{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffortheevolutionofbusiness.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2Fbrand-advocacy-dJ0mPykX","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"Brand Advocacy and Authenticity with Radical Rashad Smith-Cooper","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/fcb07fa9-3aa4-4a25-a39b-12825dc41d3e/1f99baba-0b7b-4604-92fc-3d5ce5c65165/radicalrashadsmith.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"","height":200,"description":"Should your brand take a stand?\n\n\"You can't dip your toe in the water...you should be up to your neck. You need to jump on board and take a stand before it's too late,\" says Rashad Smith.\n\nBut brands need to be prepared to move beyond words of support and toward meaningful action. We can \"acknowledge these companies, but not applaud them, because there is still so much work to do.\"\n\nTune in to this episode to hear what to think about before deciding whether to take a stand, the brands that have done it well, and why you should think outside the box when hiring diverse talent.\n\nRashad also leaves us with some hope: \"Coronavirus taught us that we could shut down the world. If we could respond to this pandemic like that, we can also respond to this epidemic of racism.\"\n\nRadical Rashad is a National award-winning media professional. As a creative strategist and multimedia account executive at 105.5 The Beat, he plays a variety of roles to help enhance the station’s relationship with the community, local leaders and commercial sponsors.\n\nIn addition to his behind the scenes responsibilities, each Sunday Radical Rashad hosts a community-oriented show comprising interviews with movers and shakers from the town, spotlight stories, and contests.\n\nWhen he’s not working to strengthen the station’s brand, Radical Rashad is generating buzz for his brands as a freelance publicist and project manager. He has worked for big brands like Black Entertainment Television C-Span and Rock the Vote– experience that led to the development of PowerHourEvents.com– a networking movement that brings together creatives and decision makers to collaborate on for-impact initiatives.\n\nRadical Rashad holds a B.A. in Communications (2010) from Johnson C. Smith University, a Historically Black College (HBCU) in Charlotte, North Carolina and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated"}