Blackness In Strategy Must Reflect Blackness In Society

 Written by Hope Muyoyo , Marty Strategy Resident

Artwork by Kelsey Waugh , Brand Communications Designer

This summer I have been fortunate to be a part of an experience not offered to many: an opportunity to work alongside strategists who impact culture. The Multicultural Advertising Internship Program helped me land a position as a strategy resident at The Martin Agency. MAIP and the Marty residency program have been opening doors into the advertising industry for Black talent like me, who make up only 12% of the advertising industry (Statista 2021). They are mindful of diversifying the workforce by including more Black employees. And they understand that merely including a few of us in conversations is not enough to create meaningful impact. A few Black strategists cannot possibly represent the full range of Blackness within the diaspora. 

The issue: A few Black hires can’t represent all

Across the industry, there is a critical need for more Black strategists positioned to bring ideas to the table that will impact culture. It is crucial to understand that representing the race as a solid demographic is missing out on so many parts to a perfect whole. For instance, the representation of lesser-known subgroups like Black immigrants is rarely explored. And reaching these audiences who are becoming a larger percentage of the Black community authentically is increasingly difficult when there is a lack of representation on the ideation side.

Many individuals like me have struggled through the internal conflict of never fitting the stereotypical version of Blackness and, in turn, have felt misunderstood by our society and our community. Out of the very little Black representation in media, two-thirds of the Black community still feel that our stories aren’t being properly demonstrated on screens (NRG 2020). The static depiction of our culture limits our potential for greatness. And how can the industry expect to increase representation in areas like strategy when the next generation can’t see themselves represented in these careers? Our presence is more necessary than ever as we question how Blackness is represented. It is not monolithic, yet we are still simplified to a caricature by large. And it will take more than a few individuals to uncover all the areas where Blackness can be better represented.

The Black spectrum has a broader perspective

Minority communities are quickly becoming the majority and companies need to prioritize keeping up with this change. Brand messages need to be real and relatable. And that authenticity can’t happen without more of the Black community informing the direction. We understand the pains and joys experienced by our community and we can tell when those outside of our community are writing the script. This is why our community is demanding visibility now more than ever. 

And our community is not unfluctuating. We will continue to evolve by embracing our differences – continuing to expand the meaning of Blackness. The Black experience differs among nationalities, regions, tax brackets and generations. And all of our voices need to be heard to dismantle the stereotypes that the majority of us try to fit within. Even in the workplace, we feel pressured to fit expectations so our Blackness isn’t questioned. Black strategists can dismantle the caricature and reconstruct our stories starting within the agency. 

We can fight invisibility by recognizing we were never invisible to begin with. As more of us begin to truly see ourselves, the multiple perspectives begin to form a powerful unit. A spectrum of Black strategists can positively impact the culture of the community and the country as our society progresses toward a more diverse future. We speak for cultural moments beyond Black America and racial tensions. We reinforce the connections between us and other Americans that will help hold our society together. As an intern, I have seen great strategists come together to produce work that brings people together. Martin’s clients are always looking for work that illustrates their values of inclusivity, and Martin always delivers because it prioritizes finding diverse talent. Strategy departments can gather deeper insights with the presence of a Black spectrum, but it will take time and commitment from employers and hiring managers to navigate the process of identifying and selecting a diverse range of Black talent. 

Prioritize methods to find a variety of Black talent

Companies are already making pledges to include more Black people across all organizational levels. This is a great starting point. Here are some other things agencies should keep in mind:

Check your biases

How can agencies and brands hire a wider range of people? They can start by getting a candidate’s story – not just their work experience. For example, MAIP is for multicultural students, so the application process was designed to delve deep into my story. It more accurately reflected the depth of my experiences by requiring a creative video entry and essays that captured more than just my professional history. But with recruiting demands at an all-time high, employers and candidates may not have the time or resources to incorporate similar practices. Luckily, there are opportunities to uncover that information in simpler ways. Less formal interviews can be incorporated into the recruitment process for candidates that make it further along in the process. For instance, I’ve participated in informal coffee chat meetings at Martin, and every one of them has shown me that we’ve all entered into strategy with a unique story. It also showed that Martin cared about my story.

Learn from your BIPOC talent 

Directors can encourage a welcoming environment by offering opportunities for employees to learn from each other and allowing employees to be themselves. During weekly meetings and within active Slack group chats, strategists at Martin have opportunities to learn from one another. And go a step further: take the initiative to get to know your BIPOC talent. Ensure that Black employees can participate in events and activities that allow them to be themselves and ensure there are safe spaces like Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that allow for learning opportunities, community and access to mentors. And regarding ERGs, it’s not enough to just create them. It’s important that these groups have the resources to thrive, platforms to share their experiences, cultures and POVs, and a direct line to top-level decision-makers that can help implement lasting change. 

Create space for Black talent to share their stories

Agencies need to create a safe work culture so Black talent can be their authentic selves, embrace their individuality and be empowered to share their stories. Black talent needs to have the space and authority to implement their ideas. Agencies and talent need to be open and willing to have difficult discussions respectfully. And, most importantly, Black strategists and talent shouldn’t feel like they have to completely hide themselves when they show up to work. Give us room to create more stories with the opportunities advertising has to offer.

Making room at the strategy table for a  variety of Black voices can only improve the culture of a company, the representation in the work produced and provide a richer bank of insights on our society. 

I am thankful to be a part of programs like the Marty residency that introduced me to the industry and inspired me to find a way to use my voice and expertise to add to the diversity of Blackness in advertising. The industry has the tools to be more inclusive – we just need to get better at using them. These tools will challenge biases, educate and open dialogue on our differences, and help us build a better culture – all while creating stronger work that drives change for brands and communities alike. So I challenge all agencies to prioritize creating space for more BIPOC strategists because a spectrum of Blackness in strategy will redefine the work and reflect the impact the Black community has on society. With more of our stories brought in, we improve the stories we put out.