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Archive for 2009
Sunday, December 20th, 2009
 Prince Kunle and Princess Keisha Omilana and son Diran If you take a look at the fashion section of the New York Times, or the society pages of almost any newspaper or blog, and you’re likely to see a lot of old money. Emphasis on “old”. Where are all the young, affluent people? Especially young, affluent, ethnic consumers? We know they’re out there. The purchasing power of African American individuals in the U.S. earning at least $75,000 individually is estimated at $87.3 billion alone! African American households with incomes of $200,000 have a median household income of $246,000.
These consumers, philanthropists and business people are out there giving and attending functions and participating in society as much as any Rockefeller, Astor or Vanderbilt. It’s time to start recognizing and acknowledging the changing landscape of our society on all levels, right on up to the top. Media outlets need to realize that one day the “old money” crowd will be the “dead money” crowd, and then what?
Check out Michael Henry Adams recent article for the Huffington Post.
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Tags: black affluence, Black Philanthropists, black socialites, Black Society, Michael Henry Adams
Posted in Black Society | No Comments »
Monday, November 30th, 2009
It’s common knowledge that we, here in the U.S., are hopelessly lacking in the field of trend setting – especially compared with our European cousins. I mean c’mon, Paris is the leader in fashion, Britain for music – hello, Beatles? Rolling Stones? And all the countries across the pond have been recycling and worrying about environmental sustainability since……well, forever. Is there any subject where we are the trendsetters?
Hold on, have you heard the buzz about the altered poster for the hit movie “Couples Retreat”? The movie is a comedy centering on four couples (3 white; 1 black) all of whom end up at the same resort for a couples bonding vacation whereupon madcap hilarity ensues. (OK, disclaimer: I haven’t seen the movie but this is what I gleaned from the trailer.) In any case, the posters distributed to promote the movie in the U.S. include all four couples. The U.K. version of the poster appears to have the black couple photoshopped out of the picture. Huh?!!? Wow. So maybe we’re a tad more progressive than our European friends. Can it be true? The article I read said that ethnic diversity in entertainment has been an ongoing issue in Europe. Newsweek says that black actors have had a hard time appealing to foreign moviegoers and, as a result, marketers have been downplaying the ethnicity of actors in order to ensure better box office returns. I even heard that Will Smith, a huge star in the U.S., does not draw crowds in Europe.
Here in the U.S. we also have the Multicultural Motion Picture Association. The MMPA’s stated purpose involves acknowledging those who contribute to diverse perspectives in the entertainment industry as well as honoring industry members who promote a greater understanding and portrayal of all cultures through their creative work in film and television. Apparently tickets to the MMPA annual Diversity Awards ceremony are the hottest item in town and very hard to come by. And I bet there are black people on the posters too!
Tags: black celebrities and marketing, Black marketing, blacks in the entertainment industry, Diversity Awards, Multicultural Motion Picture Association, Will Smith and marketing
Posted in Blacks in Entertainment and Marketing | No Comments »
Sunday, November 15th, 2009
Non-profits and other philanthropic groups must reach out to wealthy African Americans who constitute an available and generous donor base. The Chronicle of Philanthropy notes: “Driven by rising incomes among Asian-Americans, Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians, and government projections that minorities will make up nearly half of the U.S. population by 2050, ethnic charities see a stellar opportunity to increase the amount of ethnic philanthropy in coming years.”
In fact, according to an analysis of federal income tax returns conducted by the Urban Institute, donors in primarily black zip codes gave 5.1 percent of their income to charity where only 3.3 percent of income was donated from zip codes identified as predominantly white. An estimated $1.1 trillion to $3.4 trillion wealth transfer is expected to occur in the African American community by 2055.
In order to tap into this philanthropic base, John F. Havens and Paul G. Schervish, in their article “Wealth Transfer Estimates for African American Households”, emphasize the need to both work closely with high-income black Americans and to nurture a connection with young, professionals who will become the next generation of wealthy black Americans. Another opportunity, as seen by Charles Stephens in his article “Professionalism in Black Philanthropy,” is to develop programs at historically black colleges and universities that steer more black professionals into the field of fundraising.
