Dive Brief:

• Hornitos Tequila teamed with producer and screenwriter hub the Black List on a program that will help five emerging filmmakers turn their screenplays into short films through funding and mentorship, per a press release.
• Screenwriters 21 and older can submit their script to the Black List for consideration. Up to 20 filmmakers will be selected by Sept. 1, with the final five chosen on Oct. 1. The Black List will provide mentorship as filmmakers wrap production by Dec. 31 and submit films by Jan. 31.
• The 2021 Black List x Hornitos "Take Your Shot" Short Film Program is an extension of Hornitos' The Shot Fund, a multiyear investment program founded by the Beam Suntory brand in 2020 and aiming to enable diverse creatives.

Dive Insight:

Hornitos' collaboration with the Black List follows similar efforts by brands to boost underrepresented creators in the film and advertising industries amid calls for diversity and inclusion (D&I) that have increased since last summer's protests for racial equity. The tequila brand's short film program is the latest extension of The Shot Fund, which provides financial resources and assistance to entrepreneurs as a way to encourage diversity and representation. "Take Your Shot" continues that commitment by teaming with a handful of creators in an online filmmaking community, which grew out of an annual survey of Hollywood executives' favorite unproduced screenplays.

"Hornitos Tequila has a history of pushing boundaries for the betterment of tequila, and through our partnership with the Black List, we seek to honor that same innovative spirit while spotlighting some of the most overlooked creatives in film," said Rashidi Hodari, managing director of tequila at Beam Suntory.

A number of marketers continue to ramp up efforts around diversity and creators. 

P&G last month continued its long-running D&I efforts with "Widen The Screen," a content creation, talent development and partnership platform that will work for increased inclusion of Black creators across advertising, film and television industries. Previously, Häagen-Dazs launched a multichannel campaign to support a diverse group of creators with a $1.5 million pledge it will pay out over three years. These efforts demonstrate commitments to D&I, whether within their advertising, organizations or culture at-large, that younger consumers expect from brands.

The Shot Fund is the latest purpose-driven effort from Hornitos. The Beam Suntory brand in September launched "A Fair Shot," an initiative that sought to support the near- and long-term needs of immigrants seeking to become U.S. citizens — a group of people often left out of brands' purpose-driven campaigns.