Black women-owned businesses are vital to the economy and are among the hardest hit by the impacts of the pandemic. Mastercard is announcing the Strivers Initiative, a consumer-facing platform, elevating the visibility of Black female business owners overcoming obstacles to maintain and grow their business, as role models for the community and future generations. The initiative kicks off with this national Mastercard spot featuring Black women business owners from across the U.S. and Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Jennifer Hudson.
In the commercial–directed by Child and produced by female-owned production house Little Minx for agency McCann XBC–Hudson’s rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” produced by will.i.am, serves as an anthem for Black women business owners across the country who are paving their Path to Priceless and whose businesses serve as pillars for their communities.
The initiative will include a grant program in partnership with Fearless Fund, a VC fund built by women of color for women of color. This will be complemented by a multi-city educational road show driving awareness of the state of women and minority-owned business in cities across the U.S. and providing insights into progressive actions cities can take to foster an equitable business climate.
CreditsClient Mastercard Agency McCann XBC Pierre Lipton, global executive creative director; Pete Jones, Cinzia Crociani, executive creative directors; Caro Rebello, Artur Lipori, creative directors; Amanda Caldari, sr. copywriter; Marina Ferraz, art director; Ana Miraglia, copywriter; Tatjana Gall, designer; Judy Nierman, SVP, executive producer; Doug Harrison, producer; Eric Johnson, executive integrated music producer; Dan Gross, music producer; Oriol Bombi, EVP, global strategy director; Danielle Noto, VP, strategy director; Emily Kearns, social strategy director; Kristen Levy, social strategist; Colleen Gleason, sr. strategist. Production Little Minx Child, director; Rhea Scott, president; Helen Hollien, exec producer; Annalise Rowane, line producer; Rachel Morrison, DP. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Chris Mitchell, Frank Snider, editors; Lisa Barnable, producer. Postproduction Method Studios
Director Gia Coppola Teams With Mejuri For “A New York Minute”; 1st Episode Takes Us To The Grocery Store
Mejuri, known for turning fine jewelry into an everyday luxury, has partnered with director Gia Coppola (The Last Show Girl, Palo Alto) and The Directors Bureau in Los Angeles, for the first time reimagining the brand’s story as episodic content. In a series of microfilms, co-created by Coppola and premiering following New York Fashion Week, Mejuri eschewed a typical celebrity campaign and cast us as voyeurs to a group of aspiring young women--real people, not actors--at the crossroads of their adult lives against the backdrop of New York City.
Titled “A New York Minute,” the series features five real-life friends, who include one perfectly imperfect heroine named Emma. The women celebrate ordinary moments and interactions which reveal, sometimes retrospectively, the extraordinary within the mundane. Adjacent to the brand’s own community, the 30-something year old cast includes Laura Love (Emma), Rebecca Ressler, Natalie Vall-Freed and Rozzi Crane. Mejuri’s jewelry makes an appearance as the best supporting actor.
“When I met with Gia and The Directors Bureau team, there was instant creative and personal chemistry and a natural alignment on the desire to push and blur the lines between marketing, storytelling, and the construct of what a ‘campaign’ could be,” said Jacob Jordan, chief brand officer, Mejuri. “Gia was able to push that idea into something that truly feels new and artful, with a realism and relatability that almost feels jarring. Gia was such a perfect collaborator and partner, someone I had complete trust in to be a catalyst for Mejuri’s values of celebrating women as their truest selves. I can’t wait for us to continue to tell the next chapters of this story.”
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