Dove Men+Care Unveils Groundbreaking Research on Black Men Bias and Stereotypes at its First-Ever Black Men's Summit with the National Basketball Players Association on February 17, 2021 from 3 - 6pm/EST

New Research Supports Need for Systemic Change to Protect and Support Black Men

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Feb 16, 2021, 16:37 ET

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Feb. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Black men in America experience negative perceptions that can impact all areas of their lives, from educational opportunities and economic well-being, to interactions with the justice system, discrimination in housing and adverse effects on health. The burden of these biases can limit the ability of Black men to achieve their goals and participate more fully in society. To examine the magnitude and impact of these perceptions, Dove Men+Care commissioned a research study titled "Bias Against Black Men – Understanding Perceptions and How They Impact Black Men & Boys," to quantify the bias and stereotypes against Black men and boys. The study included 3,000 people, including 2,600 men, and the results are an undeniable confirmation of the negative effects of bias and stereotypes against Black men and boys.

Dove Men+Care joined forces with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) to help create a world that cares for, respects, and celebrates Black men by working to change the misrepresentation of Black men in media and culture. The initiative, Commit To C.A.R.E. (Care About Racial Equity) Now, elevates voices of Black men by bringing awareness to the way Black men are portrayed in society and shifting the narrative to show real, human stories of Black men and boys. The research study reinforces the importance and urgency of the initiative. Topline results of the "Bias Against Black Men – Understanding Perceptions and How They Impact Black Men & Boys," study include:

Descriptions of one another - When looking at self-descriptors of how men see themselves, Black men are 2.5 times (150%) more likely to be described as criminal (by White men) and 2 times (100%) more likely to be described as threatening and intimidating by White men.
Self-perceptions decline over time - Negative stereotypes lead to a decline in confidence of Black men as they move from high school to college, with Black men saying they feel less "smart," "outspoken," "like a leader" and "like a social magnet;" demonstrating the significant impact of a racially segregated education system in which 77% of high school students attend same-race school.
Differences in how people see themselves - From the personality assessment done with all the men in the study, researchers observed that while Black and White men see themselves the same way, with overlap of 80 percent on positive identified personality traits, White men see Black men differently than Black men see themselves. Overwhelmingly, White men see Black men as "athletic" rather than "smart," fueling a 401-year stereotype about Black men that was rooted in slavery.
Negative descriptions - 37% of White men used at least one of the following words to describe Black men: "Aggressive, Threatening, Criminal, Dangerous, Apathetic." During the casting exercises where respondents were asked to assume who had committed a fictitious crime, Black men were more likely to be assigned 'criminal' 7 out of 10 times if the White men held preconceived negative biases.
Racial slurs still prevalent – Over 51% of Black men have been called a racial slur.

"We know that our culture is filled with negative and stereotypical portrayals of Black men, and this study adds profound dimension to the impact of these stereotypes," said Esi Eggleston Bracey, EVP and COO of North America Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever. "The data is clear. These are not perceptions held by a select few; these are broadly held and pronounced views engrained in our culture. We must face these facts to begin addressing the problem, and that's what the Commit to C.A.R.E. joint initiative from Dove Men+Care and the NBPA is all about, an action-oriented initiative to Care About Racial Equity."

In an effort to create a world that cares for, respects, and celebrates Black men, Dove Men+Care and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) have:

Illuminated the issues of harmful stereotypes against Black men by sharing powerful stories from NBPA members that are debunking myths about Black men.
Established a "Tech & Talk" Camp program in partnership with select NBPA members to create a platform for young students of color to build and share their own narratives about themselves and their communities. The camps, which teach students the foundations of storytelling and how to build their own websites, provide education, technology training, and access to mentors and life coaches. Camp participants across the country received new laptops from Dell Technologies.
Called on the public to take the pledge to care about racial equity (CommittoCAREnow.com) by educating themselves and others, and standing up against the racial injustices that disproportionately affect Black men and boys in America.

