Black Twitter: a cultural, social and political goldmine and why brands should pay close attention to Black audiences

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Content

Black Twitter: A Cultural, Social and Political Goldmine and Why Brands Should Pay Close
Attention to Black Audiences.

by

Opal Grant

A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL FOR
COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
Strategic Public Relations

December 2020

Copyright 2020 Opal Grant

ii
Table of Contents

Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iii
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Twitter and Its Subcultures ............................................................................................................. 3
What is Twitter? .......................................................................................................................... 3
What are Black Twitter and Other Twitter Subcultures? ............................................................ 4
Twitter and Black Economics ....................................................................................................... 12
Business of Blackness ............................................................................................................... 12
Twitter, Black Politics and the Plight of Black People ................................................................. 20
Black Lives Matter Movement ................................................................................................. 20
Twitter and the Black Community ................................................................................................ 27
African American Vernacular English (AAVE) ....................................................................... 27
Black Memetic Culture ............................................................................................................. 31
Digital Blackface ...................................................................................................................... 37
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 42
References ..................................................................................................................................... 44

iii
Abstract

This paper explores the multipurpose usage of social media platform Twitter, and how its
popular subculture Black Twitter is reshaping how brands relate to Black consumers. Black
Twitter users leverage the platform to effect social and political change and guide the current
cultural climate. American brand history is one base on the exploitation of Black language,
culture and property. As the call for diversity and inclusion grows louder, Black consumers are
imploring brand to make diversity a top priority. Alongside, Black Twitter users have become
increasingly critical of the way brands use Black culture for social and economic influence. With
everyday users as its backdrop, the author explores how Black Twitter has illuminated dialogue
between Black audiences and the brands that borrow from them.
1
Introduction

On August 19, 2019, I woke up to what I would consider the start of one of the most viral
social media campaigns in history. One tweet started a nation-wide phenomenon that triggered a
slew of re-tweets that then ignited a frenzy. The impact is grand, but the implications are even
more significant, all accomplished when one company, Popeyes Louisiana Fried Chicken,
created a brand narrative entirely in line with its perceived target audience of young, hip, foodie
urbanites. More importantly, is the impact that Black Twitter had on this campaign that
demonstrates why other brands need to pay attention to Black consumers and their buying
power. Also, Black Twitter should leverage its social media presence to implore brands to be
more inclusive and considerate of minority audiences, specifically Black audiences, when all
things are considered.
Black Twitter is a cultural force birthing phrases like "On Fleek
i
" and "Sips Tea
ii
," and
brought the world viral dance challenges such as the #InMyFeelingsChallenge, also commonly
known as the "Shiggy Dance” set to the hit song by Drake of the same name. This dance craze
saw people jumping out of the passenger side of a slow-moving car to perform various
movements to the chorus of the song. This challenge garnered over 2.3 million tweets,
specifically dedicated to the #kikichallenge, #DoTheShiggy, and terms like Kiki and Keke, as
recorded by Twitter (Mamo, 2018) and more recently, the “Renegade”. Social media allows
users to project their experiences to an audience that consists of followers and things they
experience (Williams, 2016). Black people are multifaceted in their usage of social media to
guide the current cultural climate on what is trendy and relevant. Many scholars have dedicated

i
On Fleek – African American Vernacular English (AAVE) term used to describe something that is beautiful and
appealing.
ii
Sips Tea – AAVE expression commonly used when relaying gossip.
2
and continue to dedicate their time and efforts to identifying and understanding the cultural
significance of Black Twitter, which can be especially tricky if you have not had significant
exposure to blackness and Black culture. While Black Twitter provides a small glimpse into the
lives of Black American culture, it is imperative to keep in mind that Black people are not a
monolith, and this paper serves to shed light on a small fraction of the Black people who use
Twitter.

Figure 1: Tweet describing the multipurpose uses for items found in a typical black household. Provides insight into shared lived
experiences of Black people.

3
Twitter and Its Subcultures
What is Twitter?

Twitter is a microblogging platform that enables its users to tweet messages that are 280
characters or less and is an influential place for sharing thoughts, ideas, concepts and general
information. Twitter is unique from other social media and social networking sites, because it
disrupts traditional boundary interactions, blurring the distinction between public and private
spheres, and broadening the lines of communication between the elite and the masses (Williams,
2016). Twitter users can create a profile, which displays their list of followers and the accounts
they follow. The basic search functions allow users (and visitors) to view each user’s list of
connections unless the user’s account is private or locked. As an online space in Web 2.0,
Twitter is a public sphere that encourages discourse and debate (Cormode & Krishnamurthy,
2008; Donath & Boyd, 2004; Westling, 2007; Clark, 2014). Founded by Evan Williams, Biz
Stone, and Jack Dorsey Noah Glass, Twitter officially launched its platform in 2006. Many
factors contributed to Twitter’s popularity. A feud between Ashton Kutcher, the introduction of
the #hashtag, the acquisition of the short video creation app Vine, and strategic business ventures
contributed to Twitter’s popularity (Myer, 2019).
Within Twitter, a series of subcultures have emerged. These subcultures encompass
smaller communities that share common interests. For those who occupy the space, Twitter is a
vital platform that gives voice to issues that mainstream media do not cover. For many of the
participants, they often use Twitter to raise awareness and share issues of concern on their own
terms (Freelon, Lopez, Clark & Jackson, 2018).
To understand the influence of Twitter is to look at its network and its reach. On average,
Twitter has about 330 million monthly users of which 152 million users participate daily (Aslam,
2020). A 2019 pew research study found that 80% of all users on Twitter log on through their
4
mobile devices. In addition, the average user online user of Twitter is white male between the
ages of 18-35. These male users largely come from urbanized areas with higher academic
achievements, income greater than the general population and identified politically as Democrat
(Wojcik & Hues, 2019).

