Black lives, culture and subcultures are not being represented, storytelling is skewed and we are not marketed correctly. This has resulted in image damaging misconceptions that have caused great back-lash on global marketing campaigns, across fashion, beauty, sports and lifestyle commercial brands. Which in turn has and can damage brands bottom line aka their profit.
Lets Starts With The Facts!
(According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, us-based statistics)*
- Marketing & Sales Manager role – Only 6.7% are black, Asians 5.4%
- Public Relations Manager roles – only 10.7% are black, 3.1% by Asians
- Black Female Chief Executives – 4.1% are black
5 Actionable Steps the Marketing Industry Should Implement
The Hiring Process
Black lives, culture and subcultures are not being represented authentically. This has resulted in image damaging misconceptions that have caused great back-lash on global marketing campaigns. Hire black talent and invest in partnering with programs that are dedicated to inclusion.
2. Examine and Reflect On Your Conscious and Unconscious Bias
Take a step back, examine and check to see if patterns of unconscious bias or negative undertones appear in your teams and in your campaigns. Evaluate if certain groups are disproportionately represented and ensure this is not repeated – internally as well as in your work output.
3. Adapt Your Message To The Market
Marketing teams need to do in-depth research to understand their customers and the marketplace of their audience first. What are they experiencing? How can you better tell that story? Tap into online resources and conduct market research to initiate conversations with black groups who represent the audience you are trying to reach.
4. Widen The Narrative
Marketers, when you are planning campaigns and PR outreach strategies, look for and work with black professionals. Hire black strategist/consultants in black cultural global campaigns include groups marginalised people and most importantly highlight and celebrate the trailblazers.
5. Diversity Among Company Spokespeople
Black senior marketers in executives roles should be in positions to be visible and a voice for the business. So that companies create a culture and have brand advocates that reflect their consumers.
e.g. When Beyonce was looking for a sports brand to collaborate with her Ivy Park range, Rebook, Nike, & Puma only had white faces in the boardroom in those meetings. That is not reflective of those brands audience’s to the only spokespeople for the culture.
Inclusion is not and should not be a goal, it should be company standard. HR and Hiring Marketing managers need to understand this is good and authentic business, that encourages creativity and broadens the narrative of the world we should be in today. Brands have some work to do!