Likewise there are old habits that need changing if black philanthropy is to make the most of its innate generosity. One practice that many organizations, such as the Twenty-First Century Foundation in New York City, hope to change is the custom of spontaneous giving in small amounts. Erica Hunt, president of the foundation says, “We do so much social and reactive giving that we have very little left from our discretionary income for intentional or planned giving.” Almost all non-profit groups will attest that, as ethnic groups enter into the philanthropic circle more and more and at greater levels of giving, they need education in the most efficient and meaningful way to use their dollars. Philanthropy among individuals in the black community needs to become more systematic and sustainable.
Non-profits would do well to help donors to set up their patronage in a thoughtful, practical way that maximizes their giving. As did, for example, the Associated Black Charities of Maryland who formed a partnership entitled the African American Philanthropy Initiative with the Baltimore Giving Project, a nonprofit group that promotes philanthropic giving among young professionals. Many other groups are forming associations like the one in Baltimore to assist prospective black donors in “converting their traditional ways of giving into more modern ones.”
As Emmett D. Carson Jr., the first black president of the Minneapolis Foundation puts it, “The money’s out there. People of color have always given. We need to continue to find new ways to help them do that.”
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Tags: African American Philanthropy Initiative, Associated Black Charities of Maryland, Black Philanthropy, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Twenty-First Century Foundation, Wealth Transfer Estimates for African American Households, wealthy black Americans
Posted in Blacks and Philanthropy | Comments Off
Monday, October 26th, 2009
Historically black philanthropy has centered around the church, and much of it still does. However, increasingly, black philanthropy is taking on a more multifaceted shape. According to an article by Carolyn M. Brown in Black Enterprise, “The traditions of African Americans giving to churches, social organizations and educational institutions are very much alive today. According to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Chicago-based research firm Target Market News found that in 2004, African Americans made $11.4 billion in contributions. Of that amount, $7.2 billion went to churches and faith-based organizations and $4.2 billion went to charities, education, politics, and other causes.”
Emerging trends in black philanthropy highlight differences between the ways young African Americans chose to give of their time and money and the choices their parents made. Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, in her article “Philanthropically Speaking – African American Philanthropy and Associated Black Charities,” points out differences in the giving patterns of those who grew up before the civil rights movement and those who came of age after it. Cheryl Hall Russell in African American Traditions of Giving notes that, as the black middle class continues to grow, more African Americans will move away from mutual aid to more formalized philanthropy, from African American to more universal giving, and from church to more secular giving.
Also, many researchers note that the pattern of cutbacks in government funded social and educational programs, including funding of the arts, have led minorities toward using their donation dollars to fill in gaps left by reductions in government funding. Take the example of entrepreneur and music mogul, Russell Simmons, who co-founded Rush Philanthropic, an organization devoted to the promotion and support of artists of color and the exposure of disadvantaged urban youth to the arts. In a time when schools have increasingly cut music and art programs, this organization has stepped in to ensure that underprivileged youth continue to have access to the arts.
Another trend involves choosing philanthropy as a means to link up with others and to network. It may be that, as more and more single African Americans are achieving higher incomes, they seek philanthropic work and events as a means to connect to others in the community both socially and professionally. An article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy maintains that, “Whether they’ve been asked or not, wealthy minorities give to big universities and cultural institutions in hopes of gaining access to mainstream business or social circles.” Marjorie Polycarpe writes, “Central to the philanthropic expression and activity within the African American community is the deep interpersonal connection that is characteristic of giving. The key is developing relationships or establishing a connection.”
Look for continuing blogs in this series examining the evolution of black philanthropy and the challenges and opportunities for organizations seeking to tap into this strong tradition.
Tags: Alicia Bythewood, Black Philanthropists, Black Philanthropy, Rush Philanthropic, Russell Simmons
Posted in Blacks and Philanthropy | Comments Off
Saturday, October 10th, 2009
This is the first blog in a series on Blacks in Philanthropy. It will examine the evolution of black philanthropy and the challenges and opportunities for organizations seeking to tap into this strong tradition.
The Roots of Black Philanthropy
Philanthropy in the black community has deep, historical roots. In 1787, the Free African Society of Philadelphia was formed to aid free slaves. Many early philanthropic efforts were aimed at supporting freed slaves as well as advancing the anti-slavery movement. With the abolition of slavery, black social service organizations emerged in the form of sororities and fraternities, and the NAACP. These organizations became crucial to the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Perhaps because of the issue-based origin of black philanthropy, today that tradition continues to center around social and political causes that impact the community.