What are Black Twitter and Other Twitter Subcultures?

Online social media networks are a popular way for audiences to connect and share
content. Through these social networks, one of the largest and interconnected groups to form is
Black Twitter. It is a magical place, one that exists through Black collective energies. Black
Twitter is also critical and thought-provoking, providing an essential platform for black voices to
extend their reach and illuminate the everyday struggles of blacks within the United States. It can
be humorous, delivering social, pop-cultural commentary on occurrences that serves as a base for
some of the most viral memes and phrases to hit the internet since its genesis. This seemingly
elusive place exists only to those who are knowledgeable and have access. Cynnamon RéVaughn
Baker, a graduate of the Digital and Social Media master’s degree program at the University of
Southern California, sees Black Twitter as an entertaining and thought-provoking place where
she can delve into blackness without judgement and repercussions. “Black Twitter allows me to
see blackness in a vast way that it’s supposed to be, it’s not just a monolithic thing. It’s expressed
in many ways, whether that’s through education or blackness.”
There is a magic that exist when Black people share online, especially through Twitter.
The world becomes smaller and our lived experiences become less of an anomaly and more
common. “If you don’t understand a Black tweet, you're not a part of the culture but that doesn't
necessarily mean that if you grew up in a Black household it's something that you can
5
understand. I think it's really mostly about our Black experiences in a whole because blackness
can be expressed in so many different ways,” Baker said.
Black Twitter exists within Twitter’s many subcultures, and these subcultures have
become essential for communities of all types. In particular, of all the subcultures that occur on
the platform, the most well know communities are Black Twitter, Feminist Twitter and Asian
American Twitter. These marginalized groups have formed communities online while bringing
to the forefront issue prevalent to their respective groups.
Feminist Twitter is an amalgamation of users with diverse backgrounds and varied
experiences with journalism, politics and social justice work (Freelon et al, 2018). Participants of
Feminist Twitter have a multitude of women’s issues at the core of their organizing. Members of
this community list traditional feminist issues such as reproductive rights and reproductive
justice, sexual assault and gendered violence, workplace discrimination and harassment, and
other topics labeled “women’s issues” as central to their informational and political concerns
(Freelon et al, 2018). Feminist Twitter is diverse in bringing awareness to women’s issues, which
is a direct reflection of the users who comprise this subculture. Feminist Twitter participants
describe Twitter as a way to expand, amplify and promote the feminist agenda.
6

Figure 2: Feminist tweet describing a sexist statement often said to women.
Asian American Twitter is smaller when compared to against Feminist and Black
Twitter, however it is one of the fastest-growing subcultures according to Knight Foundations
2018 social media study. Asian American Twitter is described as the occasional groundswell of
Twitter conversation on topics that interest Asian Americans (Freelon et al, 2018). According to
the Knight Foundation, Asian Americans use Twitter as a tool for anti-racism organizing, but not
for sustaining a long-term digital community in the way Black Twitter and Feminist Twitter
does. Twitter gives Asian Americans an ability to challenge these injustices and rise to public
consciousness, and its digital conversations are deeply intertwined with coverage of Asian
Americans in mainstream media (Freelon et al, 2018). Many Asian Americans utilize Twitter to
highlight issues pertinent to their community that otherwise go ignored by mainstream media,
such as visibility and inclusion.
7

Figure 3: Memetic tweet from Asian American Twitter.
While all three subgroups use Twitter similarly, Black Twitter seems to have a unique
hold on the platform. Black Twitter can be defined as the presence of Black people on Twitter. It
is a space where Black users have formed a virtual community (Clark, 2019). Like most social
platforms, Twitter can also make the world seem smaller, and Black Twitter brings together
groups of people who share everyday experiences. As noted by Slate Technology writer Farhad
Manjoo, Black people—specifically, young Black people—seem to use Twitter differently from
everyone else. They form tighter clusters on the network—they follow one another more readily;
they re-tweet each other more often. It has become a multilevel network building process where
Black users are connecting, networking and engaging with other who have similar concerns,
experiences, tastes, and cultural practices (Florini, 2013). In a nutshell, Black Twitter
demonstrates an insider knowledge and cultural access that other groups using the platform are
not privy to.
8
Darrell Florence, a recent business school graduate of the University of Southern
California, sees Twitter as a booming network to be admired and explored. “Growing up around
that social media my habit of looking on the internet and being a part of everything but never
vocalizing that experience gave me a chance to see the evolutions of a lot of things that go along
with Black people. I feel like not so much by being a part of Black Twitter by commenting all
the time, but being a person who was looking on Black Twitter and when I have something to
say to the people I interact with all the time it builds a camaraderie and it builds a framework
reference.”

Figure 4: Tweet hash tagged #GrouwingUpBlack demonstrating childhood experiences of living within a Black household.
9

Figure 5: Tweeted collage of Black artistry commonly found in Black homes highlighting the commonality of Black art in Black
culture.
Black/African Americans use Twitter at far greater rates than other ethnic groups in the
U.S. They are more likely to engage with content than any other demographic (Akinola, 2020).
According to Pew’s 2018 research, when looking at Black users, about 28 percent of U.S.
Twitter users are Black/African American while only comprising 12.5 percent of the total U.S.
population.
It is easy to witness the power and impact that Black Twitter has on the world. Black
trending topics illuminate the voices of those that have been ignored and unheard while offering
a much-needed community for others. Many aspects of Black Twitter make it to mainstream
media through the avenues of hashtags such as #OscarsSoWhite, #BlackGirlMagic, and
#YouOKSis. Black community ties come to light through other hashtags like #GrowingUpBlack
10
and #ThanksgivingWithBlackFamilies that describe everyday situations and demonstrate integral
parts of growing up in a Black household. In a nutshell, Black Twitter showcases cultural
knowledge and insider access. It also challenges outsider groups' perception of blackness and the
performing racial identity claims (Florini, 2013). Black Twitter provides what Apryl Williams
describes as social support, which functions as a community that inspires real, tangible action
offline.

