Staff Editorial: Selling to the "Black" Market

When it comes to advertising, most people can appreciate a catchy tune, a clever slogan, or a memorable image, but too many of those gimmicks result from the perpetuation of negative black stereotypes. McDonald's claims to be "365 black" while advertising smoothies with the help of a poor imitation of a black, male rapper, complete with an even more pathetic round of call-and-response from the adoring crowd. Summer's Eve's representation of "Lady Wowza", depicted by a black fist and voiced as if it were the next generation of Cita's World, (remember that show?) also sparked outrage this summer.  Most recently, a magazine advertisement for Nivea depicted a clean-shaven black male gripping the head of a black male with an afro and a beard with a slogan that read: "Look Like You Give A Damn Re-civilize Yourself."

 Items are marketed to different demographics according to age and gender all the time, from Barbie dolls to action figures all the way up to power tools and cooking ware, without widespread moral indignation. What makes these racial advertisements so different? Sure, they are based on the incorrect assumptions that all black people enjoy rap, speak a certain way, and look or should look a certain way, but don't Barbie commercials make the same sweeping generalizations about girls? Just as not all black people behave the same way and have the same cultural preferences, neither do all girls. In the same way, just as there are some black people who do share those preferences, there are some girls who like Barbie dolls. As long as those markets exist, advertisers cater to them. 

So, is it really the stereotypes that make us so upset, or is it the public representation of these stereotypes? The black community often has a problem with the public revelation of "our dirty laundry." While some of us may speak a certain way amongst our friends, we would not want to hear the black puppet in the commercial speak in such a way. We do not like our private worlds to be invaded, or even worse, exploited. 

Regardless of personal sensitivities or objections, some advertisements really are offensive and should not continue to run. Due to the overall lack of African Americans in positions of power in the advertising industry, sometimes there just isn't a black voice in the room to veto an inappropriate idea or to suggest that a particular idea might be inaccurate. (Even worse, sometimes the black voice in the room proposes the inappropriate idea and presents it as creativity.)

 Certain products continue to be marketed and to be marketed in racially questionable or offensive ways to the black community because we continue to support them. We may complain about the McDonald's smoothie commercial, but how many of us are still drinking those smoothies? If we truly want to have our buying power as a black community be respected rather than ridiculed, we must make bold and conscious choices, as consumers, that show advertisers not to take our loyalty for granted.