Context: This explainer series is from my nonprofit comms era. After [redacted] years working in political comms at large, I was going to scream (respectfully) if I had to do one more blog post about Frederick Douglass for Black History Month!! So I pitched this instead, and I got way more than I asked for. It was worth the effort, though, because it led to speaking engagements, organizational partnerships, and funding for another producer role. I worked in a team of two with the Narrative Director and was responsible for developing the brand strategy and identity, writing the scripts, recording the voice-overs, editing the videos, and marketing the series.
Approach: During the early pandemic, many of us were nostalgic for the “before times.” This series tapped into that, using silly imagery from bygone eras to dissect serious things happening now. From 90s nostalgia, to slang, to reality TV, everything we know and love about the Internet came from Black people. Using pop culture references shows that our history is more than just slavery and helps connect long-standing struggles for liberation to contemporary issues. This content marketing for MediaJustice's political education programs explains how capitalism profits from the cultural labor of Black people in a way that’s conversational and informative, but not preachy.
The naming conventions for the series as a whole were as important as the individual episodes. The title needed to be flexible enough to work with a variety of topics, but structured enough to feel similar.
1 constant (That’s So Black) + 1 variable (Topic) = Title Structure
Typography References
The show’s typography feels familiar, like a Saturday morning rerun.
The show’s typography feels familiar, like a Saturday morning rerun.
Score
This track carries the voiceover, without overpowering it, while
being memorable enough to round out the credits.
This track carries the voiceover, without overpowering it, while
being memorable enough to round out the credits.