Figure 6: Poignant example of the creative hashtags that Black Twitter have enlisted to gain visibility and normalize Black
experiences in America.

11

Figure 7: Gives a humorous take on Thanksgiving with Black families.

Figure 8: #OscarsSoWhite was created on Black Twitter to uplift Black artistry and call for diversification of the entertainment
industry.

12
Twitter and Black Economics
Business of Blackness

Twitter has emerged as an effective tool for brands to engage with their audiences to
build brand loyalty and support. Brands across the board are paying attention to Black economic
power through consumerism. Fortune projects African American spending power around the
$1.3 trillion mark. Even though Black buying power and index spending have increased over the
last decade, corporations’ investments to advertise to them has decreased. For instance, between
2017 and 2018, advertisement spending intended to reach Black consumers declined 5%, a
downward trend bound to continue (“Blacks' Spending Power Grows, Advertising to Reach
Them Declines”). As noted by Cheryl Grace, Nielsen’s Senior Vice President of Community
Alliances and Consumer Engagement who is co-creator of the report: “At 47.8 million strong
and a buying power that’s on par with many countries’ gross domestic products, African
Americans continue to outpace spending nationally.”
With, Black/African American consumerism on the rise it is imperative that brands
research how to target these audiences when planning advertising and marketing. Black
Twitter’s audience engages with online content more than any other demographic within
the United States (Akinola, 2020). In addition, early Twitter research showed that black
engagement with companies, where 42% learn about products and services via Twitter and
another 41% provide opinions about products/services (Baer, 2010). Even with the decline in
targeted advertising, African Americans have welcome advertising across all mediums (Nielsen,
2019). They are more likely than the total population to agree that advertising provides
meaningful information on most platforms, including mobile (42% higher), television (23%
higher), radio (21% higher) and the internet (18% higher) (Behlow, 2019).
13
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen had the internet in a frantic craze when the company
launched its now-famous chicken sandwich that generated over $23 million of free advertisement
for 11 days in August 2019. Just two weeks after its launch, Popeyes sold out its chicken
sandwich, sending consumers in a frenzy trying to obtain the elusive golden bird. Popeyes
became a sensation practically overnight, and some speculated that was due in part to tweets
overwhelmingly proclaiming the sandwich as being better than of its main competitor, Chick-Fil
-A. Black Twitter played an integral role in the popularity of Popeyes’ new sandwich and the
free press and promotion that led to Popeyes selling its three-month inventory in just two weeks.

Figure 9: Proclamation of Popeyes chicken sandwich superiority over Chick-fil-A by one Twitter user.
At launch, Popeyes sandwich had received excellent reviews but garnered little press
from mainstream media outlets. With growing public interest in Popeyes chicken sandwich,
Chick-fil-A made a tweet promoting its original sandwich. To which, Popeyes responded “y’all
good”, on August 19
th
. The frenzy was immediate and started a public comparison of which
brand possessed the better chicken sandwich. By the end of August 2020, Popeyes was sold out
of their chicken sandwich. Popeyes later created a B.Y.O.B. (bring your own bun) campaign in
September 2020 for customers who wanted to try the coveted sandwich but could not because of
its immense popularity. Lines wrapped around blocks, and people stood for hours just to be a
part of this pop culture phenomenon.
14

Figure 10: Tweet that initiated the Popeyes chicken sandwich competition with Chick-fil-A.
On November 2
nd
, Popeyes strategically relaunched the sandwich on a Sunday, the one
day Chick-Fil-A is closed. Unfortunately, this re-launch was not without its flaws. Following the
second wave, many Popeyes across the U.S. experienced violent encounters involving patrons.
They also faced criticism for the immense pressure and danger employees faced to meet market
demands.

Figure 11
15

Figure 12

Figure 11-13: Demonstrates Black Twitter audience sentiments surrounding Popeye ’s viral sandwich.
Audiences across the U.S. wanted to be a part of the sandwich craze evident from large
profits Popeyes made from it. According to Fortune, sales at Popeyes restaurants were up 42%
with the company raking in $1.3 billion fourth quarter sales for 2019 (Morris, 2020). Popeyes,
the fast food chicken underdog, had found a goldmine that struck a chord with consumers. As
Forbes reported, the Apex Marketing Group estimated that Popeyes reaped $65 million in
equivalent media value—nearly triple the $23 million media value the sandwich generated in its
16
first few days of sale (Maynard, 2019). Business Insider details that chicken-sandwich frenzy
resulted in a spike in customers where foot traffic surged by 286% above baseline levels
(Mohamed, 2019).

Figure 14: This tweet demonstrates the need for Black reach and influence to be acknowledged by brands.
What some might attribute as luck and great timing was actually a well-thought-out
strategic plan. The attention Popeyes received was greatly due in part to the reaction from Black
Twitter and the many tweets that praised the chicken sandwich. During an Essence interview,
Angela Brown, the social media strategist behind the Popeyes Twitter account explained how
Black Twitter’s influence and reach drove the buzz behind the moment. “There is no way in for a
brand to follow any blueprint that gets to Black Twitter. Part of my job is understanding the
culture and making sure the brand is remaining relevant. We’ve known that Black Twitter is a
really big part of our community. They are amazing creators and we were mainly entertained and
wanted to engage with them”, Brown said. To outsiders, social media made it seem like genius
marketing; however, the influence and impact Black Twitter has had on businesses like Popeyes.
Some point to Popeyes’ “brilliant” marketing, while others say that, as usual, urban consumers
17
moved the needle on the marketplace and that Black culture is appropriated to fulfill those
objectives (Shropshire, 2019). Popeyes’ inroads with Black Americans may be as much about
marketing as anything else. The company has made appeals to African Americans in its
advertising, stoking criticism that it is pandering (Eligon, 2019).

