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Sometimes, the perfect collaboration starts with genuine interest and collaboration. As founder and CEO of the award-winning ad agency Walton Isaacson, Aaron Walton’s career exemplifies the mastery of leveraging celebrity and influencer partnerships to elevate brands to new heights. Walton’s impressive portfolio spans iconic collaborations, from the Spice Girls’ November 1997 campaign with Polaroid to Michael Jackson’s enduring partnership with Pepsi. Most recently, he helmed Beyoncè’s partnership with Lexus during her “Renaissance World Tour.” Walton’s work on some of the most creative advertising campaigns has made him an expert in the field. He shared his keys to success with attendees during the AFROTECH™ 2024 Conference. “Something as a brand that is important, when you’re looking at connecting with a celebrity, you have to make sure that you do your homework and make sure your cultural values are aligned,” Walton told AFROTECH™ following his session “The Art of Brand...
TikTok has been at the center of many recent conversations. Despite its battles at Capitol Hill, the social media app is still one of the primary places Gen Z and others go for entertainment, recommendations, and news. Disney star Skai Jackson is among the people who have tapped into TikTok’s ubiquity. Jackson has been vocal about using TikTok and how it has impacted her personal life. According to a report from Blavity, the 22-year-old has a partnership with hair brand Cantu Beauty. However, her searches on TikTok taught her hairstyling techniques that would allow her to maximize the use of the products she promoted. View this post on Instagram A post shared by S K A I (@skaijackson) “I really feel like these products [Cantu] are so special because they took the time to answer everybody’s needs and deliver and put them into the product,” she told Blavity. She continued, “It’s just so amazing to see that there are millions of people in the world dealing with the same issues as me...
In today’s digital era, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of marketing strategies for businesses worldwide. As AI-driven marketing continues to gain momentum, it is projected to play a significant role in driving 45% of the total global economy by 2030, according to PWC. However, as AI streamlines marketing efforts, there is a need to balance the technology’s efficiency with the values of authenticity and diversity. Authenticity In Marketing: The Key To Relevance And Trust Authenticity in marketing is crucial for businesses looking to establish relevance and build trust with their customers. In the age of information overload, consumers are increasingly skeptical of traditional marketing tactics that feel disingenuous or manipulative. Instead, they seek genuine connections and experiences with businesses that align with their values and aspirations. Once trust is gone, it’s hard to get back. According to a study from Adobe, 71% of consumers surveyed say they...
Nina Parker cannot be placed into a box. Whether it is her work as a renowned journalist, or smashing glass ceilings in the fashion industry, Parker continues to outdo herself time and time again, and a part of that comes from her commitment to growth. “I’m still evolving,” she told AfroTech. Parker has never shied away from the strong desire to take her talents to this next level. After she got her start in local news, she pivoted whenever necessary, to set herself up for success.
This company is committed to real-life social networking! Co-founders Ernest L. Dancy, the company’s CEO, and Ubong Ekpe, who serves as Chief Technology Officer, wanted to provide users with an app that takes the world back to connecting in a more authentic way. From there, the PLUG.ME.IN app was born. PLUG.ME.IN is a social networking app that is committed to a more personal, exclusive, and authentic alternative to the current social networking status quo. Instead, the platform focuses on a true connection between people whether meeting for the first time or for those who hang out on the regular.
When it comes to getting your finances together, Tiffany The Budgetnista is your girl! As the founder and creator of The Budgetnista, Aliche takes pride in educating people on how to manage their finances and has been dubbed “America’s favorite personal finance educator.” Despite the fact that Aliche is a guru at what she does, the Internet and social media provide a platform for many others like her who are well-versed in the finance sector. Not only has she managed to garner a huge following, but the New York Times bestselling author is building a community and saving people’s finances at the same time! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tiffany Aliche (@thebudgetnista) She explains that when she began to let her guard down, she was able to really connect with followers. “Once I learned to let go and be myself, is when things changed,” said Aliche in an interview with Black Tech Green Money’s Will Lucas. “If you look back at any of my old YouTube videos from like 10...
The job-hunting process can be a harrowing experience, especially as the economy continues to shift in unpredictable ways. Landing an interview is a great opportunity to show a potential employer everything that makes a candidate shine. However, for many Black and brown professionals looking to break into tech, this process can be particularly complicated as they discover there are levels to the concept of “bringing your whole self” into the professional sphere. So many companies at different scales spout a doctrine of diversity while still fostering norms and a culture of professionalism that leave many candidates of color feeling excluded, undervalued and invisible. For too many of those candidates, there’s an implicit understanding that, to get hired, they have to hide many crucial parts of their identity to be seen as a viable candidate — creating undue racially biased pressure on them. To bridge this cultural gap and reduce turnover, companies are looking for better solutions...
Is your content really fire if you have to tell people? Gillie da King and Wallo join Black Tech Green Money podcast host, Will Lucas, to discuss how they are able to not only connect with their fans and make money but remain authentic and true to themselves at the same damn time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by KING GILLIE (@gillie_da_king) “We have a human connection with our audience,” shares Wallo. “They mess with us because they can relate. It’s more relatable when we’re just being us every day in a world where everyone is trying to be an illusion.” Wallo and Gillie are the hosts of Million Dollaz Worth of Game — a weekly podcast that’s pretty self-explanatory but is also described as the perfect blend of discussions on personal experiences, comedy, music, and real-life issues. “We did the research and waited before just jumping in the podcast game,” shared both Gillie and Wallo. “A lot of times people see everyone moving and just jump into things without...
