Cannes Lions
PRETTYBIRD, Culver City / COLUMBIA RECORDS / 2021
Awards:
Overview
Entries
Credits
Background
The intention for this visual was not merely to entertain, but rather to showcase a movement sparked by Pharrell’s mission to celebrate Black ambition. With the video releasing alongside Pharrell’s curated TIME Magazine issue, The New American Revolution, the music video became part of a multi-platform campaign aiming to inspire and elevate Black-owned businesses like never before. With Calmatic at the helm of this production, he personally cast Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in LA. As the small doc style crew began their journey, the search grew and Calmatic tapped into thriving businesses around the globe. Once the video was released, the social impact was profound. As an homage to Pharrell's message, filmmakers began making their own “Entrepreneur-inspired” videos that highlighted Black business owners in their cities.
Idea
Entrepreneur, written by Pharrell and Jay-Z, sends a universal message that Black success in business is boundless and attainable. It stands as a beacon of hope by championing the victories of those who succeeded against all odds. The film takes the audience into the lives and businesses of Black entrepreneurs such as vegan chef Alisa Reynolds, LA-based Neighbors Skate Shop, and the first Black-owned Anime studio in Japan. Entrepreneur offers an intimate, yet global, look into the restaurants, studios, and other personal spaces that reflect the entrepreneurs’ varied accomplishments in business and their personal lives.
Strategy
Entrepreneur is a celebration of overcoming and becoming. When Pharrell enlisted Calmatic to execute this vision, he stated, “We have this uplifting song for entrepreneurs and also just Black people in general, and we want to create a visual that highlights those people.” This wasn't just a regular job for Calmatic, as a Black entrepreneur himself, this was personal. Initially, the plan was to just focus on LA-based businesses but quickly the idea to acknowledge more hardworking men and women grew wings and spread across the globe like wildfire. The result is a collection of self-made entrepreneurs from around the world who proudly represent what perseverance looks like today.
Execution
In a year when social justice was at the forefront of the conversation, especially in the business and retail space, Entrepreneur producers put together a list of Black-owned businesses from around the world. The unforgettable stories that were ultimately chosen represent a clear example of tenacity and accomplishment. Calmatic started shooting two weeks before the film premiered. The shoot took place primarily in Los Angeles and expanded to other countries with remote shooting accomplished by constant communication through FaceTime to ensure the vision and execution were cohesive.
Outcome
In less than a year, Entrepreneur is just shy of 10,000,000 views on YouTube (9,818,938 and counting), solidifying its position as one of the most empowering music videos of the year. Its impact is seen in the “Entrepreneur-inspired” videos that people started making on their own to highlight black business owners in their own cities. Coverage also included publications like the Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, and Variety, who all echoed the sentiment that this bold challenge of systemic racism is an inspiration.
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