SheaMoisture’s Obinna Keke on telling Black men’s truths in the brand’s campaigns

Ad Age is marking Black History Month 2024 with our fourth-annual Honoring Creative Excellence package. (Read the introduction here.) Today, guest editor Asmirh Davis turns the spotlight to Obinna Keke, head of innovation at Unilever’s SheaMoisture, who writes about showcasing the diverse, multifaceted experiences of Black men in the brand’s campaigns. I’ve always described myself as a kid from Uptown, D.C., raised by two Nigerian immigrant parents who fell in love with creating better product solutions to improve the lives of everyday people just like me. Throughout my childhood, the small moments of personal care really represented a moment of luxury for me. As a child of immigrants, we couldn’t take family vacations or drive fancy cars—our luxury was indulging in Dove soap versus the more affordable generic brand, and those memories have rooted a deep connection for me to personal-care products. It’s no surprise that this has impacted my life’s work and inspired me to work in a field where my purpose is to offer an even better personal-care experience to young boys and men who look like me. Enter SheaMoisture. In 2019, I was approached by Unilever to head up the SheaMoisture Men portfolio. I’d spent a few years working with the company’s various men’s brands, so I knew the importance of the male consumer—and thankfully, Unilever was right alongside me in these beliefs. Read more essays celebrating Black creative excellence here It was key for me to ensure that through SheaMoisture Men we highlighted the unique experiences of the Black man. I had my own view of the world, but I wanted to ensure that we focused on the fact that we are not a monolith; we are not in a one-size-treats-all industry. Keep in mind, this is kicking off at the same time when algorithms would show only mugshots if you searched “Black teens,” but normal, positive imagery when you searched “white teens.” And in talking with our audience, we heard the same sentiment. When asked to show how they felt they were perceived in this world, Black men consistently showed all negative imagery, but when asked how they wanted to be seen, all the responses featured positive, beautiful imagery. With that, it was clear that SheaMoisture Men couldn’t just be a line of products made for the Black man. It also had to be about empowering Black men to reclaim their stories and show up as their authentic selves. To achieve this, we launched a digital documentary series called #MyStoryMyPower, dedicated to showcasing the diverse, multifaceted experiences of Black men. With conversations ranging from mental health to parenthood, our goal was to create a transparent dialogue about the lived experiences of being a Black man in America. Since its launch, every SheaMoisture Men campaign has had a human element to it that supersedes just creating new products and expanding the line. Whether we’re exploring fatherhood or the different ways Black Men Love, we’re working to create safe spaces to have these conversations, show support to these communities and offer Black men more opportunities to share their truth. As I look to the future, I’m thrilled to continue serving underserved consumers and undeveloped segments. Regardless of the community, I’m always looking for ways to deliver more, overserve them and find better solutions for them, while creating powerful platforms that allow their stories to be told. This is just the beginning! Sign up for Ad Age newsletters From influencer marketing to agencies, get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox Click here

SheaMoisture’s Obinna Keke on telling Black men’s truths in the brand’s campaigns

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