Figure 15: Social commentary on the racist history and past of brands and their logos.
While Popeyes has a larger base and is more recognizable worldwide, Black Twitter has
aided lesser-known brands with smaller bases, especially shedding light on Black business
ownership. Renewed attention in supporting Black economic growth has sparked an interest in
Black entrepreneurship. Black business growth has lagged substantially behind that of other
minority groups (Howard, 2019). African Americans are playing a key role in shaping the
landscape of entrepreneurship. In recent years the number of Black-owned businesses has
soared, with Black women fueling much of that growth (Umoh, 2020). According to a 2018
survey by Guidant Financial and online credit marketplace LendingClub Corporation, African
American businesses grew over 400% in 2018 and is set to rise with 38% of business being
owned by Black women (Marks, 2019).
18

Figure 16

Figure 16-17: Tweets that highlight and promote Black-owned businesses.

19
Despite contemporary trends and the current social climate, African Americans have a
long history of entrepreneurship. Bright Black Candles, owned by Tiffany Griffin and Dariel
Heron, went viral after a tweet promoting their Black-owned candle businesses had more than
150,000 retweets (Bienasz, 2020). Support for Griffin and Heron’s business was so
overwhelming that they had to close until August 2020 to cope with the flood of orders. Another
business that has gained recognition through the collective Black Twitter voice is Health in Her
Hue, a digital platform that unites Black women with culturally competent healthcare providers.
Launched on June 29, 2020, 14,000 people downloaded the application four days after one user’s
viral informational tweeted about the company (Bienasz, 2020).
Brands are starting to pay very close attention to Black buying power and consumerism.
In June 2020, it was announced that Aunt Jemima syrups will receive a makeover and will no
longer feature a Black woman as its brand logo. Big corporations have always profited from
Black bodies and Black intellect; however, with the current climate, things are about to change.
Black Twitter’s calling out brands for their racism has also sparked a rise in the
promotion of Black-owned businesses. As noted earlier, one person who is riding the wave is
Michele Hoskins, owner of Michele’s Syrup, a Black-owned syrup company founded in 1983.
Black-owned business are experiencing a surge in consumer interest due in part the nationwide
protest against systemic racism. According to Google Trends data, searches for "How to find
Black-owned businesses in your area" saw a 300% spike from June 1 to June 2 in the United
States and searches for "Black-owned restaurants near me" tripled (Goodwin, 2020). Also, Black
owned businesses saw a 7000% increase in searches on Yelp alone (Gross, 2020). The consensus
seems to be that black businesses need to be promoted and patronized.
20
Twitter, Black Politics and the Plight of Black People
Black Lives Matter Movement

Throughout American history, Black people have organized and fought for equity, justice
and equal rights. The tumultuous past of Black people in America can be traced back to early
white exploration and settlement of America in the 17
th
century and slavery, where slaves were
taken from their native lands and forced into subservience. Through it, Black people have
remained resilient within collective organizing and have found ingenious ways to resist
oppression. Black people then and now continue to shed light on the injustices they face every
day. Their resistance has taken alternative forms in the era of social media. Information spreads
rapidly, giving their audience a real time play-by-play of events, trends, products and news.
While the concept of Black people fighting injustices is not new, social media, specifically
Twitter, has changed how young Black people engage with politics online. It has also
transformed the way black people mobilize to illustrate the everyday struggles of being Black in
America. The most prominent example of this on Twitter is the formation of the Black Lives
Matter movement, which has illuminated and changed the rhetoric surrounding police brutality
and the Black community.
21

Figure 18

Figure 18-19: Black Lives Matter Tweets demonstrating support of the movement.
Black plight and struggle for equality is synonymous with the civil rights movement of
the 1960s, a turning point in American history where Black people fought tirelessly to end
segregation and win the equal rights supposedly afforded to all Americans. Black people have
always been resilient in their fight for racial justice and equity. In July 2013, following the
acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Florida, the
#BlackLivesMatter hashtag made its first appearance on Twitter (Anderson, Toor, Rainie &
Smith, 2018). Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors established the Black Lives Matter
22
movement after Garza’s viral Facebook post titled “a love letter to Black people.” In part, the
movement was a response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer, with a mission to
eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on black
communities (Black Lives Matter). Black Lives Matter became a movement that involved young
Black youths initiating social activism across America. Since its introduction, Black Lives
Matter has become a mainstay in American culture in the fight for justice and judicial reform.
The Black Lives Matter movement has prompted many to use social media, specifically
Twitter, to debate and engage in dialogues about race relations and the heavy policing of Black
communities. Since Brown’s death, other Black Americans—such as Tamir Rice in November
2014, Freddie Gray in April 2015, Korryn Gaines in August 2016, Stephon Clark in March 2018,
and most recently George Floyd in May 2020—have died at the hands of police (Anderson et al,
2018). According to their website, #BlackLivesMatter is working for a world where Black lives
are no longer systematically and intentionally targeted for demise . . . The call for Black lives to
matter is a rallying cry for ALL Black lives striving for liberation (Black Lives Matter: A
Movement, Not a Moment; blacklivesmatter.com).
Twitter represents a larger struggle for power over the conversation on race and racism
across the nation (Carney, 2016). Social media is now an arena where social movements promote
their message, articulate their core beliefs, and offer a frame to the public. It is also a forum
where “the average citizen” can directly interact with a movement (Ince et al, 2018). Ince, Rojas
and Davis elaborate that social media also enables individuals to have more complex interactions
with a movement by allowing users to have conversations with each other about a movement,
contact movement leaders who have a social media presence, debate the movement’s legitimacy,
and otherwise contribute to the overall dialogue around a movement (Ince et al, 2018).
23