According to Erica L. Ball, Ph.D. of CUNY, “From as early as the eighteenth century to the present day, African Americans have donated their time and resources to a variety of philanthropic organizations and causes, whether they be community-based mutual aid organizations, churches, or major political movements.” Ball cites the view of Emmett Carson, president and CEO of The Minneapolis Foundation, that there are three major branches of black philanthropy: “. . .humanitarian aid, designed to ameliorate individual and community hardship; institutional development or self-help regarding the establishment of churches, schools, and commercial enterprises for black communities; and movements for social change. . .” Not surprisingly, as noted by Ball, much of black philanthropy has, historically, been centered in the church. Black congregations have long been the center of African American life from the broad: social and political movements; to the narrow: assisting those in need in the community.
In 1862, Freedman’s aid societies were organized in the northern states to provide supplies and send teachers to educate former slaves. Thus began the longstanding tradition of educational philanthropy in the black community. Today, the United Negro College Fund is the oldest organization providing for higher education assistance for African Americans. In the tradition of devotion to education, several years ago a lifelong African American laundry woman of modest means, Oseola McCarty, died leaving $150,000 of her life savings to establish scholarships for minority students. An article in Black Enterprise quotes Rodney Jackson, president and CEO of the National Center for Black Philanthropy Inc.: “It was philanthropy for and by African Americans that helped establish historical black colleges and universities. Black fraternities and sororities are also a part of this heritage.”
So what does this mean for the future? An article by Marjorie Polycarpe on the website onphilanthropy.com states: “Dating back to the mutual aid societies of the late 1700s, the African American community has used philanthropic giving as a survival mechanism. [Today] a new direction has emerged. As more African Americans acquire wealth, many are directing their philanthropy beyond causes focused on survival, into economic empowerment and self sufficiency.”
Tags: Blacks and Philanthropy, History of Black Philanthropy, National Center for Black Philanthropy, Philanthropy in the black community, The Minneapolis Foundation
Posted in Blacks and Philanthropy | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
 Confirming the trend of black consumption of fine wines is the existence of the African American Association of Vintners and the African American Wine Tasting Society, which publishes The African American Wine Journal – geared specifically towards black wine lovers. According to Uptown Magazine, African Americans are even moving into the production of wine with about ten black-owned vineyards in the U.S., many of which have received rave reviews for their wines. The following appeared in The Wine Report magazine in January 2004:
Wine marketers “have made a big, fat mistake” by overlooking the buying power of African-American consumers, says Carolyn Hebsgaard. A Boston-area attorney, Hebsgaard is a charter member of Divas Uncorked—a group of professional African-American women who enjoy wine. “They’ve failed to recognize that we’ve arrived both professionally and socially.”
Even USA Today is getting in on the action having recently launched a Wine Club with reader tasting panels (www.USATODAYWineClub.com). The African American Wine Tasting Society (www.aawts.org) now has chapters in nine cities including New York City where, not surprisingly, African American wine consumption is highest.
Tags: affluent african americans, African American buying power, African American consumers, african american wine connoisseurs, african american wine consumption, african american wine drinkers, African American Wine Tasting Society, African Americans, African-American, Association of African American Vintners, blacks, blacks wine consumptions, blacks wine statistics, buying power, marketers, marketing, The Wine Report, wine, wine club, wine consumption, wine marketers, wine tasting
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
 Evidence, A Dance Company Dancers “On Our Toes’ Continues Reign As Premier African American Cultural Event in the Hamptons.
New York’s First Lady Michelle Paterson Lends Support to the Arts in the Hamptons
Southampton, NY Aug 22 - On Our Toes in The Hamptons, the 6th annual fundraiser for Ronald K. Brown’s world acclaimed Evidence, A Dance Company, proved to be once again one of the most electrifying cultural events of the summer season.
Held this year at the Watermill, NY estate of the Honorable Bernard Jackson and his wife Joyce Mullins-Jackson, vice chairman of the Evidence Board of Directors, the late afternoon fete drew over 300 luminaries from across the country including the First Lady of New York, Michelle Paterson, award winning actress, Lynn Whitfield, Christian Dior President Stephane Barraque, Uptown Magazine’s Jocelyn Taylor, National Cares Mentoring Movement Founder Susan L. Taylor, and scores more of the Hamptons and New York’s most glittering movers and shakers.
BlackGivesBack attended this event, which proved to live up to its reputation as the premier African American cultural event in the Hamptons.
