Adweek published a perspective presenting polite proposals for White brands and White advertising agencies seeking to acknowledge Juneteenth—going so far as to say it’s OK to sit the holiday out versus clumsily crafting cultural cluelessness communications.
Hey, regarding DEIBA+ initiatives, White brands and White ad agencies regularly sit things out. Or celebrate with crumb cakes.
Sometimes, It’s OK to Sit Juneteenth Out
If your brand has not supported the Black community year-round, stepping up now will only seem disingenuous
By Brennan Nevada Johnson
In its fourth year as a federal holiday, Juneteenth has arrived; it’s a day that is observed to commemorate the freedom of enslaved Black people in the U.S. So much historical significance comes with Juneteenth, yet since the George Floyd murder, there has been a frenzy of stereotypical marketing campaigns and communications by different brands trying to make a quick buck or grow their customer base.
A big oversight in our industry is that brands feel the need to prove that they are a part of every single social cause.
Do everyone a favor: Pause. Reflect before you hit send on that Juneteenth statement. To avoid embarrassing mistakes, below are the top do’s and don’ts for appropriately observing Juneteenth personally and professionally.
Don’t use your Black employees
One of the biggest faux pas companies make year after year on Juneteenth is using it as a jumping-off point to check in on Black talent.
Black employees know it’s not about Juneteenth. It’s about the lack of actions the 11 other months out of the year. When I worked for corporate America, I was hardly supported and would be ignored by my managers. But the second it became Black History Month or Juneteenth, I would suddenly have back-to-back meetings booked on my calendar by absentee bosses to see “how I’m doing.” Ditch this all together. It is not only uncomfortable but also incredibly disingenuous.
Show support all the time. That’s what matters. Also, if you want to organize an event around Juneteenth, that’s great. But please refrain from expecting and turning to your Black team members to organize it. This is not a photo opportunity to show diversity within the company.
Do learn the history and meaning
Many companies communicating and posting about Juneteenth still don’t know its history. This is almost like raising your hand in class to show how smart you are, and then answering the question incorrectly. It throws off everyone around you. You’re only setting yourself up to fail.
Avoid going into a full-blown preachy mode to colleagues, customers and friends. If you haven’t committed to doing all you can professionally and personally to amplify and back the Black community, then it’s best not to post anything on Juneteenth. Yes, you read that right—sit this one out. The time to take meaningful action is year-round.
Brands successfully jump into storytelling mode when they are in a position to educate on the topic. Hold on to that statement, that Slack message and the campaign that is essentially a “learning series” until you truly absorb the meaning of Juneteenth.
Don’t miss the opportunity to do better
Juneteenth is a chance for us all to try to improve and do better.
Start small. Lofty, impossible promises will only make matters worse and have little progress. Don’t follow in the footsteps of what brands did four years ago with huge claims for Black people that went nowhere. You want to ensure you can follow through on what you hope to accomplish.
This can be as simple as buying Black-owned products, outsourcing Black-owned businesses, eating out at a Black-owned restaurant, donating to Black-owned charities, hiring Black talent and even referring your Black colleague to senior positions of power. You’d be surprised by how far these acts can go.
Internally, companies can create actionable and strategic roadmaps that audit systems and leverage data to show how racism is perpetuated subconsciously. This can take shape in company surveys to illuminate unconscious bias that may be feeding systemic racism. Numbers don’t lie. This should go deeper than implementing seasonal DEI programs that involve and hold leadership accountable to becoming more active allies to BIPOC communities.
Remember, Juneteenth is the time to start creating lasting equity, amplification and opportunity for Black people while also recognizing the disparities Black communities face. Whatever you do or decide not to do, just ensure it is respectful and goes beyond one day of the year.
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