Stellantis Strengthens Commitment to Black Consumers with New Marketing Partnership

By Lynzee Mychael MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST

Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler and Jeep, announced a significant partnership in its efforts to enhance marketing strategies aimed at reaching Black customers and multicultural communities. In order to achieve this objective, the company added TKT Collab, a division of Kentucky-based TKT & Associates, to its North America creative roster. The company, which is a Black- and woman-owned business, will bring new and fresh perspective to its marking plans. This collaboration represents a momentous stride in Stellantis’ commitment to engaging with diverse audiences, with TKT becoming the first Black agency of record for Stellantis’ North America brand portfolio. The agency’s primary responsibility will be overseeing marketing initiatives aimed at connecting with Black consumers.

While Stellantis has previously collaborated with Black-owned agencies and developed campaigns for Black customers, the addition of TKT to its creative roster demonstrates a reinforced dedication to these audiences and a deeper effort to expand and connect with the Black consumer base. This move highlights Stellantis’ commitment to promoting diversity and inclusivity in its marketing strategies.

Kimberly Bunton, CEO and chief strategy officer of TKT Collab said in an official statement, “At TKT Collab we use our media platforms, cross-generational cultural appeal and eye for forward-moving technology and social trends to generate culturally authentic and relatable campaigns and content; we aren’t your average marketing firm, we are a creative studio specializing in inclusive culture bending strategies.”

Kim Adams House, who now leads Stellantis’ multicultural marketing efforts along with licensing and merchandising, expressed the magnitude of the collaboration.

“We are reminded as marketers that it is our responsibility to continue to embrace this ever-changing world with innovative thinking and to demonstrate our commitment not only to diversity, but to also being instruments of change,” said House. “And that is precisely why we went through the rigorous process to identify a Black agency to focus exclusively on building more authentic and deeper audience connections with Black consumers across all of our North American brands.”

At the recent Stellantis African Ancestry Network Diaspora Gala, TKT produced a video specifically focused on Jeep, which was showcased during the event. TKT’s upcoming major campaign, primarily targeting Jeep, is scheduled to launch later this year. It will have a broad reach across online platforms, social media and television channels. As part of its comprehensive marketing efforts, Stellantis plans to incorporate product placements for Jeep in various TV shows, films and music videos.

To effectively connect with a diverse customer base, companies must recognize and embrace the unique perspectives, needs and aspirations of underrepresented communities. By integrating

Black representation into marketing campaigns, companies showcase their dedication to inclusivity and ensure that their messages are relatable and meaningful to Black consumers. This representation serves as a powerful affirmation that Black individuals are valued, acknowledged and specifically catered to by the brand.

When Black consumers are portrayed positively in marketing, it cultivates a sense of belonging and nurtures brand loyalty. By acknowledging and respecting diverse backgrounds, companies are able to establish trust and forge enduring relationships with Black customers. This loyalty goes beyond individual consumers as positive word-ofmouth within the community spreads, attracting more customers from diverse backgrounds.

Recently there has been an uptick in Black representation used to market and promote products. Black consumers wield considerable purchasing power and exert influence across multiple industries. Extensive studies have demonstrated that companies actively targeting and engaging with the Black consumer base witness significant business growth. By acknowledging the immense potential of this market and customizing marketing efforts accordingly, companies can tap into a prosperous and rapidly expanding customer segment.

The collaboration between Stellantis and TKT represents a remarkable stride in the right direction, illuminating that the industry is actively working towards greater diversity.