Why Companies Were So Quick To Endorse Black Lives Matter

Why Companies Were So Quick To Endorse Black Lives Matter

By Eugene Y. Chan, Associate Professor, Purdue University. First Published on The Conversation

It’s not every day that you see companies switch gears on a dime.

Not too long ago, few companies paid much attention to Black Lives Matter. Today, in the wake of the George Floyd protests, it seems as if most major companies including Apple, Amazon and Facebook have endorsed the movement – or at a minimum pledged millions of dollars to fight racism and vowed to do more to end discrimination in their workplaces.

So how did companies so swiftly decide to align with Black Lives Matter?

As with anything, there usually are lots of reasons. But, as a scholar who studies the psychology of consumer behavior and how companies respond to it, I believe that one stands out: young people.