 Brie and Alicia Bythewood The very social Alicia Bythewood chaired the event which began with drinks poolside under bright sunny skies. Guests munched on a dazzling array of seafood appetizers from The Seafood Shop including Spicy mini crab cakes to the quintessential Hamptons treat tiny lobster rolls washing it all down with chilled Veuve Clicquot Champagne or the specially created 10 Cane Rum Toe Tapper.
Ms. Bythewood led a dynamic committee that assisted her in this event including fashion designer b Michael, Gail Monroe Perry, Harriet Michel, Brian and Mira Mullins, Ronald K. Brown, Donna Williams, Reginald Van Lee, Neil R. Lowe, Joyce Mullins-Jackson, Reggie Canal, Leslie Mays, Zaid Abdul-Aleem, Dwayne Ashley, Monica F. Azare, Joanne E. Hill, Andrea Hoffman, Sandra D. Jackson-Dumont, James Sullivan, Jocelyn Taylor, Ancy Verdier, and Lisa B. Walker.
Despite the current economic stress, Evidence received extraordinarily generous support for the event from sponsors HSBC Premier, 10 Cane Rum/Moet Hennessey, Prudential, Continental Airlines, Essence, Abyssinian Development Corporation and Uptown Magazine. Christian Dior provided gift bags, that included a Sean John cap and Carol’s Daughter shea butter body lotion (I am now such a fan of this line). The media sponsor was Hamptons.com and the event was coordinated by The JFM Group.
Following cocktails African drummers led the way through the dense woods to the massive party tent transformed into an island paradise by interior designer Anthony Bell and Deanna Annis of The Furniture Garden. Former CBS Early Show co-host Rene Syler emceed the afternoon’s proceedings with a comedic flair. The delightful Syler introduced the company’s new executive director Bruce Michael, who announced plans for the troupe’s upcoming 25th anniversary season in 2010, including a State Department sponsored tour of Africa, performances at the Vancouver International Dance Festival, a marvelous book chronicling the troupe’s 25 year journey, and a major gala in late winter.
There were numerous luxury items auctioned off including dazzling bejeweled Christian Dior watches which Jocelyn Taylor modeled, a one of a kind pen created to commemorate Mathew Henson, the first African-American to reach the South Pole and a once-in-a lifetime chance to go behind the scenes with the famed Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.
 Major sponsors Noel Hankin, Susan L. Taylor and Stephane Barraque, President of Christian Dior Watches
Tags: A Dance Company, Christian Dior President Stephane Barraque, Evidence, first African-American to reach the South Pole, Rene Syler, Uptown Magazine
Posted in New Prospects for Luxury Marketers | No Comments »
Monday, September 7th, 2009
 We’ve all heard the rap lyrics talking about sipping Patron “in da club” but those stereotypes are simply not accurate when taken out of the very narrow arena of rap videos.
Upscale black consumers have a much more sophisticated palate and are looking for the best in fine wines. Just ask Eric Woods, advertising executive and co-owner of Harlem Vintage, a black-owned wine store in Harlem.
Harlem Vintage carries wines from around the world including a vintage from a black-owned winery in South Africa and one from a Mexican-American owned vineyard in California. The store has been teeming with customers since it opened its doors almost a year ago. Eric has keyed into the booming trend of wine consumption among wealthy African Americans who annually spend $4.4 million on wine purchases in stores — and are more likely than the general population to spend $20 or more per bottle.
According to our 2008 research among wealthy male and female black consumers, 30.8% reported that they consume imported wine at least once a week and 31.3% consume domestic wine at least once a week. This consumer group also expressed a deep interest in attending invitation only wine dinners where they can learn more about wine and wine collecting while connecting with like minded peers.
Note to wine marketers. . . there’s a huge market here. Think about hosting an invitation only wine tasting and maybe play some soft jazz, but put the rap on hold for the evening.
Watch for our next blog post on the trend among African American male executives who are replacing the old school three martini lunch with a nice glass of point noir as well as insight from the Association of African American Vintners
Wine marketers….are you listening? Are you advertising and marketing to this audience where they play, or consume media relevant to them?
Tags: african american wine connoisseurs, african american wine consumption, african american wine drinkers, Association of African American Vintners, blacks and wine consumptions, Jerry and Lauren Bias, statistics on blacks and wine, Sugarleaf Vineyards
Posted in African Americans and Wine Consumption, Uncategorized | No Comments »
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