General Motors (GM) and MACRO, a multiplatform media company representing the voice and stories of Black people and people of color, announced the launch of the General Motors Marketing Academy (GMMA).
According to a MACRO release, the GMMA is a five-month program for the next generation of multicultural marketing executives. The academy will select eight diverse candidates in the early stages of their careers for the curriculum-centered opportunity. The academy will also focus on business
and professional skills to ensure each participant can grow their career in marketing and media while creating a diverse talent pipeline of skilled and deserving marketing executives in marketing, branding, and communications.“As part of the GM Diverse Incubator fund, we are dedicated to supporting and scaling diverse-owned companies now and in the future,” GM’s Director of Diversity Marketing and Development Tarshena Armstrong said in a statement. “As GM strives to be the most inclusive
company in the world, programs like this ensure authentic representation and development of diverse companies and talent, providing participants with dedicated resources and opportunities to excel.”During the new five-month program, the GMMA will have top marketing executives, storytellers, speakers, and advisors discuss topics, including scalability, best practices, market trends, building a client base, and navigating the corporate structure. Participants will also receive on-site training sessions and be paired with a marketing or media executive mentors to assist with their professional development.
MACRO Chief Brand Officer Stacey Walker King said in a statement she is excited to work with GM on the academy and help grow the next generation of diverse marketing executives.
“It is a thrill and an honor to work with GM in creating this unique initiative to identify and support executives and entrepreneurs in the brand storytelling space,” said King. “Our company was launched as a vehicle for people of color globally to see themselves reflected authentically in media, and I couldn’t be happier to play a small part in building and preparing these brand storytellers for the vast opportunities that await them.”
Applications for the inaugural program are being accepted through April 15, 2023.
Candidates who complete the program will have a better understanding of building their business and a network of fellow cohort members, high-ranking executives, and administrators to mentor them through their professional journeys.