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Empowering equity: an exploration of how Black women-owned brands can harness social media to overcome public relations’ equity gap to build influence

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Empowering equity: an exploration of how Black women-owned brands can harness social media to overcome public relations’ equity gap to build influence

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Content Copyright 2024 Gabriella Layne
EMPOWERING EQUITY:
An Exploration of How Black Women-Owned Brands Can Harness Social Media to
Overcome Public Relations’ Equity Gap to Build Influence
by
Gabriella Layne-Avery
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL
FOR COMMUNICATION & JOURNALISM
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS)
[August 2024]

Copyright 2024 ii Gabriella Layne
Acknowledgements
This thesis is a decade in the making. There were a lot of moments along the way where I
wasn’t sure if I’d ever get to the finish line, but I now realize that the last 10 years were all a part
of my qualitative research – from the many books I read to the many conversations I had that
helped add layers and dimension to this thesis.
I’d like to thank Jennifer Floto for seeing my potential over a decade ago and giving me a
life-changing opportunity. A double dose of thanks for her graciousness and guidance in helping
me see this thesis through all the way to the end. I’d also like to extend a huge thank you to
Melanie Cherry, who helped me navigate my complicated identity in relation to this topic, and
for providing such depth and nuance to my points of view.
Thank you to my wife, who witnessed my entire journey from applying to USC to reenrolling 10 years later to finish what I started and helped me talk through my ideas every step of
the way. You’re the best thought partner I could ask for. Major thanks also go to my
interviewees Fatou Barry, Marissa Kearney, and Mabel Frias; women I greatly admire and am
lucky to include their insights in this thesis. Waiting for these connections to fall into place made
the 10 year wait to finish this thesis even more worthwhile.
Lastly, thank you to the University of Southern California and the Annenberg School of
Journalism and Public Relations for creating an environment where I can collaborate with some
of the leading voices in my field to craft something that feels so deeply meaningful and will
surely become a cornerstone work I will remain proud of throughout my career.

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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................................ii
List of Figures.................................................................................................................................iv
Abstract..........................................................................................................................................vii
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Chapter 1: The Equity Problem: The Roots of Black Representation in Media..............................7
Chapter 2: The Power of Public Relations in Driving Change, Progress and Success……..........19
Chapter 3: How Black People Use Social Media Differently........................................................26
#BlackTwitter: Viral Memes, Hashtag Activism, and Cancel Culture..............................29
Chapter 4: Social Media as a PR Tool for Brands …....................................................................34
From Hashtags to Handles: Expanding the Buy Black Social Media Movement.............37
Chapter 5: The Success Formula of the Social Media to Public Relations Pipeline………….....44
Authentic Storytelling that Drives Community Through Shared Values..........................45
Brand Partnerships, Co-Signs, and Collaborations............................................................47
Chapter 6: The Challenges of The Social Media to Public Relations Pipeline.............................49
Conclusion: So, Can Social Media Bridge the Public Relations Equity Gap After All?...............52
Bibliography..................................................................................................................................60
Appendix A: Interview with Fatou Barry......................................................................................63
Appendix B: Interview with Mabel Frias......................................................................................69
Appendix C: Interview Transcript with Marissa Kearney.............................................................71

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List of Figures
Figure 0.1: Google Trends Chart Of Media Coverage That Mentions The Term ‘Black-Owned...3
Figure 1.1:“Pancake Days Is Happy Days” – Aunt Jemima Ad…………………………………10
Figure 1.2: “Aunt Jemima Solves A Mystery Note” – Aunt Jemima Ad………………………..10
Figure 1.3: All You Need Is A Wish” - Aunt Jemima Ad……………………………………….11
Figure 1.4: “Sure is Good to Have Around,” c. 1975: McDonalds Ad………………………….13
Figure 1.5: “Where There’s Life, There’s Bud” - Budweiser Ad From The 1950’s…………….13
Figure 1.6: “Have A Real Cigarette, Have A Camel” - Camel Ad………………………………13
Figure 1.7: “Kent Smokes…” - c. 1969: Ad by Vince Cullers Advertising……………………..14
Figure 1.8: “Black is Beautiful,” c. 1968: Ad for Vince Cullers Advertising, Inc........................14
Figure 1.9: “For The Real Times,” c. 1975: Coca-Cola Ad……………………………………..14
Figure 1.10: “Be The Woman You Want To Be,” Ultra Sheen Ad……………………………...15
Figure 1.11: “Kama Mama, Kama Binti,” c. 1971: Afro Sheen Ad……………………………..15
Figure 1.12: “Real Beauty,” c. 2017: Dove Ad………………………………………………….17
Figure 2.1: Google Trends Chart Of Media Coverage With Black Owned and Juneteenth……..23
Figure 2.2: Comments From “Why Black-Owned Businesses Don’t Survive,” CNBC……...…24
Figure 3.1: Twitter Post Published By Dennys, 2014……………………………………………27
Figure 3.2: Twitter Post Published By Burger King, 2014………………………………………27
Figure 3.3: Twitter Post Published by IHOP, 2014……………………………………………...27
Figure 3.4: “It’s Not Just Your Feed. Political Content Had Taken Over Instagram,” Vox…….29
Figure 3.5: “Corporate Voices Get Behind ‘Black Lives Matter’ Cause,” New York Times…...30

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Figure 3.6: “Corporations Say ‘Black Lives Matter.’ Here’s What They Need To Do To Show
They Mean It,” c. 2020: Time Magazine………………………………………………...………30
Figure 3.7: “Oscars Diversity Improved After #OscarsSoWhite, Study Shows,” c. 2020: Los
Angeles Times…………………………………………………………………………………...30
Figure 3.8: “Five Years After The #OscarsSoWhite Uproar, The Academy Has Met Its Diversity
Goals For Membership,” c. 2020: Los Angeles Times…………………………………………..30
Figure 3.9: Essence Magazine Black Girl Magic February 2016 Issue………………………….31
Figure 3.10: McBride Sister Wines………………………………………...……………………31
Figure 3.11: Washington, Kerry [@kerrywashington]. Twitter, 29, January 2015….…………..33
Figure 3.12: Davis, Viola [@violadavis]. Twitter, 28, January, 2015…………………………...33
Figure 4.1: Google Trends Chart Of Media Coverage That Mentions The Term ‘Black-Owned
Business’ After May 2020…………………………………………………………………….…35
Figure 4.2: [@instagram], Instagram, 12, November, 1920……………………………………..36
Figure 4.3: “National, Local, Black-Owned Directories Spiking Sales For Businesses,” c. 2020:
Detroit Free Press…………………………………………………….…………………………..37
Figure 4.4: [@beyonce], Instagram, 19, June, 2020………….………………………………….38
Figure 4.5: “Beyonce’s Black Parade Route Catalog Giving African-Owned Businesses A
Boost,” c: 2020: CNN……………………………………………………………………………38
Figure 4.6: [@targetwhileblack], Instagram, Reel Screenshots………………………………….40
Figure 4.7: [@targetwhileblack], Instagram, Reel Screenshots………………………………….41
Figure 5.1: “Telfar Shopper Bag Is The Viral Tote Of The Decade,” c. 2023: Bustle…………..47
Figure 5.2: News Clippings (via Refinery29 and Nylon) ………………………………...……..47
Figure 7.1: Screenshot of Instagram’s ‘Identify As Black-Owned’ Feature………………….…55

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Figure 7.2: Screenshot Of Instagram’s ‘Identify As Black-Owned’ Feature……………………55
Figure 7.3: [@anima.iris], Instagram , Screenshot of Anima Iris post…………………………57
Figure 7.4: [@anima.iris], Instagram , Screenshot of Anima Iris post…………………………57
Figure 7.5: [@anima.iris], Instagram , Screenshot of Anima Iris post…………………………58

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Abstract
A powerful brand can't be built without powerful public relations—at least, that has been
the communications industry's traditional belief. However, over the last decade or so, this belief
has been put to the test as we've witnessed brands that don't have the resources to access
traditional public relations soar to success using the power of social media. Brands like Telfar,
whose user-generated content strategy turned their signature bag, now lovingly known as the
Bushwick Birkin, into the most sought-after accessory of 2020, or the Slutty Vegan, whose
virality took them from a go-to spot in Atlanta to a nationwide franchise, are proof of how social
media has shaken up the media landscape - democratizing our ability to reach the masses by
making the microphone of mass communication accessible to all.
For Black woman entrepreneurs who not only struggle to access the resources they need
to invest in public relations but must also navigate a media landscape with a complicated
relationship with race, social media has been a side door entrance to visibility and brand
awareness. However, whether social media is a sustainable, reliable alternative to public
relations or an evolution that brings attention to the industries' bigger equity problem arises. To
answer this question, we must look back at the history of public relations to understand how it
has aided in propelling harmful stereotypes and stigmas that inform how the media covers Black
stories. On the other hand, we must also examine its power by exploring successful case studies
of how Black communities have used public relations to bring worldwide attention to some of
the most instrumental social change movements of the past 100 years, from the unjust killing of
Emmett Till to the unjust killing of George Floyd. In examining this complex relationship, we
come to one conclusion: regardless of whether its impact is used for bad or good, the value of PR

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is palpable and its impact undeniable. However, the question of how to make public relations and
media more equitable still stands.
Social media is increasingly becoming an essential tool to bridge this equity gap by
empowering brands to own their brand narratives while nurturing strong brand communities
where audiences spend most of their time online. With the support of insights from Fatou Barry,
a communications diversity advocate, Marissa Kearney, the founder of Retail While Black, a
digital community that aims to amplify underrepresented Black-owned brands, and Mabel Frias,
an Afro-Latina entrepreneur whose brand, Luna Magic, has mastered the balance of leveraging
public relations and social media in harmony, this thesis uncovers how Black woman-owned
brands can use social media as a bridge to public relations to reach today's socially conscious
consumer. More fundamentally, however, we examine the history of the public relations industry
to explore how it can better help brands led by historically disenfranchised communities build
influence and awareness through consistent media opportunities that extend beyond advocacy
holidays and social media movements.

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Introduction
If I were being PR-friendly, I’d say that Black women have a complicated relationship with
public relations that needs to be addressed. But it’s time that this be said bluntly: Black women
have a long-standing, societally inflicted PR crisis that has not only created a perception problem
for our community but an equity problem for our businesses.
The root of this equity problem is deeply connected to the well-documented history of
Black people’s complicated relationship with the media - a history that many are tired of hearing
about, but we can’t stop talking about because its impact on our modern-day media landscape is
still evidently pervasive.
As we explore this issue, yes -- we need to acknowledge the fact that many of the early
depictions of Black people in film and media were highly problematic. Yes, we need to
understand how these depictions contributed to a concerted effort to portray us as dumb, docile,
and dotingly subservient to keep us limited in our upward mobility in a post-slavery world. Of
course, we do need to raise questions about why stereotypes in the media like the mammy, the
Jezebel, and the sapphire still even exist. But beyond the challenges we continue to face in
controlling our own narratives nearly 200 years after attaining our freedom in the U.S., we need
`to address how our struggle to even get our stories told in the media -- much yet have them told
accurately – is impacting our ability to grow sustainable businesses as the fastest growing group
of entrepreneurs in the U.S.
Twenty-one percent of all women-owned businesses are owned by a Black woman, yet,
in 2020, Black women-owned businesses reportedly earned an average of $24,000 per firm vs.
$142,900 among all women-owned businesses (Lesonsky, 2023). On top of that, it’s been
reported that only 3% of Black women-owned businesses survive the past five years [Dure,

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Elana. Black women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs. But the job isn’t easy].
While many factors contribute to this disparity, limited accessibility to public relations and
marketing are major contributors that are often overlooked.
The challenges that Black woman-owned businesses are facing are rooted in not only
inequities in media representation, but financial inequities that make it difficult to invest in
professional services like public relations. The average monthly retainer for public relations
services can range between $3,000 for a boutique agency to $32,000 or higher (Coomans,
2023). This extra expense can be challenging for small business owners with limited resources.
Our representation in both legacy and social media makes it so that we urgently need public
relations. Yet, we can’t afford the public relations we need and often lack the social currency to
develop meaningful media relationships organically.
Beyond asking how this financial barrier to accessing public relations impacts Black
woman-owned businesses, the PR industry must ponder how Black woman-owned companies
are supposed to navigate relying on public relations to grow their businesses when it’s been
historically weaponized against us—particularly in a media landscape that still isn’t getting our
representation right today. What shifts need to happen for this tool that has historically worked
against us to evolve to work in our favor?
In 2020, tragedy would bring the perfect experiment to put the potential impact of
widespread public relations and media on the success and sustainability of Black-owned
businesses to the test when the unjust murder of George Floyd at the hands of the police opened
the floodgates of a worldwide political awakening. Protests sparked an industry-wide movement
to prioritize Black diversity, equity, and inclusion, leading to a massive social media movement

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to #buyblack that paved the way for a ground-breaking spike in organic media coverage for
Black-owned businesses.
Figure 0.1
George Floyd was murdered on May 25, 2020. According to Google Trends, a week
later, ”Black Owned” saw an extreme spike in media coverage that quickly subsided within six
months and hasn't been as prominent since.
This spike in media coverage in the form of “Black-owned Brands You Should Support”
listicle articles led to unprecedented visibility for Black-owned brands. But that visibility boost
was short-lived, and so was the revenue spike it gave many of these Black-owned brands. While
this media coverage created a momentary boost for Black-owned brands, much of it didn't
provide reasons to support Black-owned businesses beyond the fact that they were Black-owned.
The urgent outcry in the media to #buyblack resonated with Black consumers who wanted to use
their buying dollars to protest and socially conscious consumers who wanted to show their
solidarity. Still, it didn't create a lasting movement that brought long-term business growth to
Black-owned businesses.

