The British cinema advertising company Pearl & Dean has partnered with Black-led art and cultural organization, Underexposed Arts, for a first-of-its-kind photographic cinema campaign called The Next Gen collection. In addition to appearing within the ad reel, the Underexposed Arts creative will feature in selected screens at the end of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The campaign features 20 creative and cultural contributors, including Golda Rosheuvel, Queen Charlotte in the hit Netflix show Bridgerton, writer and Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo OBE, entrepreneur and founder of SB.TV, the late Jamal Edwards MBE and actors Sheila Atim MBE and Aml Ameen.
Pearl & Dean has donated the unique ad spot at the end of the screening to capture the attention of the engaged audience that often waits for the special content at the end of every Marvel film. The ad reached an average of nearly two-thirds of the audience in its first screenings, in comparison to the 91 percent of cinemagoers who are sitting down during the pre-film ads, showcasing the effectiveness of post-film advertising for reaching those die-hard fans of cinema waiting for exciting additional content post-credits.
For two weeks, selected cinemas are displaying beautifully shot portraits of celebrated black British and Dual Heritage African/Caribbean creatives. Shot by photographer and visual artist Franklyn Rodgers, each portrait is accompanied by a quote from the participant designed to share wisdom and encourage and inspire viewers.
Founded by actor Fraser James and award-winning visual artist Franklyn Rodgers Underexposed Arts is a black-led arts and cultural organization that supports and celebrates positive representation of black British, dual heritage African/Caribbean actors, writers, creatives, sports and businessmen and women. Their hope is that all who engage with our work will be inspired to positive action, through seeing possibility, in the reflection of themselves.
Clare Turner, sales director at Pearl & Dean said, “We are proud to promote Underexposed Arts The Next Gen portraits with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in this first-of-a-kind spot. We know how important representation is and we hope our audiences are inspired by these powerful portraits and visuals as much as we are.”
Rodgers said, “One of the greatest gifts you can give someone is themselves. Not only through the equity in the sharing of your truth, but moreover in the support and discovery of their own. At Underexposed Arts, we echo this recognition by empowering transportation to transformation through to transcendence, a journey that speaks to the autonomy of the individual in connecting to a wider social inclusion. This is the first time this space has been used to display an artistic intervention of this type and we are grateful for this opportunity and support provided by Pearl & Dean.”
Pearl & Dean www.pearlanddean.com
Underexposed Arts www.underexposedarts.org.uk