Black History Month is a time to celebrate, educate and recognize the achievements of people of African descent in the U.S. However, this year carries a different weight. Amid deepening societal divisions, rising anti-DEI activism that many perceive as coded anti-Black rhetoric and brands reassessing their diversity commitments—whether by scaling back, repositioning, or reaffirming—many are left wondering how to move forward as tensions continue to mount.

Black people have always had complex relationships with America—particularly because for them, there is no distinction between America, corporate America and American brands. Moreover, their roles as citizens, laborers, migrants, leaders and consumers are deeply interconnected, influenced by the same societal forces that shape politics, culture and business.

Also read: Celebrating Black Creative Excellence

Yet, the broader public often views these roles separately, assigning each one a different level of power and influence. Historically, the Black consumer has been the most formidable of those roles since boycotting businesses fueled the achievement of Civil Rights.

Today, the Black impact on business is undeniable. As trendsetters, early adopters and inventors, Black consumers are a driving force in shaping markets and signaling where business and culture are headed. This makes the relationship between Black consumers and American brands especially important—not only for understanding current market dynamics but also for anticipating what’s next.

The erosion of brand-consumer trust

Brands have long sought to build emotional relationships with consumers, leveraging concepts such as brand love, trust and loyalty to cultivate lasting engagement. But what happens when those relationships falter?

Also read: Why brands should still embrace DEI

Recent research, social media conversations and brand tracking sentiment for several top brands reveal that many Black consumers are shifting from infatuation to disillusionment. Words such as abandoned, harmed and withdrawn are increasingly common in consumer feedback. Some people even describe their disengagement from brands in terms that mirror the end of a personal relationship—where trust is broken and power feels imbalanced.

To better understand this shift, we turned to the Power and Control Wheel, a framework originally developed to highlight patterns of abuse in personal relationships. While the comparison may seem provocative, it provides a valuable lens for examining how brands may unintentionally create uneven relationships—and, more importantly, how they can rebuild trust.

To be sure, this isn’t about villainizing brands or victimizing consumers. It’s about recognizing unhealthy dynamics and offering a path forward to restoring consumer confidence.

Three ways brands may be damaging trust and customer value

So how do elements of the Wheel of Power and Control manifest in brand-consumer relationships? Here are three key areas where brands risk eroding trust and customer value—and how they can do better.

Using privilege to make unilateral decisions

When brands make decisions without meaningful input from customers, they create one-sided relationships. Too often, Black consumers are celebrated during cultural moments but excluded from long-term strategy. This isn’t collaboration—it’s control. Brands that dictate rather than listen lose engagement. Consumers want to feel valued, not managed.

Key question for brands: How might our own power and privilege—whether rooted in affluence, education, gender, ability or other factors—cause us to overlook underrepresented consumers’ perspectives?

Also read: A Black Gen Zer’s message to brands: Cutting DEI policies comes at a cost

Using isolation to influence purchase

When products that consumers rely on disappear with little warning, they can feel neglected. Retailers have the right to shift focus, discontinue programs or make strategic decisions. However, it’s important to consider the meaning of what’s on the chopping block and the risks for both the retailer and shopper. If shifts are connected to values, identity or economic opportunity, much like isolation in personal relationships removes access to support, these shifts can make shoppers feel unsupported and abandoned.

Key question for retailers: Are we making decisions that unintentionally alienate or exclude shoppers who have supported us?

Minimizing, denying or blaming as commitments shift

When brands engage underrepresented consumers only when it aligns with the political climate, this erodes trust and damages loyalty. Sixty-eight percent of all Americans (and 82% of Black Americans) tend to buy brands that reflect their values. More than half of all Americans agree that if a corporation takes a stand on an issue, it should stick by it.

Just as in unhealthy personal relationships, brands dismissing concerns or shifting blame invalidates consumer experiences. When brands downplay the resulting criticism as overreaction or justify changes as “just business,” they deny the brand-consumer relationship and reinforce an unequal power structure, often making marginalized consumers feel invisible.

Key question for brands: How might our messaging unintentionally frame consumer concerns as a problem to be managed rather than an opportunity to improve?

Moving forward with intention

Black consumers, like all consumers, want relationships that feel reciprocal. By engaging them as co-creators, ensuring meaningful products and programs, listening to their feedback and staying the course, brands can cultivate loyalty and genuine trust, which are critical for building brand reputation, establishing competitive advantages and increasing shareholder value that extends beyond holidays and heritage months.