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"As attention focused around the #BuyBlack movement…my sales went through the roof– for a
couple of months. We created a moment in history, but not a movement."
Kristian Edwards, Founder of BLK +Green (Lawrence, 2022).
Meanwhile, the #buyblack movement's ability to gain enough momentum on social
media to inspire a major media moment for Black-owned brands makes for a powerful case
study of how valuable a tool social media could be in bridging the visibility gap for Blackowned businesses online and empowering Black communities to reclaim their narratives by
speaking directly to their audiences on social media.
"The most important thing we can do as Black business owners is to change the landscape of
what is available and accessible for Black people to purchase and support…Digital marketing is
the easiest and fastest way." (Weathers, 2021)
While social media marketing has become increasingly essential to businesses for well
over a decade, 2020 marked a pivotal moment where its influence on buying power, especially in
the Black community, skyrocketed. That year, Nielsen reported in a study that African
Americans were nearly three times as likely to take to social media to show support for their
favorite companies and brands (Nielsen, 2020). This statistic perfectly sets the tone for Blackowned brands active on social media in 2020. Black consumers, who were already tracking $1.4
trillion in buying power by 2019 and among the most prominent social media consumers, were
galvanizing online to protest with their pockets by amplifying and supporting Black-owned
brands in organized movements like #buyblack. This period became a masterclass for Blackowned brands on controlling their own narratives and focusing on reaching their audience
directly where they already were spending most of their time. With the barrier of entry to social
media being so low, it has created a wide open lane for accessible marketing and public relations

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for Black-owned brands. However, the question yet to be answered is, can social media be
comparable to traditional public relations as a driver for brand reputation, authority, and
awareness?
The journey to finding the answer to this question becomes particularly complicated when we
consider how social media has shifted the media landscape and, as a result, the nature of public
relations. It's reported that half of U.S. adults get their news at least sometimes from social
media (Liedke & Wang, 2023). Media companies are highly active on social media and rely on it
for their website traffic. Meanwhile, as social media continues to evolve and expand, the PR
industry has had to evolve how it serves clients to think about how earned press and social media
intersect.
"Where we will always, and I mean always, love our journalistic and media outlets, to drive
immediate traffic for our clients…it looks like their online appearance is key and again the
trends we must follow," Mobley said in an emailed statement to Digiday (McCoy, 2023).
The PR and media landscape is drastically changing, and social media has become the
nucleus of these changes. So, the question arises: can social media marketing garner the same
reputation, brand awareness, and sales as PR for brands? Can social media marketing work as a
“great equalizer” for brands struggling to access traditional public relations? Or, if social media
can't replace public relations, what role does it play, and how can it bridge the gap to make
public relations more accessible and equitable for Black women-owned businesses beyond Black
History Month and when Black tragedy strikes?
To discover answers to these questions, we will examine the history of Black
representation in media and how it has contributed to the equity issue Black women-owned
businesses face. We will then explore how mainstream media's challenge to provide the

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authenticity and transparency audiences craved has left the door open for brands to take more
control of their own narratives using social media. From there, we'll examine how Black people
inherently use social media differently and how our unique behaviors create an opportunity for
Black women-owned brands to fill our public relations equity gap using social media. Our
methodology will include exploring existing data alongside interviews and case studies in hopes
that we can cover insights on ways that Black woman-owned businesses can gain the sustainable
visibility they need to grow and scale.
While Black woman-owned businesses are our case study in the quest for these answers,
the implications of these answers will ultimately define what the future of integrated
communications for all small businesses looks like as the lines between public relations and
content marketing continue to blur.

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Chapter 1: The Equity Problem: The Roots of Black
Representation in Media
"One of the most important insights about understanding Black people and race relations is
history. It is the most important insight for marketing…because our beliefs and our behavior
later back up to this history."
Pepper Miller, Black American Consumer Subject Matter Expert (Heart+Mind Strategies
(2023))
As we explore the core cause of the equity gap Black-owned businesses face in the current
media landscape that has made room for the rise of social media in the first place, we have to
look at the media landscape at-large. While there is plenty of conversation around the ways in
which historically racist representation has impacted the Black community at large, we don’t talk
nearly enough about the ways in which this media representation has created a glass ceiling for
the success that Black-owned businesses can attain when they must partially rely on this
historically biased media landscape to gain the awareness and exposure they need to break
through in their markets.
When discussing this topic with Fatou Barry, Communications Strategist, Diversity, Equity,
and Inclusion Expert, and Founder of PR Girl Manifesto, she sums this up best: “There’s a
historical exclusion of Black narratives in mainstream media that continues to hinder PR
progress for Black-owned businesses today. It manifests through lack of awareness,
relationships, and perceived value, requiring these brands to work twice as hard to earn
opportunities.”

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The topic of Black representation in the media isn't new at all. Some would even say this
conversation has been had to death. Yet we must start here because our societally inflicted PR
crisis can easily be traced back to the history of how we've been represented in media, which has
played a crucial role in shaping public perceptions that still have implications today.
Historically, Black people have not been in control of Black narratives in the media. As a result,
there's always been a disconnect between how we view ourselves and how we're represented,
particularly in white-led media in film, television, and advertising. That's because, from the
beginning of our presence in the media, depictions of us were created from a racist lens, rooted
in the perception that we were sub-human, that was never intended to appeal to us in the first
place. Instead, representations of Black people in the media were historically used to tokenize,
weaponize, and erase our identities to promote societal beliefs that stifled our social mobility and
perpetuated the idea that we were happy to live a life of existential enslavement and servitude.
"There is a long history of grotesque racist caricatures depicting Black people as childlike,
animalistic, or lazy to justify slavery and the systemic mistreatment of Black people" (The Take,
2020).
Black people's representation in media came of age and subsequently reflected some of the most
significant cultural moments in American history and pop culture -- but not from our own point
of view. Film, television, advertising, and public relations grew in prominence throughout the
1900s during the same time Black women, and Black people in general, fought to overcome Jim
Crow, attain civil rights, and forge our own path to autonomy and upward mobility. The irony of
being treated as subhuman in real life, then depicted as subhuman in media -- both as a means to

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justify and encourage this treatment -- created a harmful and complex relationship between
Black people and media that still has implications today.
Saying that the representation of Black people in media was blatantly racist and biased
would be an extreme understatement. The representation of Black stories in mainstream media
was, more often than not, either regressive or nonexistent. Similarly, representations of Black
people in early film, television, and advertising perpetuated the idea that Black people enjoyed
being subservient, second-class citizens. So how could treating us poorly be wrong, right?
Meanwhile, how we were represented was often vast exaggerations that did not reflect the actual
reality of Black experiences.
"Africans and their descendants, who were once bought, sold, and traded as commodities, were
unable to control social perceptions of themselves. The commercial narratives that described
them did not include possibilities of an idealized self, but rather the subservient self provides the
ideal for others." -- Omari Souza, Texas State University (The Phyllis M. Taylor Center (2020))
For much of the early 20th century, the media didn't consider or cater to Black audiences
at all. Once we became a viable target market following the Civil Rights movement, the media
had a hard time connecting with Black consumers, still relying on old, tired tropes that were
never made with us in mind, to begin with. This resulted in creating a landscape in which Blackowned businesses not only struggled to attain adequate promotion beyond Black-owned media
but also had to fight against the stigma that came with being Black-owned in an anti-Black
society.
From the time that Hollywood's first studio was built in 1911...and one of the earliest films, Birth
of a Nation, premiered in 1915, it was common to find harmful tropes like the mammy on the
silver screen, who embodied a jolly, jubilant, often dark-skinned and plus-sized Black woman

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happily living as a servant to a white family she fiercely loves and protects, even if they treated
her like a second class citizen. Ironically, although this was one of the most common depictions
of Black women in early film and television, records show that during this time, real-life
“mammies,” or Black women serving as house servants, weren't nearly as common.
These representations of Black people in film and media trickled into our depictions in
advertising and branding. One of the most well-known examples is Aunt Jemima, possibly the
most famous and “marketable” mammy of all time.
Figure 1.1 Figure 1.2

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Figure 1.3
"Many Black women played the role – at Aunt Jemima restaurants, in advertising, and
Amusement Parks – for little pay and the benefit of the companies that used them…These
women were paid to be ‘smiling, happy Aunt Jemima’ and tell stories of the ‘good old plantation
days.’ There was no truth in stories of plantation bliss" (Aunt Jemima 2022, 2022). This
company, which profited off the name and likeness of one of the oldest tropes of Black
womanhood in history, did not change its name and logo until 2022. The mammy, along with
other tropes that were prominent in early depictions of Black women in film, TV, and
advertising, like the Jezebel and the Sapphire, have done far more to serve the political, social,
and economic interests of mainstream white America (Pilgrim, 2000) than the people they
supposedly represented.
The historical shortcomings of Black representation in mainstream media aren't limited to these
harmful tropes. Amidst the backdrop of Emmett Till's death, in which his mother, Mammi Till,
led one of the most impactful PR campaigns of the Civil Rights movement to expose the
inhumanity of Black treatment during Jim Crow, mainstream media was forced to acknowledge

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the economic power and social significance of the Black community. Alongside the overturning
of Jim Crow Laws in 1965, we began to see more dynamic depictions of Black women in media
during this decade -- but not without creating an onslaught of new problems like tone deafness,
respectability politics, misleading messaging, and cultural appropriation.
The groundbreaking sitcom Julia, which originally aired in 1968 starring Diahann Carroll, is a
tremendous cultural marker of this shift. What made the show groundbreaking is mindnumbingly simple: it portrayed a successful, confident, and independent Black woman whose
race or subservience wasn't the core focus of her character. Truly revolutionary, right?
But as “groundbreaking” as it was to portray a Black character whose identity didn't rely on
negative racial stereotypes, the show faced its fair share of criticism from the Black community
for portraying a sanitized version of Black life. The show, which had no Black writers, directors,
or producers, depicted a reality quite different from the hyper-political reality that Black people
were actually living. Meanwhile, that same year, Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated,
leading to civil rights protests that swept the nation. So, while the show was both a step in the
right direction of representing a progressive perspective of Blackness, it was a step backward in
showcasing a sanitized, idealized look at the Black experience that didn't represent our reality or
humanity,
"For a hundred years, we have been prevented from seeing accurate images of ourselves, and
we're all over concerned and overreacting. The needs of the white writer go to the superhuman
being. At the moment, we are presenting the white Negro. And he has very little Negro-ness." -
Diahann Carroll (George, 2018)
Around this time, we also see a similar, idealistic depiction of Black life in advertisements
targeting Black communities from brands like McDonald's, Burger King, and Lucky Strike. We

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could explore why these brands had such a keen interest in Black people as their target
demographic, but suffice it to say that the depictions are consistently inaccurate and unflattering.
These glossy ads displayed a depiction of Black people that was a far cry from the mammy days.
These ads marked a new tide in messaging that actually intended to appeal to Black people
versus using Black people as caricatures in ads targeted to white audiences by portraying us in
advertisements that were non-racialized. Aside from the excessive use of African American
vernacular in some cases, the race of the people depicted in them had little to no implications on
the subject of the ads.
Figure 1.4 Figure 1.5 Figure 1.6
The turn of the decade in the 1970s marked a significant shift as Blaxploitation films,
which reflected themes of the civil rights movement such as Black pride, empowerment, and
rebellion, powerfully advocated for representation rooted in Black ownership of Black
narratives. The Blaxploitation film genre, consisting of films crafted by Black creators for Black
artists, soared in box office success and cultural influence, affirming that Black people were not

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just media consumers but also a force driving demand for authentic and nuanced portrayals of
their stories.
That same decade, Black-owned advertising agencies like the Burrell Advertising
Agency and Vince Culler Advertising significantly impacted the industry. They unveiled the
actual buying power of Black audiences through their innovative, culturally relevant, and
authentic ads targeted at Black consumers. The success of these ads not only demonstrated the
economic influence of the Black community but underscored the importance of diversity, equity,
and inclusion in shaping consumer preferences and affirming our shared humanity.
Figure 1.7 Figure 1.8 Figure 1.9
Their work with iconic Black-owned companies like Johnson Product Company’s
Afrosheen contributed to significant growth in the Black hair care market. It made a powerful
case for what happens when you authentically speak to Black audiences and not at them. It
became undeniable at this moment that Black people were active and engaged media consumers.

