The Intersection 3-12-23

Last fall, I wrote about Automotive News’ ongoing mission to cover diversity, equity and inclusion in the automotive business. This week’s issue has stories that are intended to inspire and provoke thought.

■ Vince Bond Jr. tells the story of Daniel Mekuria, who immigrated to the U.S. from Ethiopia during college to realize his business potential. After years of honing his skills in automotive retail — including turning “a good, sleepy dealership into a very, very, very good dealership ” — he now owns a piece of one store and has been approved to own another. The Ford store he manages has also embarked on another form of inclusion: Providing opportunities for addicts who need a job and support to stay clean. One convicted felon is now a master service technician and helping the dealership recruit others for potentially life-changing jobs in auto retail.

■ I recently spoke with Hyundai Motor America marketing executive Erik Thomas and Eunique Jones Gibson, CEO of Culture Brands, the automaker’s first Black agency. We discussed how their partnership is helping improve Black consumers’ awareness and perception of the brand through uplifting marketing campaigns.

■ In a guest commentary, Rebecca Rom-Frank, senior creative insights researcher at Getty Images, challenges the industry to reevaluate gender stereotypes and the lack of inclusion of minority racial groups, LGBTQ+ families and disabled people in their marketing and advertising campaigns. She makes a case for the transition to EVs being an ideal time to readjust marketers’ thinking.

■ Automotive News sibling publication AdAge and Harris Poll produce a quarterly report on the corporate brands that are resonating the best with Generation Z. In their latest study, five automotive brands were in the top 20 spanning a range of industries — in part because these young adults are interested in electric vehicles. Which brands are capturing their attention? Click here to find out.

■ A satirical ad for the Ford Explorer “Men’s Only Edition” imagines what the SUV would look like if it were missing parts created by women — turn signals, GPS or heater, for instance. The automaker used its website and social media accounts during March, which is Women’s History Month, to recognize the achievements of female innovators.

— Omari Gardner