Brands Flock To Show Their Support For The BLM Movement Alongside The Public, But Most Are Met With Disdain And Criticism

Although the Black Lives Matter movement has been around since 2012, brands and corporations largely avoided or actively discouraged involvement and support in the past. In recent weeks, however, brands have embraced the BLM movement in droves, often with mixed reception depending on their actions. So what exactly changed over the past eight years to encourage this newfound support, and why do some of them see criticism where others see praise?

BLM officially began in early 2012 after Trayvon Martin was killed by George Zimmerman and he was later acquitted of murder, but until 2018, those who opposed the movement outnumbered those in support. According to a Civiqs daily tracking poll of registered voters that measured net support for BLM since April 2017, support for the movement crossed a threshold in February 2018 but significantly spiked following the death of George Floyd in May 2020.

As we've seen in the past with other dramatic shifts in social attitudes, such as issues related to LGBTQ+ rights, brands typically follow the sway of public opinion. Once a majority of the public gets behind something, corporations often follow suit, especially as brand activism continues to trend upwardly. Over the last few weeks, support for BLM has risen almost as much as the last two years, so it’s no surprise that brands are voicing their support this time around.

From fashion to entertainment, corporations have taken to social media to show their support for the movement with statements, donations and participation in awareness campaigns, such as blacking out logos. While some of these have been well received online, many have labeled as empty platitudes.

In late May, Nike was one such example to join in on this latest wave of brand activism, posting a video that replaced its iconic motto with “Don’t Do It.” According to an Ace Metrix study, 60 percent of respondents viewed the ad as “empowering,” but many also voiced that it felt “exploitive” for attempting to take advantage of the situation to sell shoes. Twitter user Dylan_DMB1220 was a top reply to the video, claiming that Nike wasn’t “pushing for real change.”

On the other hand, Ben & Jerry’s statement on BLM in early June was widely viewed as exceptional and praised for doing more than merely offering their sentiments. Whereas other corporations have been criticized for their participation, Ben & Jerry’s specific call to action and history of support for similar issues was well received. Twitter user jcroda mirrored this reception in their tweet that read, “You guys are one of the few large corporations that I believe.”

Aside from statements that fall flat or are perceived as exploitative, other common critiques several brands have received after attempting to speak out on the recent topic stem from a lack of diversity among executive levels, such as Nike, censoring posts related to injustice and “not putting their money where their mouths are.” Amazon initially released a statement “standing in solidarity with the Black community,” but was criticized for a lack of action. Twitter user MrsAmberPugh was one such example of this, who said, “Put your money where your mouth is. Do better. Be better.” A few days later, Amazon announced that they would donate $10 million to 11 organizations “working to bring about social justice and improve the lives of Black and African Americans.” Even so, users were quick to point out that it wasn’t enough or that past actions overshadowed their message.

In early June, TikTok announced their support of the movement by stating, “We stand with the Black community and are proud to provide a platform where #blacklivesmatter and #georgefloyd generate powerful and important content.” Despite their statement, users pointed out what they perceived as hypocrisy from the social media platform after a viral tweet days before TikTok’s post claimed that they were censoring posts using the very same hashtags. The company later claimed it was the result of a bug.

While brands have flocked to support the movement, their attempts have received mixed responses online, mostly due to the way they go about showing support. Hitha Herzog, a retail analyst and the chief research officer at investor data firm H Squared Research, told ABC News that brands should find ways to be a part of the solution, rather than using it as a means to connect with customers. “When it comes to companies making sure that this isn't perceived as a marketing ploy and they actually care, really look inside the way that your organization is structured,” she said. “There has to be transparency and then transparency times ten.”