1 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business Varieties weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 1: Cynthia Littleton, business editor for Variety Today. My guests are 4 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 1: Laurie Hall and Jessica Lane Alexander. Laurie and Jessica are 5 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: entertainment marketing veterans who decided, after years of talking about it, 6 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: to hang out their own shingle this year. The executives 7 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 1: who previously worked together at Turner Broadcasting and at TV one, 8 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:42,520 Speaker 1: recently launched multicultural marketing agency Pop and Creative, based in Atlanta. 9 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: In our conversation about race and marketing and media, the 10 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: black entrepreneurs discuss why they have the confidence to launch 11 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: a company amid the economic wallop of the pandemic. They 12 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: offer thoughtful observations on why big brands need to embrace 13 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: the call for racial justice as a matter of long 14 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: term business survival in an increasingly multicultural America. As Laurie says, 15 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 1: a systemic problem needs a systemic solution. Lorie Hall and 16 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:19,119 Speaker 1: Jessica Laane Alexander co founders of a brand new multicultural 17 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: marketing firm based in Atlanta, Popping Creative, Thank you so 18 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:25,479 Speaker 1: much to the both of you for joining us today. 19 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: Thank you for having us. It's very excited to be here, 20 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: but we're super excited. Thank you. Cynthia, um I you. 21 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: Popp and Creative announced itself to the world just a 22 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 1: couple of days ago with an announcement that you two 23 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: had joined forces. Both of you come from TV one 24 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: having been Lori had been the former head of marketing 25 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: for TV one and she now holds the role of 26 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: co founder and a head of creative for Pop and Creative. Jessica, 27 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: you were former head of social and Digital content, and 28 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: that's a similar role that you're going to play for 29 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 1: Pop and Creative. Um, first of all, congratulations. I had 30 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: so admire anybody that has the spine to go out 31 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 1: on their own, plant their flag as it were. Um, 32 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 1: this is obviously in the mac you know, in the 33 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: macro economic environment, this is a difficult time to be 34 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: launching a business, especially a marketing company right now when 35 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: the economy is is so uncertain, and we all know 36 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: that marketing spend tracks economic activity and the GPP. UM, 37 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: tell me, tell me what it was that made you 38 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: decide to take this step at this time. M hm, Well, actually, 39 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: you know, we were really frustrated with the lack of 40 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: UM agencies, multicultural agencies that were you know, highly heralded 41 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 1: by other networks, you know, and in the entertainment marketing world, 42 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,799 Speaker 1: we all share resources, we share agencies, and a lot 43 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: of marketers were like, I don't have a great multicultural 44 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: agency or I only have one, you know. And we 45 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: also saw, and Jessica says as often, that there was 46 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: a lack of women leadership, you know, at these agencies. 47 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: And so we saw brands start tripping up with marketing 48 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: to multicultural audiences, specifically even black audiences UM, with things 49 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: like you know, PEPSI with the Black Lives Matter imitation 50 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: UM back in seventeen, and you know, they're buried with 51 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: the nooses for their models in twenty nineteen. You know, 52 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 1: we're twenty and brands are still tripping up on how 53 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: to market to you know, these audiences effectively. So we 54 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: really said, you know what, we can do it, and 55 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: we can do it better UM. And we wanted to 56 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: be a resource for companies so that they had more 57 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 1: diversity of thoughts, so they had more women leadership, so 58 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: they had more black owned, black women led businesses. UM 59 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: in this space. Yeah, so I know, back when a 60 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: lot of stuff that Laurie said. So, my background is 61 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: I went to a business school that Kello School, the 62 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: Management and it's one of the top programs for brand managers. 63 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: So while I wasn't a brand manager, I had lots 64 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: of brand manager friends. And when we started out really 65 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: getting excited, I really wanted to push into this space. 66 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: I talked to a lot of my brand manager friends 67 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: about the multicultural marketing space and how they handled it, 68 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 1: and they had the same responses and the same frustrations. 69 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: It's like, we have one kind of agency that we 70 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 1: always go to and they, you know, or one or 71 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: two agencies, and they really wanted more diverse perspective, and 72 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 1: they really wanted to see more ideas, and they really 73 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: wanted to make sure they wanted to have top quality 74 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: ideas from their multi cultural agencies. And so we kept 75 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: we know, we're in the multi cultural space, and we're 76 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: expert marketers in the multi cultural space, and we just 77 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: thought that this is the time. If we've heard it, 78 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: we've heard it from you know, different people in the industry. 79 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: We heard it from different marketers. You know, I heard 80 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: it kind of that business school, just kind of lack 81 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 1: of multi cultural, uh, marketing expertise in this space. So 82 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 1: we pushed through and we pushed into it, um and 83 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: we're excited to kind of be here. Tell me, um, 84 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: I want to drill down, like, was it like one 85 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: day at the office? Was it over lunch? Was it 86 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: like who who said to who? You know we should 87 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: launch your company? That's a that's a great question. So 88 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: you know what, But I will say, Lorie, I don't 89 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: know if you actually remember this, but so Lori and 90 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 1: I actually go back through several different companies together. So 91 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: the tag team got back together in TV one, but 92 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,160 Speaker 1: we worked together. We were at Turner, Turner Broadcasting now 93 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 1: Warner Media, and I don't know if you remember this, 94 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 1: but I kind of was staying pushing us to do 95 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: this way back at at time Turner Broadcast. Excuse me, 96 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: I was pushing its way back way back in the 97 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: day at Turner Broadcasting because I was like, I think 98 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,119 Speaker 1: we can do this. Oh my god, re starts together 99 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: and I think we should do this, and You're like, yeah, yeah, 100 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: you're right. Well, and I think we left it at that, 101 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 