In a few short months, those of us in marketing and public relations have been tasked with stewarding brand stories in the midst of—dare we say it—unprecedented times. 

Until recently, avoiding controversy was the name of the game in marketing. Stay above the fray. Maintain a positive focus. Keep going. 

But the rules have changed.

Brands and organizations are addressing the layered complexities of racial injustice. For some brands, avoiding the subject is perhaps the riskiest thing to do; for others, internal responses and intentionality is proving to be the bonded trust with your teams and stakeholders.

While every response has its nuances and every brand must approach these topics in a way that best suits its unique context, our See.Spark.Go team has determined overarching best practices, common pitfalls and key terms to keep in mind when communicating in this season and beyond, as well as best-in-class brand responses across multiple sectors.

VIEW THE REPORT

This is uncharted territory for many of us, but you don’t have to chart the course alone. We are committed to continued research, vigilant monitoring and measured action as we help tell our clients’ stories. At minimum, our work over the past few months has helped us chart courses for the short-term. We believe it also has given us experience and tools that we will use far into the future. 

Click here to discuss your brand’s communications strategy.