Dear Black Celebrities: The Bag Is Big, But So Is Your Influence
Read This Before Signing That Brand Deal
DEI is under attack, but corporate America isn’t backing away from Black culture —just from investing in Black people.
Right now, DEI initiatives are being eliminated, supplier diversity programs are being cut, and racial equity commitments are being quietly (and loudly) retired. But don’t be fooled—these same companies still want and need Black consumers. And they’ll be coming to you, Black celebrities, with big checks to help sell to us and make them relevant.
“Black consumer choices have a ‘cool factor’ that has created a halo effect, influencing not just consumers of color but the mainstream as well”
— Cheryl Grace, Nielsen Media
It’s happening already.
Exhibit A: Walmart—one of the biggest corporations to roll back DEI initiatives just ahead of Black Friday 2024.
Immediately they gave us Black-as-hell, nostalgia-fueled holiday ads featuring Love Jones:
Busta Rhymes:
And Boyz II Men and WanMor:
They’re showcasing Black-owned brands for Black History Month—but without ongoing investment, it’s just seasonal pandering.
Exhibit B: On January 06, 2025, McDonald’s announced that they planned to “modify” their DEI strategy to focus on “inclusion.”
We are retiring setting aspirational representation goals and instead keeping our focus on continuing to embed inclusion practices that grow our business into our everyday process and operations.
We are pausing external surveys to focus on the work we are doing internally to grow the business.
We are retiring Supply Chain’s Mutual Commitment to DEI pledge in favor of a more integrated discussion with suppliers about inclusion as it relates to business performance.
We are evolving how we refer to our diversity team, which will now be the Global Inclusion Team. This name change is more fitting for McDonald’s in light of our inclusion value and better aligns with this team’s work.
By January 30, 2025, McDonald’s announced a collaboration with WNBA player Angel Reese, “celebrating greatness – marking McDonald’s first national meal collab with a female athlete – and shining a light on the next generation of superstars.”
The Playbook Is Clear: They want to package up our culture and sell it back to us (with a mark up to account for inflation and/or incoming tariffs, of course).
This is where you come in.
We know that in many cases this is life-changing and life-sustaining money. But if you, as a Black celebrity, accept that check, we ask that you ALSO add Black equity terms to that deal. You hold the power to ensure that corporate partnerships don’t just benefit you—but also drive tangible investment in Black-owned businesses and Black communities.
🗣️Structure Every Deal for Racial Equity
What does that look like? Here are some ideas:
Full Creative Execution by Black-Owned Agencies
Commitment: The brand must hire Black-owned agencies for all aspects of the campaign—branding, production, advertising, and events.
Impact: This keeps the dollars circulating within Black creative industries rather than outsourcing our ideas to mainstream agencies that profit from our culture without investing in it.
Dedicated Black-Owned Media Spend
Commitment: A significant portion (40-50%) of the media budget must go to Black-owned media outlets, radio, digital platforms, and influencers.
Impact: This prevents Black media from being bypassed and underfunded, ensuring that campaigns actually reach Black audiences in spaces we own, further allowing us to control our own narratives.
National Black-Owned End Cap Display
Commitment: A prime in-store end cap display in major retailers, dedicated to showcasing Black-owned products throughout the campaign.
Impact: This increases visibility, access, and sales for Black-owned brands while forcing retailers to give them permanent shelf space.
Philanthropic Donation towards Black Economic Empowerment
Commitment: The brand must donate an agreed upon amount proportionate to the campaign budget to Black organizations focused on economic and cultural empowerment.
Impact: This ensures that the partnership isn’t just a marketing ploy, but a financial investment in systemic change.
The Bottom Line: We can’t afford to do frivolous business with corporate America. If they want Black culture to sell their products, they need to invest in Black equity.
So, to Black celebrities—take the check, but don’t let it be hush money.
Demand shared value, because if they can afford to build retail locations in our communities and market to us, they can afford to invest in us.
Be informed.
The Black Dollar Initiative is the 501(c)(3) research and data hub that powers the Black Dollar Index. Your donation will go towards helping us research, analyze, and report over 120 corporations across 20+ data points. Donations are tax-deductible (EIN: 85-2383485).
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At some point you’d think people would sit and have a real conversation with themselves about whats truly essential to living. Money can afford a good life but not always a full one. Choose wisely.
Tangible take-aways that are actually easy to execute!