The best way to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is to continue to do his work - to stop at nothing until all workplaces accurately and equally represent our society.
More inclusive hiring efforts are only the beginning. We MUST put in the work to ensure that our organizations and the brands we support have cultures, messages, marketing practices and events, which openly embrace, celebrate and elevate all populations.
Today, let's look at the campaigns that got it right. May they inspire us. May they remind us what needs to be said, and more importantly, done. Tomorrow, let's get back to work. This work. The most important work there is.
#ShowUs | Dove
Dove's #ShowUs campaign drew from a 5000+ stock image collection, shot by all female and non-binary photographers in over 39 countries, making a statement about unrealistic beauty standards.
Driven: A Latinx Artist Celebration | Hyundai
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the teams at Art of Elysium, the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, Hyundai, and the Hollywood Palladium united to deliver Driven: A Latinx Artist Celebration. This drive-thru, outdoor art exhibit highlighted the work of local artists who identify as Latinx, with a soundtrack courtesy of an FM station curated by KCRW’s Raul Campos.
#ShareTheMicNow | Instagram
Instagram's #ShareTheMicNow campaign featured Black activists and academics taking over the feeds of 46 white women, boasting a collective reach of more than 300 million followers, with the aim of highlighting black voices speaking out against institutional racism. Taking place on June 10, 2020, and creating "action that
could make change," the group of women handing over their platforms included such prominent names as Kourtney Kardashian, Julia Roberts, Chelsea Handler and Elizabeth Warren. The success of the campaign would lead to a later iteration, #ShareTheMicNowBham.
Proud Parents | Oreo
Last fall, Oreo partnered with PFLAG to produce "Proud Parents," a digital short that follows the love story of Jen and Amy — and the challenges of bringing a partner home for the first time. “LGBTQ+ youth who have at least one supportive adult in their lives were 40 percent less likely to consider suicide in the last year than those who didn’t,” PFLAG states “Visible support saves lives.”
The Art of Protest | Jägermeister
Together with creative agency dotdotdash, Jägermeister sponsored a virtual gallery experience that showcased the work of Black and Latinx photographers whom have captured protest imagery all over the U.S. The gallery was unveiled at “The Art of Protest” virtual event on July 17.
The Exhibition showcased photos by a number of artists, including influencers like Roc Nation’s Lenny S. and music engineer Young Guru.
Fenty Effect | Fenty Beauty
In terms of product line debuts, Rihanna's Fenty Beauty brand shifted notions around preconceived beauty ideals, starting with her all-inclusive expanded shade foundation range, which ultimately led to what's now known as the "Fenty Effect."
Recognizing Neurodiversity | M/SIX
Last year on World Autism Awareness Day, agency M/SIX created a series of assets for social media featuring facts around autism and other conditions such as dyslexia, ADHD and dyspraxia. In doing so, they called on all businesses to recognize the contribution people with autism and other forms of neurodivergence can make, warning that while the industry is making progress in improving diversity in gender, ethnicity and social mobility, there has been "little meaningful action" on neurodiversity.
Watch Us Rise...Until We All Win | Nike
To celebrate Black History Month 2019, Nike's Watch Us Rise...Until We All Win campaign in conjunction with Common Thread, a series of short films, highlighted how the connection between Black athletes across the world is uniting communities and building a foundation for the next generation. Lending her voice to the first film in the series was tennis great Serena Williams.
Love What Makes You Real | Chipotle
Chipotle launched their 'Love What Makes You Real' campaign for Pride Month, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community with
limited-edition gear such as tee-shirts and hats, the proceeds of which benefitted The Trevor Project, the world's largest LGBTQ+ organization for suicide prevention and crisis intervention.
Our Stories To Tell | HBO
For HBO's "Our Stories to Tell" campaign, the network hosted a pop-up at Casita Hollywood for three days, celebrating multicultural storytelling and audiences in Los Angeles. Featured at the venue were a marketplace showcasing local Black-owned brands, workshop and panel discussions with talent from A Black Lady Sketch Show and various other HBO programs, a brunch for Black creators, and other assorted activities. Throughout the event, guests were encouraged to write down stories they'd like to see represented in the entertainment industry.
We Belong To Something Beautiful | Sephora
Sephora's "We Belong to Something Beautiful" campaign was the result of the company's effort to create a more inclusive and diverse brand. This was followed up by the "Color Up Close" initiative, aiming to eliminate racial bias in retail, emphasizing that we be "color brave" rather than "color blind". Elements of the initiative included a leadership summit and ongoing field training, study on bias in retail, and large donations to national civic and human rights organizations.
The Choice | Proctor & Gamble
Proctor & Gamble addressed racial inequality with "The Choice," which called on white people to be more proactively anti-racist, as opposed to a stance of passive tolerance. Predating this work was their exceptional "The Look," which served to generate discussion about biases.
Joss Kendrick | American Girl
Last year, American Girl debuted their first-ever doll with a disability - surfer and cheerleader Joss Kendrick, named their 2020 "Girl of the Year." According to the doll's story, she was born deaf in one ear, and uses a hearing aid in the other. As part of its 2020 Girl of the Year campaign, American Girl donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America.
When I See Black | Adobe
Adobe's campaign to celebrate the work of Black creators included the 60-second film, "When I See Black", a dedication to the range of Black experience featuring artwork from twelve unique artists. Said Ann Lewnes, chief marketing officer at Adobe, "We are proud to be celebrating the vibrant spectrum of creativity that exists in the world, because we all benefit when more perspectives are shared."
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Strat House is an experience company. We specialize in strategy, design and content, delivering b2b results that change, engage and enrage (when necessary).