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00:00If you've seen this before.
00:29If you think you know what happens next, ask yourself why.
00:40These are the black stories we've been shown, but there's so much more to see.
00:53The full picture of black life.
01:06Let's widen the screen so we can widen our view.
01:16So greetings everyone.
01:17Welcome to ebony power 100 talks.
01:19My name is Ty Cameron, president of ebony studios.
01:24And this conversation is going to be about envisioning
01:27the future.
01:29If word alone won't create change, sustained action
01:33and investment are necessary for this.
01:37Why this screen is content creation, talent development
01:41and partnership platform that celebrates creativity and
01:45enables black creators to share the full richness of the
01:48black experience.
01:49Only when we widen the screen but we broaden the spectrum
01:53we hear. Today we'll explore what that means with our proud sponsor, Procter & Gamble's
01:59Chief Communications Officer, Damon Jones, and Vice President of Olay Skin Care, Stephanie
02:05Headley. Damon and Stephanie, thank you for joining us.
02:10Just want to jump right in to talk about this Widen the Screen movement and campaign. And
02:17so I'm going to start with Stephanie. So Stephanie, can you explain what the Widen the Screen
02:22movement is and why it was so important for P&G to launch this initiative when it did?
02:28So Widen the Screen is a platform that really takes to heart the insight that we are all
02:35more than what we may appear. And that P&G wants every person to be seen as their full
02:40and authentic selves. And that we can tell each of our stories and be seen as a whole
02:45person. On Olay, we've taken that Widen the Screen message to our product and our brands.
02:52For example, with Decode the Bias, where we want every woman to see herself as beautiful,
02:58her skin, her body, her face to be beautiful. And today, when you search those terms, often
03:06we don't see women of color. And so we want to address the systemic bias that's often
03:12found in the algorithms that curates the images that we see. We want to Widen the Screen on
03:19what is seen as beautiful. And so we partner with Joy Buolamwini, the Algorithmic Justice
03:24League, to actually call attention to this so we can Widen the Screen on what is beautiful
03:29in the industry. Damon, you want to talk more about the platform for the company?
03:34Yeah, sure. I mean, Widen the Screen, as Stephanie gave a very specific example, is really about
03:40content, people and partners that broaden the views of Black life that we see on screen
03:46across advertising, film and television. Far too often what we see are the extremes of Black
03:52life. We see struggle or we see triumph. We don't see that everyday Black excellence and that
03:57everyday Black normalcy reflected. And as a result, we are oftentimes stereotyped. So we
04:04know, as one of the world's largest advertisers, that the images that we put out into the world
04:08and the stories that we tell affect how people see themselves and they affect how people see
04:13each other. And so through Widen the Screen, we have a number of new films and initiatives
04:19that feature more diverse storytellers. They combat bias in all its ways that are fueled by
04:25misrepresentation. And at the end of the day, we want to fuel and increase investments in Black-owned
04:30media so that we are in control of the narratives that we tell. So it's a journey. It's a journey
04:35that we're tackling at the corporate level with P&G and that we've got people like Stephanie on
04:40each of our brands doing the work to make sure that when we do show up, we show up in the fullness
04:45and the richness of ourselves. Amazing. I think this campaign is so powerful and very timely.
04:51Now, Damon, another question for you. How has Widen the Screen campaign helped bridge the gap
04:57to some of the long overdue conversations regarding race that pretty much started around
05:04the social unrest of 2020? Yeah, well, we've been at it for a long time. And if you go back
05:09seven or eight years ago, we did a video, a short video called The Talk, which shares the stories
05:14of the conversations that Black mothers and Black parents have been having with their children for
05:19generations. And that was a powerful story because it shined a light into an aspect of Black life
05:26that many white Americans frankly didn't know. We got several reactions when we did that. We had a
05:30group of people who said, thank you for reflecting my life. We had others who said, you know,
05:35essentially, that's a damn shame that that happens. And then there was a third group of
05:39people who said, wow, you're race baiting, P&G. You're focusing on what makes us different versus
05:44what brings us together. But we stood the course and it really started a series of efforts that
05:51we were doing, again, recognizing our responsibility to tell these stories and bring these stories to
05:56the world that talk very openly and very candidly about bias, in this case, racial bias. We later
06:03in 2019 created a film called The Look, which talked about the everyday bias through some small
06:08actions or microaggressions to overt racism that Black men face in the country. But we've also
06:14talked about this story from a gender standpoint. We've talked about it from an LGBTQ plus standpoint.