On episode 3 of the Black Tech Green Money podcast, host Will Lucas sits down with media maven Karen Civil to discuss the Black opportunity in technology and how our people should not only be the influencers within the field, but also the masterminds behind the way we continue to use technology to connect the masses. Karen Civil first gained attention in 2010 after helping create and manage weezythanxyou.com, a website that allowed rapper Lil Wayne to connect with his fans through a series of published letters while he was incarcerated at Rikers Island. Since then, she’s turned her passion and knowledge of marketing and branding into her dream job and uses her platform to help others live life “the Civil way.” @karencivil | Instagram Her love for the Internet and hip-hop has allowed her to serve as the link between music and tech through her work with artists such as Nipsey Hussle, Nicki Minaj, Russ, Quavo, and many more. “They’re all Picassos, I’m just helping them paint the...
Rémy Martin has unveiled a limited-editions cognac collection honoring the legacy and influence of Hip-Hop culture. According to a press release, the V.S.O.P. “This is My City” limited-editions collection features four unique bottle designs, each paying homage to iconic cities and their distinctive influence on contemporary culture: Atlanta, pushing boundaries; Chicago, home of lyrical legends; Detroit, the birthplace of Motown and resilient beats; and New York City, the birthplace of Hip-Hop. Courtesy of Rémy Martin Along with launching the collection, Rémy Martin introduced its inaugural “This is My City” microgrant initiative to support emerging creatives contributing to their local culture and communities through entrepreneurship. Emphasis will be placed on recipients whose work shapes conversations within their industry and community, pushes boundaries, and displays originality and authenticity. The regional microgrant initiative will award $20,000 grants and one-on-one...
Tabitha Brown has claimed a new title to strengthen her commitment to small businesses. In her journey as an entrepreneur , she has leveraged her social media platforms—originally catapulted to fame by a viral video of her enjoying a TTLA (tempeh bacon, tomato, lettuce, and avocado) sandwich from Whole Foods Market—to foster meaningful connections with her community. Through her vibrant spirit and authenticity, she has also cultivated a strong following base, leading her to benefit from customer acquisitions. That support is evident through ventures such as her natural hair care brand, Donna’s Recipe, which is available at retailers such as Ulta Beauty. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DONNA’S RECIPE™️ (@donnasrecipe) “Social media has been EVERYTHING for my business – it’s how I got my start! I know people say that ‘Followers are not dollars,’ but for me, it has been the secret ingredient to my success,” Brown said in an email Q&A with AFROTECH™. “It has allowed me to...
Floyd Mayweather reportedly has an interest in another major investment move. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, the boxing champion closed a real estate deal valued at $402 million in October 2024. The investment encompasses over 60 buildings with over 1,000 units in New York, NY, and its purpose is to establish affordable housing in the city. “Growing up, I used to dream about owning just one home by myself. When you work hard, you can achieve anything,” Mayweather told TMZ. Mayweather also has a stake in nine skyscrapers in partnership with SL Green and established real estate firm Vada Properties. He committed to investing $100 million in equity to support a $3 billion luxury rental portfolio alongside Go Partners. His latest moves include potentially extending his portfolio to secure a stake in the New York Giants. According to TMZ, he is leading a group that intends to acquire a security minority stake valued at 10%, amounting to around $700 million. Currently, a proposal is...
Black inventors and entrepreneurs have played a crucial role in shaping industries, improving daily life, and driving technological advancements, often overcoming systemic barriers to bring their ideas to life. Despite facing discrimination and a lack of recognition, many Black inventors revolutionized everything from agriculture and medicine to transportation and communication. Their innovations continue to impact the world today, proving that ingenuity and perseverance can break through any obstacle. Garrett Morgan: Innovator Of Public Safety Garrett Morgan was a prolific inventor whose creations have saved countless lives. Born in 1877, he is best known for developing the modern three-position traffic signal, which introduced a warning light between “stop” and “go,” significantly reducing accidents. This invention was later patented and sold to General Electric. Morgan also invented the gas mask, which he originally designed to protect firefighters from smoke inhalation. His...
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league has no intention of updating its stance on DEI in the wake of Donald Trump’s return to office. President Trump retracted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts soon after taking office on Jan. 20, 2025. As a result of his early action, federal employees in DEI roles were placed on paid leave as “the agency takes steps to close/end all DEIA initiatives, offices and programs,” AFROTECH™ previously reported. Prior to and since Trump’s appointment, major companies, such as Target, Walmart, Meta, and Amazon, have severed their ties to DEI commitments. Others, such as JPMorgan Chase, Costco, Apple, and seemingly the NFL, are making it clear they will remain steadfast in their commitment to DEI. “We didn’t get into this because it was a trend,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in December 2024. “And we’re not getting out of it because it’s a trend. We’re in it because it makes the NFL better. And what it is, is to make sure that...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. TikTok may go dark in the United States. As a former TikTok employee, the way the ban will work here in the United States will be different than the one in India in 2020. The first difference is the politics surrounding why the bans are happening in the two countries in the first place. In India, the ban was less about TikTok and more so about the strained relationship between India and China. The root of their strain comes from the dispute that China and India have related to who owns Aksai Chin, which India claims to be part of its Ladakh region. China has claimed the land since 1962 and the Sino-Indian War. Due to the longstanding tensions between the two countries since, India opted to use economic tools against China, which in this case meant banning Chinese companies from doing business in India. When TikTok was banned from India so were WeChat, Alibaba, and Xiaomi. In the United States,...