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Figure 1.10 Figure 1.11
"When it comes to the media consumption of Black America, it really just means content is key
to our culture," said Polite Corley, vice president of diverse insights and partnerships at Nielsen,
of Black audience’s media consumption. "'Have you seen this show? Have you heard of this
album? Stream this latest hit.' Those are forms of cultural cachet" (Tran, 2024).
In 1986, Janet Jackson's album Control marked a pivotal moment in her career when she
took ownership of her public identity and independence, topping international music charts.
Simultaneously, a similar phenomenon was brewing for Black representation in film and
television. Black writers, directors, and producers finally attained their seats at the proverbial
table, contributing to crafting groundbreaking Black narratives in mainstream shows, like The
Cosby Show and Family Matters. These narratives, while curated by us and for us, collided,
created a more authentic representation of Blackness but also appealed to general audiences.
Show developers slowly began to see that a non-white family could attract broad audiences,
garner awards and become staples among TV viewers. However, this collision didn't come

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without challenges, as our own narratives weren't always trusted in our own hands, underscoring
the importance of authentic Black narratives.
The persistent disparity in Black representation across television, film, and advertising still exists
today, even as Black creators have an unprecedented presence in these spaces. Despite the
hurdles, shows like Living Single, Scandal, and Insecure have proven that nuanced portrayals of
Blackness are not only in demand but can also be wildly successful. This resilience in the face of
adversity serves as a beacon of hope for the future of Black representation.
"[W]hen [Issa] Rae was approached about turning the viral hit [Awkward Black Girl] into a
television series, she was continually told by non-Black Hollywood executives that her stories
weren't really reflective of Black's experiences." [source]
It should go without saying that Black people are not a monolithic group, and have a variety of
experiences that deserve to be seen and heard in the media we consume. Yet, the idea of Black
people merely existing and not being bonded to specific ideas that have been projected on us of
what it means to be Black seems impossibly difficult for the industry at large to grasp -- so much
so that even when decision makers are told as such by a Black person, they’d rather beg to differ.
"[Black content] doesn't always have to be this hyper-traumatized painful situation…We can
have shows where people have fun and fall in love…"
Tracy Oliver, Creator of Amazon's Harlem (The Daily Show, 2022)
Today, the massive buying power of the Black community, coupled with our cultural influence,
makes us a highly coveted target demographic among major brands. Yet, mainstream media and
advertising struggle to get it right when speaking to us authentically. The industry is still
grappling with dismantling the deeply rooted stereotypes and stigmas that have defined our
presence in media for generations. Pepsi's disastrous 2017 “Live For Now” campaign that

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trivialized the Black Lives Matter movement and Dove's poorly received 2017 Real Beauty ad
campaign are stark reminders of this struggle. The need for change is clear, and it's time for
everyone to play their part in dismantling these stereotypes.
Figure 1.12
This is where we come to the root of our PR problem. Black identity across television,
film, and advertising is bound to outdated – social concepts not defined by us, but by
experiences inflicted upon us. Sure, we can point to award-winning, beloved shows like The
Cosby Show, but remember that initially the parents had high-paying jobs and their offspring
were portrayed as high achievers with only the pettiest of problems. As the show progressed,
deeper issues were explored but these outdated “all-is-well” ideas still prevail. These perceptions
have created a looming public perception problem for Blackness, which has impacted us in all
ways, from our social prosperity to the prosperity of our businesses. At the same time, PR has
proven to be a key driver in helping Black leaders and business owners reshape our narrative in

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earned media, which has helped us turn the tide and is a tool we’ll need to continue to use to
drive this progress forward.
“ A big part of our [Black] experience is countering stereotypes. It’s what we do every day.”
- Pepper Miller

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Chapter 2: The Power of Public Relations in Driving
Change, Progress, and Success
Public relations has consistently played a role on both sides of Black history in the
United States. On the earned side of media, a deeper look at history shows us that even in a
deeply segregated media landscape, Black people have leveraged the power of innovative PR
tactics to galvanize support, cultivate movements to drive social change, and shape our own
narratives.
“Whoever has the mic has the power and has the voice.” - Bishop Wayne Jackson, Founder and
CEO of Impact Network
Like the reality of pretty much everything in society in the early 1900s, earned media
outlets like newspapers and magazines were deeply segregated. Black stories covered in white
media, particularly amidst our fight for civil rights, were full of harmful sensationalism. This
made Black-owned media essential to sharing authentic Black stories and perspectives. But some
of the most prolific moments in Black history broke the color lines by garnering mainstream
attention due to PR campaigns that mobilized solidarity and contributed to changing social
perceptions perpetuated by film, television, and advertising. Beyond that, concerted public
relations efforts historically helped to bolster the success of many Black-owned brands by
helping them break into markets, and even in some cases, forge their own entirely.
One of the earliest examples of strategic Black-led PR campaigns can be traced back to
the early 1900s when the NAACP began leveraging tactics like public speeches, media outreach,
and even creating their own publication to raise awareness about severe violence, including
lynching, as a nationwide epidemic and its impacts on the Black community. While the NAACP

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was fighting for the basic human rights of Black people, Black-owned businesses were trying to
navigate promoting their businesses in a segregated media landscape.
One of the most well known Black woman entrepreneurs in history named Sarah
Breedlove, also known as Madam C.J. Walker, used similar tactics to promote her Black hair
care line, the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company. Madam C.J. Walker heavily
depended on grassroots tactics as well as media interviews and ads in Black-owned media
outlets to build awareness for her brand and advocate for Black entrepreneurship. At this time in
particular, the Black media landscape was very insular, and told a much different story than what
was often portrayed in mainstream media at the time. Without these media outlets, Black-owned
businesses like the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company would have had very few
options for promoting their businesses, limiting their economic growth potential. With the
support of Black media, in its prime the Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing company was
making $500,000 in annual revenue before Black women were even granted the right to vote
(Guinness World Records, n.d.).
The very real challenge that both Black-owned businesses faced in trying to reach their
ideal audience and Black consumers faced in seeking out Black-owned brands to support
brought about such solutions as The Negro Motorist Green Book, which was a travel guide that
helped Black travelers identify non-discriminatory businesses they could patronage while
enjoying America’s newest favorite pastime of the 1930’s - road tripping. Guides like the
Greenbook, publications like the NAACP’s The Crisis and other Black-owned media that would
come to prominence were not only transformational in raising awareness about Black issues, but
brought exposure to Black-owned businesses among Black consumers. However, the insular

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nature of Black-owned media coupled with a racist mainstream media landscape capped the true
growth potential of these businesses.
We see this trend of media relations as a driving force propelling the civil rights
movement forward continue at key moments like when Mamie Till used her son Emmett Till’s
open casket funeral as an opportunity to bring media attention to the cruel violence of Jim Crow.
It also demonstrated her understanding of the power of media. Similarly, civil rights leader
Daisy Bates leveraged public relations to bring media attention to the "Little Rock Nine'' who
faced violent opposition when attempting to enroll in the previously all-white school to bring
awareness to the bigger issue of desegregating schools. Although not intentionally intended to be
a PR campaign, the Selma to Montgomery Marches of 1965 was a strategic communications
effort that helped to mobilize the fight for voting rights after the violent response from local
police officers brought nationwide media attention to the peaceful protest. On what came to be
later known as Bloody Sunday and possibly one of the most widely publicized acts of police
brutality in history, American families witnessed hundreds of peaceful protesters get attacked by
dogs, water hoses, billy clubs, and tear gas on primetime television leading to a massive spike in
support for the civil rights movement.
The Black is Beautiful movement of the 1960s, which aimed to challenge long existing
stigmas around standards of beauty and representation, is another profound example of the ways
that public relations has been used to propel the representation of Blackness forward while
creating exposure to an entire industry of Black-owned businesses. This campaign in particular
exemplifies how a PR campaign can snowball into an intentional movement that galvanizes
Black people around a shared idea that has socio-political and economic implications - a
common thread that exists in many of the cultural movements powered by social media today.

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As the civil rights movement gained steam, so did Black-owned businesses as PR
campaigns galvanized support, cultivated movements, and amplified narratives that challenged
harmful stereotypes about racist societal norms. The combined power of strategic messaging and
grassroots organizing drove success for campaigns that promoted progress while paving the way
for representation in media and economic growth. Meanwhile, brands like Afrosheen
unapologetically celebrated natural Black hair in their ads during a time when the idea of
wearing afros was not only revolutionary, but a rebellious symbol of Black people reclaiming
our identities during the civil rights movement. During a time when most PR campaigns
depicting Black people were either non-racialized or rooted in stereotypes, Afrosheen depicted
Blackness from a celebratory, cultural, and uplifting lens. At this moment in history, we witness
the power of reclaiming our narratives and owning our stories unfold as depictions of Blackness
led by Black people began to shift our representation in media.
The success factors of these early public relations campaigns culminate in a
unique formula that has come to define the distinct traits of modern-day public relations
campaigns that we see today. The campaigns were so impactful and effective that they set the
foundation for future generations on the importance of driving stories that challenged racial
stereotypes, celebrated the diversity of Black culture and advocated for justice and equity.
Today, the media landscape is still, in many ways, segregated. Meanwhile, Black media
is facing its own challenges, with shadowbanning certain terms and phrases limiting their digital
reach (Yates, 2023) and, subsequently, limiting their ad revenue. As Black-owned brands look to
reach wider audiences, we can’t and shouldn’t have to rely solely on Black media.
While Black stories have seen a significant spike in mainstream media in recent years,
the ways in which they are told still feel one-dimensional. Many stories highlighting Black-

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owned businesses don’t highlight much else beyond the fact that they are Black-owned, and
outside of Black holidays like Black History Month and Juneteenth, many Black businesses
struggle to garner consistent media coverage as brands, not just Black Brands.
Figure 2.1
Figure 2.1
Data from Google Trends between January 2019-May 2024 consistently shows a significant
spike in media coverage, including the term ‘Black Owned’ in the months of February (Black
History Month) and June (the month of Juneteenth).
At some point, being the first Black person or being Black-owned is no longer
newsworthy. While Black-owned product roundups are great, they really only speak to
audiences who care about supporting Black-owned businesses. This type of coverage helps
Black-owned brands expand their reach among their existing core market, but to reach new
markets, this kind of coverage needs to expand. As we envision a world where Black-owned
brands are as equally prominent in media coverage as any other brand, mainstream media must
evolve its ideas on how it tells Black stories and amplifies Black-owned brands. The fact is that
Black-owned businesses are newsworthy EVERY day for reasons beyond being Black-owned,

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and those stories need to be told for Black-owned brands to garner audiences who aren’t
motivated to support brands by the fact that they are Black-owned.
Figure 2.2
It’s evident from this exploration that historically, PR coupled with media has been as
much of a tool for Black individuals, communities, and brands in driving social change,
challenging stereotypes, and reclaiming narratives as it was a weapon for institutions who aimed
to do the opposite. From Madame CJ Walker's pioneering efforts to the #BlackLivesMatter and
#BuyBlack movements of our modern day, Black people have long leveraged strategic PR
campaigns to mobilize support, advocate for justice, and shape public discourse. While
challenges persist in media representation and outreach, it’s easy to see how social media offered
so many new opportunities for Black-owned businesses to engage with their audience and drive
meaningful conversations in a way that was simply impossible in mainstream media - and today,
oftentimes still is.

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As we envision a world where Black-owned brands are equally prominent in media
coverage, it is imperative to move beyond tokenism and focus on Black-owned businesses'
diverse stories and achievements, ensuring authentic representation and empowering stories are
included in general narratives. Through strategic PR efforts and collaboration, we can continue
to amplify Black voices, challenge systemic inequities, and pave the way for a more inclusive
and equitable media landscape. This is where social media brings about a unique opportunity.

