How Mastercard’s ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ campaign will spotlight Black-owned businesses

As a sponsor of Marvel’s upcoming “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” film, Mastercard plans to promote Black women-owned small businesses.

A new spot airing today, part of the credit card brand’s larger campaign efforts, does just that by highlighting Egypt Otis, who owns Flint, Michigan-based Comma Bookstore & Social Hub.

In a 30-second spot, a young girl visits the bookstore and envisions Otis as a superhero. “Superheroes are everywhere. In our movies, communities and running our small businesses,” a voiceover says, before touting the Mastercard tools that assist business owners.

Comma specializes in Black and Brown literature, art and music, and Otis is also featured in Mastercard’s Strivers Gallery, which honors Black women business owners from across the country as part of its Strivers Initiative, launched in 2021. Mastercard has committed $500 million in support of such businesses.

The new commercial, created with McCann, will air on national TV, connected TV, social media and digital out-of-home, as well as in cinemas. “Wakanda Forever” begins airing in theaters on Nov. 11. Mastercard will also host a shoppable small business marketplace of Black women-owned small businesses on Instagram and debut a content series featuring owners on social platforms. In addition, next month, the brand is planning a virtual reality metaverse experience in Meta Horizon Worlds where customers can connect with and learn about such businesses.

“Wakanda Forever” has attracted several marketers looking to make a splash and attract new customer segments. Coca-Cola’s Sprite recently said it will run ads and an augmented reality experience as it tries to attract multicultural creators to its brand. Before “Wakanda Forever,” Sprite had not sponsored a movie in at least four decades. Lexus is also a sponsor as it tries to connect with younger consumers.

Mastercard has been involved with the Marvel universe before. The Purchase, New York-based company ran a PSA as part of a “Stand Up to Cancer” partnership around Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019, according to a Mastercard spokeswoman.