06:19We believe that the only way you can begin to work through some of these problems is to talk
06:24about them openly and courageously. And so those are the stories that we're trying to bring forward
06:30in addition to just showing up every day and making sure that all people can see themselves.
06:35That means a family, not just, you know, husband, man, one wife, woman, 2.5 kids and a dog, right?
06:43There are many families. So if you look at Procter & Gamble's advertising, whether it's on Tide,
06:47on Jella, or Olay, you're going to see a range of people represented in their everyday authentic
06:52selves because we believe that portraying people humanely and accurately on an everyday basis,
06:58in addition to videos like Widen the Screen, breaks down that bias that so often, you know,
07:04impacts people in very negative ways. No, I mean, I think this campaign is amazing
07:10and groundbreaking, and I can't congratulate you enough on taking the insight and the foresight
07:17to actually make this happen. So, again, congratulations. Now, Stephanie, I got a question
07:22for you. So platforms like Ebony and Jet, and now P&G's Widen the Screen, are rooted in the idea
07:29of amplifying, you know, Black storytellers and providing a forum for them to share their
07:34own narratives. You know, why is this representation in media so important?
07:39It's important that we have platforms like Ebony, Jet, and others, not only because they
07:45reached this consumer. They reach a consumer that I want to reach with products like Olay.
07:51It's also important that Black creators have a platform to share their gifts and talents and
07:57their unique stories. On Olay, we've been intentional to make sure that women and men
08:02of color are the ones that are in front of and behind the camera, and we want to make sure those
08:07stories reach the right audiences. So we love the partnership with Ebony. We love the reach.
08:12We love the voice. We love the stories that are told to Black consumers, and we believe that we
08:18need to continue to support these platforms because it's an important story and it has to be
08:23told. So, Damon, now back to you. Now, how has the Widen the Screen campaign affected corporate
08:30culture at P&G? Like, has there been a shift of internal conversations at the company? And,
08:36you know, what's that whole sentiment now around this campaign internally?
08:39Yeah, well, we've been on a journey for a while to make sure that we were having
08:42bold conversations and talking about the importance of not just diversity, as Stephanie
08:48said, in the casting that we do, but really diversity in the stories that we tell, right?
08:53And so part of what happens behind the scenes is us really looking internally and saying,
08:59hey, when we go off and do our consumer research and our consumer understanding work,
09:04are we surveying all people? Are we understanding what are the unique things about Black hair and
09:09Black skin? Because until you understand people authentically, you can't begin to create products
09:15for them and you can't begin to communicate effectively with them. So we see this as part
09:19of that fundamental journey of we want to be the best company to serve all consumers. And that means
09:24sometimes doing things different based on the audience, right? So where we need to serve Black
09:29consumers, we want to serve them authentically, we need to understand them. And then when it comes
09:33time to connect and communicate with them, we need to do that. And one of the ways to do that
09:38effectively is through Black-owned and Black-operated media. So it is absolutely a conversation that
09:44we're having. What I'd say is interesting is that we recognize, much like the diversity that
09:49exists within the world, we have that diversity within P&G and different people starting that
09:53journey in different places, right? So helping people to understand what are the unique nuances
09:59about Black culture is an incredibly important thing for us to do as Black corporate leaders.
