NAACP CMO Aba Blankson on DEI and Donald Trump

Financial support for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has decreased drastically since 2020. Just one in three donors from that year returned to support the organization in 2024, according to the organization. To bring donors back into the fold, the NAACP in October launched its biggest ad campaign to date, “Keep Advancing.” The campaign calls out people who expressed support and/or donated in 2020 only to tune out ongoing racial injustices today. “Our advocacy DNA requires that we point out when we are taking steps backward,” said Aba Blankson, chief marketing and communications officer of the NAACP, on the latest episode of the Marketer’s Brief podcast. “In this moment, it was important to pause for a second and say ‘Hey, we cannot continue down this path.’” Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, check us out on Spotify and hear us on Stitcher. This is our RSS feed. Tell a friend! The NAACP commented on original black square posts from the accounts with the most followers, encouraging celebrities, athletes and influencers who participated in Blackout Tuesday to renew their support for the human rights group. It plans to build on the campaign, which was intended to call on individual donors but applies to companies too, Blankson said. “One corporation’s move can shift the whole conversation,” she said. “Those corporations committed to progress, those corporations that can give a little bit more to support advocacy action, we encourage them to do so, to double down. You have to double down because we need you now more than ever.” The effort comes as brands continue to scale back their DEI efforts and initiatives. Walmart in November became the latest big name to join a growing list of corporations ending DEI programs such as diverse supplier policies or participation in third-party assessments of inclusive work practices. Voices on the right and left ends of the political spectrum have stated that Donald Trump’s election will foster an environment emboldening companies to abandon DEI. Also: Key takeaways from the $11 billion election battle The NAACP is encouraging those who did not vote for Trump to take action or volunteer with the organization. “It underscores the need for, in some ways, building a bigger tent and allowing other allies to come into the fold because they want a place to exercise their power and exercise their voice,” she said. Become an All Access subscriber Get access to exclusive resources including Leading National Advertisers, World’s Largest Advertisers, Agency Report, Agency Review Tracker and TV Pricing Report. Click here

How the NAACP is renewing support for racial justice

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