Every February, the US celebrates Black History Month, giving focus to the contributions of Black people to American society and calling attention to their ongoing struggle for justice and equality. These contributions extend to virtually every sector of life – politics, education, business, arts & culture, and many more.
KUAMP, a Black-owned, full-service creative production studio based in New York, looks back and honors the Black pioneers in the advertising and creative industry. While the community still remains woefully underrepresented, it is also important to recognize the gains that have been made. According to Antonio “Tronic” McDonald, founder and chief creative officer of KUAMP, these individuals have made huge strides in advancing the cause and visibility of the Black community in the advertising industry, creating many opportunities for people to earn a living while harnessing their significant talents.
Considered one of the first Black creatives at a major US agency, Roy Eaton was a classical pianist before joining Young and Rubicam in 1955. This led Eaton to be compared to Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in US professional sports. Within two years after his hiring, Eaton became responsible for 75% of the music used by the agency’s output. He worked in advertising for close to three decades, founding his own company and later returning to holding piano concert performances.
Barbara Gardner Proctor was the first Black woman to own an advertising agency, founding Proctor & Gardner Advertising in 1970, which primarily marketed to Black communities. Before establishing her agency, she had won more than 20 industry awards. She also was an activist, refusing to work on a project that she felt was demeaning to the Civil Rights movement, even if it cost her job.
Carol H. Williams is the first Black female creative director inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Advertising Hall of Fame. She is responsible for several memorable ad campaigns and concepts, including the tagline ‘Strong Enough For a Man, But Made For a Woman’ for Secret antiperspirant and various campaigns featuring Pillsbury Doughboy and other companion mascots.
In the past, the advertising industry was exclusively focused on marketing to and portraying White people, but Frank L. Mingo Jr. helped change that, broadening brand appeal to include Black people and other ethnic minorities. In 1977, he co-founded Mingo-Jones Advertising with Caroline R. Jones, another Black advertising industry visionary. The company created the ‘We Do Chicken Right’ campaign for KFC.
“These are just a few of the many Black individuals who have helped build up the American advertising industry,” McDonald says. “If not for them, I would not have been able to enter this industry. We’ve come very far, but, obviously, we have a long way to go. To this day, Black folks are fighting to be treated and compensated fairly in this industry. We are continuously raising our hands and saying ‘Hey, give us a chance! We’re just as qualified and talented as anyone.’ I am humbly filled with extreme gratitude to all those who came before me. To paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., they crawled so we could run and someday fly.”
In the present day, KUAMP, which stands for ‘Keep Up And Make Progress’, is investing in the future and working to advance racial equality and diversity in the industry. In 2023, McDonald participated in three panels at the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France, speaking about the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the creative industry.
On the home front, KUAMP is providing internship and employment opportunities to young Black creatives, mentoring them, and giving them a boost in their careers. Every February, KUAMP’s staff share their time and resources by volunteering at food banks and donating to other worthy causes.
“We want to instill a culture where celebrating Black History isn’t limited to just February, but encompasses the whole year,” McDonald says. “We celebrate the achievements of the ones who paved the way while working to create a better future for those who will succeed us.”