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Chapter 3: How Black People Use Social Media
Differently
As social media evolved in the early 2000s to 2010s, no one anticipated the magnitude of
how it would completely transform and intersect the worlds of public relations, marketing, and
advertising. Social media platforms were originally created to empower people to build
connections around shared interests and experiences. As it turns out, this is exactly what public
relations, marketing, and advertising were missing. As we’ve explored, public relations and
marketing, in particular, have traditionally focused on shaping public perception and speaking to
audiences, not with them. Rather than driving conversations, these communication channels
dictated conversations in the larger cultural zeitgeist by influencing public perception - which, as
we’ve seen, often had harmful implications on Black audiences. The major con of this was that
audiences couldn’t speak back, nor could they galvanize their fandom or loyalty to the brands
they loved. In essence, brands used a one-way phone line to reach their audiences, often leading
to misalignment in their messaging. They also didn’t have the never-ending pool of real-time
market research they needed to craft messaging that held cultural cache to foster even deeper
connections with their audience, although that might be for the better because then maybe we
would’ve never had to endure tone-deaf social media posts from brands like this:

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Figure 3.1 Figure 3.2 Figure 3.3
Social media blurred the lines between public relations, marketing, and advertising.
Once these audiences had platforms in which they could actually speak back to these brands and
each other, this added an entirely new dimension to public relations and marketing that brands
may not have been prepared for but needed to catch up with - and quickly. This is particularly
true when it came to brands whose target market included Black consumers, who quickly grew
as one of the most active users of social media - and continue to be today.
“The existence of social media has allowed Black individuals to share their grievances, celebrate
their successes, call attention to injustice, and build awareness around cultural issues.”
(Mastantuono, 2023)
Just as we've seen with the ways in which Black companies and leaders have used public
relations innovatively to transcend false narratives driven by mainstream media and galvanize
their voices to speak out on social, cultural, and political injustices, you can see in the way that
Black people have used social media since its inception, to do the same.
“Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube function as the digital equivalent of “the barber
shop, the church and the beauty salon,” providing virtual spaces where Black people can come

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together to celebrate and affirm their racial identities and “laugh with and love on one another
[as well as] build community and coalitions and create safe spaces that center and celebrate their
racial identities.” David Stamps, Assistant Professor, Information Design and Corporate
Communication (Mastantuono, 2023)
Not only did this impact the way Black audiences were viewed as a viable target market,
it brought more visibility to our points of view and allowed these movements to spread rapidly
worldwide. Black audiences were the catalyst in proving the true power and influence of social
media as a PR tool, and what can happen when you have access to platforms that democratize
who can play a role in driving public narratives. Social media accomplishes this while
empowering people to connect over shared interests and the brands they love - as well as the
ones they feel the opposite about. Not only did social media create a space where people can
foster community online, but it also created a case study for the demand for Black voices and
stories. We can see this in the rise of one of the first digital tribes to transcend their social impact
into mainstream media: the Black Twitter movement.
“The existence of social media has allowed Black individuals to share their grievances,
celebrate their successes, call attention to injustice, and build awareness around cultural
issues.” David Stamps, Assistant Professor, Information Design and Corporate Communication
(Mastantuono, 2023)

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#BlackTwitter: Viral Memes, Hashtag Activism, and Cancel
Culture
Viral memes, hashtag activism, and cancel culture: these are the makings of a vibrant,
active, and dominant subculture of Black people on social media, infamously known as Black
Twitter. 19 million (28%) of Twitter’s 67 million users are African American, and 9.3 million
(or 20% of all African Americans) are on or self-identify using Black Twitter (Scott-Aime,
2018). Possibly one of the first well-established digital tribes, #BlackTwitter became a subgroup
of social media that, similar to the legacy Black media companies of decades past, gave the
general public an inside look into Black audiences' culture, perceptions, and points of view.
From publicizing Black Lives Matter into a worldwide movement to forcing the Oscars to
rethink their #SoWhite system, there's a rich history behind how Black Twitter has become an
online presence with the ability to make a real-world impact. So what happens when a
historically disenfranchised audience builds an influential presence on Twitter that is so massive
that it becomes its own movement?
Figure 3.4
#BlackLivesMatter goes from being a Twitter hashtag to one of the biggest headlines of [year]
and a full-fledged tagline used to represent the 21st-century version of a long-existing movement
and message to end brutality against Black people.

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Figure 3.5
Figure 3.6
#OscarsSoWhite gained so much traction and reach that it forced the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences to take an honest look at itself, which led to the diversification of its
voting members.
Figure 3.7
Figure 3.8

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#MeToo becomes a rallying cry for victims of sexual abuse around the world, leading to more
protections in male-dominated institutions, legislative reform, and the headline-making takedowns of some of the biggest offenders of our time.
Beyond being a powerful tool for advocacy, hashtag movements like #BlackGirlMagic
are a prime example of how social media could be used for disenfranchised groups to celebrate
and uplift their identities. Under this hashtag, it’s common to find posts about Black women’s
successes, cultural contributions, and social strides. It didn’t take long for its influence to reach
brands and the media alike, who took note of the impact of #BlackGirlMagic and leveraged it in
their marketing campaigns. Examples include in 2016 when Essence launched the
#BlackGirlMagic Class of 2016 campaign in honor of Black History Month to celebrate some of
the most powerful Black women voices of the year and in 2017 when Teen Vogue partnered
with youth activist Amandla Stenberg to solicit original reader narratives on what the hashtag
#BlackGirlMagic signifies to them (Shorty Awards, 2017). A year later, Black-owned wine
company McBride Sisters created a line of Black Girl Magic wines. And to think, it all started
with a social media hashtag.
Figure 3.9 Figure 3.10

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Here we see the formula start to form for how brands could use social media as a compass to
help navigate their audience’s passions and interests, using it to connect deeper with them more
authentically. This formula was particularly successful for Black-owned brands as it also
supported a deep-rooted, long-standing principle within the Black community of the importance
of supporting Black-owned brands. But movements like #TGIT really proved how effective
social media could be in not only resonating with audiences, but influencing them to take action
- whether it be watching a show, or hitting the buy button on a product.
#TGIT pioneered the social media watch party strategy as a method to garner
engagement and viewership for Shonda Rhimes’ weekly Thursday lineup on ABC, Grey’s
Anatomy, How to Get Away With Murder, and Scandal – all of which star Black women. At
their prime, these social media watch parties, driven by the cast watching the shows in real-time
with audiences and directly engaging with them, drove almost 400,000 tweets per episode for
Scandal, while Greys and How to Get Away With Murder pulled in 200,000 each according to
Nielsen’s Social Ratings in 2015 [source]. These numbers translated to their viewership.
“TGIT led the charge. The shows definitely set the gold standard.
Lara Cohen, Twitter’s Director of Talent.

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Figure 3.11 Figure 3.12
By 2020, the success formula for using social media as a public relations marketing tool
was set in stone. So when the combination of COVID and the tragic murder of George Floyd at
the hands of the police combined to carve out a worldwide audience ready to listen to Black
people’s outcry about injustice, the magnitude of its impact led to one of the biggest social media
and public relations moments for Black-owned brands in modern day history.

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Chapter 4: Social Media as a PR Tool for Brands
While a majority of Americans believe that social media are important in accomplishing a range
of political goals, Black Americans — eight in 10 — value the platforms for magnifying issues
that aren't usually discussed (Lei, 2018).
Let me start off by saying this: what happened to George Floyd did not spark a
widespread social media movement because it was an uncommon, shocking occurrence. In fact,
at this time in particular, stories about police brutality were constantly circulating on social
media. Beyond the frustration about the injustice of George Floyd’s story, was a fervent
frustration that stories like these weren’t being spoken about enough in mainstream legacy
media. Social media became a place to not only #SayHisName, but made sure that everyone was
paying attention rather than turning the other cheek.
he Pew Research Center reported that 218,000 tweets contained #BlackLivesMatter just
one day after Floyd's death. By May 27, the hashtag had been used more than 1 million times. It
peaked on May 28, used in nearly 8.8 million tweets, and remained above two million uses per
day through June 7 (Cohen, 2020).
The conversation that was sparked on social media went beyond voicing frustration
around mainstream media’s inadequate coverage of police brutality and Black stories as a whole.
Black people and allies vocalized the challenges created by inequities that Black people - and in
particular Black businesses - had to endure; especially as Black-owned businesses were
adversely impacted by COVID, shutting down at alarming rates.

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“Black small businesses already had lower access to capital and credit, and lower average
revenues making them less prepared to face the financial hardship caused by the pandemic.”
Kristen Broady (Washington, 2021)
Together, this drove momentum for the #BuyBlack movement.
In 2020, #BuyBlack became a rallying cry to support Black-owned businesses and
combat the adverse effects of the pandemic on their survival. This social media movement's call
to action was clear: buy from Black-owned brands. This call to action, intended to help
struggling Black-owned businesses, became a catalyst for skyrocketing them to unprecedented
popularity.
Following the rise of this movement, there was a substantial growth in conversations
about Black-owned brands on social media and a mindblowing rise in media coverage. The
prevalence of this conversation, along with its association with headline-making news stories of
the time, made it a headline itself. We can see this in the exponential increase of media coverage
that included mention of ‘Black-Owned Businesses’ before May 2020 and after.
Figure 4.1
“The fact that going viral on social media has become a key way for brands to gain PR

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opportunities highlights how data and metrics increasingly drive media coverage decisions.
Media outlets are likely taking cues from viral content to identify trending topics and stories
their own audiences will engage with.”
Fatou Barry, PR Girl Manifesto
This movement was so prominent on social media that Instagram even created a #BuyBlack
sticker people could use to encourage the promotion of Black-owned brands.
Figure 4.2
The #BuyBlack campaign sparked a cultural phenomenon that branched out into other hashtag
movements encouraging people to support Black-owned brands. #MyBlackReceipt, a social
media movement created by My Black upStart CEO Kezia Williams to mobilize people to
support Black-owned, led to spending over $7.6 million with Black-owned brands in New
Orleans in two weeks (CNBC Television, 2020). Beyond that, this movement increased

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momentum for Black-owned brands who realized the power of social media and actively used it
as a medium to engage directly with their ideal audiences, sharing their stories to build loyal
communities around their brands on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Through this use of
social media, many brands even managed to gain enough online momentum that it led to media
coverage in legacy publications.
“I think [social media is] definitely an effective alternative because it allows brands and
businesses greater creative control, more intimate audience engagement, and certainty of
owned reach. It compliments traditional marketing and PR channels.”
Fatou Barry, PR Girl Manifesto
From Hashtags to Handles: Expanding the Buy Black Social Media
Movement
Social media movements that galvanized people around supporting Black-owned brands
extended beyond hashtag activism to dedicated social media pages that served as directories
where people could discover Black-owned brands.
Figure 4.3

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Beyonce, who’s already infamous for blowing up emerging Black-owned brands by
posting herself wearing them on social media like Telfar, Anima Iris, and Brandon Blackwood,
partnered with the founder of Black Owned Everything, Zerina Akers, to create a directory of
Black-owned businesses in honor of Juneteenth. Not only has the directory garnered more than
407,000 impressions on Instagram alone, but it also brought media coverage for many featured
brands.
Figure 4.4
Figure 4.5
The momentum of these movements, coupled with widespread criticism of brands that only
showed their “solidarity” with Black squares and statements of allyship on social media, even

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caught the attention of major corporations like Sephora and Target, who began launching
initiatives to support Black-owned businesses.Target committed to spending $2 billion with and
make room on their shelves for Black-owned businesses (Target, 2021). Sephora made a similar
pledge to diversify their products. Meanwhile, Instacart showed their solidarity by debuting a $1
million ad initiative to boost Black-Owned brands, and Facebook launched a #BuyBlack
initiative to encourage shoppers to support Black-owned during the holiday season (Rahman,
2021).
While these pledges sometimes felt more like PR stunts than genuine commitments to a
long-term investment with Black-owned businesses, they brought massive audience awareness to
participating Black-owned brands in both traditional media and on social media—a golden
example of how powerful it can be when public relations and social media work hand in hand.
The rise of Black-owned brands on the shelves of major retail chains like Sephora and Target
also made room for the rise of niche but highly influential digital communities dedicated to
highlighting these brands, like Target While Black and Black at Trader Joe’s.
When I asked Target While Black and Retail While Black founder Marissa Kearney why
she started these digital communities in the first place, her answer was simple: to make it easier
for people to buy Black in places where they already shop and, as a result, discover new brands
to support.
“We built up this Buy Black movement…but it was hard for people to [find Black brands to buy
from]. But if you can just [buy from Black brands] in the store that you're already going [to], if
you can just go in there and see something, it becomes easy for you…It makes it attainable for

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people to actually meet [these brands] where they are. [If] I really like this brand, I can buy it at
Target.”
On the other hand, Target While Black and Retail While Black, helped to uncover and educate
people on the bigger issue: brands gaining spots on the shelves of Target but also having a high
chance of losing them because they don’t have the marketing or public relations to drive sales.
“I do not think the retailer is doing enough [to amplify the Black-owned brands in their stores].
[These] brands often don't speak up for what they need in those spaces because they don't want
to bite the hand that feeds them, so to speak...There are many brands we may not see this
summer because they're gonna be out of the stores because they did not have enough marketing
and PR behind them. I do what I can, but I'm only one page.”
With consistently high engagement and tens of thousands of views per post, both Target
While Black and Retail While Black are bringing tremendous awareness and engagement to
Black-owned brands in retail stores.
Figure 4.6

