The Problem of Strategizing, not Incorporating, Blackness
By: Ayoko Djisseglo
With February now in the rearview mirror, I find myself reflecting on how marketers may leave Black inclusivity behind while speeding towards the next “diversity” month. I’m now reminded of my friends who will soon get marketing calendars that consider Pride month as “seasonal.” Or will these upcoming years be the time when organizations fully incorporate Blackness instead of strategizing it? I'd love to be able to put inauthentic allyship and performative inclusivity behind us…but there's lots of work to be done.
For Culture or Profit?
Only seeing relevance in Black culture during historical dates treats Blackness as a trend rather than a constant part of a brand’s expression and authentic engagement. When Black culture and people are seen as diversity pawns in a marketing play, the Black representation gets their seat at the table pulled out from right under them.
For example, Walmart's 2022 Juneteenth ice cream controversy was an effort in allyship that instead left me with the impression that no Black person was in the room when the plans moved from ideation to execution. Or maybe a Black person was in the room but felt uncomfortable speaking up or was outnumbered by a white-washed goal of using ethnic culture as a strategy versus continuous practice.
I’ve had several conversations with Black friends in the industry who found the courage to call out micro-aggression in their workplace practices, while others sat in silence because the environment wasn’t conducive to such feedback. And this translates into an organization’s perceived identity. Studies have shown that even consumers are becoming increasingly attentive to a company’s ethics and culture behind the scenes, which means more people are keeping an eye on if these retailers are after authenticity or merely profit.
Acknowledging an Oversight
Not only do Black creatives receive fewer business or collaboration requests, but they’ve also experienced how the algorithm buries their content. This means that marketers have to put in extra effort to find these creators. Even though it’s not a deliberate practice of companies to deprioritize Black influencers and businesses, organizations who are accustomed to “mainstream” audience content may miss out by dismissing the artistry of Black creators as “not on-brand.” Prioritizing follower count or certain traditional social aesthetics above all else is just one practice for why some brands’ pages may seem less inclusive in collaborations.
This oversight also helps us to understand how the Black community can quickly spot social pandering from brands that appear to be lacking Black creatives and marketers. These are the brands who barely collaborate with Black creators year round, then round up the bare minimum for Black History Month or Juneteenth.
For Culture, not Tactic
There are many discussions and resources on how to build a space where Black people are part of your company culture and brand expression. Here are a few to consider:
It’s simple: allow Black creators a fair shot! Even if they don't have the highest engagement or traditionally aesthetic content, give them an opportunity throughout the year to be a person, not a prop.
Provide proper compensation to Black creators/businesses. They continue to face pay inequality, making about 35% less than white creators. Support closing this pay gap and contribute to the economic success of these creators.
Foster a space that welcomes honest feedback regarding social content or product execution that will involve the Black community, from your external social media relations and DEI teams.