Figure 20

Figure 20-21: Tweets that call for more action to challenge police offers to question the circumstances around the shooting of
Mike Brown and BLM.
USC Annenberg journalism professor Allissa Richardson has researched how
marginalized communities use mobile and social media to produce innovative forms of
journalism during times of crisis. Richardson has spent much of her research delving into the
effects of bearing Black witness. Black witnessing is a distinct form of media witnessing that
assumes an investigative or sousveillant editorial stance to advocate for African American civil
rights; co-opts racialized online spaces, such as Black Twitter, to serve as its ad-hoc news wire;
and relies on interlocking black public spheres, which are endowed with varying levels of
political agency, to engage diverse audiences (Richardson, 2017). In essence, Richardson states
24
that Black witnessing is much more than the act of an African American person picking up a
cellphone to record a human rights violation; it is a mobile-mediated Black witnessing which
fills a cultural information gap that declining sites of Black discourse have left behind
(Richardson, 2016). Despite the momentum that the Black Lives Matter campaign has achieved
since its inception, little research has been published about the protest journalism created by
Black witnesses from within the movement (Richardson, 2017).
The use of hashtags is common online where users utilize them to create searchable
content on a particular topic. The rise of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag – along with others like
#MeToo and #MAGA (Make America Great Again) – has sparked a broader discussion about
the effectiveness and viability of using social media for political engagement and social activism
(Anderson, 2016). When hashtags are extremely successful, such as #BlackLivesMatter, they can
create a community of like-minded people who can sustain a conversation and even mobilize
offline (Ince et al. 2017). The #BlackLivesMatter hashtag on Twitter has had influxes in
visibility since its formation with an increase in use around times of police brutality against lack
people. As Anderson has observed, some social media users resisted #BlackLivesMatter,
#AllLivesMatter emerged and was used mostly as a counter narrative #BlackLivesMatter. Also,
#BlueLivesMatter was used to show support for police and oftentimes to show opposition to
#BlackLivesMatter supporters. It is worth noting that unlike the use of #AllLivesMatter, fewer
people have criticized the use of the hashtag #BlueLivesMatter (Anderson, 2016).
Richardson explains that the phenomenon of African Americans using the latest
technologies in a journalistic styling is not new; however, she expands that the speed with which
Black people communicate with one another has reshaped racial public and counterpublic spaces
online and in the real world (Richardson, 201). Richardson recognizes that all prominent Black
25
witnesses who have garnered national recognition for their coverage of the police shootings in
Ferguson and Baltimore are a part of Black Twitter and with that, create an ad hoc news outlet
that breaks news and supplies updates in real-time, rivaling some of the most time-honored
legacy media (Richardson, 2016). The associated cellphone videos and tweets that emerged after
these events have necessitated a fresh look at the act of witnessing, to highlight for the first time
the intersecting cultural, technological, and racial forces that inspire Black people living in these
cities, and beyond, to report news with their cellphones (Richardson 2016). In Ferguson,
Baltimore and beyond, Richardson acknowledges that African Americans have adopted Twitter
as their social networking platform of choice for conveying breaking news.
Similarly, Carney establishes that social media allows a broad audience to alter and
manipulate the movement’s construction of meaning and found that Twitter users were most
likely to express approval of the movement and assert their solidarity. Organizers of Black Lives
Matter made social media – and specifically the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter -- a centerpiece of
their strategy linking the growth offline directly with the conversations being had online
(Anderson, 2016). Youth of color, a traditionally marginalized group in U.S. society, play a
central role in the national discussion on race as it emerges on social media, using this
technology to voice their experiences and concerns in ways that challenge dominant ideologies
about race (Carney, 2016). Black Lives Matter Twitter users are an integral part of the movement
helping young Black youths vocalize their opinions or get involved with issues that are of value
and important to them (Anderson, 2016).

26

Figure 22

Figure 23

Figure 22-24: Illustrates the collective call for justice of Black bodies that were lost at the hands of excessive police force.
27
Twitter and the Black Community
African American Vernacular English (AAVE)

Black culture and creativity have had a great impact on American society and history,
most notably in the way Black people speak and the usage of ebony phonic or African American
Vernacular English (AAVE). Black people have been the generators and creators of some of the
most viral words and phrases to hit modern-day English. AAVE is trendy, it is relatable and most
of all, it is commercialized to reach a wide audience. It transcends all demographics to provide
color and character to any vocabulary. This is one of the primary examples of how Black culture
continues to influence pop culture. Think of your favorite viral words or phrases, chances are
that they have roots in AAVE. “Periodt
iii
”, “Gurl Bye
iv
”, “Yass Hunty
v
” and countless others
have gained traction on a local and global level. Twitter is often the medium from which AAVE
words and phrases have garnered its fame. Twitter plays an integral role in how Black language
spreads and how non-Black entities capitalize on the new trendy way of speaking.

