Naomi Osaka Returns for Another Searing, Social Justice Ad for Beats by Dre
Tennis champ, with a 'silence is violence' message, is joined by artist-activists Flo Milli and Cordae for new vignettes
As a follow-up to its powerful short film about the hypocritical racism of loving Black culture while marginalizing the Black community, Beats by Dre has kicked off its next ad series, again showcasing Gen Z talent and topical, thought-provoking messages.
“Flex That,” from creative agency Virtue Worldwide, is made up of a series of three vignettes starring tennis champ and Adweek cover subject Naomi Osaka, Grammy-nominated rapper-songwriter Cordae and rising artist Flo Milli.
The young Black activists “continue to take a stand against racial inequality while inspiring youth around the world to bravely challenge norms, push boundaries and celebrate their identities,” the brand said in a statement.
The 30-second spots, featuring music and lyrics by Flo Milli and Cordae, are part of the introduction for a new Beats product called Flex, targeted at young consumers and priced at $50.
The work follows in the footsteps of the recent Beats mini-movie, “You Love Me,” from agency Translation, produced with an all-star cast (including Osaka, Nascar’s Bubba Wallace, rapper Lil Baby, Black Lives Matter activist Janaya Future Khan), written by Lena Waithe and directed by Melina Matsoukas.
In the “Flex That” campaign, Flo Milli confronts a confederate statue, Cordae raps about the need for societal change and Osaka, racquet in hand, walks to the court with “Silence is Violence” beaded into her hair.
Cordae, saying it’s “embedded within my DNA” to speak out, while Osaka emphasized that, “We all have to do our part to help change the world for the better.” Flo Milli, identified recently by Vevo as one of its “artists to watch” in 2021, said, “It’s so important for me to use my reach and influence to help inspire future generations to bravely speak out against racial injustice—an issue so deeply rooted in our country’s history.”
CREDITS:
Client: Beats by Dr. Dre
Agency: Virtue Worldwide
Director: Rohan Blair-Mangat
Production Company: One Another
Editor: Anna Patel / Beats by Dr. Dre
Color: Ricky Gausis / MPC
