If there’s a marketing song I’d sing from the mountain tops, it’s that big brands have zero idea what they’re doing when it comes to products that appeal to minorities.

I’m still not sure if it’s ignorance, malice, apathy or allowing people who are a nasty combo of those things to run rampant in content creation and social media, but regardless, it seems like every week some other publication or brand is trying to pawn off some minority group’s style, physical characteristics, culture, food, or language (I swear, Buzzfeed) as a consumable good.

It’s mind-boggling, it’s angering, but if you’re a content producer, it can also bea source of inspiration.

Take the latest offender, Mashable, and their decision to declare a pallete of nudes for darker-skinned women “ugly” (not to mention featuring it on social.)

The key here is to remember that these websites and publications make a good chunk, if not all of their money through advertising, so a misstep that features brands as big as Ciaté, Marc Jacobs, Chanel, and Butter London is something you can use to your advantage.

If I were a beauty blogger, vlogger, writer, or even infographic creator, I’d take that screen shot and contact their marketing departments proposing a series (or some form of content) on nude nail polishes for minority skin tones. This, of course, is easier if your freelancer checklist is all done and your online presence reflects the fact that you can create something better than that Mashable piece that will actually do something for their buyers. If I couldn’t find any takers, I’d do a short version myself, and then followup again offering an expanded version (persistance is key.)

If you want to come talk out some deeper details of this process and get personal input, take advantage of the 1 free month’s membership here at BlackFreelance to get started, and keep an eye out for big brands making basic mistakes.

Megan.

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