The Myth and Propaganda of Black Buying Power by Jared A. Ball

Author:Jared A. Ball
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783030423551
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Interestingly, while this and reports like it make reference to numbers produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics they do so only as a source for Black unemployment rates. This is noteworthy given that the BLS origins of the concept, as described previously, had a very different purpose. Here, because as the report acknowledges, it is to help corporations and “brands” reach their targeted Black market the concept of buying power becomes something else, mythological. Parenthetically, it is interesting to read the admission in the report that it has as its mission that corporations and consumers be “galvanized.” It was, in fact, Edward Bernays who defined propaganda (public relations, psychological warfare, marketing, advertising) as the creation of a “… reciprocal understanding between an individual and a group” (Miller 2005, 161). Put differently, the “reciprocal understanding” is that the target audience come to agree with the generated message. In this case that message is an acceptance by the Black consumer of the marketing, and the transfer of what is available for them to spend White corporations. Of course, further and most damaging is the acceptance of this process as exemplifying some kind of genuine Black power.

It should also be noted that the economic picture painted of Black America in this report, like most of its kind, does not reflect the actual conditions previously described. Its goal, following the trend given elevated life in 1954 by John H. Johnson, is to promote to White advertisers that despite historic inequality the Black consumer is “resilient” and always able to come back ready to spend. Data are poorly interpreted to justify the claims and to reframe reality in such a way as to not dissuade ad revenue from flowing toward Black presses and punditry which enjoy those dollars most. Were this left to the marketing community alone that would be one issue. But, as the report proudly acknowledges, with the propulsion of the Black press itself distorted claims regarding Black economic conditions are encouraged as reality by members of the community and promoted to the community as fact.

For example, without evidence or vetting, the report simply repeats, and attributes to it, the Selig Center claim of Black buying power “… rising from its current $1 trillion level to a forecasted $1.3 trillion by 2017” (Nielsen 2013, 4). Supporting the claim are references to “impressive gains” made by Black women in education and business ownership, Black consumers being loyal to name brands and beauty supplies, how social media “continue to engage” Black consumers of all ages, and that not enough ad dollars are spent on television targeting Black audiences who by percentage of population watch more than anyone in the country. Perhaps most disturbing, however, is the call, from among Black media and journalists specifically, for a “southern strategy” to target marketing toward the numbers of Black people moving back South in a “reverse migration.” This use of the phrase “southern strategy,” with quotations around the phrase as if to acknowledge the fact, disturbingly harkens

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.