The New Class of Black Power: Auto Industry Trades Music for Trained Actors

For so long, the auto industry, like other industries, have been heavily dependent upon the latest groove (or catchy beat) to help move new vehicles. McDonald's, the world's number one fast-food chain, has been notorious for connecting with the black community using music. In fact, McDonald's marketing folks are using this same tired approach to connect with mainstream America, too.

Now when was the last time you heard a McDonald's commercial without a jingle? In recent years, we've been extremely critical of ad agencies, particularly minority-owned ad agencies, for perpetuating the stereotype of making us sing or dance for 'Mr. Charley,' a word sometimes used in the urban community referencing the white man, to earn our supper. It just seems one-dimensional and frankly quite insulting to think this is the only way to connect with black folks is to make the message cool, sing a song, rap a beat or hum a melody. Is this the way Obama was able to connect with people of color when he overwhelmingly won this group's support when he became President of the United States?

Just imagine a commercial (radio or TV) without music - connecting to black folks or in fact mainstream America. Ford has done just that, hiring Boris Kodjoe, the skilled actor who became a household name in the urban community after being cast in the popular HBO series Soul Food. View the video above from Bossip.com to check out Kodjoe serving as a spokesperson for Ford. Did you notice him rapping or singing? Kodjoe is actually able to get Ford's message across without using music, while also connecting with mainstream America. We're not sure if Ford's urban ad agency or general ad agency was responsible for using the talents of Kodjoe.

Also GM's Cadillac brand is taking a similar move, using the skills of actor Laurence Fishburne as the new voice of the luxury brand. Again, we don't expect to hear this trained actor signing, although he did a phenomenal job imitating the likeness of Ike Tuner in the movie, What's Love Got to Do With It? We do know that Don Butler, the vice president of marketing for Cadillac who happens to be a brother, played a big part in making this decision.

Ironically, several years ago Chrysler placed Lee Iacocca, the former CEO of Chrysler, and rapper Snoop Dogg in the same ad pitching the 300, the brand's popular fullsize sedan, to the mainstream and urban America. We were critical of the ad agency for what we deemed to be an awkward paring. To us, a better pairing would have been Ralph Gilles, the Haitian-born lead designer of the 300, and Iaccoca. Just wondering: How many kids would have been encouraged to become a car designer as opposed to a rapper had Gilles appeared in an ad?
Let's hope that the other automakers and other industries take a page from both Ford and GM, using the new untapped black power - trained actors. Yes, we love music, but isn't that the lazy approach to connecting with the urban community?

Fishburne debut ad pitching Cadillac will launch in the Rose Bowl game telecast on Jan. 1, 2011.