Blurring the Lines with Zo? Beavers

This week I spoke with Zo? Beavers at Hampton University and 英国伦敦政治经济学院 . Zo? wants to be the voice that helps accelerate opportunities for the next generation of impactful, up and coming Black women in the public relations industry, and we discussed what's driving Gen Z consumers to purchase a product or service, how brands should respond to cultural, political or social issues, the progress Black women have made in the industry and what barriers remain, and more.

You've held roles at Bumble Inc. , Her Campus Media , Red Bull , Small Girls PR . Talk me through your experiences to date.?

Bumble was one of my first experiences where I got to put my creativity and my love for event planning to work. I was in their Bumble Honey campus ambassador program, which is a program they have on campuses all over the United States to promote the app. I started off my sophomore year as my team's outreach manager, and my job was to invite clubs and organizations to our events at Hampton University. By junior year I was campus director, which allowed me to lead the team of college ambassadors and plan bigger events and creative marketing stunts for Hampton's student body.

At Her Campus I was a contributing writer, which allowed me to work on my creative writing skills and to network with other young women who are interested in the media world outside of PR. At Red Bull, I was a student marketeer. This was such a fun job. It was our job to hand out Red Bull to people on campus and in the Virginia Beach area. We went to a ton of events to promote the product and were able to organize really cool activations. One of my favorite events we did was a huge paper airplane competition, where finalists were able to continue onto a world championship that included 60 countries.

Most recently, I was a summer fellow at Small Girls PR in New York working on their Olay team, which was an incredible experience. It was my first experience that was focused on earned media and I was able to grow and learn so much about the PR industry. There’s so much work that happens behind the scenes with storytelling for brands that PR professionals handle. I sent a lot of emails, and pitched a ton. Inevitably, I was ignored by a lot of editors, but I had the chance to meet a lot of amazing editors as well. During the fellowship I was able to be part of Olay’s Super Serum launch, seeing the project go from start to finish.?

What do you think is driving consumer behavior right now? What’s moving Gen Z to purchase a product or service??

I’ve heard a lot of people who think they know Gen Z say we look for brands who participate in social media trends, or partner with our favorite TikTok creators and influencers. And while that definitely gets our attention, I think authentic storytelling is what grabs Gen Z. We are a little bit more intentional with what we buy. For the most part, it’s the brands that have really strong identities, that are telling powerful stories. The ones that come from humble beginnings and don’t shy away from that, or they are unapologetic about driving change, or making an impact. Authenticity and transparency. That’s what really moves Gen Z. Brands need to think carefully and strategically about the story they really want to tell, and that's how you can really move Gen Z to be able to buy your product or subscribe to your service.?

Many reports show younger consumers want brands to take political stances. As a younger consumer, what advice would you share with brands who are not sure how or when to respond to cultural, political or social issues??

I just took a course on strategic communication here at The London School of Economics and Political Science where we talked about this a lot. Honestly, because of everything that's going on right now in the world, it’s difficult for anyone to keep up with the political and social climate.?

But it's very imperative for brands and for us as PR professionals to be aware of what's happening all around the world. My advice as a younger consumer to brands would be to focus on being consistent, and paying attention to sensitivities and timing. Don't make posts concerning political agendas that you believe align with most Gen Zers if there's evidence in your past that your brand believes the complete opposite. There’s a lot of that happening in today’s market. We know companies change, people change, and brands are becoming more aware of that, which is a good thing, but it’s also important to acknowledge your past if there are discrepancies with what you’re doing or saying today. That could be a really key factor that can help you pivot a little bit better if and when needed.

And when brands choose to speak about political or social issues, they need to put their money where their mouth is. Don't just make a generic statement because that gets so much backlash from Gen Z, we are very vocal when we see that. We’re aware of what’s happening, more than brands give us credit for. And we know when brands are just speaking out because they fear “cancel culture,” so it’s important to make sure that as a brand, you’re truly aligned with what you’re saying. Also, when it comes to timing, brands shouldn't wait for their consumers to say something before they make a statement or take action. It makes your brand look a bit shaky and tone deaf.

There are a lot of opportunities for brands on social media. We have Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snap, TikTok, Threads, Reddit, X, WeChat, YouTube. What social channels are you using, and why?