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In many ways, these social media pages turned digital communities play a similar role in
today’s media landscape that traditional Black-owned magazines played in decade’s past --
creating a much-needed platform to bridge the awareness gap so that more Black consumers can
discover Black-owned brands to support. They accomplish this with the added bonus of
delivering this content right where people spend most of their time while nurturing a strong
sense of community over their shared values and interests. Media can, in fact, take a note (or a
few) from the sincere and authentic way pages like Retail While Black cover Black-owned
brands, focusing on sharing real stories and reviews that help audiences connect deeper with
these brands.
Figure 4.7
But in the words of Marissa herself, “One post is just not enough” - especially for the brands that
didn’t feel the perks of the #BuyBlack movement and haven’t quite hit the revenue mark to
invest in public relations.
The spot on the shelf is, of course, helpful. But the brands can’t, and typically don’t, last
long on these shelves when they don’t have the proper promotion to compete, especially when

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they sit right next to household name brands with 20x their public relations and marketing
budget. Platforms like Miranda’s certainly can help, but they can’t, and shouldn’t have to, bridge
that gap to ensure these brands are consistently getting the amplification they need. Initiatives
like Target’s annual #BlackBeyondMeasure Black History Month campaign, which aims to
amplify Black-owned brands in Target stories, are a good start. But Black History Month and
Juneteenth only happen once a year, and these brands need amplification year round. So unless
yet another Black tragedy or trending movement occurs, these Black-owned brands are left
hoping for the wave of a trending movement to hop on or, worse - accept the consolation prize of
momentary amplification when yet another act of Black injustice demands the media’s attention.
“It shouldn't [have to] be Black History Month, Black Business Month, or Juneteenth to show
Black-Owned Brands. We can grab some wine every day of the year. [You can have it] in a
regular commercial—it doesn't have to be something so targeted.” says Marissa Kearney.
This issue extends to the limitations in how Black-owned brands are covered in the
media, too. We see a massive spike in roundups of Black-owned Brands ‘to support 365 days out
of the year’ during Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday, February (Black History Month) and June
(Juneteenth) or when a viral trend or post on social media commands widespread attention. But
as the spike in PR opportunities for Black-owned businesses continues to decrease following its
peak in 2020, these businesses are poised with the challenge of figuring out ways to build
momentum - both on social media and in legacy media. According to Fatou Barry of PR Girl
Manifesto, “I think we can look at the summer of 2020 and the influx of articles we saw
profiling Black-owned brands and businesses compared to what coverage looks like now in 2024
for Black-owned brands and businesses. Media institutions seem to still grapple with
distinguishing passing trends from impactful content among marginalized communities. I

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absolutely think there remains progress to be made in covering these brands consistently, not just
when a viral story emerges.”

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Chapter 5: The Success Formula of the Social Media
to Public Relations Pipeline
There is clear evidence to support that social media is a powerful promotion tool that
Black-owned businesses can use to build brand awareness, cultivate an engaged community,
and, in best-case scenarios, even garner mainstream media attention.
“[Social media] has provided greater opportunities for Black-owned businesses to shape their
narratives and connect directly with target audiences. By building their own followings on
platforms, Black-owned brands can reduce reliance on traditional media gatekeepers and get
their messaging and stories out on their own terms. The direct access helps counteract the
mainstream exclusion these brands face,” says Fatou of social media's benefits to Black-owned
businesses.
A perfect case study is Mabel Frias, the Afro-Latina co-founder of Luna Magic Beauty,
who was featured on SharkTank in 2021. Her team has utilized a mix of social media and public
relations to grow Luna Magic Beauty’s brand awareness and visibility. Her brand is a success
story on social media and in traditional media, boasting over 35K followers on Instagram and
media features in Allure, Cosmopolitan, Essence, and Refinery 29. When asked about the
impact of social media on her brand’s success, Mabel says, “Social media has had an
instrumental role in the growth of LUNA MAGIC and my personal brand. People forget that
business is composed of human beings, and human beings like to know what is going on in the
world of business leaders today…I leverage social media to take customers and LUNA MAGIC
brand lovers along for the ride on the crazy roller coaster of building a business!”

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Studying brands like Luna Magic, which have found success on social media, helps us
decode the factors that make for an effective social media strategy. These factors include:
Authentic Storytelling that Drives Community Through Shared
Values
Mainstream media outlets that don’t exclusively cater to Black-owned businesses still, to
this day, struggle to authentically engage Black audiences – and it shows. While executives at
broadcast television networks and film studios may argue otherwise, this creates a continued
demand for Black narratives driven by Black voices. Additionally, many Black consumers
deeply value spending their dollars with Black-Owned Brands. According to a 2021 study, 92
percent of Black consumers in the beauty industry say that supporting Black-owned brands is
important to their buying decision (Becker, 2021). Combining these factors creates the perfect
storm of eager Black consumers actively seeking out Black-Owned brands that align with their
values to support on social media. Black-owned brands that can master storytelling driven by
authenticity and culture are primed to appeal to this highly active audience on social media.
“Brands have embraced social media strongly because it allows them to engage directly with
consumers and control their messaging in an owned environment. Through social media, brands
can establish distinctive personalities and convey their values authentically. This direct,
personality-driven engagement level is why social appeals so much to brands,” says Barry; citing
Brand Blackwood is a prime example of what this looks like when done successfully:
“Brandon Blackwood did a great job at sharing his personal narrative across Instagram and
YouTube to make his eponymous luxury handbag brand relatable and aspirational. From his
debut, he’s provided an inside look into the journey from starting his business out of his

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Brooklyn apartment to rising success. There is a rags-to-riches New York story there that has
allowed audiences to connect with the visionary designer behind the brand.”
Mabel Frias of Luna Magic co-signs this perspective, saying, "In the age of authenticity, people
want to know that brands they care about and love are actually owned by the people who are
promoting it.” A great way to convey this authenticity is having a leader, such as a CEO or
Creative Director, who serves as the brand’s biggest ambassador. As socially conscious
consumers increasingly prioritize supporting businesses whose values align with their own,
leaders with strong personal brands add another layer of authenticity and authority that builds
brand trust.
Brands who personify a highly specific cultural point of view uncover another recipe for
success for Black-owned brands. A great case study is non binary fashion and accessories brand
Telfar, who has become known for taking extreme risks in their content, tailoring their voice to a
highly specific and underserved audience of urban, queer people of color.
“Telfar has become a cultural phenomenon in large part to their strategic social media
presence. On Instagram, they use cryptic and mysterious posts about upcoming bag drops to
create excitement. They also engage with their community through humor that resonates with its
urban, queer core community. I think this helps the brand cut through the noise but also helps
generate conversation around their brand,” says Fatou.
Strategies like these come with layered social cache. While they garner brand visibility,
engagement, and community building for these brands, they also can drive mainstream media

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attention that rises above what has now become a saturated sea of Black-owned business
roundup articles.
Figure 5.1
Brand Partnerships, Co-Signs, and Collaborations
Clout is currency at every level of media from social to traditional, so the right co-sign – from a
picture posted by Beyonce to a mention in a TikTok video by Jackie Aina can skyrocket a Blackowned business into mainstream media fame and social media virality.
Figure 5.2
While a shoutout that major doesn’t come by everyday for brands, leveraging the power of
strategic collaborations with influencers, thought leaders, tastemakers, and aligned brands is still
a formula for success on social media. Frias can attest to this with the success Luna Magic has
seen in their use of strategic collaborations, citing influencer marketing as a key contributor to

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their success. “Social media and influencer marketing has been instrumental. Customers like to
see how the product is applied, and influencers who have their own reach do a great job of
educating customers,” says Frias. Beyond influencer marketing, Luna Magic has also
collaborated with brands to galvanize their audiences and grow their brand awareness.
Campaigns like the social media bundle giveaway they hosted in collaboration with fellow
Latine-owned brands that are sold in Target in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month earned
thousands of engagements on Instagram and is one of their highest performing posts.
When combined with an effective public relations strategy, these campaigns are even
more successful, driving coverage in mainstream media and social media engagement.For brands
who can access such opportunities, strategic partnerships like FeNoel’s Spring 2023 Designer
Collection at Target exemplifies how successful partnerships can support Black-owned brands.
Not only did FeNoel see a massive speak in media mentions in April 2023 when their collection
with Target came out, but their social media mentions and user generated content featuring
clothing from the collection exploded too, with nearly 900 posts shared using #FeNoelxTarget
on Instagram alone, totalling hundreds of thousands of impressions.
These examples of success showcase what social media can do for Black-owned
businesses at its best. But ultimately, while social media is great, it’s not perfect - nor can it
stand alone as the solution to the media’s equity problem. This becomes increasingly true as the
social media landscape evolves, and so do the issues that Black-owned businesses are up against
on these platforms. So the question remains: how can Black-owned brands remain relevant when
there’s no tragedy or trendy holiday to make supporting Black brands buzzworthy?

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Chapter 6: The Challenges of The Social Media to
Public Relations Pipeline
Five years after the #BuyBlack movement reached a fever pitch, mainstream interest in
supporting Black-owned brands outside of Black consumers has simmered and mentions of
Black-owned brands in media have peaked and plateaued. Concurrently, the challenges that
social media itself presents have become harder to overcome. These challenges include:
Social Media Isn’t Self Explanatory - Or Free.
In the hands of a social media savvy person with content creation skills and a pulse on
the culture, social media is a powerful tool. But in the hands of an already overextended small
business owner with little to no understanding of how it works, social media is significantly less
powerful. As social media trends continue to circulate faster and the demands of content creation
grow, it becomes increasingly difficult for brands to break through the clutter of social media for
it to make a significant impact on their brands. Success on social media requires an investment
of time, money, or resources - and in many cases, a healthy combination of all three.
“ I don't think [social media] is as easy as people make it out to be. [It’s not] just about posting
every day or posting three times a week. There's people who have been posting for 10 years and
they have two thousand people on their page. There's people who get on the internet, they post
one time, and they [reach] 100,000 people,” says Kearney of the uncertainties of marketing on
social media.
Virality is the Social Media Equivalent of the Lottery.
While there are some methods to the madness, virality is not something you’re
guaranteed to achieve. It’s the social media equivalent of the lottery; if you make the right moves
at the right time and are lucky enough to earn the algorithm’s favor, it can happen. But it isn’t

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guaranteed, nor is it common. For many brands, virality can happen, but still not automatically
guarantee the fruitful benefits that it’s often assumed to bring.
“For Black-owned brands especially, a viral moment on social media does not necessarily
translate into long-term equitable media opportunities, I think we can look at the summer of
2020 and the influx of articles we saw profiling Black-owned brands and businesses in
comparison to what coverage looks like now in 2024 for Black-owned brands and businesses.
Media institutions seem to still be grappling with how to distinguish passing trends from
impactful content among marginalized communities. I absolutely think there remains progress to
made in covering these brands consistently, not just when a viral story emerges,” says Barry.
Kearney agrees, stating that “Not everybody's going to capitalize off that Viral moment. We
have some Brands they are gonna hit that Viral moment…but they don't have the following to
stick there and continuously purchase.” So while social media can be an excellent tool that
Black-owned brands can use to own their narratives, authentically engage with their audiences,
and galvanize support for their brands, the hope chance of virality is not a sustainable strategy.
Social Media Algorithms Have a Rising Racial Bias
History has a way of repeating itself, and in our current media landscape, the racial biases
that have historically existed in traditional media have now made it to social media. Social media
algorithms, as well as AI-powered social media moderation tools both have racial biases that
have led to the suppression of social media content posted by Black creators. Social media
algorithms have also been found to often prioritize content created by white creators, and in
some cases, remove content by Black creators inexplicably (Rosenblatt, 2021). A study on The
Risk of Racial Bias in Hate Speech Detection found that “leading AI models for processing hate

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speech were one-and-a-half times more likely to flag tweets as offensive or hateful when they
were written by African Americans, and 2.2 times more likely to flag tweets written in African
American English” (Shirin Ghaffary, 2019). This poses major challenges for Black-owned
businesses because, as Barry shares, “Even with compelling content and engaged communities,
suppressed algorithms mean that Black-owned businesses are often fighting an uphill battle for
visibility and reach. So, while social media presents exciting new opportunities for resonance
and connection, Black-owned brands still navigate uneven terrain.

