How Brands Can Better Represent Black British Culture

In recent years, we’re seeing more of an onus put on celebrating diversity and inclusivity, therefore it has become imperative for brands to not only recognise, but truly understand the richness of cultures that make up their consumer base. A vital and dynamic facet of this cultural mosaic is Black British culture. Rooted in a history marked by resilience, creativity and a profound sense of identity, Black Brits have made undeniable contributions to the UK’s social, cultural and economic makeup.  

The following tips aims to explore how brands can move beyond surface-level diversity and delve into the depths of how to communicate to a Black British audience.

Ask yourself, do I have a right to speak to the Black British community? There is no point in trying to reach the Black community if your products do not suit their needs. 

The term ‘Black British’ covers multiple ethnic groups from African, Caribbean to Somalian, to ‘mixed’. Each group possesses their own unique experiences, ways of viewing the world and nuanced cultural behaviours, so it’s important not to make sweeping assumptions by viewing them as a homogenous group. Digging deep into the rich tapestry that makes up Black Brits and viewing each group for their individual merits will effectively help you communicate in a much more powerful and authentic way. After all, consumers want to be SEEN, HEARD and UNDERSTOOD.

This is something my team and I are particularly mindful of for one of our client’s, a leading Jamaican rum brand – we identified the insight that Jamaican culture had reached peak influence in the UK and we’re seeing a shift: subcultures aren't the same as they were in the ‘90s, everyone is a bit of everything to varying degrees and ‘Jamaican’ is one of many ingredients in a culturally-rich melting pot. 

So we make sure we reflect these nuances in our comms and show how the many subcultures under ‘Black British’ are much more intertwined and are working together for a shared common goal: diversity and equality.

Sounds so simple, right? Yet time and time again many fall into the trap of producing campaigns for diverse audiences that haven’t had a single person of colour on the team – it’s not hard to tell when this is the case (we all remember the Kendall x Pepsi ad…). Having a diverse team from the outset will help you to draw out more strategic insights that will eventually inform killer creative.

Agencies such as Braver, People Like Us and the Black Comms Network are invaluable at helping source diverse talent for comms and creative roles. 

 

Recent research has found that 69% of ethnic minorities feel UK media has little or no relevance to them, so it’s important to get under the skin of where this audience lives and breathes. When it comes to earned media, titles such as The Voice, the UK’s leading Black British newspaper, and Refinery29’s Unbothered segment produces stories that are specifically catered to people of colour. Therefore, it’s imperative to ensure your story works for such titles and speaks directly to their readership. 

This approach to earned is particularly important for two of our clients, Dove CROWN and SheaMoisture. Both brands cater primarily to an audience of Black and mixed-heritage women with Afro and textured hair, so in the realm of sustained press outreach, our team will deploy a media strategy that incorporates a diverse array of vertical media outlets, to ensure we’re aligning with the brand’s demographic.

Actively seek out creatives, producers, directors and creators who represent the community, and can therefore authentically communicate to the Black British audience. The best visual assets are produced when you have a truly representative team.

Finally, I would always recommend building in an element to any diverse campaign that has a clear call to action that directly benefits the consumer or community such as raising awareness of an issue that directly impacts them, changes law or supports emerging talent – it shows you are serious about how you understand this group.