P&G Releases Powerful New Ad

P&G is back with another groundbreaking ad, following in the footsteps of “The Talk” in 2017 and “The Look” last year. This ad is the brand's most powerful: It makes an appeal directly to white Americans to end racism. As P&G's CCO Damon Jones puts it, "We hope to inspire the silent majority to not only serve as allies but as advocates and activists in the fight for equality."

It's the first work from newly formed Cartwright, which worked with Grey to create the 1:15 spot set to the song Doomed by Moses Sumney

Watch it: The ad ponders how Black Americans are to respond “when over and over and over that our lives do not matter?”

After Netflix recognized increased search activity for George Floyd, the streamer began serving users a new collection called Black Lives Matter, which features 40 films and shows centered on Black experiences and storytellers, including the documentary 13th and the miniseries When They See Us, along with movies like Moonlight and Mudbound and series like Marvel’s Luke Cage. Other streamers, including Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and Tubi, have also introduced new sections and collections dedicated to Black storytelling and racial injustice.

And these streamers are reading the room in more ways than one: Netflix's BLM collection notably does not include The Help, which despite its Civil Rights-era setting, tells its story from a white perspective and was developed by white creators. Meanwhile, HBO Max pulled Gone With the Wind from its service.

An ongoing effort: The Netflix collection in particular is part of a preexisting push to create a broader category called Black Stories.

When two smug Twitter users noted that tea brands PG Tips and Yorkshire Tea hadn't stated their support for protesters, both brands united with a blunt message that people who don't believe Black Lives Matter should not buy their tea.

When rivals come together: See how PG Tips sides with Yorkshire Tea, expressing #solidaritea with the movement.

Related: In other brand news, Nascar took a big step toward making the sport more inclusive by banning the Confederate flag at its events. The sport still has work to do—earlier this year Nascar suspended a driver indefinitely for using a racial slur during a virtual race.

As part of a series asking talent from Black-owned agencies about next steps toward a more diverse industry, Adweek talked with Anika Grant, who founded Idlewild Experiential after noticing a lack of Black leadership in the experiential space. In addition to seeing more Black professionals in top agency positions, Grant said she advocates for more inclusion-focused mentorship opportunities to help young people break in, and for more brands to focus on working with Black agencies.

Creating change: Noticing that Idlewild was often pitched the same RFPs as other Black-owned agencies, Grant herself aimed to foster collaboration instead of competition and help get agencies noticed by creating an open source list of Black owners of companies in the event space.

Voice Perspectives on #BlackLivesMatter in Marketing and Advertising:

The pandemic has prompted a surge in subscribers at news organizations, including paywalled ones like The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. To retain those new users, experts say they'll need to demonstrate how non-Covid reporting will add the same degree of value to a subscription in the future, and why that unique coverage can't be found elsewhere. Media organizations have especially been focusing on advertising on social media, bringing in a new cohort of users and providing an opportunity to forge an ongoing connection with a different sort of reader—if publishers can draw the right conclusions and respond to their preferences.

New marketing strategies: Experts suggest focusing on a commitment to truth, verification and freedom of speech and expression.

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More of Today's Top News and Highlights

Nonbinary candle company Boy Smells is partnering with LGBTQ luminaries to launch an online marketing campaign across social media and its blog timed to Pride Month. Beyond touting its non-gender-specific products, the campaign includes discussions around identity, including creative and professional identity.

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As one of the 11 Global Agency Leaders honored in our Creative 100, Marie-Elaine Benoit of Canadian agency Sid Lee addressed the power of creativity to fuel the world’s recovery from the pandemic. Meet all of the honorees in this category.

Diane Villavieja is continuing to help sustain the agency through the pandemic.

Higher-income households are more likely to own a cat or dog than lower-income households.

The familiar corn chip is providing a 'sense of reassurance and comfort' during the pandemic.

One crunchy bite promises to pack all the delicious taste of the fan-favorite burger.

Move would 'accommodate the new reality forced upon us,' says CEO.