Why your brand will fail to market to Black America, and what you can do about it

By: Dwight Ragland, Senior Research Manager at Talk Shoppe.

Dwight is passionate about understanding what drives consumer behavior and turning those insights into a narrative that earns the attention of the consumer and inspires brand loyalty. A proud Detroit resident, a gamer, craft beer lover, and an avid reader, Dwight is also a (barely) recovering sneaker addict.

Growing up in a pre-internet world, I remember hearing rumors of racist acts from companies that relied on Black consumers for success. As a Black man, I have always had to dig deeper into the brands I support. Because I want to know- am I actively supporting a brand that doesn’t support me? To this day, I still have family and friends who won’t spend a dime with brands like Timberland, Mistic and Tommy Hilfiger because of their rumored actions toward the Black community.

As you can imagine, the current climate has this generation of Black consumers even more aware of where they spend their dollars. According to a study by Ipsos, 70% of Black millennials are more likely to buy from a brand that takes a stand on race-related issues. Yet, we are skeptical. Does this brand really care about the cause or is this “optical allyship” to keep us (and I say “us” as an older millennial, don’t @ me) buying their products or to keep us from “canceling” their brand.

“The all inclusive thing, I like that they are doing it, but it should have always been this way. I don’t know how to feel about companies that are being inclusive to Blacks after the whole 2020 thing. You know some of them are doing it just so they don’t hurt their business.”

Since 2020, the Black community has seen brands trip over themselves to appeal to us, even though they have never gone out of their way to do so before. Part of me wants to take this as a win. Finally, brands are making an effort to appeal to Black consumers who, according to a study by McKinsey, spend about $300 billion on goods and services annually, a number that will likely grow. 

So why in 2022, faced with this win-win am I so disheartened? Well, because most of these companies are getting it wrong. This “performative wokeness” is at best an ineffective attempt to get my dollars and at worst flat out insulting. 

How are companies still not getting this right? The good folks at Talk Shoppe and I set out to answer this very question by talking to 18 Black Millennials and Gen Zers, ranging in socioeconomic status.

What we learned is that Black consumers have not only noticed brands that have stepped out in support of the Black community, but they also see the hypocrisy behind that ‘support’ when the company's other actions (aside from slick marketing and a blacked out square on Instagram) don’t match up.  Like Corporate pinkwashing and greenwashing before it, this level of virtue signaling where companies issue half-hearted statements or put a Black person in an ad does not wash away policies, hiring practices and business models that actively harm Black people. We have seen similar instances with everyday people, celebrities and even the social media platforms pledging empty support online.

“Personally, I feel like some of these companies don't really have a stance when it comes to Black issues. I think they make it cute, like when you post a story on Instagram they have a little ‘Buy Black’ sticker or maybe the ‘Black Lives Matter’ one, but I think they're very neutral. [It feels performative] because when the whole Asian Hate thing happened they had a sticker for that too. I think you have to look more into the people behind it or the company's track record.”

Black consumers also have a growing fatigue around how companies target Black people specifically. The outreach is usually cliche, using dated stereotypes or Black trauma (think slavery, poverty and gang violence.) This disingenuous and sometimes racist messaging can alienate Black people even more, making them less likely to engage with a brand.

“I want them to show genuine Black content instead of stuff where they show unnecessary Black trauma. That is weird and I don't actually enjoy it.”

So how can brands genuinely reach Black consumers? 

Analyzing the data from this study and looking at trends from other research we’ve done, we came up with five questions every brand needs to ask themselves when thinking about talking to this audience.

Are we consistent?

Don’t fall into the trap of creating a trending marketing campaign once and considering it done. Given how often this happens, most attempts will be met with skepticism. Think beyond marketing as well. What are you doing for your BIPOC employees? How are you trying to diversify your boards?  Are you trying to attract senior BIPOC talent for high profile roles?  Marketing is only a very small piece of a truly inclusive company that champions Black causes. Through consistency (your actions match your words) and over time you will show you are sincere and committed to inclusion.

Is this authentic or appropriating?

Be mindful not to lean into stereotypes or trauma to connect. The best way to appeal to Black consumers might be to partner with Black creators (and credit them!) or consultants. This lends authenticity to your message and shows your willingness to partner and build with the Black community.

Is this really inclusive?

Inclusivity is more than just making an ad with all Black people. Representation is important, but multiple races should be included. It seems simple, but needs to be said, segregating your ads could create even more problems. The goal is to show that you are a company that can serve all people.

Can we roll with the punches?

It is important to be open to feedback in this space. You probably aren’t going to nail it out the gate, and that is ok. After launching an ad or campaign, see what people are saying about it and use that feedback to improve moving forward, and you will be moving forward because you will be consistent, right? 

Does our brand align with the message?

Avoid any sudden shifts in your brand voice or messaging. While it is important to show effort, you don’t want to appear to be trying too hard. Instead focus on the things that unite all people to your brand and present that in a way that is welcoming for everyone.

Let’s be real, any effort to get it right doesn’t start with a flashy ad campaign or social media post of “support.” Millennial and Gen Z consumers are savvy. We know when your marketing is for the optics vs. for the cause.

Truly reaching this audience will require a lot of changes, patience and perseverance. After all, this is a problem that has been around longer than any of us. There is no universal tool that works across the board because there is no universal Black experience. But you have to start with taking a good hard look in the mirror at your organization in all aspects and put in the work because the status quo simply is not cutting it.

Culture is moving fast, and Millennial/Gen Z Black consumers are not going to wait on your brand to get it right. There will be plenty of brands to choose from that “get it”. Don’t be the last one to the party because we will not forget the ones who snuck in the back at the last minute.