10:05It's also one of the key roles that Ebony plays in while we're partnering with each other because
10:09we can really tell our own stories in our own ways, right? I look at the recent issue
10:16that Ebony did that told the Colin Kaepernick story, right? You don't get that type of discussion
10:21everywhere, right? So having those safe spaces where we can have the conversations
10:27within the family are important, but we also take those insights and make sure that we are
10:32applying them across our business and bringing in our majority colleagues so that they can
10:36understand that, so that they can really partner with us on that journey. So absolutely, you don't
10:41get products like widen the screen at the end unless you're having some of those hard and very
10:46difficult, sometimes difficult, conversations internally. And I think we're very fortunate to
10:51have a management structure and system at P&G that allows us to do that effectively.
10:56Now, Damon, just to kind of talk a little bit about the creators. So who were some of
11:01the film directors and creators that kind of were tapped for this project? Can you talk a little
11:06bit about that? Sure. For widen the screen, we took a very deliberate approach. I say to make
11:12sure it was blackety black, right? So we started with Kevin Wilson Jr., who's an acclaimed director
11:18to direct that. We were very deliberate in the creatives and having a diverse set of creatives
11:25so that you really could bring the perspective from the white majority community in with the
11:29black community and really talked about this, right? Because we needed to make sure that when
11:33someone watched this, that all voices were represented and that everyone, no matter what
11:38your background was, could walk away really understanding the power of that message. But
11:43when it comes down to authenticity, black people know black stories, right? So down to the costume
11:48directors, we shot the film in Atlanta so that we could have a majority black crew, black makeup
11:55designers, black hairstylists, all of those things lead to authenticity. And what we've learned is
12:02when you have really diverse crews and you create an environment where people can speak openly and
12:07honestly and bring their ideas, people don't have to coach, which you don't have to, you know,
12:12position everything that you're saying all the time. And so that leads to a better creative
12:16product, right? At the end of the day, you know, we define success not only as having, you know,
12:22commercials that people love, but advertising that opens hearts and opens minds. But to
12:27Stephanie's point, we also know that inclusion is not just about who shows up in front of the camera.
12:32There has to be economic inclusion at every step along the way. So thinking about the black
12:37creators, thinking about the black media, and that all play a critical role. So widen the screen as
12:42much as it is a film and a campaign. Over time, it's a movement, right? We will know we will have
12:47been successful when we have advertising that is directed and created by 50% men and 50% women,
12:55right? And when we have a very significant number of black and brown voices, voices from the LGBT
13:02community, really representing the diversity of all the consumers that we serve, that's when we
13:07get to true success. You couldn't have said it better, Damon. Thank you. All right. Now, Stephanie,
13:13so what's next on the horizon for this ground-breaking platform? So on Olay, the latest
13:20story that we're telling is Decode the Bias. Okay. So that is the story that's about how do we face
13:27the bias that's actually coded into the algorithms that curates the images we see. In that campaign,
13:34we partner with Joy Bull and Weenie, and we actually took a look at how do we actually bring
13:39attention to the historic bias that has said this definition of beauty didn't include women who
13:45look like me. So we actually wanted to call that out, and we wanted to inspire more women to
13:51actually pursue STEM fields because we believe we can change this from the inside out. So in that
13:56campaign, we're sending 1,200 girls to Code Camp because the more women and girls of color who are
14:02now the coders, we can code out the bias and code in their inclusion. And so that camp would actually
14:09happen this summer, and we believe this Decode the Bias is a platform that we can continue to
14:14drive more inclusion for women of color to see themselves in the beauty industry. Yeah, I think
14:19that's a great example of how great storytelling is rooted in great action. I think in our industry,
14:25so often people focus on the creative output without understanding the fundamental impact
14:30that we have, right? So much is like Stephanie talked about, really ensuring the next generation
14:35of young women are the people who are making the decisions for tomorrow. I think the same thing
14:40holds true for all of our businesses. Not only should we be looking at how are we creating
14:44success today, but how are we opening up doors for future generations to really be included? I
14:49think that's an incredibly important aspect of anyone who calls himself doing racial equality
14:54work, not necessarily taking the short win, but going after the long haul because that's really
14:59where systemic change happens. All right, so now I have a question for both of you.
