Entertainment executives Lori J. Hall (former SVP, marketing, TV One) and Jessica D. Lane Alexander (former head of digital & social content, TV One) have officially launched Pop’N Creative, a multicultural agency focused on digital and social content creation, and experience design. A marketing collective, Pop’N Creative was born as a result of the founders’ exposure to tone deaf pitches and witnessing brands fail miserably with diverse consumers throughout the years. With a collective 25+ years of experience, Hall and Lane Alexander have set out to help brands authentically connect with highly coveted multicultural audiences.
“We’ve seen too many brands offend Black consumers in their marketing, creative and social conversations, and we know they can do better,” said Hall, Pop’N Creative co-founder and head of creative. “As a result, we are dedicated to helping brands avoid the pitfalls of marketing in a multicultural world. In particular, as brands continue to speak in support of Black Lives Matter and pledge to fight racism, we want to ensure they offer more than just lip service.”
In light of recent protests demanding an end to police brutality and racial injustice, sparked by the horrific murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Rayshard Brooks, Pop’N Creative created free directional guides–a Response Guide to Discussing Racial Injustice and an Action Guide to Dismantling Racism–to help brands craft a response that is authentic and supportive of the most recent traumatic events currently happening in the United States.
“As racism in America is an extremely nuanced and multi-layered issue, we want to remind brands this is a fight for equality and demanding institutions protect and serve Black people and our communities like they do for other communities,” said Lane Alexander, Pop’N Creative co-founder and head of digital content and marketing. “Our free response and action guides are available to any executive, small business or brand that needs them. We know attacking racism is uncomfortable, but to create change–you have to be honest, willing to do the work and open to assistance.”
Hall and Lane Alexander want brands to show Black consumers they value their lives and not just the dollars they spend. And even though racism in America is a tough and sensitive topic, they don’t want brands to be scared into silence. Brand voices must unite behind the consumers they serve and value, which is why Pop’N Creative created their free Response Guide to Discussing Racial Injustice on how to discuss and address racial injustice in America. Some brands are getting it right, but too many are getting it wrong.
For brands committed to challenging and calling out racism, the agency followed up with their free Action Guide to Dismantling Racism to encourage action, such as elevating and promoting Black employees to boardroom and upper management, committing and hiring diverse vendors and suppliers, creating and implementing real and lasting change in workplace equity, and donating money to racial justice organizations.
Pop’N Creative knows Black Americans want to spend their money with brands who genuinely care about them. Brands who speak up authentically during this tough time will see a positive effect. Brands who don’t will be in the hot seat.
Specializing in masterful storytelling and crafting campaigns and content that give people a reason to genuinely laugh, cry or share, Pop’N Creative is also obsessed with the intersection of pop culture, marketing and technology. The agency’s approach is to use these as tools to build strong brands people want to like, tweet, text and talk about. A sampling of their work includes: Freeform’s original social series Black People Like… and the original digital and social series Unsung Live.
Differences bubble up between PepsiCo and Coca-Cola on diversity programs
PepsiCo confirmed Friday that it's ending some of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, even as rival Coca-Cola voiced support for its own inclusion efforts.
In a memo sent to employees, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said the company will no longer set goals for minority representation in its managerial roles or supplier base. The company will also align its sponsorships to events and groups that promote business growth, he said.
Laguarta wrote that inclusion remains important to PepsiCo, whose brands include Gatorade, Lay's potato chips, Doritos, Mountain Dew as well as Pepsi. The Purchase, New York-based company's chief diversity officer will transition to a broader role focused on employee engagement, leadership development and ensuring an inclusive culture, he said.
Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last month, U.S. government agencies, companies and schools have rushed to reevaluate policies and programs they adopted with the goal of reducing discrimination against members of minority groups, women and LGBTQ+ people.
Trump ended DEI programs within the federal government and has warned schools to end DEI programs or risk losing federal money.
PepsiCo's rollback came as Coca-Cola reaffirmed support for its DEI efforts.
In its annual report, Atlanta-based Coke warned that its business could be negatively affected if it is unable to attract employees that reflect its broad range of customers.
"Failure to maintain a corporate culture that fosters innovation, collaboration and inclusion … could disrupt our operations and adversely affect our business and our future success," the company said.
Coca-Cola has set a goal of having women in 50% of its senior leadership roles by... Read More