Small Business DIFFERENT DOESN’T MEAN DEFICIENT

Kai EL’ Zabar Editor-in-Chief A BOOK REVEIW . . .

was my pleasure and honor to sit down and discuss with my friend Pepper Miller her latest book, “Let Me Explain Black Again . . . Exploring Blind spots and Black Insights for Marketing & Understanding Black Culture and Perspectives.”

What you need to know before getting into the book is that Pepper is one of the leading spokespersons, and most sought after consultants as a thought leader and specialist in her field. She provides insight, knowledge, information, and resolutions to clients in her pursuit of what she identifies as the best outcome to walk away with after having read her book is, “that you have clarity that will encourage you to see Black people and Black consumers as valuable, on a deeper more in depth level.

When she opened the Hunter-Miller Group Chicago-based agency in 1995 to conduct research for the general market she expected success. After all she had cut her teeth at J. Walter Thompson Advertising Company, a world renown agency. But her naivety was confronted with the very racial bias that redirected her focus and launch her next career—conducting research with Black consumers and transforming that into information to support what she always believed about Black people as a tool for companies to use towards marketing to the American Blacks. Today that specialty comes with 2 previous books and invaluable years of experience as a market researcher and Black American subject-matter expert that can ultimately effect/increase the bottom line of companies in expanding their marketing base to include Blacks. Her work has helped Fortune 500 companies and non-profits to gain better understanding of and to positively engage with Blacks.

This latest endeavor spans 244 pages power packed information-

Ital insights that proves helpful to both consumers and companies. Its format is an easy-read, not business specific using marketing terms and jargon that mean little to the lay person, but rather a powerful overlay perspective on the value of Black people in the world worthy of the respect for their existence before we get to their market value. Written in a story format while sharing market and marketing research examples helps readers to grasp the significance of language, belief systems and cultural behaviors associated with Blacks.

Pepper explores and explains major components that in their sum information can transform one’s view of people when considering them as demographic in particular because Pepper says our American experience is not like any other. She stands her ground on this positions and presents the case quite thoroughly.

She sets up her position by providing the reader with:

SEVEN Blind Spots that prevent business leaders from “Getting” those Blacks whom they serve or work with, and future potential audiences.

The platform is set she presents.

FIVE Shape-Shifting segments within the Black population and demonstrates each of the five groups share like attitudes, but also how they differ from each other in ways important to her clients.

Further ,she discusses some very critical things to note in today’s polarized -political climate that weigh heavy upon us like America is NOT post-racial, including education, health and healthcare, housing, wealth & financial services, and the justice system itself.

‘Thought Leader’ that she Pepper leaves us with several take-aways as she advocates opportunities for a better future—what real inclusion, equality, and celebration look like.

And because marketing is an important aspect of media, she addresses the significance and value of Black owned media, particularly newspapers, which maintain a connection to the community in a way that no other entity can.

Two things: Pepper shared an experience where a white director of the Multiracial Team for a major financial services company shut down the idea of a targeted African American campaign with five words, “They speak English don’t they?” You already know, right? And that’s the problem. That right there is an issue that Pepper’s expertise smashes with an informed approach which provides her clients a whole new take on communicating with Blacks.

Pepper makes the case for the huge misconception to think Blacks are darker skinned versions of their white neighbors and makes it clear that we are not.

Takeaway 1. “Yes, I speak English. . . but are you talking to me?”

This understanding is supported her expressed appreciation for Black owned newspapers, authors, and researchers to do what they do because Blacks must tell their stories, study their own research, and define themselves.

Takeaway 2. Blacks must write their own narrative.

Upon completing the book readers should walk away with a clear understanding of “different doesn’t be deficient.”

BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE AT AMAZON AND major Bookstores