Yes. You read that right. With Martin Luther King Jr. Day right around the corner, we can already see the inevitable onslaught of Canva-constructed, templatized MLK quotes coming to social media.
It happens every year.
Business as usual 364 with a nod to King one day out of every January, then back to biz as usual.
The time for subtle suggestions in this area disappeared with 2020. Brands truly interested in creating space for the Black community HAVE to do better than a meme. Points are no longer being awarded for doing the absolute bare minimum. And in truth, they never really were. The act of a social media post or two on a day where the subject is undeniable isn’t about justice or awareness or allyship.
So let’s get a little messy and talk about how brands should be considering the year to come if they are tempted to post a meme, but thus far unmoved to do much else. It’s far past time to acknowledge that a social media share is a flaccid exercise in a world that needs action.
Why are you doing it?
Before we move on to what would be a genuine act of support on a day like MLK Day, it’s important that content creators, CEO’s and the like ask themselves why they are creating the meme in the first place.
Is it because you always create a meme for every day like this?
Is it because you’re afraid of how it would look if you didn’t say anything?
Are you trying to win appreciation from a particular crowd?
Are you checking something off a list?
Do you feel in your heart like what you are posting has an impact?
Do you serve the community throughout the year in this way and it’s a natural piece of your brand?
Only you can be honest with yourself about this. Yes, it’s typical for brands to post something holiday-related on a holiday. But social media isn’t in its infancy anymore and if you’re sharing something online, it should have a purpose. And in the area of addressing BIPOC communities or invoking a leader as emblematic as Martin Luther King Jr. you absolutely have to be assured of what your purpose is.
If any part of you is doing this out of obligation, fear, or self-service, it’s time to take a giant pause.
Assess Your Involvement
If the only days of the year you’re considering making space for Black voices is on MLK Day and during times of trending tragedies, your brand is servicing no one in the Black community. It’s a harsh and likely uncomfortable reality, but the world can’t afford to have passive back-patters anymore.
Look back on your previous years of business. Has raising Black stories, serving people of color, and creating an intentionally inclusive space been a leading value of yours?
Are you aware of and seeking regular education in the area of anti-racism?
You’re not a bad person. You’re not a poor business owner. But rather than posting generic quotes again on MLK Day, why not make an assessment of how we’re embodying his philosophies instead?
The truth is, any brand can do better. And the way we do better isn’t through posts of obligation. It’s through real work that happens all year round.
Now What?
Well… that is the question, isn’t it? If you had your scheduled post loaded up and ready to go and felt like all was well only to now feel like you shouldn’t post anything at all then maybe that’s not as terrible of a thing as it sounds. Maybe today is the day you recognize the need for so much more than that little post.
MLK Day is not a holiday that needs a celebratory meme. The Black community doesn’t need to hear about how you have a dream.
This day is a gift. This day is a reminder. This day is for reflection, memory and inspiration.
So let it do that for you and your brand. If you feel that you’ve been going through the motions and not actively walking the walk, allow that to sink in. But don’t just sit in guilt, paralyzed by discomfort.
Make this a launching point. Brainstorm ways you can do better. Seek out information and education. Research brands doing it well. Look inside and ask yourself how your brand can serve, share and unify people. If you feel you must disperse content around MLK, do so by sharing the words of those more informed than you. Share the advice of strong leaders. Surrender your platform to those who are during it right. This day isn’t about non-Black people. So take the spotlight off of you and give it to someone who deserves it and can honor this day. And make that just the first step towards creating space for all.
Take the need to do what YOU want to do with today out and seek answers.
Think about it as it relates to your business. If you had a social media feed filled with people who LOVE to talk about your brand, but never actually buy anything or encourage anyone else to do so, are they actually moving the needle for you?
A quote meme is fluff. It’s a comment on a post without spending a penny. It’s using a brand to falsely represent yourself. And unless you’ve truly been building a brand in support of what MLK’s vision was, it’s not an authentic representation.
Your meme won’t be missed. But if you take this time instead to actually explore the ways you can genuinely contribute, by this time next year, the post won’t feel like an obligation. It won’t be empty, or hollow, or self-serving, but rather an intentional piece of your brand as you have built it to be. If the only representation in your company comes from a place of compulsion, it isn’t needed in the world. So let’s just stop. Let’s stop with the signaling and maneuvering and become brands with genuine value to offer.
