Meeting the Moment: Black Lives Matter, Racial Inequality, Corporate Messaging, and Rebranding

Abstract

Abstract: Along with the COVID-19 public health crisis, the summer of 2020 will likely be contextualized as a pivotal moment during which conversations regarding both racial and social injustice pierced the silence that so often characterizes American society on these issues. Additionally, for marketers and advertisers, the summer represents one in which unprecedented actions were taken to respond to calls for racial equality. While many Americans attempted to adjust to stay at home orders due to the coronavirus, to some extent they became a captive audience of witnesses to acts of racial injustice; most notably the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. At the same time, Confederate statues were moved from public view and protestors took to the streets to demand an end to systemic racism. Numerous companies and brands responded with messaging and rebranding efforts to illustrate allyship and support for African Americans and other communities of color. This paper provides a perspective on the corporate response to the Black Lives Matter protests during the summer of 2020 and provides examples of corporate and rebranding efforts. While the level of commitment to sustainable change and advocacy as it relates to racial inequality is yet to be determined (and in many ways extends beyond a review of branding and messaging activities), this paper highlights some of the challenges corporations have faced.