In light of recent events, we’ve all had a lot on our minds. The tragic death of George Floyd, along with the national Black Lives Matter movement, has halted ‘business as usual’ for us in many ways.
Our weekly All Hands meeting on June 2nd was starkly different than our usual updates and company-wide discourse. Our CEO quietly shared a painting of George Floyd with the words, “I can breathe again,” scrolled across the bottom. Immediately following, our agency’s #general slack channel looked very different– with discussions and links to resources surrounding the movement being shared.
We are deeply saddened by the tragedies that have not only happened to George Floyd, but the entire Black community. We are listening, and we stand together with the Black community – our employees, our clients, our partners, and all others – in the fight against injustice.
We have had a few clients approach us, asking for advice on how they can best support their customers right now. One of the ways we feel we can help spread the word is by sharing some of the resources our team has been using, along with some of the brands that are inspiring us through these difficult times.
Ways to Learn More
Our CEO’s educational pick:
J.D. Redmond’s Take on “How White America Can Help”
In this video posted on Linkedin by J.D. Redmond, VP of Marketing at TTN Fleet Solutions, he discusses how people can use their voice to halt prejudice in everyday conversations, and more.
The Harvard Implicit Bias Test:
Learn Your Bias in Regards to White vs. Black Racial Preference
One impactful tool shared in our agency slack was this resource. Bias about race, whether conscious or unconscious, can affect how businesses operate in their hiring practices. Learn about your own implicit bias in order to better understand how racial prejudice may be affecting your decision-making without you even realizing.
NOBULL’s Co-Founder’s Message to His Team
Marcus Wilson shared his experience and a powerful message with his team
Apparel brand, NOBULL, released a recording from one of their company-wide meetings of their CEO addressing his team and sharing his experience. His message is very impactful and inspired our own team.
Ways to Take Action
The Cut from New York Magazine:
How to Support the Struggle Against Police Brutality
Whether you have been able to participate in protests or not, this article provides a list of organizations for donations, and other resources to help support this movement. Some of our team members found this especially helpful as a starting point.
Resources through President Obama:
Housed on President Obama’s website, this page provides another extensive list of educational resources, along with ways to take action.
Follow Your City’s Twitter Account
Downtown San Diego (home to many of our BVAer’s)
Many city twitter accounts, or clean & safe organizations, are posting updates in regards to protests and clean-ups. A lot of areas are requiring clean-ups and support after protests, and volunteers can help.
10 Brands & Their Black Lives Matter Initiatives
To provide inspiration for companies that may still be wondering the question, “What can we do?” Here is a list of some of the noteworthy things brands are doing for the Black community right now.
1. Girlfriend Collective
The apparel brand came out with a statement sharing that while they figure out the best way for their company to contribute to the Black Lives Matter movement, they would halt all normal content channels and dedicate a page on their website to helpful BLM resources. This may not sound like a big deal, but for brands that had originally planned social campaigns and allocated ad dollars, it speaks volumes that they would pivot these plans. You can check out their web page here.
2. Glossier
Glossier announced that they will be donating $500k across five organizations working to combat racial justice. Additionally, they will also be allocating another $500k towards grants to help grow Black-owned beauty businesses, a sector of the beauty market that deserves more support right now.
3. Nike
If you haven’t seen Nike’s infamous “Don’t do it.” commercial by now, you should. Check out their call to action to fight racism. A big brand like Nike choosing to alter their usual motto and leverage their enormous platform for good can be an inspiration to us all.
4. Fashion Nova
Fashion Nova pledged $1 million to be donated through the remainder of 2020 to organizations like Black Lives Matter, NAACP Legal and Education Fund, and Your Rights Camp.
5. Warby Parker
The popular eyewear brand pledged “$1 million to organizations and initiatives focused on combating systemic racism.”
6. Soko Glam
In addition to an initial donation to Black Lives Matter, Soko Glam is also pledging a portion of their June proceeds from their Pride skincare collection to the Center for Black Equity. The Korean skincare brand has also been very vocal on their platform about sharing resources to take action.
7. Native
Native donated to Black Lives Matter and the NAACP. In addition, they have a partnership with Larkin Street Youth Services, a San Francisco nonprofit that helps foster youth build their lives during a time where 80% of all youth experiencing homelessness in San Francisco are people of color. The beauty and wellness brand also pledged to refrain from their normal social content to amplify Black voices on social channels.
8. Ben & Jerry’s
The ice cream giant was quick to be vocal in the wake of George Floyd’s passing. They released a four-part statement calling to action elected officials, Congress, and the Department of Justice. They also provided extensive resources on the issue through their website and social media. Many voices on social media responded in support of the brand.
9. Pura Vida
Pura Vida began by donating $100,000 to the NAACP Legal Defense fund, and leveraged their platform to quickly respond to the movement with support and showcasing organizations to make donations to, encouraging their audience to make a contribution if possible.
10. Fleur du Mal
The fashion brand pledged to donate 10% of their sales to Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative to support protesters who may need legal resources. They have also been vocal on their Instagram, encouraging their customers to consume media and literature about the Black community.
Conclusion
The brands we have listed here are just a small group that stood out to us, but we know that there are many others also doing their part to make a difference. We stand by our clients and brands who are taking the bold move to make a change.
Megan Holett
Megan Holett is the Sales and Marketing Coordinator at BVA. Her role involves bridging the gap between sales processes and agency marketing through content creation and other initiatives.
This article originally appeared in the BVAccel blog and has been published here with permission.
