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The AfroTech Conference was an immersive week that was jam-packed with panels and discussions on a variety of topics, including marketing, cryptocurrency, software engineers, project managers, and other noteworthy technology tales or experiences from top business executives. Over 20,000 people attended the conference, of which 25% were project managers and 5% were the founders of major IT firms. Many people are unaware that there are so many African American individuals working in the computer industry, so this was a wonderful sight to see. During the week of November 13–18, the conference took place in the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas.
The conversation on Why You Should Be Leveraging Culture To Launch Your New Product was one of my favorites since it emphasizes the value of utilizing black culture to draw in customers. Be genuine while learning from each other and expressing yourself. During the talks on “Accountability Matters: How to Hold Corporations Accountable for their Actions,” Aurora James brought up the 15% pledge, which was created with the premise that Black people make up 15% of the US population. Therefore, they requested that companies give Black-owned goods 15% of their retail space. Black people are regularly employed by luxury firms, who also borrow from our culture. We appear in their advertisements but not on the company boards. How do we bring about change within these corporations? How can we bring about change in the financial industries as well? Black startups receive just 4% of venture capital funding, therefore representation matters and all opinions and views should be heard. You can learn more about Mail Chimp’s compelling case for Building a Brand that Matters: Marketing with Purpose and Impact by visiting MailChimp.com/Bloomseason.
A fantastic seminar on the intersection of entertainment and technology was also presented by Amazon. Black representation in entertainment matters and the challenges and impact of increasing diversity was represented, according to a McKinsey report. The evidence for this theory is strong. The audience segmentation and quantification moment are what enable Amazon to produce shows that support the culture possessing distinctive perspectives, with viewers utilizing such information for storytelling and enhancing the story. But how can we prevent the data from overriding our authenticity and culture? The information reveals what is relevant to the black experience and the lived experiences are highlighted for different audiences to view.
With so many interesting discussions, another one of my favorite sessions was a panel discussion hosted by Harold Hughes called “WTF are NFTs.” He did an excellent job outlining NFTs and how they relate to one another using examples from web 2 before demonstrating the web 3 examples. Learning the best practices for web3 security and how to use NFT in live event experiences—which are inherently unique—was interesting. Another panel I adored was “The Business of Hip Hop”, where Tim Hinshaw, Head of Hip Hop and R&B at Amazon Music, Wallace Joseph, Vice President & A&R of Warner Chappell, and Stephanie Ogbogu, Associate Director of Editorial at Blaivity, Inc., all did a fantastic job of sharing their individual insights into the music industry. The seminar covered music rights, marketing, and streaming in the current digital era. I found it fascinating how NFTs are now connected to musicians; catching this trend can be risky, but utilizing the data can reveal a pattern that may also be advantageous. Even the tech-savvy businesswoman Tanya Sam from Housewives of Atlanta was in attendance and meeting her was such a pleasure and an honor. She works as the Director of Partnerships for TechSquare Labs, a hub for tech startups and a venture capital firm that supports the entry of minorities and young women into the industry.
I had an excellent time during my week at the AfroTech Conference 2022, and I wholeheartedly recommend that anyone attend the subsequent conference. I look forward to what Blavity, Inc. and the AfroTech community will soon have to offer.
Feel free to comment and ask me any questions related to marketing and AfroTech!