In a flood of platitudes, social media has been bombarded by brands making statements on the Black Lives Matter protests. Far from being vanilla, Ben & Jerry’s has published a long and detailed post in support of the movement. The brand referred to George Floyd’s killing as an act of “inhumane police brutality that is perpetuated by a culture of white supremacy” and called on America to “acknowledge its privilege” and “dismantle white supremacy.” The post also calls for specific policy changes including legislation to study the effects of slavery and consider reparations as well as taking direct aim at President Trump for his actions, calling on him to end aggressive police tactics and disavow nationalist groups that support him.

With 61% of Americans saying that race played a major role in George Floyd’s death, his murder has fueled people’s frustrations at the injustices perpetuated by systemic racism. Even though a huge number of brands came out in support of the protests, many consumers saw their responses as bland statements with the appropriate hashtags attached, and some efforts – L’Oréal’s statement, for example – were called out as hypocritical.

The brand called on America to “acknowledge its privilege” and “dismantle white supremacy.”Ben & Jerry's (2020)

Increasingly, people want brands to take concrete action, rather than just posting a black square. By advocating for specific policies, addressing the historical roots of discrimination, and pushing for structural change, Ben & Jerry’s is staying true to its history of political activism, a move that will no doubt boost its reputation for authenticity.

Isabel Evans is a junior behavioural analyst at Canvas8. Fascinated by how and why people do things, she has an MSc in cognitive and decision sciences from UCL. You can often find her drinking endless coffees, running around Regent’s Park, or delving into a book.