In recent weeks, many of the biggest brands have spoken out in support of social just movements, most notably Black Lives Matter. However, a handful of businesses have stood out by continuing their activism and using their influence to initiate change. Keep reading below to dive into some positive brand news.

The North Face

Throughout the last month, the North Face has been one of many brands that took to social media to express support for Black Lives Matter. In addition to posting supportive messages, the brand backed up their words with a $50,000 donation to the ACLU and a contribution to the Explore Fund to support communities most affected by covid-19. Now, the North Face has taken a further step to promote change.

The North Face was one of the first major businesses to join the new “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign organized by civil rights groups. The North Face, along with other brands joining the campaign, have all vowed to halt advertising on Facebook and Instagram until at least the end of July. The boycott was sparked by Mark Zuckerburg’s choice to leave up President Trump’s “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” post. These brands hope to mount enough public pressure against Facebok to influence a change in the platform’s policies on hate speech and misinformation.

Since the North Face joined the boycott one week ago, dozens of big names have also agreed to halt advertising, including Unilever, Starbucks, Coca-Cola and many others. Find out more about Stop Hate for Profit and the North Face’s efforts here: https://www.adweek.com/programmatic/why-this-facebook-boycott-is-different/

Twitter

In contrast to the criticism of Facebook, advocates are praising Twitter for the ways it has amplified the voices of people of color. In celebration of Juneteenth, Twitter has taken out billboards across the country that highlight real tweets from Black users who posted about Black Lives Matter and the fight against racism.

These billboards, with messages such as “Hold each other up and hold each other accountable,” from user @ashleysimpo, were strategically placed in cities with some of the largest recent protests, including Louisville, Minneapolis and Los Angeles. Twitter also used their own platform to highlight Black voices. On Juneteenth, Twitter’s official account posted a video from BLM founder Opal Tometi, who discussed the history of the holiday and how to continue advocacy going forward. Check out the billboards and learn more about Twitter’s work here: https://adage.com/creativity/work/twitter-black-lives-matter-billboards/2264076

Ben & Jerry’s

Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s has been outspoken about social issues since they started the business in the 1970s, and now they’re continuing to use their influence to drive change for Black and LGTB communities. Like the North Face, they’ve joined Stop Hate for Profit’s Facebook ad boycott, and the brand released a statement in support of Pride month that called for more protection of transgender Americans. They specifically called on their audience to support the Equality Act, which supports transgender rights and is currently being considered in the Senate.

Ben & Jerry’s has also shown their support for these issues with smaller yet still impactful actions. On Juneteenth, the brand got vocal about their support for BLM with a social media graphic that went viral. The image illustrates the notion of defunding the police with a giant bowl of ice cream, where small scoops from the “police budget” bowl are redistributed to other cups, each labeled with programs including affordable housing, education and mental-health counseling. Additionally, they sent ice cream trucks to hand out free samples to protestors during BLM events. Read on for more details on Ben & Jerry’s advocacy here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/19/business/ben–jerrys-defund-police-juneteenth/index.html