15:04And Stephanie, I want you to go first. So which of the Why on the Screen episodes relate to most
15:11to you? I really found the first episode to be the most impactful to me. I think as a woman of color,
15:19as a leader in corporate America, I've often been seen as a narrower definition of myself.
15:26And because being a part of a company like Procter & Gamble, where we're committed to inclusion and
15:31having a multicultural workforce, we are actually pushing up against the biases that said that you
15:38can't be a full leader in your full authentic self. We're making intentional strides as a
15:43company to drive more inclusion in our culture. And so as I widen the screen on what leadership
15:48looks like as the vice president of Olay Skin Care, I believe that's inspiring a future generation of
15:54leaders to see themselves in roles like mine. So I really resonated with the first story because
16:00it shows that we are our whole selves and that we bring all of our stories to bear to be complete
16:07and whole people and that we have great stories to tell. Yeah, for me, one of the things that was
16:13incredibly inspiring was a program that we did called the 846 Film Festival. So as part of the
16:20widen the screen initiative, we created four films by four filmmakers of color, each told in
16:26eight minutes and 46 seconds. Obviously, the length of time that it took for, you know, a police
16:33officer to take the life of George Floyd, and we wanted to recapture that time for stories of joy
16:39and happiness and resilience. So we went out and we found four filmmakers to tell very different
16:44stories, experienced filmmakers, funded them at a proper level, and then took those films and
16:50showed them at places such as the Tribeca Film Festival, the Martha's Vineyard Film Festival.
16:55But it was a great way of, again, taking a moment of pain and turning that into a moment of
17:01progress. And for me, it was an act of deliberate defiance, if you will, to say, hey, we're not
17:06going to let this go down. And while we can't do anything about what had happened in the past,
17:11we can use this as a moment for inspiration to make sure that people look at stories and how can
17:16we flip the script on what people think about this time. And again, use that opportunity
17:23to turn pain into progress, while at the same time, enabling for Black filmmakers to advance
17:29their careers by hiring Black crews and really putting them on a path for continued success.
17:35So as you pointed out at the very beginning, this summer or last summer was a very tough year for
17:39many people for many different reasons, but there are going to be some positive lasting impacts that
17:44come out of this year. And those are some of the types of things that we believe, not just P&G,
17:49but other corporate leaders can do to really make sure that we're making progress towards true
17:53equality in our industries, in the spaces in which we occupy. Well said, well said. And so I have
17:59another question for both of you. So this time, Damon, you're going to keep it going. So how do
18:04you use whiteness green in your everyday life? You know, for me, I think it is expecting inclusion,
18:11right, as the way business is done. I think too often when we get into discussions about inclusion,
18:17people look to a D&I department or they look to a special team to do it. And I think fundamentally
18:23what I believe is that diversity and inclusion should be built into how companies operate,
18:28into how brands operate and how you should do that, right? So if I'm buying a product or service,
18:35I'm actively looking around and saying, hey, do I see people who look like me engaged in this,
18:40right? When I walk into a business, am I the only one that looks like me? That's a very deliberate
18:46signal. So for me, it's a heightened level of awareness to say, hey, I want to be represented
18:51fully and authentically in every aspect of my life. And I think that's something that we can
18:56all do. So yes, in the day-to-day work, as we're creating stories within the walls of P&G, we're
19:01demanding the inclusion is there. But as a consumer, as a black man, I want to see myself reflected,
19:07right? When I look, when I see a company's advertising and all I see are white people,
19:11you know what, I'm less likely to buy that brand, right? Of course, I don't want it to be all black
19:16or all white, right? It's got to be truly reflective of who that brand is serving. But to me, it's about
19:21a higher level of awareness, looking and making sure that not only do I see people that look like
19:26me, do I see people who share my values and tell my stories and represent me authentically,
19:30particularly because we know how black men are oftentimes portrayed in the media. So that to me
19:35is how widen the screen impacts how I view life on an everyday basis.
19:40And what about you, Stephanie?
