Marketing efforts and targeted events continue to increase for African-American consumers. August and September bring a wide variety of events and promotions both nationwide and on a local level. The larger, global companies in particular are sponsoring new experiential marketing campaigns that combine entertainment and multiple layering of the brand focused on young, African-American consumers.

Coca-Cola is launching a cross-country music tour featuring hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco. The "Coca-Cola Refresh Your Flow Tour," is targeted to teens 13-17 and will travel to Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York. Tickets are free and only available through radio stations, participating retailers and street teams in the tour cities. The tour is supported with special Coke packaging, a digital sweepstakes, ads in VIBE Magazine, on BET.com and on radio, signage and branded promotional items.

Pepsi will also target the “urban millennial generation” ages 18-24 in select cities, dubbing August the "Month in the Mix." A tribute to “DJ culture’s” contributions to the American musical landscape and urban lifestyle, it will kick off with an event in Times Square featuring renowned hip-hop artists like Clinton Sparks, DJ Drama, DJ Enuff and DJ Pharris and then travel to venues in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, St. Louis and Washington. Promotions will include an online media campaign, national print in urban magazines such as Complex and XXL, plus local TV and radio.
There’s plenty more going on across the country this summer. Here is a sampling of events tailored specifically for the African-American market.

1) My Black Is Beautiful
Date: June 7 – August 9, 2008
Website: www.myblackisbeautiful.com
Description: Procter & Gamble’s initiative, My Black is Beautiful, celebrates the diverse collective beauty of African American women and encourages black women to define and promote their own beauty standard. My Black is Beautiful is designed to ignite and support a sustained national conversation by, for and about black women; the way they are reflected in popular culture and serve as the catalyst for a movement that affects positive change.


2) AAHM 2008 American Black Film Festival – Los Angeles, CA
Date: August 7 – August 10, 2008
Website: http://www.abff.com  
Description: Founded in 1997, the mission of the festival is to strengthen the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. The ABFF was born out of the need to generate distribution opportunities for independent Black films and promote cultural diversity within the motion picture industry. It is widely considered the premier Black film market.

3) Pine-Sol & JET Magazine Present “Women Making a Powerful Difference Through Song” Contest – Charlotte, NC
Date: August 16, 2008
Website: www.ebonyjet.com  
Description: Contest nominating women who inspire through community outreach and gospel singing. Chosen contestants then audition, singing the gospel song of their choice, in front of a panel of judges in four cities across the country - Houston, TX, New Orleans, LA, Charlotte, NC and Chicago, IL. The winner’s story will appear in Jet Magazine.

4) Black Culture on Parade - Cleveland, OH
Date: August 23, 2008
Website: www.jaculturetime.com  
Description: Third annual Parade and Festival showcases and shares with the citizens of Greater Cleveland the many cultures of Africans in the Diaspora who live in the city and surrounding areas. The festival will include vendors, amateur and professional entertainers from various countries, cultural exhibits, art and artifacts, health information and screening booths, children's activities and educational & inspirational lectures.

5) African-American Day Parade – New York, NY (Harlem)
Date: September 21, 2008
Website: www.africanamericandayparade.org  
Description: Provides an opportunity for African people to join together and highlights the history of African people throughout America and the world for their outstanding achievements. The largest black parade in America, it began in 1969 and continues to showcase positive black achievements and feature black dignitaries, celebrities and organizations that reflect African culture. There will be organizations and bands from 12 states as well as a salute to black colleges.

6) The MOJA Arts Festival - Charleston, SC
Date: September 25-October 5, 2008
Website: www.mojafestival.com  
Description: A Celebration of African-American and Caribbean Arts. Selected as one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 events for many years, the 2008 MOJA Arts Festival promises an exciting line-up of events with a rich variety of traditional favorites.