Doritos gives platform to Black creators with $5M commitment

Dive Brief:

Doritos has launched "Solid Black," an initiative that seeks to boost the voices of and provide resources to Black creators, per a press release. The Frito-Lay brand will invest more than $5 million as part of the effort.
Doritos has selected seven "changemakers" that are using innovation to drive culture and give back to the Black community. Each will receive $50,000 to support their work, which will be showcased across Doritos' website with a dedicated landing page, social media, packaging and TV advertising. The brand will tell a different changemaker's story on its social channels every Friday, beginning July 2. A TV ad created in partnership with BET and highlighting "Solid Black" first appeared during the BET Awards on June 27.
Doritos is also committing $100,000 to the National Urban League (NUL). The first 1,000 consumers that donate $10 or more to the nonprofit will receive a limited-edition Doritos bag designed by Baltimore artist Megan Lewis. The initiative and NUL donation are part of parent company PepsiCo's larger commitment to advance racial equality within the company, the industry and the community.

Dive Insight:

Doritos' "Solid Black" initiative finds the snack brand putting financial and marketing muscle behind an effort to spotlight Black creators across a variety of disciplines. Such efforts, like the brand's #AmplifyBlackVoices work from 2020, became commonplace for brands as they attempted to engage with consumers in the wake of protests for racial equality that began last summer.

However, Doritos' latest push recognizes that amplification of Black creators is not enough to bring about real change and authentically connect with younger consumers; amplification also requires resources and support. To that end, Doritos' $5 million commitment, the use of its marketing apparatus and its NUL donation push will help the brand avoid claims of "hashtag activism" and "woke-washing."

"We are proud to provide a platform and resources to innovators and creators who are making a lasting impact on culture and hope that their stories can inspire the next generation in the continued effort to create a more equal and diverse world," Stacy Taffet, vice president of marketing, Frito-Lay North America, said in the press release.

The initiative comes as several other brands have worked to boost Black creators across advertising and the arts. Fellow PepsiCo brand Lifewtr partnered with Issa Rae on a platform focused on fair representation in the arts. Similarly, Procter & Gamble launched a content creation, talent development and partnership platform to boost the inclusion of Black creators across advertising, film and television industries, while Häagen-Dazs teamed with producer Lena Waithe and pledged to pay $1.5 million over the next three years to support diverse creators.

Doritos' effort is part of parent company PepsiCo's plan to spend more than $400 million over five years to boost the Black community and increase Black representation at the company. These brand efforts, along with commitments from major marketers including McDonald's and Coca-Cola, demonstrate how the marketing world is working to address racial inequality across the media landscape.