1: And this might have been two thousand and ten or years, right, basically, 102 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 1: and so I always had this idea in the backburner 103 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: that you know, look around like, no, we could, we 104 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: could totally do this. And so I feel like when 105 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: we at TV one, you know, we're working together again, 106 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:10,839 Speaker 1: and I feel like I can't. I don't know if 107 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: it was me, but I know it was like one 108 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: of over drinks. I'm sure, and we're like, I think 109 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: I think we could kind of do this, right, it 110 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: start says that sprinkle of an idea, like I think 111 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 1: this can happen. Yeah. Yeah, it's funny that you're probably 112 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: right in and it's funny that you asked that. We've 113 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 1: never been asked that questions. So that's a really great one. 114 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 1: But um, I forgot about that. Just back in the 115 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 1: Turner days or Warner Media days, we got a really 116 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 1: bad pitch at TV one once for on air creative 117 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: and we wanted something that was going to work with 118 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: our audience. TV one is targeted to primarily African American audiences, 119 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 1: and this agency pitched these scripts that were supposed to 120 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: be funny air quotes, um, and it was all about 121 00:06:56,480 --> 00:07:00,040 Speaker 1: black people eating fried chicken and like, you know, I 122 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: don't know if they have watermelon in there just and 123 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 1: I laugh about watermelon and chicken because it's just like 124 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: that stereotypical negative image of black people that you know, 125 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: has stemmed from back in the day and racist history 126 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: and all of that. And so I was upset, like 127 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: I just did not know in what world they thought 128 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 1: they could pitch a black company, you know, with black 129 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 1: leadership about you know, fried chicken and and black people 130 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: eating fried chicken. So we took them a task on 131 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: the phone. We said, hey, this was offensive, but we 132 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: want to educate you. So it's offensive for these reasons. 133 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: And what I want to know is do you have 134 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 1: any black people on your staff? First? Um? And they said, well, 135 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: the writer was black and he's he's a freelancer. I said, 136 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: so you only had one, just one person. I said, 137 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: you need to vet these types of things that go 138 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: into stereotypes with multiple people, you know, of a demographic, 139 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: because this was completely offensive and no one person can 140 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: speak for the entire black race. So um, it was 141 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 1: I'm time after that that I think, you know, we 142 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: kept seeing these bad examples and it was probably just 143 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: that started the conversation because Jess is the best co 144 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: founder ever, because she drives the point all the time 145 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: like we can do this, we can do this, as 146 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: you can see from but um, jess was probably the 147 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: spark of it, and I was finally like, you know what, 148 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: it's time. You know, I've had a long career and 149 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: entertainment marketing, Jessics had a great career from Microsoft being 150 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: to TV one and one of media back in the day, 151 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 1: and I felt like, you know, we we have what 152 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: it takes. We know because we're sitting here quarterbacking these 153 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: other companies and what they did wrong, and you know, 154 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:37,439 Speaker 1: for the ones that did it right, what they did right. 155 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: So I think that was a genesis. Yeah. And this 156 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 1: bad pitch that came in, would you say that was 157 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:46,599 Speaker 1: about a year ago? Two years ago? Was it? Gosh, 158 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: you know, don't you know, don't hold me to it, 159 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:52,680 Speaker 1: but it was probably about two two years ago, probably 160 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 1: too maybe three years ago, and it's way too late. 161 00:08:55,360 --> 00:09:00,079 Speaker 1: We we were in even Ineen just should not be 162 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: falling into those kinds of stereotypes at this point, and 163 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: there was no context, there was no set up. Hey guys, 164 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 1: we know we're playing in a space that could be 165 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: kind of sensitive. We're not sure if this is the 166 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: right approach, and not only that all those scripts were 167 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,839 Speaker 1: that all of them. They didn't even have any other 168 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 1: scripts that were not stereotypical. So it just you know 169 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: that what I will say about the agency and um 170 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: I can't even remember which one it was, unfortunately, but 171 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: they came back, they took they took the critique very well, 172 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 1: very well. They came back, they pitched other scripts and 173 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,439 Speaker 1: they were so much better. Um So I didn't use 174 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: that as a point to just cut them off. And 175 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,679 Speaker 1: I think that's important for people to understand. Sometimes we 176 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 1: need to educate people, even at this late date. And 177 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: that's why Popping Creative when we put out the resource 178 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: scribes that the Brand Response God and the Action Guide, 179 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,560 Speaker 1: we felt so passionate about making sure brands understand the 180 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: nuances in dealing with anti racism and anti black racism 181 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: and understanding that you know, here are some things you 182 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: need to consider before you you put your plan together. 183 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:03,959 Speaker 1: We felt so passionately about that. We did that for free. 184 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 1: We put the guide out for free. Here it is, 185 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: it's our thought work, it's our IP, but we want 186 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: to share it because we care that much about brands 187 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: getting it right. Yeah. And I will also say, like 188 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: It's funny because that you know, that pitch that we 189 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: had that was I feel like a few years ago, 190 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: but that type of pitch and that type of um 191 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 1: kind of writers kind of bring up these stereotypical ideas 192 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: because kind of followed us throughout our career. Because I 193 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: even remember back in the Warrn Men or Your Turner 194 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: broadcasting days that we had. We worked on another multicultural show, 195 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:36,720 Speaker 1: this one the uh, the lead creative was for Lopez 196 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 1: Tonight and so so similar like you know, George Lopez, 197 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: he's of Latino descent, and we had pitches come in 198 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 1: for George Lopez and full of like I've never seen 199 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: like multiple pitches. I've never seen so many so breiros 200 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 1: and mariachi bands in a pitch from his entire life, 201 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: Like