19:42Yeah, I can't agree more with what Damon said. The only aspect I would add at this point in my
19:49career is about leaving a legacy. So for the next generation of leaders who are joining P&G,
19:55I am hoping that I'm widening the screen on what the prototype of leadership looks like.
19:59I hope I embody for them what it means to be unapologetically black and excellent and lead
20:05at a company like Procter & Gamble and hopefully creating a space for them to know that their gifts
20:12and talents and their whole self can actually be successful at the company like P&G and their
20:18leadership, their perspective, their point of view matters. And so that's where I believe
20:23widening the screen is practical in the work that I do and in my everyday life and in the legacy I
20:29hope to leave.
20:30That's great. That's great. And so, Stephanie, so the one thing that I would love for you to do
20:35is, you know, share more about the Ole voices of the movement.
20:39So last year, again, I think these stories that we're sharing is just an example of why it's
20:45important for us to be in the room, to be at the table. And when we're at the table,
20:49how do we actually show up and make a tangible difference?
20:52So last year, as everyone has said, a landmark watershed moment for the country.
20:58And of course, that impacts me even in my work every day.
21:01And so as I bring my whole self to work, we at Ole believe that women are powerful
21:08voices that have to be heard. We want to elevate women so that they can be fearless to face
21:14anything, even systemic racism and bias.
21:18And so we chose to elevate voices who are leading the movement for equality,
21:23like Brittany Packnett Cunningham. And we donated actually two weeks of media to
21:28elevate their voices in that moment. It was important that Ole stood with those women,
21:33elevated their voices and showed our solidarity with them to a movement around inclusion
21:41and for justice. And so that was an example of how I as a leader, by being in the room,
21:47could make a difference for our brand and how we showed up and how we resonated with consumers.
21:52Now, Stephanie, is there anything else you want to talk about? And Damon, for you as well,
21:57regarding the Ole decode, decoding the bias?
22:01No, I think you've told the story, right? I mean, the lesson that comes out of all of this
22:07is that we look to other leaders. And I'll start here in the advertising field or the consumer
22:11products field is everybody can do something, right? Do what you can with what you have,
22:17where you're at, right? And when we look at equality and frankly, celebrating Black excellence
22:21everywhere, it takes each of us doing many things in our own ways, right? So as we're looking at
22:27the creative partners, sometimes that's choosing to work with a Black-owned agency. But even when
22:31it's not a Black-owned agency, looking at some of our majority-owned agencies and saying, hey,
22:36this team doesn't look like my consumer base, right? I don't want to walk into a room and have
22:42to talk about racial equality with a room full of white people, right? That's just not who I am.
22:46That's not authentic. I'm happy to do it, right? But when we are in positions where we can
22:51influence what we do, how we do it and who we do it with, that's an opportunity that we all need
22:57to be taking steps to do. So I think part of what we're doing with decode the bias, part of what
23:01we're doing with widen the screen is really creating opportunities for more people to show
23:07off their excellence and then making sure that they also come from those experiences with the
23:12insights so that they can be successful in doing business, not just with companies like P&G,
23:17but all of the other companies, right? I mean, a rising tide lifts all boats. And so when we look
23:22at what we're trying to do through efforts like widen the screen, it is really about changing the
23:27face of our industry and ensuring that the next time they do the survey and, you know, we don't
23:32get an answer like only 7% of Hollywood blockbuster films are directed by people of color, right?
23:37There's no way that that should be the reality. So our hope and our aspiration is that if we are
23:43starting to influence the inclusion of the creative industry at every level, we will begin
23:47to impact who are telling our stories, which impacts again, how people of color are seen
23:53throughout film, television, advertising, and eventually breaking down many of these
23:57stereotypes and biases that we know are affecting how people live their everyday lives.
24:01You know, well, you know, Stephanie and Damon, I just wanted to say, this has been an absolute
24:06pleasure. And it is an honor for me to sit and speak with you today and hear about this amazing
24:10campaign. So just on behalf of Ebony and Jet, we can't thank you more. And we look forward to seeing
24:17more from you both. Thank you.