02 Jul Beyond the little black box: How brands are using their values to respond to racial injustice

Purpose

Purpose-seekers are the first ones to take to the streets/ Twitter feeds in support of what they believe, and the brands that align with these values echo those attitudes, and often amplify them with a larger platform and more significant influence. In this sphere, companies promoted their support of Black Lives Matter by bringing it into the areas they already work in. IKEA pledged to donate furniture to furnish offices of Black-owned businesses, while CVS announced it would be taking on racism as a public health issue and making sure their services are specifically available to BIPOC that the medical industry has left vulnerable. In one of the boldest moves, change.Org rented out billboards, placed ads in newspapers and emails, and on taxis, emblazoned in a bright red demand for “Justice for George Floyd.” The ads directed towards the petition on the site for the arrest of the officers involved in Floyd’s murder that had gained over 10 million signatures.