it was crazy, just a number of like okay, 202 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 1: so you just was like, okay, uh, open the book 203 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: all the lists of stereotypes that people have for you know, 204 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: for people of Mexican descent, and we're gonna throw them 205 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: all in on one script, like is this is this 206 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 1: for real? And then and I feel like a whole 207 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: another agency kind of pitched an idea where uh the 208 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: title treatment for the show Little Plest Tonight was actually 209 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 1: in uh, some hedges, some bushes, so it had a 210 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: person cutting out his name and some books. And so 211 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 1: in my head, I'm like, Soul is the joke because 212 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 1: he's Mexican, that his title treatment should be in right, 213 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 1: you know, and and how hurtful that was and how 214 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: it was supposed to be a joke. And so this 215 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 1: kind of idea of these pitches going wrong has happened 216 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 1: through our entire career. So it's like it happened earlier, 217 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: and this might have been this was definitely within eleven 218 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: that sort of a time period that it consistently happens. 219 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: And so we feel like now, especially now in this 220 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: moment that we're having, this is a conversation that we 221 00:11:57,559 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: need to have so we can help it stop happening. 222 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 1: And we hope that you know, of course that we're 223 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 1: entering the space in the conversation, but we hope that 224 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 1: this encourages other kind of leaders and marketers to start 225 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,439 Speaker 1: having these really frank conversations with agencies that no, this 226 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: is not acceptable and to Laurie's point, will give you 227 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,679 Speaker 1: a chance to um to come back and recreate and 228 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 1: to make it right. But this isn't acceptable, and please 229 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 1: don't share this is anyone else And it's so it's 230 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,839 Speaker 1: so hard since and you know, as creatives, sometimes people 231 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: just go straight to the creative idea and they don't 232 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: have the cultural contexts, which is what we specialize, and 233 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: they don't have the cultural context to understand how as sensitive, 234 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: how offensive it is sometimes. So I remember being in 235 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: that room and I was like, anybody think that a 236 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 1: Latino person cutting heads is as offensive? And you know 237 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,559 Speaker 1: what's great is right there were non black people in 238 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:48,319 Speaker 1: the room. The head of marketing at the time was 239 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 1: Pristia Mountain. She's fantastic and you know she is always 240 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: on board and and driving the charge for making sure 241 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: that things are inclusive and non offensive and things like that. Um, 242 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 1: I feel like even ahead, I feel like in this presentation, yeah, 243 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: I don't feel like we weren't the only ones that said, hey, 244 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: this is totally unacceptable. So like we were one of 245 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 1: many voices in the room just because we had that 246 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 1: sort of team that had a pulse or what was 247 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 1: going on and we and uh, to Triti's point, or 248 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: to Glory's point about Tricia, that she encouraged us to 249 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: be active and vocal about things where things are going 250 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 1: left because we don't we don't want to be responsible 251 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:27,079 Speaker 1: things going left. And of course she never wanted to 252 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: be responsible things going left, so she empowered us to 253 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:31,440 Speaker 1: make that to have a voice in the conversation when 254 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 1: things like this kind of get popped up and we're presented. 255 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 1: I see it myself a lot, you know, a lot 256 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: in just marketing to women. Sometimes when it just hits 257 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 1: you the wrong way, and it really when it hits 258 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 1: you the wrong way to your point, to your point 259 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: um that you put out in your research guard, which 260 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:52,960 Speaker 1: I definitely want to talk about more, but when it 261 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: hits you wrong from for it's horrible for a brand 262 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: because the level you never forget it. And on some 263 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:04,440 Speaker 1: level it's like you know that it's totally discretionary what 264 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: brand of toothpaste I buy or what brand of you know, whatever, 265 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: whatever kind of packaged good or whatever you know, and 266 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: you know I have not forgotten that. You know, um, 267 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: the retailer J. C. Penny, you know, marketed shirts that 268 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 1: said I'm too I'm too dumb to do my math 269 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 1: homework or something along like it wasn't quite that bad, 270 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: but but almost you know as bad in its own way, 271 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: and you just don't you just don't forget that. And 272 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 1: I can't just as a you know, as a as 273 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 1: a white woman, I can't imagine. I can I I 274 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: can't imagine the pain of having that be I see 275 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 1: it a lot for women. I can't imagine having that 276 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: magnified on on race and ethnicity and the sense of 277 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: somebody has a stereotype of everything about you can be 278 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 1: can be boiled down to a few stereotypes that we're 279 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:59,359 Speaker 1: going to shove into a thirty second spot. I I 280 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: think I would be throwing things around the room, presented 281 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: with things you described, Like you said, whether it's George 282 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: Lopez or or for a black it doesn't matter. It's 283 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: that level of that level of just crass ignorance or 284 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: hedges its. Similarly, you know, back at TNT, we had 285 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: a show called The Closer, and um, someone pitched a 286 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 1: piece of kr because Brenda Lee Johnson loved candy. They pitched, 287 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:38,160 Speaker 1: yeah that had a twizzler noose. And I remember being 288 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: in that room. Um just I don't know if you 289 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 1: were there at that time, but I remember being in 290 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: that room and I was like, so black people in 291 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 1: nooses have a bad history. You know, it was a 292 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: little bit younger, so I probably wasn't as forcible as 293 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 1: I sound now, you know. But um, but I'm like 294 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: I remember I said it that way like black people 295 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: and newses have a long bad history. Um. And thank 296 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 1: they didn't go with that execution again thanks to great leadership, 297 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 1: um who listened to to me and listened to you know, 298 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: the voices in the room. But you know, it was 299 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: still it's just oh, this is playful a news because 300 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: she's hanging herself with no. No, that's not for any 301 