Figure 25

iii
Periodt – An exclamation and/or declaration of agreement
iv
Gurl Bye/Boy Bye – Illustration of discontent or disagreement. Another way of saying no.
v
Yass Hunty - Expression of enthusiastic agreement or encouragement.
28

Figure 25-26: Everyday examples of AAVE usage on Twitter.
African American English (AAE), a dialect of American English spoken by millions of
individuals, contains lexical, phonological, and syntactic features not present in Modern
American English (MAE) (Green, 2002; Stewart, 2014; Jones, 201; Blodgett 2018). Quite
simply, it’s the way black people communicate with each other. AAVE is not spoken by all
Black people but most commonly spoken today by urban working-class and middle-class African
Americans (Collazo, 2016). How AAVE was developed is a cultural phenomenon created in the
last few hundred years shaped by (and despite) slavery, systemic racism, and extreme
segregation (Jones, 2014). While the usage of African American Vernacular English has spread,
it should be noted that AAVE is stigmatized because its speakers are stigmatized (Smokoski,
2016).
29
When Black people use AAVE or another dialect, they can be penalized and seen as
uneducated or illiterate. AAVE, when used by African American people, is often associated with
“undesirable” parts of society like poverty, drugs, violence, and gangs. But when corporations or
white people use it, they are co-opting its “cool” potential for their own gain — and giving
nothing back to the community that created it (Tremeer, 2019). The continued systemic
oppression of Black people is why the blending of Black slang into mainstream language is seen
as appropriation and exploitation, rather than appreciation and shared cultural mixing. It's risky
for Black people to use their own dialect, whereas non-Black people can pick and choose terms
and use them to sound "cool” (Shakeri, 2018).
Before words and phrases like “Bae
vi
” and “Whew Chile
vii
” go viral on social media and
are adopted by the non-Black masses, they are considered improper, and the Black people who
coined the terms and use them in everyday ways lose out on opportunities because of how they
are perceived (Shakeri, 2019). As soon as a word or phrase gets popular, it will be absorbed by
other communities, who strip away the terms of context and nuance. New slang is then created,
only to be appropriated and replaced — and so on (Edson, 1994). However, when Black people
use AAVE they are stigmatized as being uneducated. Yet, companies constantly profit off of
Black slang after these words hit the mainstream, and Back people rarely ever get credit for it
(Shakeri, 2018).

vi
Bae – Term of endearment describing a romantic interest or partner.
vii
Whew Chile – Illustrating confusion or being overwhelmed.
30

Figure 27

Figure 28

Figure 27-29: Shows mainstream usage of AAVE by non-Black people and brands in attempt to be cool and apart of the trend.
31
Much of the dissemination and popularity of AAVE can be attributed to corporate
marketing, and with the rise of social media, corporations have a window into dialects that they
otherwise couldn’t have accessed (Edson, 1994). Twitter taught many people the meaning of
many popular AAVE words. Companies are desperate to seem cool and down with pop culture,
so they teamed up with hip-hop stars to run campaigns that proved wildly successful (Shakeri,
2018). Popeyes teamed up with rap group Migos to release a special menu. Pepsi Co partnered
with rapper Cardi B for their 2019 Super Bowl commercial. 50 Cent collaborated with Apple to
promote its original iPod in his “P.I.M.P.” video. Social media platforms, particularly Twitter,
create a space where brands like IHOP, Denny’s, and Seamless can peek in on #BlackTwitter
and extract our lingo for their own social media campaigns and subway advertisements
(Stevenson, 2014). With growing popularity of Black Twitter and its users, companies are using
AAVE to keep up with trends to be more relatable to a wider younger audience.

Black Memetic Culture

Black memes, or Black memetic culture are a large part of Twitter and more than likely
some the most viral memes were created or inspired by Black culture. Memes allow people to
express their thoughts, feelings and emotions through pictures and/or GIFs.
32

Figure 30: Popular Twitter meme used by a wide audience.
Shifman describes the internet memes as units of popular culture that were circulated,
imitated and transformed by individual internet users creating a shared cultural experience in the
process, this definition lacks cultural specificity (Shifman, 2014). Memes are not new to the
digital era; however, one distinctive feature of a meme is its ability to spread easily and rapidly.
Uniquely, memes may best be understood as pieces of cultural information that pass along from
person to person, but gradually scale into a shared social phenomenon (Shifman, 2014). Shifman
characterizes the spread on a micro basis, their impact is on the macro level: Memes shape the
mindsets, forms of behavior, and actions of social groups.
Black Twitter memes also act as statements to emphasize cultural, social and political
messages through various hashtags such as #ThisYou, #Beethovenwasblack, #Sipstea and
#Karens. Black memes are being used worldwide by people of all backgrounds and walks of life.
However, it should be noted that while Black memes are popular on Twitter and beyond, one
unforeseen consequence of their continued popularity is the reinforcement of negative
stereotypes toward Black people.
33

Figure 31

Figure 31-32: Demonstrates the once trending Beethoven was Black hashtag as an example of conversation around Blackness.
34
In Black memetic culture, André Brock noted that Black memetic digital practice is
heavily based in Black mainstream culture to create a shared and cultural experience, more
specifically Black life (Brock, 2020). While an astonishing number of internet memes originate
from the Black Twitter memetic subgroup, Black memes are expertly social and requires a
participatory audience, qualities that translate to social media sharing. Nicole Yates, a PhD
candidate in the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, is an active
Black Twitter user who echoes Brock’s sentiments. She recognizes that some of her favorite
Twitter memes are heavily based on shared Black cultural experiences. “There was one that
talked about the different things Black parents do and that was very funny, it would say like
Black parents be like ‘You got McDonald’s money?’ or ‘Close the door you’re letting my cold
air out.’” Twitter enables Black stories to be shared and experienced through memes, which can
be viewed as an extension of digital storytelling.
Memes have a way of taking various forms and being reproduced through repackaging
and replication. In an interview with Doug Gordon, Georgetown University African American
Studies professor and Black cultural commentator, Lauren Jackson describes the way Black
Twitter memes change. How memes circulate and change themselves and sort of get
reinvented owes such a debt to the way that Black people move and change and reinvent culture
(Gordon, 2020). She also identifies that the same way that Black culture is so ripe to be taken
mainstream and people get sick of it, Black culture also reinvents itself as a means of survival
(Grodon,2020). While not inherent to Black Twitter, one notable and controversial figure of the
complexities surrounding repacking of memes for wide consumption such as Pepe the Frog,
which has been remixed and replicated from its original form to represent a multitude of
expressions and ideas, including some alt-right and racist ideologies.
35