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Conclusion: So, Can Social Media Bridge the Public
Relations Equity Gap After All?
It should come as no surprise that we can’t end this conversation with a cut and dry
verdict. The public relations equity gap that Black woman-owned businesses are experiencing is
a nuanced issue with many layers to unpack. But if we had to boil it down to the simplest
conclusion, it would be this: social media is a great equity stop gap for Black women-owned
brands who struggle to access traditional media opportunities - not an equity filler. Across
industries, the consensus is that no brands can escape the need for public relations in the modern
day media landscape.
Kearney of Retail While Black says it best when she states, “You can't hang your
business on an algorithm. But if you're gonna be in Elle magazine, multiple demographics can
[discover you]. You're getting a consistent follow through every season and not [just during]
Black History Month or God forbid - when someone dies.
Yes - social media does provide its own unique value for its ability to be a connector for
Black-owned brands. It not only connects these brands directly to their ideal audiences, but it
connects these brands to influencers, thought leaders, and even celebrities and journalists who
can champion their brands on a larger scale. This is social media’s super power and biggest
value proposition for brands. But ultimately, social media has proven itself most successful for
brands when it's complemented by intentional public relations efforts.
“PR has been a great additional layer, since PR helps us communicate messages across
more established platforms (magazines, blogs, etc) that usually have a much larger, and more
established audience base. I also like to learn from PR professionals, they usually understand
storytelling and trends, so it's a good resource to learn from them as well.”

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Mabel Frias, Luna Magic Beauty
Not only do we need to evolve our perspective on social media and public relations as
increasingly interconnected strategies that work best together, the narratives shared about Blackowned brands must evolve also. While yes, there is no such thing as too many roundups and gift
guides of Black-owned brands to ‘support 365/days out of the year,’ there are so many more
nuanced and compelling stories worth sharing about Black-owned brands that can help them
reach wider, more diverse audiences. This is especially true for Black women-owned brands,
whose intersection between these two identities creates opportunities for dynamic storytelling
that can go beyond race. Luna Magic’s Beacon award-nominated 24/7 campaign is a great
example of this kind of storytelling. Created as part of a partnership between Target and
Remezcla to champion the stories of Latine-owned brands, Luna Magic partnered with Latine
photographer David Cabrera to put the spotlight on diverse everyday women who represent the
brand’s audience as they work overnight shifts in NYC and prove that the beauty of nightlife in
the city exists beyond the bars, clubs, and parties. But there is also going to need to be a
concerted effort from the media to actually want to cover these types of stories - and do so
consistently.
“We need to see more of a shift in also valuing community impact, barrier breaking and
resilience, but as a whole I think the media industry is due for a reckoning. There is massive
opportunity to evolve old media norms while maximizing new platforms. But progress requires
commitment to equity from all sides - platforms, journalists, editors, and brands must improve
representation while also elevating substance over hype.”
Fatou Barry, PR Girl Manifesto

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With these necessary shifts in mind, the future of social media and public relations as integrated,
interconnected tools for brand growth looks promising. With that, the prospect of social media
making the need for public relations obsolete for Black women-owned brands ultimately falls
short.
“[In 5 years] we’ll still see PR retaining importance as well with future PR strategy being
social-first but still integrated across traditional, digital and owned channels. Specialists who
can maximize social media's marketing potential while also telling compelling brand stories will
be in high demand.”
Fatou Barry, PR Girl Manifesto
Ultimately, PR or social media can’t save the day for Black woman-owned brands fighting
against disparities rooted in centuries of disenfranchisement, systemic racism, and inequity. This
is especially evident in 2024 as the Fearless Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in Black
woman-owned businesses that have historically struggled to access traditional capital, is fighting
a civil case to prevent it from being shut down – simply for trying to combat these very
inequities. For Black woman-owned brands to achieve sustainable paths to growth in their
respective industries that don't solely rely on their communities supporting them solely for being
Black-owned businesses, these brands need resources to boost their brand awareness and
reputations – and going in on social media feels like the most accessible option. In many ways,
social media is yet another chapter of the 'work with what you got’ attitude that Black business
owners – and Black people in general – have been taught throughout history.
As social media forces us to expand how we view PR in this changing landscape, it
brings unique opportunities that could kick down at least some of the doors of PR's equity

Copyright 2024 55 Gabriella Layne
problem. So integrating PR with social media is the most promising win-win for the entire
industry. With that said, the barriers to Black woman-owned businesses accessing public
relations services and traditional media opportunities are still very real and pervasive – a
problem that the industry must acknowledge and figure out how to solve. As the industry at large
figures out how to reverse the implications of the PR crises they've created for Black womanowned brands, these businesses can and should explore social media as a strategic tool for
building brand influence, keeping in mind best practices and tactics that have proven successful,
while also recognizing that the social media landscape is constantly changing and battling its
own equity problems. These best practices and tactics include:
Optimizing searchability
While virality is more often a ‘lightning in a bottle’ phenomenon, searchability is a worthwhile
strategy that can bring sustainable results. TikTok is as much of a search engine as it is a social
media platform, and Instagram has advanced its search capabilities. For Black women-owned
brands, it’s important to identify keywords their audience is likely to search related to their
industry or niche, or use them frequently in their content to make their content discoverable.
Leveraging social media features that amplify Black and woman-owned businesses
Figure 7.1 Figure 7.2

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In 2021, Instagram released a feature that allows businesses to add their diversity ownership
information to their profile. This feature adds a tag to your profile, and makes your brand easier
to discover for customers who are actively looking to support diverse brands. There are also
options to add other diversity tags such as ‘woman owned’ or ‘LGBT owned.’ Yelp also has a
similar feature. Black woman-owned brands should take advantage of such features, because
they are not only good for reaching customers, but for making your business easy to identify as
Black-owned for potential media or collaboration opportunities.
Utilizing relevant hashtags and keywords for visibility and reach
Using hashtags like #BuyBlack as well as being featured on social media communities like
Target While Black are still highly effective ways to reach consumers - and these are just
examples of the thousands of targeted hashtags and social media communities that exist. Identify
hashtags and communities that align with your brand, and engage with them regularly to further
increase your brand’s reach and discoverability.
Cultivating relationships, and collaborating with complimentary brands
Social media makes it possible for brands who share similar target audiences to connect,
collaborate, and cross-promote. While every brand doesn’t have the opportunity to collaborate
with Target or Sephora, social media can drive collaborations between smaller brands that can
still expand your reach through campaigns such as giveaways or, co-hosted live streams.
Engaging with industry influencers, thought leaders, and tastemakers
Remember: connections are currency on social media, and a shoutout or mention from a trusted
thought leader or tastemaker in your industry is one of the best ways to get discovered by an
engaged audience who is looking for what you offer. Engaging with these thought leaders could

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be as simple as authentically engaging with their content, and when budget allows, as robust as a
strategic partnership or collaboration.
Being their brand’s biggest ambassador
Consumers want to know the people behind the brands they are supporting. That’s why it’s
important for the founders of small brands as well as Black woman-owned brands to have a
presence on social media - whether it be on your branded social media channels, or having your
own personal brand presence. Share behind-the-scenes and the inner workings of your brand to
cultivate a deeper connection and sense of transparency around your brand. Luxury handbag
designer Anima Iris is the perfect case study for how this is done well. While she shares highly
curated photos and videos of her designer bags, she also shares vlogs of herself traveling to
Africa to work with her artisans on her handbag designs, and candidly tells her story often about
how she built her brand while earning a degree in African development at Princeton University.
Figure 7.3 Figure 7.4

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Figure 7.5
Treating social media channels like owned media platforms
The core of compelling and engaging content on social media is strong storytelling and speaking
with your audience, not at them. Remember: long gone are the days of one-way conversations
with audiences. While many brands still often use social media as a marketing tool to solely
share promotional content with their audiences, the brands who truly stand out editorialize their
content by treating social media like their brand’s own magazine or TV network. This creates an
immersive experience for your audience, and leads them to look to your brand as a source for
inspiration, entertainment, information, and community, which nurtures brand loyalty.
Create timely campaigns around relevant holidays and cultural moments
For brands on social media, it’s important to not only start conversations, but join them. This is
why social listening is so important, because it allows you to learn about what your audience
cares about, and use it to create content that drives community engagement and makes your
audience feel like you truly get them. This is especially important for reaching Black audiences,

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who often feel underrepresented or excluded, and look to social media for this sense of
community. Staying on the pulse of trending topics, social media holidays, and cultural moments
is key to creating a social media presence that feels timely and relevant to your audience.

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Appendix A
Interview with Fatou Barry, Communications Strategist, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Expert, and
Founder of PR Girl Manifesto. Comments have been edited for clarity.
How important would you say PR is in a company’s ability to grow in today’s media
landscape?
I believe that PR is critical for companies to grow in today's crowded media landscape because
it helps to build brand awareness, affinity, and trust among target audiences. Strategic earned
media outreach, compelling thought leadership, and relationship-building with influencers help
to break through the noise to shape brand perception and drive business results. Specifically for
startups and smaller companies, PR is especially important for establishing credibility and
securing initial press coverage to catalyze growth which helps them to compete with larger
players that may have more resources.
How accessible would you say traditional media opportunities are to Black owned
businesses and what do you think are some key factors of this?
I don’t think traditional media opportunities are as accessible to Black-owned businesses as
some may believe. Black-owned businesses still struggle to acquire the coverage they seek
due to systemic biases, lack of pre-existing media relationships, and resource constraints.
Many major outlets rely on personal networks for story sourcing, making it difficult for
unknown Black-owned brands to get on their radar. These businesses often have fewer
financial resources to spend on PR services and earned media outreach compared to their
competitors.
I also think that Black-owned businesses sometimes fall victim to a form of tokenization where
only certain types of businesses and brands are featured or granted opportunities, without
allowing for true variety and representation within Black business communities. The landscape
remains uneven, and Black entrepreneurs continue to face disadvantages in accessing traditional
media visibility and validation compared to majority-owned businesses.
In your experience working with Black owned brands, what have you noticed are their
biggest challenges in regards to traditional PR and specifically securing consistent media
coverage? What would you attribute these challenges to?

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Based on my experience, I’ve noticed that the lack of existing brand awareness presents a
major obstacle for Black-owned businesses looking to grow through PR. Without that
critical foundation of recognition among consumers, it can be twice as hard to convince media
gatekeepers that a brand is newsworthy. In many ways, the lack of awareness feels as though
it stems from decades of exclusion when it comes to mainstream platforms elevating and
highlighting Black stories, creators and entrepreneurs.
Building relationships with journalists and editors at major outlets is also essential for
earning media coverage, yet systemic biases make it difficult for Black-owned brands to get
their foot in the door. These businesses often lack pre-existing connections that provide
access to top-tier press opportunities. Even once a relationship is established, unconscious
biases can affect whether journalists fully recognize the value in covering a Black-owned
brand's launch, new product or company milestone.
There’s a historical exclusion of Black narratives in mainstream media that continues to
hinder PR progress for Black-owned businesses today. It manifests through lack of
awareness, relationships and perceived value, requiring these brands to be twice as hard to
earn opportunities.
The media landscape appears to be shifting where social media is gaining prominence
over traditional forms of media among online audiences. What are your thoughts on these
shifts, and why do you think they are occuring?
I think that people, especially younger demographics, increasingly seek out interactive, ondemand content. Social media allows for them to tap into real-time engagement and community
participation and at the same time, we’ve seen trust in traditional news outlets decline over the
years, which is leading consumers to diversify their media diets.
For brands, social media channels allow for direct two-way conversations with consumers and
fans. This facilitates more authentic engagement that builds affinity and loyalty. Brands can
establish distinctive voices, share behind-the-scenes content, and respond to feedback in real
time. All of this deepens relationships with target audiences in a way traditional one-way
marketing cannot.
I think it’s interesting because while social media is gaining prominence, there is still a

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desire among older demographics for traditional media to provide third-party validation.
Over the last decade, we’ve seen brands start to lean more into social media as a key PR
and marketing tool. What do you think is the reason behind this shift, and is it an
effective alternative?
Brands have embraced social media strongly because it allows them to engage directly with
consumers and control their messaging in an owned environment. Through social media,
brands can establish distinctive personalities and convey their values authentically. This level
of direct, personality-driven engagement is why social appeals so much to brands.
I think whereas traditional media originally only enabled one-way communication through
advertisements and news coverage, social media opened up the door to two-way conversations.
Brands and businesses can receive direct feedback, respond to comments, and leverage usergenerated content and feedback in creative ways.
By investing in growing their own follower base rather than relying solely on earned media,
brands expand their sphere of influence and reduce dependency on third parties. Social media
can impact metrics like awareness, consideration, and loyalty which has made platforms like
Instagram and TikTok indispensable marketing tools.
I think it’s definitely an effective alternative because it allows brands and businesses
greater creative control, more intimate audience engagement, and certainty of owned
reach. It compliments traditional marketing and PR channels.
How do you think this shift has impacted Black owned brands?
I think that the rise of social media has had an interesting impact for many Black-owned brands.
On one hand, it has provided greater opportunities for Black-owned businesses to shape their
narratives and connect directly with target audiences. By building their own followings on
platforms Black-owned brands can reduce reliance on traditional media gatekeepers and get
their messaging and stories out on their own terms. The direct access helps to counteract the
mainstream exclusion these brands face.
But as we’ve come to understand, there are algorithmic biases on major platforms that create
challenges for Black-owned brands looking to reach wider audiences organically. Even with
compelling content and engaged communities, suppressed algorithms mean that Black owned