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: on any level. It's it's insane. Um. So once you 302 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: once you two made the decision and you were getting um, 303 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: tell me what what was sort of your first step? 304 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 1: Did you have to to launch pop and creative? Did 305 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: you have to line up financing? Did you have to 306 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: get office space, design a logo, all those things? Yeah, 307 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: go ahead, Okay. I will say it's funny because as 308 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 1: we look as we look back on this race, I 309 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 1: feel like we you're any entrepreneur, and I'm sure a 310 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: lot of the entrepreneurs could come out and kind of 311 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: uh echo this sentiment. It's a good thing you're super 312 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 1: naive when you go into it, you're like, yes, we 313 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: can totally do it. Well, this is what we can do, 314 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: because if you knew actually all the steps you have 315 00:16:57,200 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: to take to get from this idea to actually open 316 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 1: thing and and sharing and sharing your business with the world, 317 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: you would say no immediately. So we started by really 318 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: having kind of discussions about who we wanted to be 319 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 1: and who we wanted to cater to. Um So one 320 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 1: of the things that we really went back and forth 321 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 1: with and really struggle with was do we really focus 322 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: on multicultural or do we kind of focus on ourselves 323 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 1: in a general market space. And we really went back 324 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 1: and forth because you know, of course, it's this idea 325 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,360 Speaker 1: that if we say that we focus on multi cultural, 326 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: that's where we'll stay and we'll be pigeon holed in 327 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: this space because as multi cultural markets, they often get 328 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 1: pigeonholed and Okay, that's the only thing they can do. 329 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: They're kind of one trick tony and they then can't 330 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: transition that and only that. And so we were kind 331 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,159 Speaker 1: of asking ourselves, do we want to put ourselves in 332 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 1: that box? Are we limiting ourselves and we're limiting our 333 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: potential kind of revenue building opportunities by putting ourselves in 334 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: that space. Uh, and thankfully we decided, you know what, 335 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:58,879 Speaker 1: whatever we're gonna do, this is what we love to do, 336 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 1: this is what this is what we're ash and about. 337 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:01,879 Speaker 1: We're gonna put our tone in the water here and 338 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 1: we're gonna say this is what we're gonna do. So 339 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:05,760 Speaker 1: I said to say, it started with a lot of 340 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: really kind of discussions about the mission and the purpose 341 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 1: and how we wanted to drive the company forward. Um, 342 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 1: we started there, and of course we started bringing somewhere around. 343 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 1: The name name was really early on in terms of 344 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: just what we thought were you know, because I feel 345 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: like agency, the agency name is kind of like a 346 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: whole thing, and you can see kind of they have 347 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:27,640 Speaker 1: vibes as you go from like decade and year to year, 348 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:29,119 Speaker 1: that sort of thing. So we're trying to think of 349 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: a name that we thought was you know, powerful, that 350 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: we thought was a cool for lack of a better term, Um, 351 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 1: we thought that was gonna we were gonna want to 352 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 1: stick with it three four five years on the line. 353 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 1: And then after that, I feel like that's when we 354 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:44,199 Speaker 1: started to actually like, you know, you send in your 355 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 1: official paperwork in terms of Uh, I want to say, 356 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: it's the State of Georgia. You send in your official 357 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: State of Georgia paperwork saying you created an LLC. And 358 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 1: I feel like that's where we started. Yeah, that's fantastic. 359 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 1: And um, why Atlanta are the both of you based 360 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: there already or was there a reason why you set 361 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:09,160 Speaker 1: set up shop in Atlanta? Y? Yeah, so, uh so 362 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 1: we are based here and I was moving here, so 363 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 1: that was part of the the part of the impetus 364 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 1: to do it. Uh. And so Lauria originally from Atlanta, Georgia, 365 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:19,439 Speaker 1: and I was I lived to in Atlanta, Georia, and 366 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: I actually just recently moved back at the end of 367 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 1: November to Atlanta, Georgia. Um, because my husband at the 368 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 1: top of twenty nineteen, he got a job down here 369 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: in Atlanta, and I knew I had it to relocate 370 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 1: to Atlanta somehow some way between that year's span, and 371 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: so we just went. We went through that space through Atlanta. 372 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: I feel like that was I don't know if it 373 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 1: was anything in particular, but we chose it because we 374 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 1: had a common we had a common home base in 375 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,400 Speaker 1: terms of Atlanta. My husband had just got a job 376 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,359 Speaker 1: here and moved and relocated there, and I was relocating there, 377 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: and so it felt like a natural home base for 378 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 1: us and a natural home base for pop and creative. 379 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 1: Did you have to have you had to line up 380 00:19:57,560 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 1: any kind of financing or you doing this out of 381 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:05,360 Speaker 1: your own bank accounts, our own bank accounts for right now. 382 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: But thankfully, you know, we really have some great contacts 383 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 1: in the industry and so we were able to UM, 384 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 1: you know, get projects really quickly. So Freeform was one 385 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 1: of our early projects. Trisian Mountain UM from Turner UM 386 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 1: had us do a capabilities meeting UM out there with 387 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: her team, and her team reached out to us to 388 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 1: bring us on board. So we were able to actually 389 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,680 Speaker 1: bring in UM money pretty quickly, you know, thankfully, knock 390 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 1: on wood UM, and we've gotten more clients since then. Uh. 391 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 1: COVID definitely was a bit of a you know, unknown 392 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:42,440 Speaker 1: monkey wrench, you know, whatever you wanna call it, because 393 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 1: we had some big experiential activations lined up. One in 394 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:49,200 Speaker 1: particular was with Essence Festival, which caters to half a 395 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:54,119 Speaker 1: million people each year, predominantly women, black women, UM, and 396 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: so we had to put that on HOLP because the 397 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:59,199 Speaker 1: festival had to get you know, canceled or or rather recentiled. 