Content Marketing and Communications Leader
When I took a group of inner-city boys to the premier of Black Panther two years ago, I remember seeing their brown faces light up the dark theater. It was the first time many of them had seen a cast of superheroes that looked like them… not a supporting actor, not a B movie, but … Continue reading Why the death of Chadwick Boseman hits different. Long live the Black Panther.
For years now, major tech companies have touted commitments to diversifying their teams. And for good reason. For example, only 5.5% of Google employees and under 4% of Facebook employees are Black. Recent media coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement has compelled execs to focus even more on inclusion. But as I talk to my HR contacts around … Continue reading What Hamilton can teach us about reaching diversity goals
Earlier tonight, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson went on CNN to publicly apologize for last week's arrests of two black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks. Johnson seemed an emotional wreck as Don Lemon pointed out that the CEO of the world's largest coffee chain sounded personally affected by the incident. Juxtapose that to the reaction from … Continue reading Four important PR lessons CEOs can learn from the Starbucks arrests
When a company drops $5 million+ to have their ad in front of an audience of 100 million people, you would imagine they would have thought through the positive and negative perceptions of the ad. But once again, it seems like a company - and ad agency they hired to make their commercial - were oblivious to … Continue reading 5 Ways to Prevent a $5 Million Super Bowl Fumble
H&M was quick to respond after an offensive ad for a line of children's sweatshirts. Still, the backlash was swift and extensive. But was this a lack of judgement or oversight in the creative department? Or is it something larger? Need for diverse leadership For anyone keeping track of diversity in the executive suite, the answer is simple. … Continue reading How to avoid another H&M style mistake
You can argue that Star Wars films were ahead of their time in offering such a diverse range of characters. But for decades, Latinx actors were absent from leading or even secondary roles - with the exception of Jimmy Smits in the prequels from the early 2000s. Fans watching The Last Jedi this weekend enjoyed … Continue reading Is this the Hispanic Moment?
Look around this Halloween and you will notice a sea of non-Hispanic women dressed up like Frida Kahlo. In a time where black kids dress up like Captain America and white kids dress up like Dr. McStuffins, most people do not think twice about racial identities and crossing cultural boundaries. But when does appreciation for … Continue reading Cultural Appreciation or Appropriation?
Puerto Ricans are praying for relief after Hurricane Maria devastated the island, leaving a trail of destruction and a cloud of uncertainty for the residents of the island and six other Caribbean nations. It comes in the wake of two other hurricanes that left thousands homeless in Texas and Florida. Just days after Maria, three … Continue reading Four tips for marketing around natural disasters
After the acclaim of last year's Father's Day ad, Gillette decided they could get more mileage from their Go Ask Dad concept; this year they got it right. With the viral success of Dollar Shave Club's videos and business concept stealing market share, traditional razor companies have had to reinvent themselves. In fact, last year's … Continue reading Gillette gets Father’s Day right with multicultural ad
*Note: spoilers for Logan below* The last edition of a long standing X-men sub-franchise, introduces an unlikely protagonist. But the biggest surprise in Logan is not that Laura (X-23) packs killer moves in a small package (the trailers give that away), but the fact that she is an unabashedly Latina character. The first time Logan … Continue reading Hollywood’s newest hero is a nod to Latinx audiences. Here’s why that matters.
Joshua Molina 