I mainly use Instagram and TikTok, but am trying to be more active on LinkedIn as well. And each platform serves a different use case. Instagram is becoming more of an OG in the game the way Facebook was. There’s been a big evolution of this platform. Now, it’s effortlessly casual, with an emphasis on ‘effort.’ For me, being interested in brands and how they market themselves and how they change over the years, it's been really interesting seeing how Instagram has changed throughout the years. For TikTok, I use it for almost everything — from comedic relief to fashion to vacation recs. Before a recent trip to Italy, we used TikTok to find recommendations for the trip. I’m actually currently working on my dissertation about TikTok's algorithms. So, needless to say, I've been on that app a lot for pleasure and for academic purposes.?

LinkedIn, like I said, is something I'm trying to actively get better at. I usually only post when it's the end of my tenure at a position or if I'm announcing a new opportunity. And I feel like that's how most people use it. But I've been able to see this rise in LinkedIn influencers, including you, posting a lot more frequently. When I was an undergrad, the app was almost daunting because it became easy to compare your career timeline to other people, and so I took a break from it until I started to apply for jobs or to network. But it can be such a great tool to brand yourself and learn what’s trending in the industry. It’s becoming something really cool, and I’m excited by it.?

We talk about the glass ceilings impacting people of color, the queer community, women. You mentioned you want to be the voice that helps accelerate opportunities for the next generation of impactful, up and coming Black women in the PR industry. Can you speak a bit about the progress you have seen made, and the barriers that are still up for Black women?

A lot of progress has been made for Black women in the PR industry. To reiterate the idea of brands coming off as authentic, you need those opinions from different people, from different walks of life. You just need them in the room. Point blank period.

I remember seeing so many young Black women who were at very prominent agencies and brands towards the end of my undergraduate time at Hampton University and being so inspired. Companies are beginning to realize how important Black women’s voices are in the decision making process, and 2020 was a really great year for that. But we also have to acknowledge how much further we have to go. For one, I would say the wage gap, which is an ongoing battle. And the other, I would say, is the exclusion that sometimes occurs in more informal social circles. When it comes to networking circles in the PR industry, it's a lot of who you know.?

I'm currently a member of the UK Black Comms Network — which provides learning, resources, inspiration, and peer-to-peer networking — here in London. And I remember when I was researching different associations and organizations for me to join here when it comes to marketing and PR in London, there was this one prevalent networking group that kept coming up. When I looked at a photo they shared on LinkedIn of one of their mixer’s I could only spot one or two people of color, and not a single Black woman. I thought to myself “I don’t want to be the only Black woman in the room.” Then I realized that shouldn’t even have to be a thought.?

The PR industry as a whole needs to expand how we network and invite people into our circles. We need to make sure we have diversity in the workroom, but that applies outside of it as well.?

Many feel that everyone needs to have a personal brand in 2024, because the job search has become what you know and who you know. What is your own personal brand? And what advice do you have for people in college thinking about their own thought leadership??

My personal brand is rebranding. I’m repositioning myself as more of a ‘global girl’. I’ve lived in New York City, I’m currently in London and traveling across Europe, later this year I’ll be moving to Los Angeles. All three of these places are public relations gold mines, as well as hubs for amazing cultural and social experiences. And I love creating and curating content for brands, so I’ve started capturing content for myself, documenting all the experiences I’m having around the world. Being more consistent with dedicating effort and time to my personal brand.

My biggest advice for current college students would be joining clubs and organizations, and taking on leadership roles. And making sure these groups align with your passions. Don't just apply for certain positions or roles solely because they look good on your resume. Be sure when you're involved in these extracurricular activities that you want to implement change and leave them better than what you came in to. That's how you build a legacy, and that's how you begin to build a brand.?

Rapid Fire Questions:?

What’s your favorite song right now? After Hours by Kehlani (Cater 2 U Mix)?

What’s the last book you read, or the last podcast you listened to? All About Love by bell hooks, and Cocktails and Takeaways hosted by Madame Joyce

Who’s one person in this industry that inspires you, that everyone should go follow? Yvette Noel-Schure (Beyoncé's publicist) and Grad Girl Marketing

What brand do you love following on Instagram or TikTok? Topicals

What is one word you would use to describe 2024? Growing