398 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: So you know, thankfully we're able to you know, do payroll, 399 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:07,199 Speaker 1: do our business operations, financing all of that through the 400 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:09,879 Speaker 1: money that we've already received from clients. And you know, 401 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:14,400 Speaker 1: fortunately in this new era of UM black lives we're 402 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 1: not new era, but you know, in the era of 403 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: really um companies responding to black Lives Matter. UM, A 404 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,640 Speaker 1: lot of people have been reaching out to us as well. 405 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: So we've been doing pretty well so far. And you know, 406 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,920 Speaker 1: we're we're open to other financing. We apply for a 407 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 1: grant and one one so that was really great. UM. 408 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:35,879 Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, I was just I feel like that's 409 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 1: that has honestly been the key some of the early, er, 410 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:40,440 Speaker 1: early potential clients, and I don't and I also mentioned 411 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: another early client U of of ours, Aspired TV, who 412 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:46,920 Speaker 1: really took a chance on giving giving a kind of 413 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 1: a you know, a longer a longer contract, because that's 414 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 1: really the key to help staying in businesses. Of course, 415 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 1: agency can be very you know, one project based, but 416 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: those longer contracts are what help you build your early business. 417 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: And so I'm thinkful to aspire to be in the 418 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 1: general manager Melissa Ingram, who really gave us a shot 419 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:05,640 Speaker 1: to uh say here, yeah, here's a here's a longer 420 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 1: contract for you to work on because we really need 421 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 1: to help. And so it's through those type of partnerships 422 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: and through those type of amazing clients are really partners 423 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,360 Speaker 1: that were able to get this up and running um 424 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 1: and really had this conversation with you here today when 425 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:21,920 Speaker 1: so just a couple of days ago, when you decided 426 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,679 Speaker 1: to formally lift the veil and let the world know 427 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 1: of popping creative birth, you did so with a very 428 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 1: comprehensive statement about you know why this moment can be 429 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 1: so challenging for brands, but also can be so full 430 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: of opportunity for people to really at a time when 431 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: when people want to hear from brands in a way 432 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:45,679 Speaker 1: that they didn't before because now we all have so 433 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: much information in our pockets on our phones, you put 434 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,360 Speaker 1: out two resource guides that had a lot of very 435 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:55,479 Speaker 1: interesting and very specific dues and don't One component of 436 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 1: that that I thought was very interesting is you is 437 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:03,200 Speaker 1: that you said very clearly, brand, don't be scared into silence, 438 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 1: even at a time of a lot of a lot 439 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 1: of controversy and a lot of anger and a lot 440 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 1: of very you know, discussions online. When you sat down 441 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,439 Speaker 1: to to to develop the components of the of the 442 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 1: two guides that you put out in announcing the company, 443 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 1: where did you start, Like did you put your heads together? 444 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: These are some of the most offensive things that we've 445 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:27,879 Speaker 1: heard over the years, like how did you start to 446 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 1: develop that guy? Yeah, it really started out. Um. Well, 447 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,719 Speaker 1: first of all, you know, with what happened to George Floyd. 448 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: We've seen that throughout history, right, Um, but in particular 449 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 1: with George Floyd, it was the first time I think 450 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:49,719 Speaker 1: that um, people beyond Black America really paid attention in 451 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: a very big way because it was so in your face, 452 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 1: given that you had the entire recording of him taking 453 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 1: his last breaths and being knelt upon on by the officer, 454 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:05,120 Speaker 1: and and the officer not relenting to at least give 455 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 1: him air to at least um make sure he's okay, 456 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: and to see someone die on video is quite um traumatic, disturbing. 457 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 1: There are all kinds of words I could use for that, um. 458 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 1: And so when the protests started, um, you know, we 459 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: were passionate. We are passionate about that. Right Black lives 460 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 1: do matter. We are Black women. Black lives have always 461 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: mattered for us, UM, but to see allies and advocates 462 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: and non black people all rallied together with us, it 463 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:38,680 Speaker 1: became this huge movement and it's still a movement, um, 464 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:42,199 Speaker 1: you know today, you know, in terms of fighting anti 465 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 1: black racism, fighting to see black people as equal human beings, 466 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:49,520 Speaker 1: fighting for equity, you know, and you know with black 467 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: people in corporate America or other positions, you know, how 468 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: can we now bring Black America up? Because it's been 469 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 1: over four hundred and fifty years of oppression. So as 470 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 1: Jessica and I were talking about how companies were responding, 471 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 1: because we're so passionate about you know, trying to figure 472 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:06,480 Speaker 1: out how can we help, what can we do to 473 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: help um, you know, bring some some progress to this movement. 474 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:13,880 Speaker 1: You know, we don't want it to be just a moment. 475 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,400 Speaker 1: We wanted to be a movement, you know, And and 476 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 1: a lot of people have been really careful to call 477 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:21,920 Speaker 1: it a movement these days, which has been a really 478 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:25,159 Speaker 1: great signal I think for everybody because it started with 479 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 1: the moment and now it's trans you know, Uh, it's 480 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 1: moved into a movement. So uh, we started talking about 481 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,640 Speaker 1: what are brands saying? And so we started seeing these 482 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: examples of some brands, you know, coming out with what 483 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,960 Speaker 1: we call the Hollywood Black Squares thanks to UH, what 484 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: are the folks on our team Kisha Taylor, UM Hollywood 485 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 1: Black Squares where everybody came out with a black background, 486 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:53,639 Speaker 1: white type and it had we stand in support UM. 487 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 1: And as we saw that, we started digging into what 488 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 1: the brands were doing and some of them had multi 489 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: layer plans, some of them had no plan at all. 490 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: And so Jessica actually was pushing again because she's such 491 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:07,119 Speaker 1: a great co founder, Jessica was pushing for us to 492 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:10,879 Speaker 1: know something UM on our social media channels and she's like, 493 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:14,119 Speaker 1: what are we gonna post? We wanted to be, you know, UM, 494 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 1: something about the agency, but something where we're resource and 495 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 1: we were like, we've been talking about how companies have 496 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: been responding this entire time. Let's let's post that. So 497 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,200 Speaker 1: it went from a post and turned into a guy 498 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: because we realized there was so much more meat we 499 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 1: could put on it in terms of giving examples of 500 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:35,200 Speaker 1: the nuances, what felt right, what didn't feel right? Why 501 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 1: that was UM And so as we started to pull examples. 