It was a “blackout” day on social media sites like Instagram, where users expressed solidarity with anti-police protests by darkening their feeds with black squares, and the ongoing online resistance is starting to affect how brands approach social media—with some advertisers going dark, too, to avoid sending the wrong message.
On Tuesday, Ford Motor Co. confirmed to Ad Age that it has refrained from social media advertising during the civil unrest of the past week. “We decided to pull back, even general product tweets,” said Ford Director of Marketing Matt VanDyke in a statement given to Ad Age. “We are being careful on social; it doesn't make sense to do it unless you have something really relevant to say.”
Ford was just one major brand adjusting promotion on social media, but smaller ad buyers and brand managers said they also recommend that advertisers tread lightly. Protests have erupted all around the country since last week when George Floyd's death, in the custody of Minneapolis police officers, was captured on video. One of the officers, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder for his role in Floyd's death, while another three are still under investigation.
Dinita Moore, a social media consultant and co-founder at agency Hue & Satch, says this is a moment for brands to reassess how they speak on social media. If everyone on Instagram is posting a dark rectangle, then a brand message could draw the wrong kind of attention. “Nobody wants to see black squares and then an ad for your product,” Moore says. “But putting money behind sharing your black lives matter message? That speaks volumes.”