listing here |
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