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businesses are often fighting an uphill battle for visibility and reach.
So while social media presents exciting new opportunities for resonance and connection, Blackowned brands still navigate uneven terrain.
It appears that, aside from Black History Month and affiliation to a celebrity, gaining
social media virality has become a key way that brands, and Black owned brands in
particular, gain more PR opportunities. What do you think this says about the media
landscape? What do you think this says about the social media landscape?
The fact that going viral on social media has become a key way for brands to gain PR
opportunities highlights how data and metrics are increasingly driving media coverage
decisions. Media outlets are likely taking cues from viral content to identify trending topics and
stories their own audiences will engage with.
For Black-owned brands especially, a viral moment on social media does not necessarily
translate into long-term equitable media opportunities, I think we can look at the summer of
2020 and the influx of articles we saw profiling Black-owned brands and businesses in
comparison to what coverage looks like now in 2024 for Black-owned brands and businesses.
Media institutions seem to still be grappling with how to distinguish passing trends from
impactful content among marginalized communities. I absolutely think there remains progress
to be made in covering these brands consistently, not just when a viral story emerges.
When it comes to the social media landscape, I think we’re seeing that virality does not equate
to accuracy or importance. The most inflammatory content spreads rapidly, but platforms have
to determine how to better elevate substance. For Black-owned brands going viral,
maintaining brand identity amid rapid sharing also poses a challenge.
Do you have any brands that you think do a particularly good job at leveraging social
media as a key driver of their PR and marketing efforts, and what do you think they do
well?
Absolutely! There are a few I enjoy:
Telfar has become a cultural phenomenon in large part due to their strategic social media
presence. On Instagram, they use cryptic and mysterious posts about upcoming bag drops to
create excitement. They also engage with their community through humor that resonates with its

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urban, queer core community. I think this helps the brand cut through the noise but also helps
generate conversation around their brand.
I also think Brandon Blackwood did a great job at sharing his personal narrative across
Instagram and YouTube to make his eponymous luxury handbag brand relatable and
aspirational. From his debut, he’s provided an inside look into the journey from starting his
business out of his Brooklyn apartment to rising success. There is a rags-to-riches New York
story there that has allowed audiences to connect with the visionary designer behind the brand.
What do you think needs to shift in PR and media to make them more equitable for
Black owned businesses?
I think the diversification of newsrooms is crucial for bringing in diverse perspectives and
counteracting implicit biases in editorial decisions. Hiring more Black journalists, editors and
producers will lead to more inclusive ideas of what and who is considered newsworthy. It also
facilitates organic relationship building with Black-owned brands.
But staff diversity alone won’t be enough. Media institutions must also expand editorial
frameworks beyond what's been traditionally valued. Things like celebrity affiliations and hard
news pegs seem to dictate newsworthiness. We need to see more of a shift in also valuing
community impact, barrier breaking and resilience, but as a whole I think the media industry is
due for a reckoning. There is a massive opportunity to evolve old media norms while
maximizing new platforms. But progress requires commitment to equity from all sides -
platforms, journalists, editors, and brands must improve representation while also elevating
substance over hype.
How do you predict that social media marketing will impact the PR industry in the
future (think 5 years from now)?
Looking 5 years out, I foresee social media marketing and PR becoming even more integrated
and interdependent functions. Social platforms and influencer partnerships will become
standard pillars of brand building and communications. Owned social channels will function as
hub newsrooms for brands - where content is developed natively to be redistributed across other
paid, earned and shared channels. Things like livestreaming brand events or launching new
products directly to fans first.

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New social platforms we haven't heard of yet are likely to emerge and develop into
marketing staples and as usual agility in adopting early and testing new channels will be
key.
But I think we’ll still see PR retaining importance as well with future PR strategy being
social-first but still integrated across traditional, digital and owned channels. Specialists who
can maximize social media's marketing potential while also telling compelling brand stories
will be in high demand.

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Appendix B
Interview with Mabel Frias, Co-Founder of Luna Magic. Comments have been edited for clarity.
As the founder of a company, how did you initially go about raising awareness for your
business?
The easiest way at the beginning was to leverage my personal social media channels (Instagram
and LinkedIn). It was shared with my personal community that I was building something special.
What role has social media played in the growth of your business?
Social media has had an instrumental role in the growth of LUNA MAGIC and my personal
brand. People forget that business is composed of human beings, and human beings like to know
what is going on in the world of business leaders today. Business leaders today are usually open,
and I leverage social media to take customers and LUNA MAGIC brand lovers along for the
ride on the crazy roller coaster of building a business!
What successes and challenges have you experienced with social media marketing?
Success has been that since the world leverages social media on a daily basis, you can easily
make real time updates and share what is on your mind. Access to the social media world is
instant! Challenges are staying on top of content creation, especially when you run a business.
Social media trends are introduced every hour and constantly change every day, so having a
passion for content is key!
What role has PR played in the growth of your business?
PR has been a great additional layer, since PR helps us communicate messages across more
established platforms (magazines, blogs, etc) that usually have a much larger, and more
established audience base. I also like to learn from PR professionals, they usually understand
storytelling and trends, so it's a good resource to learn from them as well.
What successes and challenges have you experienced with identifying PR and media
opportunities for your business?
The concern with PR is usually it is very expensive; when a business is starting out, some
companies do not have that kind of budget, unless they are venture-backed. But we have been
lucky to partner with boutique agencies who like to work with emerging brands and founders.
Their goals are to find brands they believe in early, and help them become a household name.
They believe in the mission, and that level of magical partnership is amazing.
What strategies or approaches to both marketing and PR do you feel were more successful
for your business?
For LUNA MAGIC, which is a makeup business, social media and influencer marketing has
been instrumental. Customers like to see how the product is applied, and influencers who have
their own reach do a great job of educating customers.

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When it comes to the long-term growth of your business, how do you intend to leverage
both social media and PR?
Yes, as a brand grows, both are instrumental to keep getting in front of the customer, sharing
news on new product launches, etc.
What are your thoughts on the fact that Black businesses tend to have more challenges
securing more consistent media coverage?
Unfortunately, this is usually driven by socioeconomic factors and finances. But, I have been
proud to see the growth of black-owned PR firms whose passion is to tell our stories, in a
manner that is authentic, fresh and soulful!
What are your thoughts on social media movements like the #BuyBlack movement and
their impact on Black business growth?
Yes, we have seen an uptick in sales with these programs, especially after the death of George
Floyd. In the age of authenticity, people want to know that brands they care and love are
actually owned by the people who are promoting it.

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Appendix C
Interview Transcript with Marissa Kearney, Founder of Retail While Back and Target While Black.
Comments have been edited for clarity.
Marissa Kearney: What other people are sharing that you're fine?
Gabriella Layne: Sorry.
Marissa Kearney: So I started doing that and I did that and then Black History Month was over
and I was like, okay.
Marissa Kearney: I had gotten so far into it. The brands and Blackness and retell and everything
by that point that I was kind of like a switch a little bit. I was like, I don't think I want to share
anything else. So Let me do it. black owned Brands inside of Target along with there's other
stuff that I really like we all love Penny Proud and all that other stuff. But when I started sharing
that as reals instead of pictures, which is what I was doing the place the platform took off and
buses the target wall block that you see today. but for retail wall blocks, it's actually interesting
people come back to me for other stores. and I was like
Gabriella Layne: mmm
Marissa Kearney: I barely have time to do this page. Do you guys want another store? I don't
know how that's gonna work. and I kind of got pushed into doing my retail page because I felt
like Target with Target, that wasn't mine like that's Target's brand. That's not my brand.
Gabriella Layne: Yes, yes.
Marissa Kearney: There were a lot of emotions around having Target making a lot of money.
from what I was doing and I didn't feel like I was getting enough love reciprocated and I was
like, let me make sure I can run myself my own bag because if I can't then one day I might just
end up out here, Without anything other than creating a page.
Gabriella Layne: Yeah, I love how organically it came together. Just out of something genuine
that you were doing and then a man kind of built for it and you realize how necessary it was. So
If you had to attribute the success of Target while black and…
Marissa Kearney: Yeah.
Gabriella Layne: Retail while black to something like what do you think is the reason that it just
caught on like that so unexpectedly.
Marissa Kearney: So I would say two things. One is like a storytelling aspect. People want to
know the brands and what they're doing and how they got there and it's really interesting for
people and you'll even see now inside of stores. The stores are putting brand stories up. So that
was a trigger for a lot of people like they want that story part. and then I would say that the
second part of that is just We kind of have built up this by black movement especially at the time
but it was feeling hard for people to do that. But if you can just do it in the store that you're

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already going to, if you can just go in there and just see something and it becomes easy to you,
especially if it's something that you like. it makes it. Attainable for people to actually do that
thing to meet them…
Gabriella Layne: yeah.
Marissa Kearney: where they are, and then you get to that next step too, We're I really like this
brand and I can buy it at Target. But what else do they have on their website, and then you're
running to their website and you just continue this phenomenon of continuing buying black.
Gabriella Layne: Yeah, yeah that makes so much sense. I love how you mentioned that Target is
starting to show the stories of these brands in their stores and it makes me think about just PRN
marketing. Obviously, it's just so important for brands, especially black owned Brands because a
lot of the time we're trying to do it with very little budget and resources and so when these
brands are in these stores? How do you think that these brands are doing at their PR and
marketing? And do you think that these retailers are giving these Brands the adequate kind of
support for their parent marketing because I feel like obviously if you're in a Target or
something, if you're Affiliated to that type of business, it makes your brand more marketable and
more friendly. So I guess that's like my two layered question there.
Marissa Kearney: right
Marissa Kearney: So no, I do not think that the retailer is doing enough of the brands at all. I
think that something that is new for what I'm doing is some kind of weird villain superpower that
I'm unlocking right now, is that the brands often don't Speak up for what they need in those
spaces because they don't want to bite the hand that feeds them. So to speak they feel like they
can't ask for too much because they're already in that space. and it ends up with there's a lot of
brands that we may not see this summer because they're gonna be out of the stores because they
did not have enough marketing and PR behind them and I do what I can but I'm on one page they
need
00:05:00
Marissa Kearney: Something that is better than an accelerator program. That's what we have
right now. We have accelerated programs at the brands put out there and they're like, this is what
you need to be in retail, but they leave it with nothing. That they can actually implement. real
things that they can actually do a real pipeline to actually help them,…
Gabriella Layne: Yeah.
Marissa Kearney: they leave it a bunch of notes of all the things that you should do, and I'm sure
that's very overwhelming.
Gabriella Layne: Yeah.
Marissa Kearney: So I'm taking it upon myself that people don't know these things about the
retail world. And also the retailers aren't doing the best job. They're kind of just treating the
black owned Brands like another brand on the show. Which

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Gabriella Layne: he
Marissa Kearney: if you're truly gonna support. Black owned businesses have diverse
businesses, you're gonna have to give something in order for them to really meet where you want
them to be for you to actually build upon that business to help strengthen them.
Gabriella Layne: e
Marissa Kearney: So they are a good retail partner for you. But retailers right now are not truly
going all the…
Gabriella Layne: yeah. it's very
Marissa Kearney: to do the Work and I also will say that R is expensive. So a lot of the brands
don't have it. and then, you get into a vicious cycle with Gabby…
Gabriella Layne: he
Marissa Kearney: because PR is expensive, but you need PR. And then there's black owned PR
agencies that are willing to slide for the black owned businesses. But then that PR agency doesn't
have the money that it needs to fully sixteen so that you go into this vicious cycle of everybody
trying to give to the next person. And then no one truly has what they need.
Gabriella Layne: My gosh, you just spoke the story of my life because that is actually a story that
I have. When I first started my agency, I was doing PR for Brands but exactly like you said small
Brands. I was charging them a lot. But at the same time I then didn't have the resources to make
them successful and I still see that when I work with black owned brands on the social media
marketing side because a lot of the time they'll seek out marketing at the point where they're
desperate they're like we need something to work.
Marissa Kearney: Yeah.
Gabriella Layne: And so they're like, I need you to get something to work on this very limited
budget in three to six months. And then once that doesn't work,…
Marissa Kearney: Yeah.
Gabriella Layne: then they no longer invest in it and then it kind of just ends up being the same
cycle. So you really hit something there because that is definitely the experience that I've seen
with black old brands.
Marissa Kearney: Yeah, because for me there's two brands that are leaving Target this summer
and I'm really sad that they have to leave Target this summer. But I didn't know that they were
leaving until they were able to make a post for me? Because if we don't get our numbers up like
we're gonna be out of Target and I'm thinking to myself one social media is not equal self. I can
put your name out there so people can know you but it really should be used as an awareness
piece. It shouldn't be used; eventually you'll sell it right because people if they see it two or three

