InKroud and OLIVER’s DEI Team Mark the Occasion by Bringing Together Notable Activists and Influencers for Digital Panel.

We are proud to announce the official launch of InKroud, a new division committed to creating representative, authentic, and nuanced work that accurately and progressively portrays diverse consumers across the globe.

Tyra Jones-Hurst, a Business Director at OLIVER, initiated the establishment of InKroud late last year. Prior to the formal launch, an increasing demand from OLIVER clients to meaningfully connect with diverse communities prompted the group to begin working with leading CPG and athleticwear brands during its ramp-up phase. As founder and Business Director of InKroud, Jones-Hurst is continuing to build an expert staff that provides end-to-end inclusivity within all marketing functions – all to ensure that Black and Latiné cultures are reflected at every juncture.

“With InKroud, we are curating a collective of culturally immersed creatives, strategists, and account leads dedicated to fostering genuine representation and authenticity with brands that are looking to engage honestly with their audience,” said Jones-Hurst.

InKroud offers a range of distinct services to existing clients as an extension of their OLIVER in-house team, yet they have already won new clients outside the OLIVER model.

Culture Checks, for example, are critical in identifying the cultural nuances that connect diverse communities to mass brands, mitigating missed opportunities to connect with Black and Latiné consumers. Creative Workshopping is another key service, providing audits of existing assets to assess cultural gaps, relevance, tone of voice, opportunities and/or future best practices for success. Other services include:

“Brands cannot effectively communicate and gain relationships with customers if they don’t understand how they think,” said Peter Kuhn, CEO OLIVER, North America. “The launch of InKroud answers that need – providing a diverse and polycultural team of expert marketing specialists who can share their own combined life experiences and expertise to help brands speak to Black and Latiné audiences. This is not the old scenario where you marginalize the contributions of your under-represented colleague by saying ‘would this offend you?’  This begins at the beginning – the brief is answered by the audience.  What makes me so excited about InKroud is that this was not an OLIVER idea. This was the idea of our colleagues who suggested launching this agency to improve the space.”

To mark the official launch of InKroud and recognize the conclusion of Black History Month, InKroud and OLIVER’s DEI team joined forces to share a panel discussion between notable career activists and industry influencers on the topic of “Black Resistance in Marketing & Advertising.” You can watch the session here.

In addition to Tyra Jones-Hurst, participants included:

• Nana Agyemang – CEO and Founder of EveryStylishGirl & Media Strategist
• Mark Godoy Jr. – Art Director at Complex Networks & Victim’s Rights Activist
• Daniel Middleton – Founder at Mister Middleton & Creative Consultant
• Micaéla Verrelien – On-Air Host of Macy’s LIVE & Content Creator/Model
• Austin Williams – Adjunct Professor, Media and Communication Arts, at The City College of New York & Music Journalist

Want to ensure your brand is truly inclusive? Or perhaps you have an upcoming project which you need to see through a different lens? Get in touch here.