Dr. Robinson Talks Diageo’s ‘Show Your HBCU Spirit’ Campaign

Behind every culture-shifting brand campaign, is a dynamic visionary like Dr. Danielle Robinson, Head of Community Engagement and Partnerships at Diageo, who elevated Homecoming season with the famed brand’s ‘Show Your HBCU Spirit’ initiative.

“We started off in 2021 with a $12.7 million dollar donation to 28 HBCUs and wanted to really stay engaged with our schools and the alumni audience by engaging around moments of celebration like Homecomings and Anniversaries,” said Robinson, an award-winning advocate for community-empowerment.

“It was really when I started to engage and understand the neglect of the HBCU community from a Governmental perspective as well as a corporate perspective, that I thought this was a way for us to engage and make a difference.

Rooted in authenticity, the impactful initiative celebrates HBCU culture while building community, powering Homecoming/Classic activations, providing scholarships to support future leaders, and fostering essential programs like Learning Skills For Life.

“The Learning Skills for Life program is one of our flagship community programs globally,” said Robinson. “I lead it here for North America, and have been doing it for 12 years. It’s a program that specializes in training people in underemployed communities in bartending, hospitality, and entrepreneurship.

“We operate in 10 cities and have in-person programs so it’s free, free, free for anybody who wants to get a foundation in bartending. The online and in-person classes that we do face to face range from 5 days to 3 weeks and you can be a bar back or a full-on bartender when you graduate.

We graduated 8,000 students in North America since we started–280,000 globally and partner with duty-free companies, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Marriott Hilton.

Our students are working everywhere. I’ve had students on Bar Rescue. It’s phenomenal.”

With permanent endowments at 28 HBCUs and minority-serving Institutions, Diageo extended its winning streak with stops at the buzziest Homecomings, including SpelHouse, North Carolina A&T’s ‘GHOE,’ and Howard University’s star-studded Off The Yard Festival.

To honor the legacy and pride of “The Mecca,” the trend-conscious brand brought out viral comedian Desi Banks and emerging Hip-Hop star Lady London to celebrate the enduring spirit of Howard University.

Building on the momentum from Homecoming SZN ’25, Diageo announced its return to the legendary Bayou Classic between Grambling State and Southern University on Nov. 28-29 in New Orleans.

As tens of thousands gather for the storied spectacle, the brand (which serves as the Classic’s official spirits partner) will spotlight inclusivity, community impact, and legacy through alumni storytelling and student engagement via the Learning Skills for Life program.

“New Orleans is amazing during the Bayou Classic–300,000 people descending on the city,” said Robinson. “You know, the dome, all the parties, the celebrations in the streets, you could just walk up and start dancing in the middle of the sidewalks.”

While there’s certainly an emphasis on promoting a good time, especially when enjoying spirits from its robust portfolio (over 200 brands!), it’s clear that safety is also a major priority for Diageo.

“I want [students] to leave [our events] with a message of responsible consumption and that sometimes the best decision is not to consume at all,” said Robinson.

So we have our ‘Cheers To Choice’ program, which is about low, mid, and no options, which means we have mocktails on the menu, we have low alc options on the menu, so you have some choices.

And sometimes you might just want a mocktail, or you could have a fantastic cocktail from some of our brands-so they have many choices.

[And we want them to] make sure they’re thinking about how they get home after an evening–our ‘Take a Minute, Make a Plan’ program addresses that. But just understanding that alcohol needs to be used in a responsible way.”

For more info about Diageo’s HBCU-focused campaigns, click here.