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The streaming service is just one of many

corporate brands that have turned to social

media to voice concerns over racial injustice

after the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed

black man who pleaded for air as a white

Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee

against Floyd’s neck for several minutes.

At the same time, companies must consider

whether it makes sense for them to weigh in,

especially on an issue as sensitive as race.

“It’s brand activism,” said Alexander Chernev,

a professor of marketing at Northwestern

University’s Kellogg School of Management.

“It’s not surprising. But companies have to

think very carefully before they take a stand on

these issues.”

There are plenty of examples of brands speaking

out forcefully on social media, particularly in

industries where cultural awareness is crucial.

WarnerMedia, which is owned by AT&T and

includes brands like HBO and TBS, changed their

handles to #BlackLivesMatter and all posted

the same James Baldwin quote: “Neither love

nor terror makes one blind: indifference makes

one blind.”

Twitter changed its iconic profile image to black

with the Black Lives Matter hashtag. Media giant

ViacomCBS tweeted “Black Lives Matter. Black

Culture Matters. Black Communities Matter,” and

on Monday announced that its cable properties

like MTV and Comedy Central will go dark for 8

minutes and 46 seconds to honor Floyd.

Nike, which famously took on the racial injustice

issue head-on with its ad campaign featuring

former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick,

revealed a new video ad on Friday that bore the

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