The Myth
W+K PORTLAND / Asiancy
This year, we continue to witness devastating levels of violence – both physical and nonphysical – against our communities of color. This film is an effort to overcome that violence, by exposing a common denominator fueling it: the myth of the “model minority”.
The concept of the “model minority” falsely positions the Asian community as successful, while undermining the Black community; effectively pitting the two against each other. Ultimately, it dismisses the oppression of both communities, and frees systems in power from responsibility.
Today, as we hover at another precipice of change, we created this film in an effort to neutralize this weapon, by urging us to recognize what the myth of the “model minority” attempts to dissuade us from: the belief that we – those of us who were born here, immigrated here, or are simply just here in America – belong here. All of us. Together.
The project began with a self-initiated idea, no brand, and zero initial budget. Ultimately, we produced this film for a total of under $200,000. Despite its humble beginnings, the film has now reached beyond advertising, to entertainment and education.
At the time of this writing, our media team is still in active conversations with partners, and we anticipate even farther reach. We’ve only just begun.
Results, so far:
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Approaching one million dollars in donated media across 10+ partners, including placements across major publishers such as Fandom, TheSkimm, Twitch, Samsung, and Match / Tinder.
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Unprecedented donations from National Cinemedia and Screenvision, running our film across their full network of theaters, including AMC Entertainment, Cinemark, Regal, etc. prior to feature films.
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A Masterclass speaking engagement at the Courageous Conversations National Summit in Washington, DC, where the work was presented to 950 racial equity leaders and educators across the nation. The film is now being incorporated into classroom curriculum nationwide.
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An pioneering partnership with Google Creative, testing which variables drive the most engagement for the category of purpose-driven content
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2022 AdColor Ad of the Year Nominee
There was no client for this work, but the need was clear: the industry’s take on Black topics and Black representation was starved for more nuance. A few folk from WK’s Black affinity group, noir, along with invested allies, got together to provide a proactive response to America’s newest holiday–Juneteenth.
The short film, “Juneteenth Thoughts,” showcases two friends grappling with their conflicting emotions about the day’s “celebration.” Is it progress? Is it hollow? The intentions weren’t to offer a definitive answer, but rather capture a more detailed portrayal of what Black people really feel and discuss (a reality that’s often more muddy and dimensional than typical portrayals). Among a range of perspectives shared, the most dominant was simple: don’t just have another day off, but reflect on why we have it.
After the launch of the film, we continued the conversation on social by taking over WK’s network handles and encouraging everyone to share their #JuneteenthThoughts. Almost immediately comments, thoughts, and dialogues flooded in, deepening the conversation—just as we had hoped. From concept to publication, emphasis on representation extended beyond WK’s internal team—but included working with a BIPOC editor, mixer, director of photography, director, and even shooting in a black-owned restaurant.