Figure 33: Popular meme of Pepe the Frog.
While memes can be fun and give social commentary, they also can be political and bring
awareness to the injustices that Black people too often face in America. The #Karen meme, the
name given to white women who use their privilege to police Black people doing everyday
activities, join the ranks of #BBQBecky, #CornerstoreCaroline and #PermitPatti as memes for
white women who have become infamous online for their shameless displays of entitlement,
privilege, and racism and their tendency to call the police when they do not get what they want
(Lang, 2020). In America, white women are often believed and protected at all costs, even at the
expense of Black lives. #Becky and #Karen memes and jokes should be understood in this
context, part of a long tradition to use humor to cope with the realities of white privilege and
anti-blackness (Attiah, 2020). The historical narrative of white women’s victimhood goes back to
myths that were constructed during the era of American slavery and perpetuated the idea that
36
white women, who represented the good and the moral in American society, needed to be
protected at all costs (Lang, 2020).

Figure 34: Depiction of #Karen memes in the form of #bbqBecky
Memes like #Karen confront the status quo and command the attention of people, as
evidenced by their coverage in the New York Times. However, they are not without its
drawbacks. Breonna Taylor, a young Black woman who was killed by Louisville, Kentucky
police officers while sleeping in her house, was made into various memes to bring her murderers
to justice. These memes were met with mixed reviews. Though some thought it was a brilliant
way to continue to keep the pressure and momentum going in the pursuit of justice, others felt
that it was tone deaf and ultimately short sighted in the grand picture. “I think meme culture
helps us to process some of the more traumatic things that are happening in our society today and
sometimes I think there's more of a point to it than making light of the situation” said Yates.
According to April Williams (qtd. in Lang), while memes can shed light and bring awareness to
injustices, it can also undermine it, “On the one hand, the humor is a way of dealing with the
37
pain of the violence, so in that way it’s helpful, but on the other hand, the cutesy-ness or the
laughability sort of minimizes or masks the fact that these women [white women who falsely
report black people] are essentially engaging in violence” (Lang, 2020). Yates has similar
sentiments that while Twitter memes are a popular way of bringing attention to social injustice, it
can also undermine the movement and trivialize the struggles that Black people face daily. “In
some cases [it] kind of like serves to keep [Breonna Taylor’s] name in the news and keep her
name circulated, which I think is a good aspect of it. It's good because we don't want to forget we
don't want to just move on from that horrific incident, but it can also be viewed as a vehicle for
performing wokeness or even like in the worst instances co-opting some of the movements,”
Yates said.

Digital Blackface

Think about some of your favorite GIFs and memes online: do they feature a Black
person? Some of the most popular GIFs and memes showcase Black people in some of their
most emotionally heightened and exaggerated moments. These forms of emotional expression
online have become the default way for whites and non-Blacks to react to content. Memes and
GIFs act as voices for people when words just are not enough to convey the right emotion. With
Black Twitter’s popularity and rise among the social media platforms, the usage of GIFs and
memes are a popular way for online users to express themselves communicating online.
However, when Black content is the go-to medium for non-Black users to portray their emotions,
are taking park in what can be termed “digital blackface”?
38

Figure 35: Sweet Brown meme that immortalized her as the stereotypical Black female caricature.

Figure 36: Some of the popular GIFs used online are reactionary GIFs of Black women that reinforces the stereotypes.
Digital blackface describes the act of producing, posting or circulating “Black reaction
GIFs” online and especially on social media threads (Nyerges, 2018). Black reaction GIFs have
39
become so widespread that they've practically become synonymous with just reaction GIFs
(Jackson, 2017). Digital blackface is questionable because it re-enforces stereotypes of Black
Americans as exaggeratedly comic personae, or, especially with women, as archly sassy, but in a
way that does not detract from their fundamental availability to the project of white identity
construction (Shabazz, 2018). Digital blackfacing can take on various forms such as creating
fake Twitter accounts, posing as Black users to the excessive use of reaction GIFs that
predominantly feature Black people. This phenomenon allows non-Black users to act out
stereotypical Black identities online without fear of consequences.
Digital blackface is an updated version of the minstrel show era of 19th century
American history, where Black people were portrayed by white performers wearing black
makeup as they acted out exaggerated versions of Black people. The perpetuation of blackface
throughout history illustrates how the approach contains memetic qualities that allow images of
Black people to be commodified for mass entertainment, and thus normalize anti-Blackness in
Hollywood and mainstream media, imagery, and cultures (Wong, 2019). Digital blackface does
not describe intent, but an act -- the act of inhabiting a Black persona. Employing digital
technology to co-opt a perceived cache or Black cool, too, involves playacting Blackness in a
minstrel-like fashion (Jackson, 2017). When a white or non-Black person uses a reaction GIF
featuring a Black person, in that moment they are choosing to metaphorically don the skin of a
Black person for the sake of making a point (Shabazz, 2018). White and non-Black users seem to
especially prefer GIFs with Black people when it comes to expressing their exaggerated
emotions. Extreme joy, annoyance, anger and occasions for drama and gossip are a magnet for
images of Black people, especially Black femmes (Jackson, 2017). A perfect example of this
40
phenomenon can be seen in the following meme of NeNe Leakes, reality star and frequent talk
show guest.

Figure 37: NeNe Leakes in one of her signature reactionary face memes.

