brands support BLM
PC: Morning Consult

As Americans protested police brutality and the killing of George Floyd over the past week, they were met with tear gas and law-enforcement batons. The news took over the television, and it was broadcasted live on platforms like Twitter and Instagram.

People have been extremely vocal about the case of George Floyd and have left no stones unturned to let the world know that Black Lives Matter.

Over the past few days, brands like Nike, Ben & Jerry’s, and L’Oreal have taken a stand on racial injustice and police violence following on from the death of George Floyd. As protests about the brutality faced by people of color and communities continue to intensify across the US, how can brands show solidarity in a meaningful way?

Let’s have a look at what brands had to say regarding the death of George Floyd:

  1. Nike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drcO2V2m7lw&feature=emb_logo

Nike released a video on racism, which said ‘for once, don’t do it.’ It’s a powerful play on its iconic tagline; the video urged people not to turn their backs on racism. Nike’s longtime rival Adidas shared Nike’s Twitter post, commenting:” Together is how we move forward. Together is how we make a change.”

2. L’oreal

Not all brands that have offered their support have been well-received, highlighting the need to have your house in order. Munroe Bergdorf, an English model, and activist took to Twitter to condemn L’Oreal for jumping on the movement.

3. Disney 

Disney has also shared a message of support, claiming it” stands against racism.”

4. Netflix 

Streaming giant Netflix, meanwhile, has garnered 1m likes for a post addressing the issue, stating:” To be silent is to be complicit, Black lives matter.”

5. Facebook

The pain of the last week reminds us how far our country has to go to give every person the freedom to live with dignity…

Posted by Mark Zuckerberg on Sunday, May 31, 2020

Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, took to the platform to announce he was donating $10m to groups working on racial justice.

6. American Express 

American Express’s words seem appropriate since they demonstrate consistency and acknowledgment, which makes their words now authentic and empathetic.

7. Amazon 

Amazon also committed to solidarity with the black community.

8. Apple

Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, announced the $100 million Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative on June 11th. “The initiative will challenge the systemic barriers to opportunity and dignity that exists for communities of color and particular for the black community,” Cook said in his latest tweet.

9. Google 

Google-owned YouTube will launch a $100 million fund “dedicated to amplifying and developing the voices of Black creators and artists and their stories,” the video service announced on June 11th.

10. Microsoft 

Microsoft also announced their support of the Black Community and racism with their ‘Innocence Project.’

Kudos to these brands for speaking out!