Performative Public Relations
Authenticity and Transparency in PR Messages
Brand authenticity has become a necessity over the years. This is partly due to Millennials and Gen Z placing a greater importance on the products they buy, as well as internet culture and the explosion of social media. As consumers, we are given a direct line of communication to brands we support and with that, we are able to dig deeper into the culture and politics within a company. More so than other generations, Millennials and Gen Z care about who's getting their money, and we don't want it in the hands of people who don't share our values. Before, companies could put out a yearly dossier that went to investors outlining some sort of vague corporate activism they partake in. Now that consumers are more savvy, this kind of surface level "activism" is criticized on social media and action is demanded. Both consumers and PR professionals need to be able to distinguish between performative activism and virtue signaling, with actual activism in order to separate brands that care verse ones who doing something just for the optics.
In the wake of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor's murders, those ranging from mom-and-pop shops to influencers to major organizations spoke out against the injustices faced by BIPOC. Retail giants and restaurant chains were quick to jump on the "trend," patting themselves on the back for being outspoken. Many took to social media to post a black square on their feeds for #BlackoutTuesday, a day that was meant to mute white voices and amplify Black ones, quickly turned performative when timelines were flooded with black squares and 0 call to action. Publicly showing support for BLM is great, but what does the inside of the company look like, how many BIPOC are in management positions?
Just as quickly as they hit send, customers and employees spoke out about the realities behind these statements. Companies like Amazon, Vogue, and Nike lacked the internal diversity they claimed they supported. Employees from the retail store Anthropologie bashed the company for their code word "Nick/Nicky" which was used when a Black person came into the store. Brands were also called out for posting on #BlackoutTuesday without making any donations or signing petitions. Even the NFL posted about BLM when just a few years ago, Colin Kaepernick peacefully protested against police brutality and was met with hate from the organization and fans (including the President) and was not picked the following season.
Virtue signaling allows companies to be applauded for the bare minimum without having to answer if they practice what they preach. In response to this, campaigns like #PullUpForChange which called for brands that had posted about BLM to also publicly release the percent of Black people that work with them both at low and executive levels; and the 15% Pledge, which calls for multi-brand retailers to dedicate 15% of their shelves to Black-owned brands. Companies like Ben & Jerry's, OUAI, and Glossier were among some that posted multiple resources in becoming anti-racist, publicized their employment statistics, how much money they donated and where, and internal practices that would combat racism. Smaller start-ups like Glossier, have had better responses due to their specific and actionable goals, compared to major corporations that tend to post more surface level statements of support.
Being able to differentiate between performative and genuine action is tricky. Looking at how a company treats its employees and their past values and actions will tell a lot if what they are doing now is real or a facade. If past actions match present words, there's a good chance that the brand means what they're saying. Besides the tone-deafness that comes along with being performative, it is also exploitative to the cause. Brands are being held to a higher standard, we all are. Decades long problems will not go away in an Instagram post, but if we continue to hold ourselves and others accountable, progress will be made.
