Do Black lives really matter?

Or, is it what black lives can do for you and your image that matters? This is the question I’ve reluctantly (and unfortunately) been asking myself for years. And, as I look at all of these public statements and other actions, it’s the question that I reluctantly (and unfortunately) find reverberating in my head today.

I hate to sound like a pessimist, but I have to be a realist. And I’m at the point where I look at the facts, and point blank ask the questions that have been plaguing me. So let’s examine the facts. Fact: We’re living (and marketing) in the age of digital. Fact: George Floyd was wrongfully murdered by policemen on May 25th, 2020. Fact: The murder was captured on camera and went viral. Fact: This egregious act had such a profound impact on the public, that it was the catalyst for all the social unrest today. And it feels like everyone is (or wants to be) involved. Fact: Those who are not involved are getting called out. Those who have enabled (or continue to enable) overt or covert acts of racism are also being called out. As a result, those who have been called out have taken a huge hit financially. Fact: Consumer’s expectations have increased and they proactively seek out brands who align with their social causes. Fact: According to this article, Black buying power is upward of $1.2 trillion.

So I’m sure you all see where I’m going by now. Many companies are issuing statements and unveiling plans in support of racial equality. But the fact that it took (yet another) virulent attack on black livelihood makes me wonder if these companies really value black lives, or if they only value what black lives can do for them and their image. And everything that came before this point might be a little heavy/long winded for an intro, but I would be remiss if I didn’t bring this all up.

Ok, so let’s take a look at a specific company’s responses to George Floyd and BLM.

Some brands have been condemned for making blanket statements claiming to stand with the Black community, but failing to back their words with action. They’ve also been condemned for lacking a diverse pool of employees (especially in high-level positions). So, I hesitate to praise any particular brands because I don’t know everything these companies are doing both internally and externally to subvert racism/discrimination. I also don’t know the ways in which they may have enabled acts of racism/discrimination. However, I would have to say that what P&G is doing seems like good first steps.

P&G launched “The Choice” ad, which was cool (I might do a seperate post with my opinion on the ad alone). But, I feel the call to action at the end of the ad elevates P&G’s efforts. To specify, the end of the ad urges consumers to visit this site, which is essentially a “get involved” starter pack; The site shares many resources to educate oneself on systemic racism, donate to organizations, and engage in other ways. In addition to the ad and website, Marc Pritchard (Procter & Gamble’s chief brand officer) made public statements calling for more diversity in the ad industry. According to this Adweek article, Pritchard suggested “using ‘systemic action to eliminate systemic inequality.’ This means hiring more BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) staff and demanding the same of partners within the advertising industry, which Pritchard called ‘too white.’” Pritachard then went on to add, “I was in a meeting the other day, and I made it very clear: I never want to see another advertising storyboard that doesn’t reflect the population we serve.”

So all things considered, P&G appears to be doing a good job because they have an ad that resonates , a website that is both informative and easy to navigate, they’ve promised to donate an initial 5M to equality causes (check out this article to find out more), and executive-level staff seem to be willing to hold themselves (and the companies they partner with) accountable for being more diverse.

Long story short, Be Authentic.

As a marketer, I came into this post wanting to address a company that may have done a good or bad job in response to George Floyd’s murder. I also wanted to explore the long term implications of how customers would view the brand because of their reactions. But, we all know that it will fare positively for companies who are perceived to be handling the situation correctly (the opposite will be true for companies perceived to be handling the situation poorly). Then, when I started writing (and especially as I come to a close), I realized that the real question is “which companies (or are companies) being authentic?” Are their latest efforts opportunistic and exploitative? Or, is this corporate social responsibility done right? P&G and other companies seem to be taking steps in the right direction, but I guess we’ll have to see how this all turns out (and hold companies accountable along the way).

P.S. Lately, the common theme in all of my conversations has been authenticity. To see more on my thoughts about brands maintaining authenticity, feel free to check out my articles exploring BLM and exploring pinkwashing during Pride month.