Doritos’ SOLID BLACK initiative amplifies voices of Black innovators

In total, Doritos will invest more than $5 million as part of the SOLID BLACK campaign to amplify stories of Black joy, strength and resilience.

The initiative kicked off this summer with the introduction of Doritos’ inaugural class of Changemakers: members of the Black community using innovation and boldness to drive culture and give back to their communities. Each Changemaker will receive $50,000 in monetary support to continue this work, and their stories will be spotlighted across all of Doritos’ public channels, including its website, social media, packaging and TV advertising. Every Friday from July 2, fans can tune in to Doritos’ social channels to watch a new SOLID BLACK Friday segment highlighting a different Changemaker’s story.

“Doritos has long been a brand that believes in igniting and championing bold self-expression and authenticity,” said Stacy Taffet, vice president of marketing, Frito-Lay North America. “We are proud to provide a platform and resources to innovators and creators who are making a lasting impact on culture and hope that their stories can inspire the next generation in the continued effort to create a more equal and diverse world.”

Commitment to communities

To further support Black entrepreneurs across the country, Doritos is committing $100,000 to National Urban League, the historic nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, and is asking its fans to get involved by visiting www.doritos.com/SOLIDBLACK. The first 1,000 people to donate $10 or more to National Urban League will receive a limited-edition Doritos SOLID BLACK bag designed by Megan Lewis, an award-winning artist from Baltimore best known for her 'Blk Women Period LLC’ series who was featured in Doritos’ 2020 #AmplifyBlackVoices campaign. The funds will be used to support minority-owned businesses to allow them to expand and thrive.

“The National Urban League is proud to be teaming up with Doritos on their SOLID BLACK initiative to help advocate for economic and social justice for the Black community,” said Marc H. Morial, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League. “Every donation helps to create a real, positive impact on Black-owned small businesses in communities across the nation.”

Doritos’ donation supplements the $10 million commitment to National Urban League that The PepsiCo Foundation recently announced as part of their Black Restaurant Accelerator program, providing 500 Black restaurant owners in 11 cities over the next five years with capital, technical assistance, and mentorship services. These efforts are part of the $400 million commitment PepsiCo made over the next five years to advance racial equality within the company, industry, and the communities it serves. 

The SOLID BLACK initiative was first highlighted during the BET Awards on June 27 in a new Doritos TV commercial. The TVC was created in partnership with BET and featured artist Luke James who appeared in last year's #AmplifyBlackVoices campaign.