Generosity isn’t just about being nice — it’s the key to earning the trust of a Fortune 100 CEO. At AFROTECH™ Conference 2025 in Houston, TX, Juan Bonilla, president of marketing agency Walton Isaacson, and Ayiko Broyard, executive vice president and head of account management, unpacked the power of strategic generosity as a growth strategy that strengthens relationships, unlocks bigger budgets, and leaves chief marketing officers (CMOs) feeling supported, empowered, and recognized. Broyard shared how this philosophy shaped Walton Isaacson’s long-standing partnership with Lexus. Early on, she noticed how luxury buyers valued the brand’s respect and hospitality — something missing from competitors. To truly understand that experience, she and her team visited dealerships, sat in the cars, and immersed themselves in the customer journey. That firsthand insight became a cornerstone of the agency’s experiential strategy: every event must feature a vehicle people can touch, sit in, and...

Cheryl McKissack Daniel is president and CEO of McKissack & McKissack, the nation’s oldest Black-owned architecture , construction, and engineering firm, according to UATL. The McKissack family has helped to build over 6,000 projects nationwide, with around 50 recognized as historic landmarks, the outlet reports. Although McKissack Daniel’s company is based in New York, she has partnered with Atlanta-based H.J. Russell Construction Company — a 70-year-old Black-owned, family-run construction firm — on the expansion of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA). McKissack Daniel noted that her team’s risk analysis expertise complements H.J. Russell’s project work. She praised Atlanta for supporting Black construction designers and investing in projects that expand accessible transportation for communities. “I think (public transportation) definitely affects the economics of a group of people if they can’t get to where they need to get at a reasonable cost,” McKissack...

As audiences disperse and media continues to splinter, Actum — a global consultancy — has expanded its roster by joining forces with Skai Blue Media. Actum announced the addition on Thursday, July 31, with communications and marketing visionary Rakia Reynolds coming on board as partner. She and her team of award-winning storytellers will join offices in New York, Washington, D.C., and California, according to a news release. “We are really excited to welcome Rakia and Skai Blue to Actum,” Kirill Goncharenko, co-founder and managing partner of Actum, said in a statement. “As the media landscape continues to evolve and how people consume information rapidly shifts, Skai Blue brings new solutions to deliver measurable business outcomes for our clients.” Actum is one of the fastest-growing firms in the industry, focused on redefining the traditional consulting model, the news release states. The integration of Skai Blue Media is anticipated to strengthen its platform with agile,...

Producers Swizz Beatz and Chris Brancato are turning it up a notch with their collaboration. Launching Media Company Baller Alert reports Swizz Beatz has worked on the theme songs for Brancato’s television shows “Godfather of Harlem” and “Hotel Cocaine,” and is currently a consulting producer for Brancato’s eight-episode Irish crime drama series, “The Westies,” with production beginning in July 2025. Now, the pair are taking their creative works to new heights. They will be launching a media company, which has not been named, with a focus on developing material for TV, film, and podcasts. “We’ve found a creative rhythm that feels rare,” Brancato, the creator of “Narcos,” explained, according to Variety. Swizz Beatz commented: “Moving into producing and creating new shows with [Brancato] felt incredibly natural and organic. That’s our vibe, our inclusive chemistry, fueling and driving each other to spark fresh creative ideas.” The songwriter’s latest creative venture comes a year...

ChurchSpace has secured $1.2 million in an oversubscribed funding round with a goal of better activating underutilized sacred spaces for contemporary community use, a press release states. The technology startup was founded in 2021 by pastors’ children Emmanuel Brown and Day Edwards, per the company’s website. The company, which is relocating its headquarters from Houston, TX, to Detroit, MI, repurposes underused real estate on church campuses — like fellowship halls and classrooms — to create passive income streams for churches and offer small businesses more affordable ways to connect with local consumers, according to the release. The funding round was led by Black Ops Ventures. Michigan Rise and Dug Song of Minor Capital also participated. “From Motown to ministry, Detroit’s always had soul. ChurchSpace is bringing fresh tech to sacred spaces—helping churches thrive, serve, and connect across communities. We’re proud to support their mission and welcome them to Detroit,” Song...

BMW and Louis Vuitton’s 2014 collaboration is reportedly considered the most sought-after brand collaboration ever. Through its research, women’s online retailer Public Desire determined the top 10 collaborations by analyzing various factors, including original price, resale value , price growth, accessibility, and public interest. According to information provided to AFROTECH™, the company then calculated a composite score for each collaboration, which was ranked in descending order based on its performance across these criteria. With a composite score of 98.0, the BMX x Louis Vuitton collaboration, which produced highly exclusive luxury luggage, had the highest growth in resale value. When BMW announced the collaboration, Adrian van Hooydonk, senior vice president of BMW Group Design, highlighted the use of CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced polymer) in the company’s i8 sports car as an example of its “intelligent lightweight construction philosophy.” “BMW and Louis Vuitton share both...

Reebok is making a comeback in the world of basketball. On Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, Reebok and the WNBA announced a multi-year agreement designating the global sports culture brand as an authorized footwear supplier for the league. “The WNBA continues to grow with iconic brands, and we look forward to Reebok joining us in driving women’s basketball to new heights and inspiring the next generation,” WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison said in a statement. “As we continue to capitalize on increased brand awareness, our work with Reebok is another step in bringing more fans to the game.” Reebok has been producing basketball shoes for women since the 1980s. Throughout the 1990s, the brand sponsored some of the best women’s collegiate basketball teams in the country and, in 1997, launched a signature shoe for WNBA player Rebecca Lobo. It’s no secret that Nike is the leading shoe brand among NBA and WNBA players, but other brands have a presence. As of October 2024, six active WNBA...

Stephen Curry stands by his decision to choose Under Armour over Nike. In 2013, in what was arguably the fumble of that decade for Nike, the shoe brand conducted a pitch meeting with the Golden State Warriors point guard. He had been signed to the company since being drafted to the NBA in 2009, according to Basketball Network. Sports Illustrated notes Curry began setting up meetings with leading shoe companies, and the new Under Armour ultimately came out on top. Under Armour offered a $4 million annual contract that included the promise of a signature shoe and the chance for him to become a key figure for the brand. Nike’s offer was $2.5 million without the additional perks, and the meeting reportedly didn’t go so well. A representative was said to have mispronounced Curry’s first name, calling him “Steph-on” instead of “Steph-en,” and a slide presentation allegedly had Kevin Durant’s name on it and not Curry’s. With Curry choosing Under Armour, the deal kicked into gear in 2013....