On February 17, 2021 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST, at the Dove Men+Care and NBPA Black Men's Summit we will showcase several NBPA members, along with men and women from business, entertainment, media, academia and civic engagement who are working to drive change in the world. Confirmed participants include:

Chris Paul – President, NBPA
Danny Green – NBPA member
Donovan Mitchell – NBPA member
Aaron Gordon – NBPA member
Jaylen Brown – NBPA member
Maverick Carter – CEO of SpringHill Entertainment, founded by NBA star LeBron James
Laz Alonso – Actor ("The Boys")
Marc Morial – President and CEO of the National Urban League
Derrick Johnson – CEO of the NAACP
Esi Eggleston Bracey – EVP and COO of Unilever N.A. Beauty & Personal Care
Payne Brown – President, THINK450 (NBPA)
Christina Norman – Head of Content, THINK450 (NBPA)
Louis Carr – President of Media Sales, BET Networks
Carlos-Javier Gil, Global Brand VP, Dove Men+Care
Jeff Johnson – Journalist and Communications Specialist
Roland Martin – Journalist and Host - Roland Martin Unfiltered
Tiyale Hayes – CEO of Modulize, Inc.
Dr. Rashawn Ray – University of Maryland Professor and Author
Reed Tuckson, MD, FACP – Managing Director of Tuckson Health Connections
Brian Reaves – Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Dell Technologies
Deon Jones – Musician and Activist
Joe Clair – Comedian, DJ, and Host of the event

To participate in the Black Men's Summit on February 17, 2021, beginning at 3:00 p.m. EST, stream it live at https://Facebook.com/DoveMenCare or https://youtube.com/DoveMenCareUS. The full "Bias Against Black Men – Understanding Perceptions and How They Impact Black Men & Boys" study will be available at https://www.committocarenow.com.

About Dove Men+Care
Dove Men+Care is the first range of products from Dove developed specially for men. Manufactured by Unilever, the line includes the #1 dermatologist recommended body wash. Launched in 2010, Dove Men+Care is the fastest growing men's grooming brand in the world2 and the portfolio includes bars, body washes, face care, anti-perspirant/deodorants, and hair care, which are available nationwide in food, drug, and mass outlet stores.

Since launching, Dove Men+Care has also been dedicated to debunking the stereotypes of how men around the world care for themselves and others. The brand is on a mission to inspire every man to experience the transformative effects of care and has focused on making that a reality through cultural initiatives, legislative action and community engagement. Learn more at https://DoveMenCare.com.

About Unilever North America
Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods & Refreshment products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2.5 billion consumers a day. It has 150,000 employees and generated sales of €50.7 billion in 2020. Over half of the company's footprint is in developing and emerging markets. Unilever has around 400 brands found in homes all over the world. In the United States and Canada, the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Dove, Knorr, Hellmann's, Lipton, Magnum, Axe Ben & Jerry's, Degree, Dollar Shave Club, Q-tips, Seventh Generation, St. Ives, Suave, TRESemmé and Vaseline.

For years, we have been taking action through our sustainability efforts to help more than a billion people improve their health and well-being, halve our environmental footprint and enhance the livelihoods of millions of people as we grow our business. We have made significant progress and continue to expand our ambition – in 2019 committing to ensure 100% of our plastic packaging is fully reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. While there is still more to do, we are proud to have been recognized in 2019 as sector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and in 2020 – for the tenth consecutive year – as the top ranked company in the GlobeScan/SustainAbility Sustainability Leaders survey.

For more information on Unilever U.S. and its brands visit: www.unileverusa.com
For more information on Unilever Canada and its brands visit: www.unilever.ca

About the National Basketball Players Association
The National Basketball Players Association is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA's mission is to protect and support the rights and talents of our players, magnify the power of their collective will, and amplify their voices as leaders who will transcend sport and society globally.

The NBPA advocates on behalf of the best interests of all NBA players, including the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, the filing of grievances on behalf of the players, or counseling players on benefits, educational and post-NBA career opportunities. Business opportunities are generated by THINK450, the subsidiary of the NBPA charged with managing the players' group licensing rights.

Dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members, the NBPA Foundation provides support and assistance to persons, communities and organizations around the world that seek to improve the lives of those in need. For more information about the NBPA, visit https://nbpa.com.

About JOY Collective
JOY Collective is a Black and woman-owned cultural insights, marketing and advertising agency dedicated to creating initiatives that drive brand love while positively impacting lives. JOY was ranked AdWeek's 6th fastest growing media company in the world in 2019 and recently won the 2020 Global SABRE Award for Best Campaign for Dove/The CROWN Act and the Inc. "Best in Business" Bronze Award for Positive Impact in 2020. JOY's polycultural team proudly delivers purpose-driven branding, advertising, marketing, event production, and civic engagement services to elevate brand love and drive consumer engagement; all with a spirit of JOY.  For more information about JOY Collective, visit https://joycollective.com.

Contact:

Marcy Polanco
JOY Collective
[email protected]
202-885-5527

Shemika Harmitt
JOY Collective
[email protected]
202-885-5527

Timi Lewis
JOY Collective
[email protected]
347-762-9339

SOURCE Dove Men+Care