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times, so go purchase it. But that's not the way it works up front. and I've had to had a long
conversations with myself
Marissa Kearney: It is you I can't take on the responsibility of making sure every brand is
successful. But that's how it felt at one point. if they were successful if they weren't selling off
the shelf. If someone didn't know that I didn't do a good enough job, which is super.
Gabriella Layne: Definitely Yeah.
Marissa Kearney: Thinner of the world thinking but that's how it feels for me. But oftentimes I
see them like you said when it's like dire need and it's because they don't have the money to even
think about that.
Gabriella Layne: right
Marissa Kearney: Before it's absolutely positively necessary.
Gabriella Layne: Yeah, that's so true. So, I guess I don't know if this is a question that we can
answer but from a PR and marketing perspective. What do you think that these Brands really
need in order to achieve that success?
Marissa Kearney: So I think a lot of them need to Outsource their social media, but that's again
money, but they're doing it. They're doing their own social media. They're running their
business. They're calling Distributors and merchandisers. you can't do all of these things all the
time, not at least right you can try…
00:10:00
Gabriella Layne: Yeah.
Marissa Kearney: But it's just not gonna be done. and I don't know what that looks like for them.
I don't know if it looks like their gen Z daughter or someone who takes on that part for them, but
a lot of times I see the brands who are doing their page most successfully are for example H.
Nope, that's the wrong person. yulitzer (?) you let's for healthy Roots dolls.
Marissa Kearney: Made herself her own brand because she does her hair and weird random very
beautiful, intricate hairstyles like all these colors and different textures that she's using and her
dolls are dolls that you can actually do their hair with real products. Right? So she has integrated
both of those things and…
Gabriella Layne: What?
Marissa Kearney: to make herself the perfect brand awareness piece for her brand.
Gabriella Layne: Yeah, yeah.
Marissa Kearney: But that's one in a million most brands are doing their own social media. And
they really need it for it Someone who is going to be able to just do that because it's exacting at

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the social media in your business all at the same time. And from a retailer standpoint. I wish that
there was.
Marissa Kearney: I wish that the retailers focused more on all the brands and some of the brands
that they think are going to be popular. because I don't know if you've seen the Black History
Month, the black beyond measure commercials that they kind of run throughout the year now,
it's always the lip bar. It's always black and bold in culture tax. None of those Brands need help.
Gabriella Layne: Yeah. Yeah,…
Gabriella Layne: they're good.
Marissa Kearney: None of those Brands need any help doing… what they do. not to say they
don't need advertisement, but it's just
Marissa Kearney:
Gabriella Layne: There's other brands that need it more. Yeah, yeah.
Marissa Kearney: Yeah, yeah, and the pages need to be more integrated all year. it shouldn't be
black history month or black business month or Juneteenth and you're showing black on Brands
like we can grab some wine every day of the year. In a regular commercial it doesn't have to be
something so targeted and that's another issue that retailers are having. That's a whole nother
rabbit hole, but I was talking to a brand and they want us to do a June team collection, which fits
their brand. It is for them to do Juneteenth like it absolutely fits, but they want them to do it in
Black Pride Juneteenth colors red white and blue.
Marissa Kearney: What are we doing? You're still not talking to me?
Gabriella Layne: Yeah.
Marissa Kearney: black people in the spaces that you need to be talking to them in for them to
really get it.
Gabriella Layne: Yeah, I totally agree. So from the side of PR obviously, if they can't afford
social media it is even more expensive. They definitely can't afford that but do you feel that?
Marissa Kearney: right
Gabriella Layne: these brands Do you feel that they let would help in creating this solution and
why do you think that brands? Have such a hard time black owned Brands and securing
consistent media coverage because I feel like in 2020. It was a whole other story, right? It was
2020 I say one it was like all these Brands I even had some of my own clients who? went from
their businesses being at the brink of
Gabriella Layne: Not existing anymore to Beyonce put them in the Black Parade campaign and
now they're selling out but that doesn't Spain right…(?)

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Marissa Kearney: right
Gabriella Layne: because they got that one piece of media coverage that blew them up and then
nothing else. So what are your thoughts there in terms of how much PR can do and why it's such
a challenge for these Brands to get it consistently.
Marissa Kearney: Yeah, so I feel like maybe needs to be the first piece. and then social media
maybe needs to be the second piece because I truly believe that there are businesses who are
completely successful without any social media at all or a very minimal social media presence,
but it's because they have the word of mouth going for them at all times in the background and
Marissa Kearney: if they had a successful PR and couldn't be pushed and season for Whatever's
coming up that's consistent.
Gabriella Layne: What?
Marissa Kearney: And maybe it's an education piece. I feel like for a lot of people they just are
looking for that Viral moment. And that's not gonna do anything.
00:15:00
Gabriella Layne: Yeah.
Marissa Kearney: That's not gonna do anything except, like you said, make you pop in for a
couple of seconds and then Slow the door is going to slam again and…
Gabriella Layne: Yeah.
Marissa Kearney: they're gonna be in that same place. Because not everybody's going to
capitalize off that Viral moment. we have some Brands they are gonna hit that Viral moment and
then people are what? I really like them. They're really likable, like something about them that's
cool and funky and I want to follow them forever and then you have people who go viral over
and over and over again, maybe even three times, but They don't have the following to stick
there and continuously purchase. But if you're gonna be in a I don't know L magazine and people
can click you in multiple demographics can click you too. You're getting a consistent follow
through every season.
Gabriella Layne: yeah.
Marissa Kearney: And not black history month or God forbid not when someone dies.
Gabriella Layne: Yeah.
Marissa Kearney: And then it's like my God. we got to do something about it.
Marissa Kearney: I'm so tired of us going through the cycle of we got to do something about all
the black people dying. And then all the media coverage is yay. we're gonna do this this time and
then they just completely miss it all over again. It's repetitive.

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Gabriella Layne: They do and it feels like for black owned businesses because that accessibility
to R is so impossible social media is just our only choice. And so do you honestly feel like social
media can provide the same level of Authority and…
Marissa Kearney: right
Gabriella Layne: credibility to Black owned Brands as traditional media if we just can't break
through in that space.
Marissa Kearney: I definitely do think it's possible but I don't think it's as easy as people make it
out to be just post every day just post three times a week. There's people who have been posting
for 10 years and they have two thousand people on their page. There's people who get on the
internet they post one time and they have a hundred thousand people there's just no you can't
hang your business on algorithm. But you can hang your business on traditional media. That is
going to continuously run throughout the year. I feel like that's just more consistent and I'm all
for
Marissa Kearney: in this point of my life where I've known a lot of stuff about social media now,
which is crazy. I used to be a teacher. I was gonna be an anesthesiologist. I don't know anything
about social media. I didn't have social media for two years. I deleted it. but it needs to be
consistent, but it needs to be consistent with the rear rear view mirror. It doesn't need to be
something that you have to Hands-On do every day all the time yourself.
Gabriella Layne: Yeah, that makes sense. This is such a difficult puzzle to put together…
Marissa Kearney: Yeah.
Gabriella Layne: because it's like you need the pr.
Marissa Kearney: Yeah.
Gabriella Layne: We can't afford it. We need social media. We're trying to do it ourselves. We
don't know the success that's gonna bring but I've been noticing that for me like we said…
Marissa Kearney: right
Gabriella Layne: if it's black history month, if it's June 10th, all of those things that's when the
Press coverage comes…
Marissa Kearney: Yeah.
Gabriella Layne: But something that I've also been noticing is if Brands go viral on social media
if it makes enough of a buzz which we already said this is a once in a lifetime thing. It does
create opportunities for PR. it feels like instead of media being at the Forefront. It's like social
media is driving and whatever conversations are really active on social media is now
influencing.
Marissa Kearney: Perfect.

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Gabriella Layne: The media and…
Marissa Kearney: right
Gabriella Layne: So with that in mind do you think that that's something that black owned
Brands can explore? Do you think that there's anything there?
Marissa Kearney: but
Marissa Kearney: I think if you do have a viral moment or if you have something that you feel
like is doing very well. You can take it yourself to Publications for a story. I've seen people do
that a lot too. if you cuz
Marissa Kearney: You know what? Perfect example. I've been writing my social media Pages
for three years. I didn't get one. Press hit. Until I reached out to a PR Company because one of
my favorite Brands was like you I just feel like you need to just try for three months, see how it
happens. so I can't tell you how many times things have gone viral on my page or how many
people I reached and sometimes in the millions but I didn't get any press coverage for it. maybe
seizing upon those social media moment. But now relying on them to actually get you all the
way but using them to pitch. Yeah.
00:20:00
Gabriella Layne: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I'm trying to see if I have any other questions
that I want to ask so I guess the final question I have was platforms like yours like retail while
black Target while black I feel like they're trying to avoid which we've talked about a little bit.
Of trying to be that bridge of bringing that visibility to these brands that aren't getting the
visibility that they need in other cases.
Marissa Kearney: very
Gabriella Layne: Where do you see platforms like yours evolving in this phase and their role and
how they are supporting black owned businesses?
Marissa Kearney: I don't know. I've been thinking about this a lot. So I don't know how Pages
are going to evolve in a way, but I do see that I see people that I know that consistently follow
me. I see them show up every day. They start using it in their own content. So maybe the role
isn't to totally fill the Gap but Inspire other people to use the products that then lead to
Marissa Kearney: A community movement of people using more black owned things in their
everyday life all the time. because it is now not just like a page where you can go find it now. It's
one of the really big Jackie I know Money that has The product and is using it maybe it just
causes a domino effect. So maybe I'm a piece in the Domino training. I don't know how to
puzzle train something like that.
Gabriella Layne: We'll do yeah. Yeah.

Copyright 2024 79 Gabriella Layne
Marissa Kearney: But I am the first tip and then it goes on to the next person and we create our
own buzz and our own marketing within the community Until that brand can exist without us.
Gabriella Layne: I love that. This conversation has been so insightful. I came into this. I'm really
trying to do this. Thesis being very open-minded to carry this conclusion is going to lead me
because I haven't a hypothesis and…
Marissa Kearney: right
Gabriella Layne: I like is my hypothesis l up with key players like yourself in this space and you
have just provided me with such invaluable insight that I really appreciate. So thank you for your
time. Once I get to a good place with the thesis. I would love to send it to you for you to read it if
you're open to that and…
Marissa Kearney: I would love that.
Gabriella Layne: yeah, okay, so I'll definitely keep you posted on when it's ready and let you
read it so you can let me know what you think and yeah again,…
Marissa Kearney: You are so welcome.
Gabriella Layne: thank you so much for your time and your insights.
Marissa Kearney: Thank you again for thinking of me. I enjoy having conversations like this.
There's not many times where I get to have a retail conversation with people that know all the
pieces so it's always
Gabriella Layne: Yeah. Yes, okay. awesome. I will let you rest your jaw and your mouth surgery
and…
Marissa Kearney: yeah.
Gabriella Layne: I will talk to you soon.
Marissa Kearney: Okay, it was nice talking to you again.
Gabriella Layne: Bye.
Marissa Kearney: Have a good day.

Abstract (if available)

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University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

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Asset Metadata

Creator Layne-Avery, Gabriella (author)

Core Title Empowering equity: an exploration of how Black women-owned brands can harness social media to overcome public relations’ equity gap to build influence

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Strategic Public Relations

Degree Conferral Date 2024-05

Publication Date 07/09/2024

Defense Date 07/07/2024

Publisher Los Angeles, California (original), University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Black,DEI,diversity equity and inclusion,equity,OAI-PMH Harvest,social media,women-owned

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Floto, Jennifer (committee chair), Castaneda, Laura (committee member), Cherry, Melanie (committee member)

Creator Email gabriella@strutcommunications.com,glayne@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113997ES8

Unique identifier UC113997ES8

Identifier etd-LayneAvery-13183.pdf (filename)

Legacy Identifier etd-LayneAvery-13183

Document Type Thesis

Format theses (aat)

Rights Layne-Avery, Gabriella

Internet Media Type application/pdf

Type texts

Source 20240709-usctheses-batch-1177 (batch), University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright.

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu