Watching George Floyd’s death at the knee of a police officer was one of the most sickening things I’ve seen in quite a while. So, it’s great to see celebrities from Beyoncé, Cardi B and Lizzo taking the lead, speaking up, and teaching us all a thing or two about taking a stand.
Wake up.
I’ve seen a wave of brands becoming more political since Nike reportedly adopted my branding rules to launch their campaign with former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and take a stance on police brutality.
But I still believe there’s a long way to go. Brands need to do more. We all need to do more.
Why?
Because George Floyd should be alive. Watching his death at the knee of a police officer was one of the most sickening things I’ve seen in quite a while. So, it’s great to see celebrities from Beyoncé, Cardi B and Lizzo, to Jamie Foxx, Justin Bieber and LeBron James speaking up, and teaching us all a thing or two about taking a stand.
The first lesson is that we mustn’t be afraid to speak our minds.
Justin Bieber posted a video of the death of George Floyd on his Instagram with a message doing precisely that. “THIS MUST STOP,” he wrote. “this makes me absolutely sick. This makes me angry this man DIED. This makes me sad. Racism is evil we need to use our voice! Please people. I’m sorry GEORGE FLOYD”
A study by Edelman shows that two-thirds of Americans say they now expect brands to make their moral and ethical positions clear. Another study reveals that 61% of Americans agree that brands should be free to speak their mind. And this sentiment isn’t just restricted to some countries over others. 78% of consumers in China, 69% in Brazil, and 68% in India all consider themselves ‘belief-driven’ which means brands and social issues are increasingly going hand in hand, across the globe.
