AdAge | Marketers Need to Understand the Fallout Over Gabby Douglas’ ‘Do’

For Black Women, Issues of Image and Self-Worth Often Focus on Hair

via Big Tent on Adage.com

When Gabby Douglas unexpectedly captured the Olympic Gold medal in gymnastics this summer, I was elated, peacock proud and genuinely happy for the 16-year-old and her family. It was all the more special for me because she is African American. Then, incredibly, followed flack from critics black and non-black about Douglas’ post-performance hairstyle!

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AdAge | Except for the Obamas, Where Are Black Couples in the Media?

Showing Love Is a Great Way to Reach the Black Community

How often do we see or hear in the media about a black man rescuing a black woman? Tarzan rescued Jane; Matt Dillon rescued Miss Kitty; Superman rescued Lois and Spiderman rescued Mary Jane. Now, finally, we have a popular black example: Django rescues his wife, Broomhilda, in the film “Django Unchained.”

While true love is not restricted by race or gender, black love, between a black man and black woman, continues to be a really big deal in the black community. Just about every February, popular black magazines focus on “Black Love.” Both Ebony and Essence’s February cover stories this year stayed true to this tradition.

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BLACK is the New Black

New Study and Ongoing Insights Challenge the Rush to embrace Cross Cultural Marketing

“One of the latest buzz words to enter the marketing lexicon is “cross-cultural” It paints an idealistic picture of a color blind society, one in which consumes’ similarities outweigh their differences regardless of ethnic groups.” —Is Cross Cultural An Industry Breakthrough or Threat to Ethnic Shops by Michael Bush – Advertising Age  (1/31/2011)

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AdAge | Segregation in Aisle Seven: Big-Box Stores Relegate Black Hair Products to the Rear

Retailers Missing A Great Opportunity to Generate Millions in Sales, And There’s No Excuse

Can a sistah get an espresso lip pencil? That’s what I asked a fellow shopper who along with me was digging through the crowded shelves of “tawny beige” facial powders and “nude” lip pencils — colors that were the antithesis of what we were looking for, for our brown skin tones. She was looking for a pressed powder color to match her complexion. Frustrated, after carefully examining each related product and crevice, we called off the search.
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Yahoo! News: Black Still Matters in Marketing Author To Speak At 8th Annual M2W® – Marketing To Women Conference

Pepper Miller, author of “Black (Still) Matters in Marketing” and President of The Hunter-Miller Group, will elevate marketer’s understanding of black women in her session at the 8th Annual M2W®– The Marketing To Women Conference, April 24 & 25, Chicago Cultural Center. M2W® is annually attended by Fortune 1000 senior brand marketing executives and their agencies.

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