The Essence Festival Shows the Network at Its Inclusive Best
The annual Essence Festival not only drew record attendance this year, as 540,000 people from around the globe descended into New Orleans to see some of the hottest names in entertainment, it set what could become a new standard for diversity and real inclusion among mainstream brands.
Hypocrisy Over Diabetes Had Not Sunk Her
Paula Deen hid her diabetes diagnosis for three years and then came out with her illness while signing on as spokesperson for a diabetes drug, all the while continuing to promote sugary, high-calorie recipes like Twinkie Pie, Deep Fried Cheesecake Fried Stuffing on a Stick.
Her brand, which is all about food, survived.
For Black Women, Issues of Image and Self-Worth Often Focus on Hair
via Big Tent on Adage.com
When Gabby Douglas unexpectedly captured the Olympic Gold medal in gymnastics this summer, I was elated, peacock proud and genuinely happy for the 16-year-old and her family. It was all the more special for me because she is African American. Then, incredibly, followed flack from critics black and non-black about Douglas’ post-performance hairstyle!
Showing Love Is a Great Way to Reach the Black Community
While true love is not restricted by race or gender, black love, between a black man and black woman, continues to be a really big deal in the black community. Just about every February, popular black magazines focus on “Black Love.” Both Ebony and Essence’s February cover stories this year stayed true to this tradition.
Latino and Asian Firms Are Way Ahead in Efforts to Get Marketers to Better Understand Diverse Customers
Black media and ad agencies have had enough …… enough of seeing their efforts taken for granted to help marketers better understand the black consumer
New Study and Ongoing Insights Challenge the Rush to embrace Cross Cultural Marketing
“One of the latest buzz words to enter the marketing lexicon is “cross-cultural” It paints an idealistic picture of a color blind society, one in which consumes’ similarities outweigh their differences regardless of ethnic groups.” —Is Cross Cultural An Industry Breakthrough or Threat to Ethnic Shops by Michael Bush – Advertising Age (1/31/2011)
Retailers Missing A Great Opportunity to Generate Millions in Sales, And There’s No Excuse
Can a sistah get an espresso lip pencil? That’s what I asked a fellow shopper who along with me was digging through the crowded shelves of “tawny beige” facial powders and “nude” lip pencils — colors that were the antithesis of what we were looking for, for our brown skin tones. She was looking for a pressed powder color to match her complexion. Frustrated, after carefully examining each related product and crevice, we called off the search.
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Pepper Miller, author of “Black (Still) Matters in Marketing” and President of The Hunter-Miller Group, will elevate marketer’s understanding of black women in her session at the 8th Annual M2W®– The Marketing To Women Conference, April 24 & 25, Chicago Cultural Center. M2W® is annually attended by Fortune 1000 senior brand marketing executives and their agencies.
