Caption: Purple-themed graphic for webinar on 13th April, 1-2pm.
Ahead of the 30th anniversary of the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence - marked by Stephen Lawrence Day on 22nd April - and following The Guardian's new report on its connections to the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the need to decolonise brands and tackle racism is becoming increasingly urgent.
A new online talk called Decolonise Your Brand by our founder, Elma Glasgow, explores the links between decolonisation and branding, which are still very relevant today.
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As an emerging area of marketing, the talk for marketing/ branding/ communications professionals is a response to a need to push along the conversation and practices among the people who are the mouthpieces of organisations, old and new.
Caption: Screenshot of The Guardian's feature on its report on its links to the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
It has also been prompted by BLM and a lag within the marketing and communications sector to advance practices despite widespread posting of the Black Square in summer 2020. Practices learned through Power of Stories (an M+H award winner by Colchester + Ipswich Museums in 2022) have also inspired this talk.
The talk will include good and bad practice, from historic and present day marketing campaigns, which will help you make connections between the impact of colonialism and today's marketing practices. And why it is imperative that brands move on.
With major heritage brands such as National Trust and English Heritage sharing more balanced, truthful stories, it's time for other brands and institutions in all sectors to follow suit. Because your audiences - particularly the younger ones - are watching. And because it's the right thing to do.
Caption: full rum bottle lying on a fur surface. The label says Plantation Rum.
Previously presented to members of BrandLand at University of East Anglia, this talk strives to open up an honest conversation among anyone with an interest in how their brand is perceived by modern day audiences across generations, and the kind of opportunities brands are missing out on.
As with climate change, diversity and inclusion needs to be the next foundational principle of brand and company development.
This talk comes with a content warning - a lot is packed into this talk, but Elma also delivers with a light touch where appropriate, to balance the content which is more serious and confronting.
"Decolonising branding is a totally new – and totally urgent – topic. Elma gave us a great start. Her workshop was short, succinct, practical and – in all the best ways – provocative. It certainly got us all to reassess what we do, and how we think." - Robert Jones, professor of brand leadership, UEA.
About Elma Glasgow
Elma Glasgow is an award-winning Black community engagement and communications consultant and founder Aspire Black Suffolk.
Feel free to read Elma's recent blogs below in preparation but it's not essential to do so.