Figure 38: Call to action by one user to bring awareness of the harm digital blackface has on Black people.
41
Discussions of digital blackface are important because they challenge the status quo and
beg users to critically evaluate their usage of GIFs that only feature Black people. Digital
blackface is in some ways a more seamless transformation that uses the relative anonymity of
online identity to embody Blackness (Jackson, 2017). When white people use Black media on
the internet, it essentially allows them to be Black for that moment and then return to their
whiteness. However, Black people are not afforded the privilege of detaching from their
blackness and the negative connotations that memes and GIFs perpetuate. The co-opting of
Black culture by whites and non-Blacks people has happened throughout history and is not a new
phenomenon, however; with the rise in awareness around cultural appropriation, Black people
are holding online users accountable.
Images of Black people, more than anyone else, are primed to go viral and circulate
widely online in traumatic images, in death, and in memes (Jackson, 2017). Yet since memes
almost by definition take their images out of the original context and place them in another funny
or more immediate one, it is no surprise that these subtleties of meaning can often pass us by
(Jones, 2018). Reaction GIFs are an uneasy reminder of the way our presence is extra visible in
life, every day, in ways that get Black people profiled, harassed, mocked, beaten, and killed
(Jackson, 2017). If there's one thing the internet thrives on, it’s hyperbole and the
overrepresentation of Black people in GIFing everyone's daily cries play up enduring perceptions
and stereotypes about Black expression (Jackson, 2017). GIFs are meant to be fun and
lighthearted and can remain that way without others co-opting the space. However, users must
remain vigilant in their understanding of how digital blackface continues to perpetuate America’s
racist legacy and the implications it can have on the perceptions of Black people in the online
community.
42
Conclusion

Twitter has a large reach and is used by a large population of young people. Black users
engage with Twitter in a way that no other group has and is the preferred medium for Black
voices to air their grievances. This popularity makes it the ideal place for brands to capitalize on
the influence it has within current pop culture. Black people are not monolithic, brands should
consider all aspects when addressing the community. Brands have a duty in today's current
climate to give credit and to acknowledge the tumultuous history of Black creativity being
hijacked by white America. It also has a duty to include marginalized voices from which they
have taken inspiration. If brands are going to use Black culture, they have a duty and
responsibility to do proper research to authentically represent the community. There is no one
way to go about what proper representation looks however, there are a few things that brands can
do in order to one make sure that they are giving credit where it is due.
Social media campaigns like #PullUpOrShutUp, which was created by Uoma Beauty
founder Sharon Chuter, call for brands who align themselves with Black Lives Matter to release
their corporate demographics and show what percentage of their employees are Black. It is a
needed call to action that tells brands “enough of the lip service, we are holding you accountable
for your actions behind doors.” Black people are no longer being complacent with their spending
and are being selective with their spending power. Fenty and all its proprietaries, brands
launched by Rihanna Fenty, have been at the center of talks on diversity and visibility. Rihanna
not only features Black models but also stays on brand with Black culture. Some of her beauty
item names are F’N Black, Cuz, I’m Black, and Hu$tla Baby, all associated with AAVE. Reddit
CEO and co-founder Alexis Ohanian stepped down from his position on Reddit in a push to
appoint a Black person to his seat. While these are small steps, the lasting impression that is
43
leaves is that Black voices and representation should be an integral part of any business model
and culture. Black voices are coming through strong and will no longer accept the old ways of
doing business.
If brands want to borrow from Black culture, they should ensure that their business has
representation by having Black voices in the decision-making and creative process. A brand does
not have to be Black-owned to utilize the culture for profit. However, there should be some deep
affiliation to Black culture to possess authenticity and not be seen as pandering. Popeyes’ roll out
of its chicken sandwich is a prime example of this. They are closely associated with Black
Louisiana culture and enlisted Black public relations specialists and launched one of their most
successful campaigns to date. Second, the voice being used must align with the brand and brand
message. Too often corporations extract information and knowledge from Black culture and use
it because it is the cool thing to do. These brands are inauthentic and operate through Black
pandering. Black Twitter can tell when a brand is authentically working for the betterment of the
community versus only aligning themselves when it's convenient. There is no one way to go
about this as each opportunity and case has a unique solution. However, if brands keep diversity
at the forefront and under-represented community voices are heard, some progress can be made.
Brands should keep in mind that Black Twitter is never afraid to call out injustices and uplift
marginalized voices.

44
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Asset Metadata

Creator Grant, Opal M. (author)

Core Title Black Twitter: a cultural, social and political goldmine and why brands should pay close attention to Black audiences

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Strategic Public Relations

Publication Date 09/21/2020

Defense Date 09/18/2020

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

Tag #Karen,AAVE,African American business,African American Vernacular English,Black businesses,Black buying power,Black culture,Black Twitter,cancel culture,digital Blackface,GIFs,memes,OAI-PMH Harvest,Popeyes,Popeyes chicken sandwich,social media,tweets,Twitter,Twitter subcultures

Language English

Advisor de la Fuente, Jennifer (committee chair)

Creator Email ogrant@usc.edu,opal_grant@yahoo.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-376456

Unique identifier UC11666207

Identifier etd-GrantOpalM-9000.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-376456 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-GrantOpalM-9000.pdf

Dmrecord 376456

Document Type Thesis

Rights Grant, Opal M.

Type texts

Source 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 a...

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

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This paper explores the multipurpose usage of social media platform Twitter, and how its popular subculture Black Twitter is reshaping how brands relate to Black consumers. Black Twitter users leverage the platform to effect social and political change and guide the current cultural climate. American brand history is one base on the exploitation of Black language, culture, and property. As the call for diversity and inclusion grows louder, Black consumers are imploring brand to make diversity a top priority. Alongside, Black Twitter users have become increasingly critical of the way brands use Black culture for social and economic influence. With everyday users as its backdrop, the author explores how Black Twitter has illuminated dialogue between Black audiences and the brands that borrow from them.