502 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: It became it became a really great way for us 503 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,919 Speaker 1: to to participate in the movement and to you know, 504 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 1: be a resource to companies who were trying to figure 505 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:51,159 Speaker 1: out what to say. So that's why the first one 506 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 1: is a response guy, and I can't get rid of 507 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:55,959 Speaker 1: jest to talk about the Action Guide, which was our 508 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:59,360 Speaker 1: follow up to the Response Guide. Yeah, so I would say, 509 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,440 Speaker 1: you know, we saw those initial responses, We saw people, 510 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:04,919 Speaker 1: We saw that brands one, we're willing to step up, 511 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:06,639 Speaker 1: and they were trying to step up. We created that 512 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 1: kind of the response guy. And then we started to 513 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 1: see another shift in the movement or or the moment 514 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 1: started to extend itself and where they were encouraging brands 515 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 1: to not only look outside in terms of what's happening 516 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 1: in the streets and what's happening in terms of dismantling 517 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 1: racism within the criminal justice system and which are the 518 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,680 Speaker 1: larger American institutions, but then they begged people to start 519 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 1: looking at some of the American institutions known as these 520 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:33,159 Speaker 1: businesses and corporate America. And so when we started to 521 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:36,480 Speaker 1: see that pivot and shift where they're saying, no, it's 522 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,439 Speaker 1: not just important for us not to you know, not 523 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 1: to be the victims of police brutality and not to 524 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:44,440 Speaker 1: be the victims of police violence, but also see that 525 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:47,879 Speaker 1: we have equity and equality and have those conversations extend 526 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 1: to corporate America where the numbers of African American, uh, 527 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 1: numbers of African American are just Black people in general 528 00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:57,640 Speaker 1: are so limited and so are so small, especially when 529 00:27:57,640 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: you get to the higher ranks and you get to 530 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: decease we senior level executives, board members, you know, black 531 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,959 Speaker 1: people are just missing from those those seats of power. 532 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:09,200 Speaker 1: And when we started to see the discussions wing that way, 533 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:10,960 Speaker 1: we were like, oh, we need we need to follow up. 534 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:14,160 Speaker 1: We need a response to just say it's not enough 535 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:17,440 Speaker 1: to just say black lives matter and then not have 536 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: any black people in your company for not having any 537 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:23,360 Speaker 1: black people and senior leadership. And we wanted to encourage 538 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:25,920 Speaker 1: brands and not only speak up within the create action 539 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 1: plans of how can we really tackle and dismantle the racists, 540 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 1: the racism that exists within corporate America UM, and that 541 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: really requires you to kind of look internally and how 542 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 1: can you adjust your your processes, how can you address 543 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 1: your your hiring practices, how can you adjust your your 544 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: culture to really make sure that people of color uh, 545 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 1: and particularly black people have begin to have to see 546 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: the table and then also can continue to have to 547 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:54,400 Speaker 1: see the table because one of the one of the 548 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: issues is not just acquiring great talent, is retaining great talent. UH. 549 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 1: And so we loved how it starts to shift in 550 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: terms of focusing on hiring, proposing on how you diversify 551 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: your suppliers, how you diversify your partners, and how do 552 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,960 Speaker 1: you make sure as Lori likes to say, every invoice 553 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: you had, a person of color, a black company had 554 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 1: an opportunity to to to take that invoice or to 555 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:20,080 Speaker 1: kind of to have that business. And how do you 556 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: create systems where this has not becoming more open to 557 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 1: more companies than just you know, just the person you know, 558 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 1: your neighbor or the person in your you know, I 559 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: don't know your pc A club or the person in 560 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 1: your social club. Because diversity has to extend larger than that, 561 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,160 Speaker 1: and the conversation about this, diversity has to extend pass 562 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 1: um extent pass just police police brutality, um and racism 563 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: and criminal justice system. Right, right, what do you think 564 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 1: is going to be because one thing you say in 565 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 1: both guides and in the point that you make is 566 00:29:56,080 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 1: that there's gotta be transparency and accountability and track ability. 567 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:04,959 Speaker 1: What do you think is gonna take? Is it like 568 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 1: in six months time from now? Like we take a 569 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 1: look at, you know, some of the company's statements, like 570 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:15,000 Speaker 1: what do you think it's going to take to hold 571 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 1: sort of brands speak to the fire and and and 572 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 1: make it not just this moment of this crazy summer, 573 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 1: but like long term do you think I let me 574 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 1: ask you from a from a if you were advising 575 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:29,040 Speaker 1: a client that has a big corporate client that has 576 00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: made a statement like how do you how do you 577 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:33,840 Speaker 1: how do you? How does the brand prove that they're 578 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 1: serious about this through actions? But well, I keep saying 579 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 1: that I'm waiting for a company or a brand to 580 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:46,600 Speaker 1: come out with a micro site that has their numbers 581 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 1: on it in terms of the diversity within their company 582 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 1: and do it by level, because are great um uh 583 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 1: commit to change initiative um that Netflix Netflix participated in 584 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 1: and they actually released their numbers by level so you know, directors, managers, etcetera. 585 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,520 Speaker 1: And then by ethnicity so you can actually see how 586 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 1: many people of color, and what their ethnicity is, and 587 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: what their rank is. Because what happens is in certain 588 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 1: large corporations there canna be a whole host of people 589 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 1: that are below a certain level that are you know, um, 590 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 1: on the lower ranks of the company like call centers 591 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,479 Speaker 1: or you know um. You know, like if it's a 592 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: ship shipping company, if it's Amazon, you know, you could 593 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:30,720 Speaker 1: have a lot of diversity and the drivers and this 594 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 1: and that, but as you get up to the corporate ranks, 595 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 1: it becomes less and less as just mentioned. So I 596 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: think one is I would advise a company to, you know, 597 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 1: figure out what your internal numbers are, commit to being 598 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:48,200 Speaker 1: transparent with them. It doesn't mean that it's not it's 599 00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 1: going to be comfortable. Here's the thing about transparency. A 600 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,520 Speaker 1: lot of companies won't want to do it because it will, 601 00:31:54,200 --> 00:32:00,640 Speaker 1: you know, be a blemish on their perfect company persona. Right. Um, 602 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 1: people are not asking for perfection. We are asking for progression, progress, 603 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:10,320 Speaker 1: progress over perfection. Right in workouts and in corporate America, 604 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:14,040 Speaker 1: it's just should be progress over perfection. So the companies 605 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 1: that do admit and do give transparency with their numbers, 606 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:21,280 Speaker 1: I think will be considered some of the most forward 607 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: companies and and and and most progressive companies out there, 608 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:27,400 Speaker 1: and people will support them. Um. So I think that 609 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:29,600 Speaker 1: you know, if you create a microsite, has your numbers 610 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 1: on it so that the consumers can track it, have 611 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 1: a broad timeline. It doesn't have to be in six months. 612 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 1: It can be year, one, year, two, year, five, whatever, 613 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 1: and then appoint someone in HR or in diversity and 614 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:45,360 Speaker 1: inclusion to update that micro site with the progress you've 615 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 1: been making, or if there's a challenge that you're facing 616 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:51,400 Speaker 1: in terms of we are looking for more qualified diverse 617 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 1: candidates or more qualified black candidates, because right now we're 618 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: talking about anti black racism and a lot of people 619 00:32:57,360 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 1: have been watering it down a little bit with just 620 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:03,040 Speaker 1: people of color overall to be PC. And while I 621 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:06,480 Speaker 1: want all people of color and all disadvantaged communities to 622 00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:08,840 Speaker 1: come up, I really do. I'm very passionate about that, 623 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:14,480 Speaker 1: as is just Um, this is the moment for Black America. Um. 624 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:17,920 Speaker 1: The US was built on the backs of Black America, right, 625 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,880 Speaker 1: so this is the moment to bring some parity, some 626 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 1: equity to black Americans or just black people in America overall, 627 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:27,240 Speaker 1: whether you come from another country or what have you, 628 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:31,000 Speaker 1: but bring some equity to the table, not just equality. 629 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: You know, we need extra boosts because we've been oppressed 630 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:37,400 Speaker 1: for so long that you don't see us in those 631 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:40,680 Speaker 1: higher ranks. Is Jessica mentioned? So do the micro site 632 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 1: be transparent about your numbers, have your timeline, and then 633 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: to point somebody to update on the progress, and also 634 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:49,120 Speaker 1: be be open about the challenges. We're here to help. 635 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:52,360 Speaker 1: All of Black America is here to help. We're not 636 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:54,120 Speaker 1: saying you have to be perfect, but we are saying 637 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:55,800 Speaker 1: that you need to start, and you need to start 638 00:33:55,840 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 1: with transparency. Is there anything in your experience working in 639 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:06,200 Speaker 1: the industry and and just being consumers, yourselves and observers. 640 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 1: Is there anything that is specific to the entertainment industry 641 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:14,799 Speaker 1: that is hard for the biggest players and you know, 642 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:18,759 Speaker 1: the Warner Media's, the Disney's, you know, Disney is you 643 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:22,880 Speaker 1: know so huge now, um, you know, the viacoms. Is 644 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:25,880 Speaker 1: there anything specific about the entertainment business that makes it 645 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 1: hard for those big companies to speak to their to 646 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 1: speak to consumers, to speak to audiences. Yeah, I think so. 647 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:38,880 Speaker 1: Just well, I was wondering that it doesn't make it hard. 648 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:40,960 Speaker 1: I'm not sure, but I know that. UM. One of 649 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:42,840 Speaker 1: the things that Laurie and I have been talking about, 650 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 1: because we actually just did a presentation with pro Max, 651 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:48,080 Speaker 1: is that we we feel like some of the entertainment 652 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: companies have been missing for some of these conversations because 653 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:53,120 Speaker 1: we saw a lot of the brands. Um. You know, 654 00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:55,640 Speaker 1: while brand is going to be very vocal about pledging 655 00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: support with transitioning, we're gonna say we're gonna commit to 656 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:02,600 Speaker 1: you know, hiring of black you know, of black people 657 00:35:02,719 --> 00:35:04,799 Speaker 1: to their companies. And we've seen a lot of the 658 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:07,719 Speaker 1: media entertainment companies and those brands go silent. You know, 659 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:10,760 Speaker 1: they spoke out into the support and black lives matter, 660 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,360 Speaker 1: but we've seen them not take the next step to 661 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:15,360 Speaker 1: do a lot of action. Um. And so that's some 662 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:18,040 Speaker 1: of the things that we were hoping the media entertainment 663 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:21,160 Speaker 1: company step step out and do because there was actually 664 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:23,000 Speaker 1: a really good article I want to say it was 665 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 1: a article by the Angler who kind of did a 666 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 1: long scroll of the of the executives and senior leadership 667 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 1: of all the major studios and all the major kind 668 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:37,120 Speaker 1: of entertainment conglomerates. And if you go down the page 669 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:39,320 Speaker 1: and the page goes down and down, and down and down, 670 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:42,080 Speaker 1: and the faces that you see throughout the page are 671 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:45,960 Speaker 1: are mostly white men, uh, and that hasn't changed. And 672 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,280 Speaker 1: so we want to see them step up to say, hey, 673 00:35:49,239 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 1: now that you know, you know, everyone's on blast and 674 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:53,080 Speaker 1: now we're putting it out there, and in this era 675 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:55,160 Speaker 1: of transparency, we want to see them step up to 676 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 1: say no this, we can't do this, especially in the 677 00:35:57,840 --> 00:36:02,800 Speaker 1: landscape and entertainment um that has such a multicultural leaning, 678 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:05,120 Speaker 1: you know, like you know, black and lots of black 679 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:08,800 Speaker 1: people kind of dominating in terms of like pop culture charts, 680 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:11,560 Speaker 1: I mean, seasing pop music charts, and in the in 681 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:15,520 Speaker 1: fashion and entertainment in all these type of worlds, but 682 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 1: we don't have them in the seats of leadership to 683 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: help drive real changes in the industry. And as we 684 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:23,799 Speaker 1: talk about you know, stereotypes and making sure the right 685 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: type of supply diversity comes to the table, we need 686 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 1: those people in leadership in entertainment companies too to help 687 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:32,239 Speaker 1: make some of those decisions and help make sure that 688 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: we have diversity across uh, across you know, an entity 689 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:39,760 Speaker 1: that is responsible for so many images that we see 690 00:36:40,320 --> 00:36:44,440 Speaker 1: as kids, adults, uh, international in terms of you know, 691 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 1: where we are, They're the face of all these images, 692 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:49,279 Speaker 1: and so we need to make sure that that that 693 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:51,040 Speaker 1: is corrected and that that kind of is on the 694 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:54,120 Speaker 1: path to include the true diversity of what you know 695 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 1: America looks like quite honestly, So, is there something stopping them? 696 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:01,640 Speaker 1: I'm a they would say that, you know, they can't 697 00:37:01,680 --> 00:37:05,920 Speaker 1: find the right talent um. Do I think that's true? No? 698 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:10,279 Speaker 1: In this period where people are really focused and there's 699 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:13,480 Speaker 1: a lot of calls to action, is their opportunity for 700 00:37:13,560 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 1: brands to improve their images to can you do some 701 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:21,440 Speaker 1: brand furnishing in this in this even in this moment 702 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:24,640 Speaker 1: when everybody is focused and there is so much discussion 703 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:28,960 Speaker 1: about what systemically needs to happen, is there is there 704 00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:34,680 Speaker 1: opportunity for brands within this conversation? Yeah? Absolutely, Yes, Yeah, 705 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:36,880 Speaker 1: I was gonna say, so, you know, a systemic problem 706 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 1: needs a systemic solution, and the only way that you 707 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,160 Speaker 1: create a systemic solution is for you to start tackling it, 708 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:44,440 Speaker 1: which is why our action guy is called an action 709 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:47,920 Speaker 1: guide to Dismantling Racism has to be dismantled block by block. 710 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:50,640 Speaker 1: Every bit help, but you have to keep moving forward, 711 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:55,279 Speaker 1: and it's you know, I understand the fear or the hesitancy, right. 712 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:57,800 Speaker 1: Nobody likes to be told what to do. Nobody wants 713 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:01,680 Speaker 1: you know, random you know, general public to demand things 714 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:05,000 Speaker 1: of you. UM. I'm on a Nielsen External Advisory Council 715 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:10,640 Speaker 1: UM and they have several councils based on ethnicity groups 716 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 1: that they work with targets. I'm on the African American one, 717 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:18,040 Speaker 1: and I give Neilsen big props for inviting outsiders to 718 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:22,719 Speaker 1: the table to demand that they get you know, get 719 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 1: their plans together in terms of making sure there's equity 720 00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:29,520 Speaker 1: amongst the communities that you are you know, building your 721 00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:32,200 Speaker 1: business off of, or who is helping you with you know, 722 00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:35,680 Speaker 1: reporting ratings, etcetera. Okay, so that's great. Now what about 723 00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:38,319 Speaker 1: supplier diversity? Now what about this? And they actually take 724 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:42,640 Speaker 1: us through presentations about their business operations, financials, everything. That's 725 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:45,279 Speaker 1: huge for a brand to do UM. But I think 726 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:48,520 Speaker 1: there's huge opportunity here. There's so many solutions. They just 727 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:51,080 Speaker 1: have to be willing to do the work to figure 728 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:53,760 Speaker 1: them out. And actually we've been pulled in by several 729 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:57,959 Speaker 1: brands UM recently to help them do that work. So 730 00:38:58,200 --> 00:39:00,279 Speaker 1: you know, we started as a creative shop and still 731 00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:02,960 Speaker 1: a creative shop. But you know, this work is really 732 00:39:03,000 --> 00:39:05,239 Speaker 1: important to us and really important to the movement, and 733 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:07,520 Speaker 1: so that's what we like to do. I mean, it 734 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:09,799 Speaker 1: can be done, but you have to get the right 735 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:11,600 Speaker 1: people in the room or the right people at the table, 736 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 1: whether it's popping creative or someone else. Absolutely, I feel 737 00:39:15,040 --> 00:39:17,480 Speaker 1: like this now is the opportunity. I feel like in 738 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 1: terms of it is their opportunity, absolutely, because people are 739 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:23,920 Speaker 1: have our eyes wide open into what these brands are 740 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:26,040 Speaker 1: doing in terms of their actions, what they're saying, what 741 00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:28,440 Speaker 1: they're doing, what they're even putting on television, or what 742 00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 1: they're kind of putting out there in spots and promos. 743 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:32,480 Speaker 1: And so this is the moment where if you have 744 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:34,560 Speaker 1: something to say, or you have there's something that you 745 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:37,320 Speaker 1: want to change or fix, now is a time because 746 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:39,239 Speaker 1: now it's also the time where people are a lot 747 00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:42,480 Speaker 1: more I wouldn't say forgiving, but acceptable of you taking 748 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:45,080 Speaker 1: a shot. You know, everyone's afraid of setting up the shot, 749 00:39:45,239 --> 00:39:47,520 Speaker 1: shot and failing. This is the time that if you 750 00:39:47,560 --> 00:39:49,759 Speaker 1: set up the shot and it doesn't go right, that 751 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:51,719 Speaker 1: you have an opportunity to change it and fix it 752 00:39:51,719 --> 00:39:53,839 Speaker 1: because people just want to see you go out there 753 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:56,600 Speaker 1: and say something and do something right and so and 754 00:39:56,600 --> 00:39:58,880 Speaker 1: they're willing to say, oh wow, they try this, it 755 00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:02,680 Speaker 1: work so well. But well, here's some feedback for you, 756 00:40:02,719 --> 00:40:05,320 Speaker 1: because we appreciated doing the effort to making this world 757 00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:08,360 Speaker 1: a different place or kind of shifting the conversation that 758 00:40:08,400 --> 00:40:11,279 Speaker 1: we have on on on race in America and race 759 00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:13,319 Speaker 1: and kind of corporate America. So now it was the 760 00:40:13,400 --> 00:40:16,480 Speaker 1: perfect time. Yeah. And one of my favorite examples from 761 00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:19,560 Speaker 1: the guy and just from you know in general is Peloton. 762 00:40:19,680 --> 00:40:21,960 Speaker 1: They were one of the early people coming out of 763 00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:24,400 Speaker 1: the gate with a letter from their CEO, not just 764 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:28,160 Speaker 1: they're token diverse person at the top, right, And he 765 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:31,440 Speaker 1: admitted what they didn't know. He admitted that, you know, here, 766 00:40:31,560 --> 00:40:33,280 Speaker 1: here's what we plan to do, and it was actually 767 00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:35,520 Speaker 1: a robust plan. Um. But then he said, we know 768 00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:39,799 Speaker 1: this still is not enough, right um. Someone once said, 769 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:43,520 Speaker 1: I think it was Linda on Um from Civic Agency, said, 770 00:40:43,640 --> 00:40:45,440 Speaker 1: you know, you don't have to really make sure that 771 00:40:45,480 --> 00:40:47,360 Speaker 1: everybody loves you. You just have to be okay with 772 00:40:47,360 --> 00:40:53,680 Speaker 1: the people you just saw. Thanks for listening. Be sure 773 00:40:53,719 --> 00:40:56,760 Speaker 1: to tune in next week for another episode of Strictly 774 00:40:56,800 --> 00:41:02,720 Speaker 1: Business