Louisville, KY- Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) today announced the Company has joined the Publicis Media Once & For All Coalition, a multi-year, cross-industry collaboration to build a more equitable advertising ecosystem for ethnically diverse media suppliers, content creators and production partners, with an initial focus on Black and Hispanic platforms.
Joining the Coalition is part of Yum!'s U.S. multicultural plan and strengthened commitments to drive equity and inclusion across all aspects of the Company's global business-from its corporate offices, franchisees, suppliers to advertising investments and its global $100 million Unlocking Opportunity Initiative to fight inequality by investing in equity and inclusion, education and entrepreneurship for frontline restaurant teams and communities around the world.
Yum! Brands and its U.S. KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Habit Burger Grill businesses will participate in the Once & For All Coalition, which is committed to removing legacy barriers to equitable financial opportunity and representation of underserved and ethnically diverse suppliers. The Coalition includes peer companies, diverse-owned media suppliers and industry groups such as the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM) and others.
'We're excited to join the cross-industry coalition to help drive systemic change in the industry and we are all personally committed to drive these efforts through the power of our brands,' said Kevin Hochman, president of KFC U.S. and interim president of Pizza Hut U.S.
Taco Bell CEO Mark King said, 'We are constantly seeking new ways to drive equity and inclusion across all aspects of our business, and we're taking an important step today, with more to follow. Across every part of Taco Bell, we are fueled by restless creativity and innovation, so we are eager to expand our relationships with diverse-owned media and, together, develop new, interesting and effective ways to reach the customer.'
U.S. Multicultural Marketing Leadership Council
Alongside the Coalition, Yum! Brands will establish a U.S. Multicultural Marketing Leadership Council to drive cross-brand implementation of the Company's multicultural marketing strategies. The Council will include independent advisory, agency and internal brand experts, with the mission to bring more intentionality and investment to the U.S. brands' efforts to build upon and support culturally relevant relationships, channels and authentic connections with Black, Hispanic, Asian-Pacific American, women and LGBTQ consumers, communities, content creators and media suppliers.
'As a family of brands who serve and employ a diverse group of people, Yum! is committed to an equitable media landscape where Black, Hispanic, Asian-Pacific American, women, LGBTQ and other diverse-owned media entrepreneurs and influencers are represented and engaged with our brands,' said Jerilan Greene, Yum! Brands Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer who guides the Company's social impact, sustainability and ESG strategies and will also oversee the cross-brand multicultural efforts of the Council.
Through the work of the U.S. Chief Brand and Marketing Officers, franchisees and the Council, Yum! plans to deliver sustained actions over the next several years in three key areas initially.
1. National advertising spend. Significantly increase the allocation of national media and production spend to diverse-owned media suppliers, content creators and production partners specifically across Black but also Hispanic, Asian-Pacific American, women and LGBTQ platforms.
2. Partnerships. Establish multi-year partnerships with diverse-owned media, content creators and production properties, which over time is expected to contribute to expanding the supply of available media buying opportunities with diverse-owned media companies.
3. Representation. Continue to increase Black, Hispanic and diverse representation in its U.S. brand teams, and work with U.S. agency partners to do the same.
YUM! BRANDS, INC. 
