You Can’t know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been.
Black History Month: Feb. 2021
HBO Max: Black History Month
It all begins with an idea. In December 2020, I reached out to my manager on slack and said: “I think I have an idea for Black History Month.” And, the rest is (Black) History.
We’ve all been feeling the heaviness of 2020 in so many ways - a pandemic, a divisive election, racial protests and so much more. To me, it felt more important than every to celebrate Black History - which is essentially our American history. But, the challenge was: How do you do that in an authentic way? To me, the answer was simple: say what you want to say, what’s the worst that could happen?
Two days after sending that slack message, I emailed a brief titled: Black History Is Our History to my leadership. And, within 24 hours, my idea was a full 360 campaign.
Building the campaign
In my current role at HBO Max, I develop editorial strategy for communities. Meaning, I curate the editorial experience for Black, Latinx, APA, Indigenous, LGBTQ+ audiences. When building a campaign, I always start with the goal, in this case it was:
Build a community-first destination for BHM
Promote our Black-Interest programming, including the same-day premiere feature, Judas and the Black Messiah
I started with the curation, this would serve as the on-platform and off-platform core messaging of the campaign. I wanted the page to feel hopeful, inspirational and thought-provoking so I hooked the page around an “our” thematic angle:
OUR PAST (Documentaries, biopics, and original films - stories that weave the fabric of the Black American experience)
OUR JOY (Classic comedy series, films, and stand-up specials - the things that make us cry, laugh and feel all the nostalgia)
OUR FUTURE (Series and films featuring up and coming Black creators)
OUR PRESENT STRUGGLES (Docs that shine a light on the current struggles facing the Black community)
OUR TRAILBLAZERS (Docs and features that spotlight important figures in Black history - then and now)
OUR ART (Short films made by Black creators, docs and music)
OUR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES (Award-worthy features and series with Black Leads)
OUR IMAGINATION (Animated series and features with Black leads)
Once this direction was approved internally, I worked x-functionally to develop and produce all the campaign artwork, promotional videos, title sampling strategy, custom product features and other off-platform efforts.
In the end, I wanted viewers of all backgrounds to come and feel seen, heard and have some fun watching all of our amazing content from the comfort of their home. It also didn’t hurt that we reached our goals in online readership, views and engagement. Lastly, this is a case for hiring candidates with diverse backgrounds for leadership positions, giving them a voice, encouraging them and getting out of their way.
Happy Black History Month - everyday!
