Stellantis has hired Detroit-based agency Ignition Media Group in a bid to bolster its multicultural marketing efforts. The shop will serve as a “sounding board and multicultural thought partner” on media and marketing strategies for the automaker’s North American brands, including Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep and Ram, according to a statement.

The African American-owned agency, founded in 1998 by Dennis Archer, Jr., describes itself as a boutique marketing and consulting firm. It has done work for clients including Bacardi and the Detroit Regional Chamber, according to its website.

“The addition of Ignition Media Group to our strategic marketing partner roster will help us provide a smarter, more comprehensive and cohesive approach to our media and marketing strategies, providing us with more candid assessments to consumer-facing work overall,” Marissa Hunter, VP of marketing at Stellantis North America, said in a statement. “Through this newly formed alliance with Ignition Media Group, our commitment to minority-owned economic empowerment also continues to evolve and take shape, ensuring that we are both audience aware and culturally inclusive across our multi-brand portfolio.”

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The hiring continues a trend of marketers pledging diversity commitments in the wake of the 2020 police killing of George Floyd, which led to conversations about how the marketing and agency industries have fallen short when it comes to hiring Black talent. 

“The Stellantis leadership is adamant about making certain talent attraction, marketing and advertising creative, and philanthropic strategies are reflective of an evolving domestic and global marketplace," Archer, Jr. said in a statement. "The makeup of our team, to include advertising, consulting and philanthropic professionals, aligns well with their goals, and we look forward to working with them and alongside their agency and other external partners.”

Multiple automakers have increased efforts to increase ad buys in Black-owned media properties or to hire multicultural agencies. General Motors, for instance, has pledged to raise its media spending with Black-owned media to 8% by 2025. The automaker’s GMC brand also struck a three-year deal with the Marcus Graham Project to foster diverse talent in advertising, media and marketing. Meanwhile, Hyundai in May hired Culture Brands to serve as its African American agency of record.