Shaw University’s “Platinum Sound” Marching Band is Featured in National Advertising Campaign


 Shaw University’s “Platinum Sound” Marching Band is
Featured in National Advertising Campaign

(Black PR Wire) CHICAGO – For decades, Platinum
Sound Marching Band has been a staple at Shaw
University, one of the oldest Historically Black Colleges
and Universities (HBCUs) in the nation. To support
Platinum Sound’s tradition of bringing joy to sports fans
and the local community, McDonald’s USA and its local
Owner/Operators surprised the Band with a $100,000
grant on Feb. 19 during the University’s Central Intercollegiate
Athletic Association Tournament (CIAA) send-off
ceremony.

“This grant is beyond anything we could have
imagined,” said Andrae King, current director and former
member of Platinum Sound. “It means everything to
these students who grind day in and day out to bring
energy and excitement to others to get so much love and
support back from McDonald’s and the community.”

Platinum Sound’s longstanding legacy of entertaining
crowds through elite musicianship and showmanship
was recently celebrated in a national McDonald’s commercial.
Through the lens of current Platinum Sound member, Dave
Walters, Jr. and his mother, a musician and Shaw alumna, the
spot highlighted the local McDonald’s restaurant’s role as a
familiar gathering place for Shaw students across generations.

While filming, McDonald’s was inspired by Platinum
Sound’s commitment to excellence and the University’s unwavering efforts to support these students artistically, academically and financially. Shortly after leaving campus, the brand was moved to further assist these musicians through this grant.

“While I attended an HBCU, it was eye-opening to see
the amount of hard work, dedication and resources it takes for
a marching band to perform and operate on such a high level,”
said Deborah Holder, a McDonald’s Owner/Operator in North
Carolina and East Coast Second Vice President of the National
Black McDonald’s Operators Association. “As part of the
Raleigh and HBCU community, we are committed to ensuring
future leaders such as these talented musicians have the tools
they need to succeed.”

The funds will benefit the Band’s enhancement
and expansion goals, helping them continue to perform
in style, provide scholarships to band members, create
recruitment opportunities and provide equipment and
instruments, such as their sousaphones, which have not
been replaced in more than a decade.

This grant is just one of many ways McDonald’s
is shining a light on HBCUs and their greatness. The
company’s long-standing support of HBCUs includes
scholarships, impactful partnerships, sponsorship of
HBCU Classics and tournaments, and more. For more
information, follow @wearegolden on Instagram.

McDonald’s USA, LLC serves a variety of menu
options made with quality ingredients to millions of
customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s
13,500 U.S. restaurants are owned and operated by
independent business owners. For more information, visit
www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Instagram at @
wearegolden, Twitter @McDonald’s and Facebook at www.
facebook.com/mcdonalds.

Shaw University, located in Raleigh, North Carolina, is the
first historically Black institution of higher education founded
in North Carolina and is among the oldest in the nation. The
University was founded in 1865 by Henry Martin Tupper.
Dr. Paulette Dillard currently serves as the University’s 18th
President.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

STARR Community Services International, Inc.