Rating: 4 stars
Headline: Covering over 50 years of Black representation in advertising, “Pitch Black” showcases cultural shifts and challenges throughout the decades
Review:
(Taking my lead from the author, I will be using the term “Black” when describing American people of colour in my review.)
Shining a light on an area of pictorial history that far too often has gone overlooked, Pitch Black: The best Black ads of the past 50+ years is a 180 page reference book covering over half a century of Black-American influence in the marketing sphere.
Written by Mark S. Robinson, with notable contributions from CEOs, Chief Commercial Officers, and academic professors, Pitch Black is full of vibrant imagery, which demonstrates the progression of Black representation in advertising campaigns, as well as the obstacles and set-backs that have occurred along the way. Chapters are broadly arranged in themes, e.g. “Civil Rights Through Black Advertising”, “Black Beauty & Black Hair” and “The Golden Age and Beyond”, with Robinson using visual media as a springboard to draw the reader’s attention to cultural shifts which directly influenced big brands and marketing budgets (and vice versa).
This is a fascinating read and an education for anyone of any race, age or culture. Having a broad selection of marketing material in one place helps to see first hand the striking similarities and differences over a period of, sometimes, decades. Anyone living through that period may have struggled to see the subtle changes at play within, for example, food and drink marketing, and yet those too young or not living in America would never have had natural exposure to these changes either (this thirty-something reviewer living in the United Kingdom being one of those people). It is impossible to see how any reader would not come away from this book without learning something new, or had their eyes opened, even if just by a tiniest bit, to both the prejudices and improvements made to advertising aimed at Black communities in America.
It is worth mentioning that while this book is incredibly informative, it is incredibly informative. The sheer density of words and imagery might leave some readers feeling a little overwhelmed initially. There is a lot to unpack when it comes to this fifty year period. In that sense Pitch Black is more a reference guide for academia or something placed on a coffee table to stimulate discussion. It is less geared up for being a bedtime read, or a book you openly rave about in the office.
Pitch Black is, if nothing else, an eye-opener. It remains a powerful book that educates and highlights the perils of overlooking a strong consumer base when trying to establish brand and engagement. For what it seeks to achieve, Pitch Black remains a strong historical/reference book that stands up on its own merits.
AEB Reviews
Links:
Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Pitch Black: The best Black ads of the past 50+ years” by Mark Robinson
Purchase Link: “Pitch Black: The best Black ads of the past 50+ years” by Mark Robinson (Amazon)
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