Rise of a New Black Power or Black Power Redefined
Special Correspondent: Cheryl Pearson-McNeil
For African-Americans, the 2015 Oscars will end up being remembered best for Common and John Legend’s moving performance of Glory from the film Selma, which took home its only Oscar for Best Original Song. Unfortunately, it might also end up being remembered for not having any African-American nominees, although Selma was also nominated for Best Picture.
Already feeling snubbed from the lack of African-American nominees this year, Black viewers were not expected to tune-in in large numbers, according to Nielsen. Based on historical data, when African-Americans feel slighted by the nomination process they are less likely to tune in. For example, in 2010 Precious was nominated for best picture and Mo’Nique won an Oscar for Supporting Actress, resulting in more than 4.3 million African-American viewers. The following year, there were NO African-American acting nominees and Black viewership fell 42 percent.
Now cognizant of their ability to express frustration about one medium through another, Blacks flexed their social media muscles and used multiple platforms to vent about the lack of African-American nominees this year and voice their support for Common and John Legend. As a result, the globally-trending conversation received mainstream media attention across both social media and traditional media outlets.
As this example shows, when Blacks collectively act as “Conscious Consumers” the impact can be swift. The African-American consumer wields tremendous cultural influence. African-Americans watch 40 percent more television than any other group, have a $1.1 trillion buying power, and 73 percent of Whites and 67 percent of Hispanics believe Blacks influence mainstream culture.
A glimpse of this “new” Black power found in the united response to this year’s dearth of diverse Oscar nominees could point to a re-energized climate in which African-American consumers know the power and influence they wield when it comes to how they spend their time and money. They know how those decisions - such as which television show to watch or not watch – can be compounded and multiplied for maximum impact. And with African-Americans over-indexing in social media use, the “we-notice-and-don’t-like-what-we-see” warning gets spread far and wide. Brands seeking to win favor with African-American consumers should pay close and studious heed.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the Black Power movement led to meaningful and historic changes. Using today’s social media platforms and other tools, including word of mouth and radio – along with their sizable collective buying power - African-Americans will again be able to achieve significant and conscious impact that can lead to real societal change. That’s the “new” Black Power.
(Pearson-McNeil is Senior VP of U.S. Strategic Community Alliances & Consumer Engagement for Nielsen. To further explore the “new” Black Power, check out Nielsen’s 2014 African-American consumer report, Power. Growing. Influential. The conversation continues at #ConsciousConsumer)
NOTE: If you have tuned in during prime time recently, then you have witnessed a notable string of successful television programs featuring lead Black actors, culturally relevant story lines and predominantly Black casts. Despite the fact that African Americans watch more television than any other group, this trend is more than a strategy for reaching Black audiences, but for reaching multiple audiences.
A Nielsen report highlighted that 73% of Whites and 67% of Hispanics believe Blacks influence mainstream culture. This trend paired with the $1.1 trillion buying power of 44 million African Americans has given a new meaning to “Black Power.”
As we have seen with the emergence of social media boycotts and campaigns, the mantra of the “new” Black Power movement is conscious consumerism. From prime time television to the multi-billion dollar hip-hop industry, where African Americans spend their time and money has a significant impact across diverse groups of people. Thanks!
