Interpublic and The Shade Room Highlight the Power of Black Creators at BLACKWEEK

Interpublic’s Black Employee Network (BEN) hosted a panel discussion at the BLACKWEEK Forum and Festival titled “How Black Creators are Unlocking Brand Growth Globally: Unveiling Trends and Insights.” The session explored how Black creators are driving global brand growth and reshaping the future of marketing through authentic storytelling, cultural authority and influence.

“When I think about cultural capital, I think about the earned credibility, trust and relevance of an organization or a brand in Black culture,” said Channing Martin, Global Chief Diversity & Social Impact Officer at Interpublic. “The earned piece is important [because] that is achieved by actively engaging in and valuing communities.”

Moderated by Wendi Dunlap, EVP, Growth Analytics, IPG Mediabrands, the conversation featured Joshua Ott, Head of Revenue & Strategic Growth at The Shade Room, and Julee Wilson, Beauty Editor-at-Large at Cosmopolitan Magazine. Together, the panel unpacked key findings from MAGNA and The Shade Room’s Cultural Capital Report, a study defining “cultural capital” as the currency of influence, trust and credibility within Black culture.

Key insights from the discussion included:

• Black creators are driving global brand growth and influence, shaping trends across industries far beyond beauty, fashion and music, where the bulk of investment currently lies.
• 72% of general market consumers are influenced by trends originating in Black culture.
• 82% of surveyed Black audiences want brands to engage authentically and consistently in culture, not just copy it or engage only during Black History Month.
• Brand Safety concerns can act as censorship, inhibiting authentic connections and investment.

Panelists urged brands to move beyond performative gestures and invest intentionally in long-term partnerships with Black creators and platforms across a broader range of categories. They also advocated for brands to leverage both data from the Black community and authentic storytelling in their messaging. Julee Wilson said, “You need the data, but you also need an anthropologist, to tell you ‘Don’t do that, you’re not going to sell anything’. It’s a choreography. You need different people in the room to make sure folks do what’s right.”

The discussion concluded with a powerful call to action for brands: Fair compensation, broader investment and inclusion of Black creators across all categories.
Interested in exploring the Cultural Capital Report? Click here or reach out to [email protected].