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

Achievement

Of all of the value type categories, it was the Achievement-seeking companies who had the least to say in response to Black Lives Matter. Though some companies made statements, and some made donations, these numbers were matched by brands that elected to stay silent. Furthermore, luxury fashion companies have come into the spotlight as unsafe work environments for BIPOC, and have been confronted by a backlash and demands for more internal inclusivity. Overall, the trend amongst achievement-seeking companies to not engage with the current racial equality movement signifies that despite their close ties with Black culture, and specifically hip hop culture, these brands haven’t focused on forming an authentic dialogue with that community. 

What can be seen from all of these responses, large and loud, or small and subtle, is that there is an added layer of sincerity and depth to actions that were geared towards the community that the brand was a part of. To be specific, and be impactful, and to thoughtfully connect with people on their level is the highest tier of messaging from companies, and goes a lot further for their brand identity and the social environment than a little black box. For more resources on how brands are responding to Black Lives Matter, take a look at this AdAge article, @Vocal_Brands, and @Silent_Brands.