CREDITS
My Role: Senior Art Director, Set Designer, Graphic Designer and about fiftyleven other things
CD/Copywriter: Simeon Cocker
MAKE BLACK HISTORY
Black History Month in 2021 was one of the most important BHMs ever, due to the increased accountability placed on brands post the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless more Black lives that were taken. As a result of that TikTok needed to not only show up, but show out for Black creators on the platform.
We celebrated the month by showcasing the breadth, depth and beauty of Blackness past, present and future through innovative live programming, culture shifting partnerships, and a virtual community event hosted by Gabrielle Union; all culminating in an app-wide joyful premium live celebration with performances by Snoop Dogg, Tyga and Saweetie.
Our approach was sparked by real, unapologetic truths: Black Culture always finds a way to reclaim joy in troubling times. In those moments, Black Creators always embrace their power to create change. This time, Black Millennials wanted more than allyship from brands, so we positioned TikTok as an accomplice who shared their mission to create joy and win at everything.
BLACK TRAILBLAZERS
To show how Black creators are driving culture, we tapped into the Black creator community and highlighted some pioneers and changemakers - Black TikTok Trailblazers! These creators served as our modern day ‘Rat Pack’, representing various passion points, identities, and cultural backgrounds. The Black Trailblazers created content, amplified other Black creators, lead panels, and were TikTok’s authentic voice for Black History Month.
BLACK FAMILY REUNION - VIRTUAL BLOCK PARTY
We created a block party in a virtual world - the Black Family Reunion for our Black creator community filled with programming, breakout sessions where they could connect directly with other creators based on their interests, chat virtually, interact with presenters, and more. We created a Black Utopia that was comprised of iconic Black American neighborhoods which also served as the locations for breakout sessions, networking, and programming.
We curated 8 hours of content which included: a session on mental health, TikTok best practices and user safety, a game of Black Card Revoked and a live performance and q+a with Rico Nasty.
KAYTRANADA - CAUTION
For Black History Month, Kaytranada debuted Caution on TikTok, an exclusive track, and I had the honor of creating the album artwork.
IT’S A CELEBRATION!
Our in-app culminated in a high profile live finale show featuring A-list music artists and three Black Trailblazers. The Make Black History Celebration was hosted by two Black creators, Challan and Karen Civil. Our spectacular hosts led engaging conversations with our Trailblazers and musical acts--Saweetie, Tyga, and Snoop Dogg.
The three artists brought our renaissance theme to life, representing the past, present and future of West Coast Hip Hop. From two production locations, we transported viewers into unique worlds for each artist. Each performance utilized surround LED screens and individualized sets to reimagine virtual concerts and create an immersive experience.
