ITG President, Beth Storz, recently sat down with a group of Creative Consumers® associates to have a discussion around the importance of including black voices in the innovation process. Creative Consumers® associates have a unique perspective in this space, not only as regular consumers of everyday products, but also by playing a part in new product and communications development for the brands that work with ITG.

ITG was founded on the principle of incorporating consumer insight and input into the innovation process, so, in true ITG fashion, we wanted to hear from our Creative Consumers® associates about their perspectives on the matter.

You can catch the full length discussion at the bottom of this page, but we’ve also summarized some of the key takeaways we heard from the consumers below.

Show me I matter by supporting my community.

In Mario’s story in the video below, he discusses a time when he was in a TJ Maxx and saw a product that included the work of an artist he follows. By working with smaller artists in the black community, the company created a platform to showcase the work and recognize the talent behind the products it sells.

Show me I matter by dedicating space for me.

Also in the video below, Jsahna shares a moment where she was in a Target with her daughter and noticed the Black is Beautiful display. By creating a physical space dedicated to the black community, Target went a step further than simply offering a T-shirt. It created an immersive space and allowed for an exploration of the artists behind the designs, building a level of representation that felt honest.

Show me I matter by having products that represent me.

Tiarra struggled to find a black Baby Alive doll for her daughter one Christmas, especially one where the hair could be braided. She went to eight different stores just to find it, creating such a large barrier for a seemingly simple task. By having products that represent the black community, it creates a sense of pride and inclusion.

Show me I matter by showing you understand me.

AARP has different campaigns that target different communities, including their Sisters from AARP newsletter. The articles are written by black women and address topics relevant to black women. Just by having representation from the company to begin with, it shows that their efforts are authentic and can actually resonate with their customers.

Show me I matter by trying to understand me.

Long-time Creative Consumers® associate James talks about how his experience in the co-creation process has changed over the years, from having to sneak his perspectives in to different insights, to brands explicitly wanting to hear his perspective on topics. The African American community makes up a large portion of the market, so including them in the innovation process shows that there is a real effort to fill unmet needs within the community.

Show me I matter by listening to my opinion.

Similar to James’ point above, Brittany and Mario talk about the importance of having diverse teams involved in the idea generation phase, and how that leads to confidence in the resulting products.

Show me I matter by asking the right questions.

Jsahna discusses the moment she noticed a lightbulb go off for a client when they wanted to understand her perspective as a black woman, only for her to say that what they were talking about had no relevance to her. By having a diverse team on the company’s side, it makes the questions asked and the opportunity spaces prioritized more encompassing and more representative.

My voice can impact everyone around me.

Creative Consumers® associate De’Von speaks on his experience in a home and air quality project, and how he felt his contributions were having a positive impact on the rest of the black community. By giving his personal opinions and perspectives, his ideas will impact and spread to a larger audience and improve everyone’s lives.

Show me I matter by making me discoverable.

Brittany shares her experience searching the internet for blonde hair styles and struggling to find black women in her image search. The internet is meant to make things more discoverable, but when there isn’t representation within those searches, it creates a barrier that prevents a desired outcome—even something as simple as inspiration for a hair style.

Watch The Full Discussion Here

If you want to see the full discussion we had with our amazing Creative Consumers® associates, watch the video below!