How Black Lives Matter is in a PR Pinch – And How It Can Get Out

Black Lives Matter is a chapter-based national organization working to end the dehumanization, discrimination and systematical and violent targeting of Black life.

Since its creation in 2012 by Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, and Alicia Garza, the organization has organized protests, established almost 40 chapters nationwide, and kicked off a social media revolution.

Unfortunately, Black Lives Matter has been pushed into a public relations crisis. According to prsa.org, some key points to public relations are analyzing and interpreting public opinion, perception and attitudes that can impact an organization and establishing efforts to influence public policy and understanding of the organization’s goals.

While it’s unfortunate that such an incredible, peaceful justice organization is being treated like a corrupt multi-billion dollar corporation, it must be recognized that the Black Lives Matter organization is experiencing a PR crisis, so that it can be addressed.

It’s Seen as a Slogan, Not an Organization

#BlackLivesMatter has spread across the Internet as supporters and activists seek to educate the world about the movement. However, with all this attention toward the hashtag, it seems many are lost to the fact that it is an entire organization, not just another #PrayforParis or #LoveWins. This perception has led people uneducated about the organization to issue rebuttals like #alllivesmatter and #bluelivesmatter.

The Media Is Calling It a Terrorist or Hate Group

After the murder of two black men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, by police officers, Black Lives Matter began organizing protests for justice. One such protest was interrupted after a man shot and killed 5 police officers and injured others in Dalla, TX.

Despite the fact that police stated that the shooter, Micah Johnson, had no affiliation with Black Lives Matter, and the organization has publicly condemned his actions, the media and other public figures, such as Rush Limbaugh and Rudy Giuliani, have gone on a full tirade, calling Black Lives Matter a terrorist group.

Now, we know this is a ridiculous insinuation, but historically, we've seen this before. Just like how the media and government called Civil Rights supporters in the '60s "agitators," again they are trying to silence a group by demonizing it.

While the group preaches peace, the public seems to connect the entire organization with:

• Any protesters who become violent or participate in looting/riots
• Anyone who says or tweets #blacklivesmatter
• Micah Johnson

The Public is Unclear of the Demands

The general public may know that the movement is saying, “Black Lives Matter,” but unless they visit the website, they don’t know the principles of the organization.

More importantly, they don’t know any concrete demands that the organization is making. Many are asking, “What tangible thing does the group want?”

Of course, you would think simply saying, “Stop killing black people,” is enough, but we can’t be naïve to the fact that without hard demands to point to, this can easily fall on deaf ears and provoke little or no action.

Admittedly, finding the list of demands for Black Lives Matter on their website was difficult. It’s not immediately in the menu, but it is located in this very informative post, 11 Major Misconceptions About the Black Lives Matter Movement.

So, if we know that major issues plaguing the organization, how can they be fixed?

Transform the Perception 

The organization has come under heavy criticism, and many Americans outside the black community are growing to perceive Black Lives Matter in a negative light.

A very effective way to combat that negativity is to flood the media with positive images. A perfect example of this is the image that shows Ieshia Evans, a young woman shown standing peacefully and calmly in front of police officers in heavy armor running toward her. More of this is needed!

Black Lives Matter needs to proactively locate opportunities to display images and videos depicting peace behind the movement. It’s clear the media will be looking toward the group, hoping to catch something incendiary to perpetuate their slant that the group is violent. The group should use that media coverage to its advantage and seize those moments to provide overwhelming visuals of love.

Re-branding

There’s something to be said about brand identity. It can be the difference between the life and death of any business. The same goes for an organization. At this point, Black Lives Matter is being pushed as a slogan, and when it is recognized as an actual group, it’s being called a hate group. Getting distance from this destructive labeling is going to be difficult. Some tactics to consider:

Changing the Name

This may rub some the wrong way feeling like, “Why should we have to change the name!? Black lives do matter.” Yes, they do, but consider this. When someone says “Black Lives Matter” another person says “All Lives Matter.” Why can they say that? Because the organization’s name itself is like a slogan.

If someone says “NAACP,” there’s nothing else to be said. It’s just that. Now, someone could say that they don’t like the NAACP or what it stands for, but they’re still recognizing it as an organization.

Tweaking the Wording

If changing the name seems too far, the group could work to change how people refer to it. Going forward, they could say “The Black Lives Matter Organization.” While it is a mouthful, it’s a small way to shift away from being a slogan ready for rebuttal.

Demands Need to Be Front and Center

Demands need to be listed on the main menu of the site. In the "misconceptions" post, there's a reference to Campaign Zero, a site that lists a comprehensive description of demands and policy solutions.

This site needs to be more heavily promoted and those demands need to be pushed on every social media channel, at every protest, at every news conference...

The public needs to be able to repeat them in their sleep, and get away from only knowing the hashtag.

Follow the Leader

Black Lives Matter has strayed away from pushing any one person forward as the organization’s “leader,” stating that the single, male leader model, similar to that of Martin Luther King, Jr. for the Civil Rights Movement, is flawed, in that it completely disregards and shadows the leadership provided by women, youth, and LGBT working in the organization.

While that is incredibly true, many people have trouble seeing an organization as a whole without having a leader to point to. This is true for a for-profit corporation, government, or a non-profit organization.

As Black Lives Matter mentioned in its post, it’s not a “leaderless movement,” but by mentioning that, the group recognizes that this is a misconception. While the leader does not have to be an older male, trying to distance away from having one is hurting the organization more than helping in regards to its perception.

There needs to be a clear face to the movement. Someone who is charismatic, respected, passionate, and able to move people with the power of their words.

Black Lives Matter has changed the face of justice movements and what it means to fight for black life, peace and social change. Now, let’s get the world to see how much love truly is what Black Lives Matter is all about.

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