Juneteenth is an annual holiday that celebrates the freedom of African Americans. In 2020, you likely saw many brands posting about it. That was the year more people became aware of the holiday, and multiple organizations—big and small—stepped up to honor it.
Today, Juneteenth is a celebration on most companies’ marketing calendars, and it may be on yours as well. But if you plan to honor this important day, remember that commemorating Juneteenth isn’t about making a sale or promoting a new product. Instead, this holiday is about fostering community, commitment, and engagement. However, brainstorming and implementing marketing tactics that do this successfully requires a brief history lesson on Juneteenth.
The History of Juneteenth
On January 1st, 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, establishing the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate states. While necessary, this legislation didn’t immediately free enslaved people. In reality, the proclamation only applied to Confederate-controlled states, not rebel areas under Union control or slave-holding border states.
Consequently, people in Texas still had slaves. The Union didn’t have a significant presence in the state, and Texas wasn’t home to any large-scale fighting, so enslavers had no incentive to free their slaves.
Only after the Civil War ended in 1865 did changes occur. General Granger came to Galveston in June to inform everyone that the 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were free. Thus, Juneteenth was born, and in December of that same year, the creation of the 13th Amendment officially abolished slavery in America.
How to Approach Juneteenth in Your Marketing
Juneteenth is a significant achievement for the African American community and the U.S. in general. As a result, you must approach this day with care and sensitivity in your marketing campaigns. Your goal should not be sales. Don’t celebrate this holiday for commercial gain. Instead, focus your marketing on three main things:
- Community: Juneteenth is bigger than your brand. The focus shouldn’t highlight you but the Black community.
- Commitment: Your marketing tactics shouldn’t be superficial or opportunistic. Instead, they should show your brand’s genuine commitment to celebrating achievements in the African American community and helping increase equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- Engagement: Juneteenth is a day to honor an achievement for Black Americans. That’s why your marketing should focus on creating productive conversations, even if it’s on a difficult topic.
Some brands are excellent examples of what it looks like for organizations to celebrate Juneteenth. One example is McDonald’s, which has its “365 Black” campaign that shares and honors Black culture with the world. Branching off this initiative is a system within McDonald’s that provides scholarships and diversity in leadership. The household-name brand has been running this campaign since 2003, and recently, McDonald’s transformed it into “Black and Positively Golden.”
Another great example is North Face, which launched “Never Stop Standing Up” in response to George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s deaths. The campaign helps fight inequality for Black and Brown people. Additionally, North Face also donates money to black-owned organizations like Outdoor Afro, which inspires Black connections and leadership in nature.
Five Juneteenth Marketing Strategies
If you want to be a successful example of what it looks like to celebrate Juneteenth, there are a handful of strategies you can use. However, before you implement them, make sure to do an honest assessment of your brand.
Does your organization have any inconsistencies that would conflict with Juneteenth? For example, is your leadership team diverse? Does your workplace represent a diverse environment? Is your brand’s culture inclusive? And if you offer services, do your client-facing initiatives showcase inclusion and diversity?
Answering these questions will let you know if you’re in a position to celebrate Juneteenth. If you discover that your brand is in good shape, here are five ways to craft great marketing messages for this holiday.
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Educate Your Audience
While more people are becoming aware of Juneteenth, not everyone is knowledgeable of its history. So, when you’re brainstorming your marketing strategies, consider including educational content. You can either do a blog post, YouTube video, or video series on social media using TikTok, Instagram Live, or Instagram Reels.
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Promote Black-Owned Businesses and Creators
Highlighting black-owned businesses and creators is a great way to stand beside the community celebrating Juneteenth. There are many black-owned brands you can spotlight on social media if you don’t already partner with these types of companies. And if you really want to make a difference, you can host an in-person or virtual event with different African American business owners and influencers.
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Use Diverse Images in Your Marketing
Your Juneteenth marketing efforts will look disingenuous without diverse images. If your business already prioritizes diversity and inclusion, this tactic won’t be hard to implement. In fact, you’re probably already using diverse photos. However, if that’s not the case, make sure to do so for any of your Juneteenth marketing strategies.
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Decorate Your Graphics with Red, Green, and Black
You may have a specific color palette for your brand, but for Juneteenth, your graphics should include hints of red, green, and black. These colors represent the Pan-African flag, which is a symbol of freedom for everyone in the diaspora. With the appropriate colors in your graphics, people will quickly associate your marketing with Juneteenth and know you’re honoring the holiday, even if they don’t read the words in your posts.
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Collaborate with Causes That Advocate for Social Justice
If you go with this strategy, don’t just do it for Juneteenth and then toss it aside once June 19th passes. When you decide to align with an organization that fights for social justice, you need to be doing it for the long haul. Then, you’ll build trust with the African American community and show your intentions in honoring Juneteenth are genuine.
One brand that’s done this well is Tapestry INC, which is Coach’s parent company. It partnered with seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities to find new talent. And Tapestry INC also collaborated with the Black in Fashion Council when it took the Active Allyship Pledge.
Celebrate Juneteenth Properly
Juneteenth is a momentous day for African Americans and the U.S., so how you approach it matters. Don’t focus on selling or trying to draw attention to your brand. Instead, foster community, commitment, and engagement by using the above tactics. That’s the only way your Juneteenth marketing will succeed and help make a positive impact.