Dating Apps Reevaluate Ethnicity Filters; BET Addresses Racism: Wednesday's First Things First

Welcome to First Things First, Adweek’s daily resource for marketers. We’ll be publishing the content to First Things First on Adweek.com each morning (like this post), but if you prefer that it come straight to your inbox, you can sign up for the email here. Dating Apps Speak Out Against Racism, With Some Forced to Address Their Own Ethnicity Filters Since protests surrounding the death of George Floyd began last week, many brands have issued statements and made financial pledges to combat racial injustice and police brutality. The world of dating apps is shifting its focus from promoting social distancing-friendly dating to address the pandemic of racism—but in some cases that means addressing problems within their own platforms. Grindr's initial tweet of support was quickly ratioed by replies pointing out its ethnicity filters. The brand deleted the tweet and instead pledged to remove the filter, and posted a page listing ways to support #BlackLivesMatter. Hinge announced donations to groups fighting racism and transphobia, but did not address whether it would remove its ethnicity filter. Bumble, which has no such filter, started with a statement announcing policy updates addressing racism and mental health, along with donations to the AAPI Civic Fund and the NAACP. Racism and the dating game: OKCupid, Tinder and Scruff announced donations and support for the Black community—but they also have a variety of filters that critics are eyeing. More on brand responses to the protests: Ford Motor Company executives sent a letter to employees Monday calling out systemic racism and the disproportionate impacts of the pandemic on the Black community, and pledging to create a "fair, just and inclusive culture" and improve the dialogue around diversity and inclusion. Haircare brand Shea Moisture is launching a coalition that will donate $100,000 to activists working for social justice in light of the protests. Despite other differences in opinion, Americans agree that small businesses deserve a helping hand: More than half expressed that they'd like to see companies supporting small businesses and retailers impacted by looting, and those donating to community cleanup following the protests, according to a new study. BET Unveils Programming on Systemic Racism, Violence Against Black People Black Entertainment Television is responding to racism and violence against Black people in the U.S. with programming that faces these issues head on. Specials airing this month will include "Justice Now: A BET News Special," which will address the killing of George Floyd and the protests, the first in a series featuring Black leaders and personalities, to be followed by additional programming including a virtual town hall, a Juneteenth presidential forum and docuseries on police brutality and systemic racism. Preview the lineup: The programming aims to empower Black Americans and tell their stories in this critical time. Agency News and Updates Los Angeles-based agency Orcí is moving into a new era with Marina Filippelli taking over as Orcí’s CEO, with predecessor Andrew Orcí moving into a role as board chairman. Chris Neff of agency The Community came up with the idea for Fundi, a new platform that blends Twitch and Stripe so that viewers can more easily become patrons for livestreaming creators who host fitness classes, cooking shows, concerts and more. Neff said the goal is "to help all those talented and creative people in this time of need." In a timely short film called "Second Chances," U.K. agency Truant London asks viewers to consider the way they will be different when quarantine ends, and how they intend to work toward a better future. D&I Summit: Social Justice for the Misrepresented In our Diversity and Inclusion Summit last week, Curaleaf CMO Jason White talked about social injustice in the cannabis category, where people have been prosecuted for years for what was once illegal. "If we're going to be a part of change, we have to make it part of our business model," he said. "The sooner we stop with the stigma and let these marginalized communities feel that it's a space they can step into, the faster we will advance this industry." He offered these three action items for others in marketing and advertising: [kickout id="1"] Watch: White described the programs and hiring practices the company has implemented to reduce stigma around people of color and communities who used the plant before legalization. This CBD-Infused Soda Is Offering to Buy $200 Worth of Therapy for Some Customers Extending consideration for mental health beyond May (which, let's be honest, all of us need to do), CBD-infused beverage startup Bimble has pledged to cover up to $200 in therapy costs for the first five consumers who order a case of its product each day through June 9. Bimble is positioning itself within the explosive CBD category as an alternative to alcoholic drinks, which can cause additional mental health problems, according to the minds behind the campaign. A chill solution: Learn more about how Bimble targets those looking “to recover from the stressors of a toxic world.” More of Today's Top News and Highlights AMC Networks, The Weather Channel Join OpenAP Consortium On the Adweek Podcast: Trump vs. Twitter, and Where the Feud Is Headed Travelers Trust the CDC Over Brands When It Comes to Safety Artek’s New Marketing Bucks the Fast-Furniture Trend With the Message ‘One Chair Is Enough’ Nike Korea Spot Honors Power and Bravery of Gold Medalist Speed Skater Shim Suk-hee Vita Coco Pays Homage to Bodegas Hit Hard by the Pandemic With Delightful 1950s-Style Posters, Vespa Welcomes Riders Back to the Road Vespa, the famous Italian scooter brand, has welcomed riders back to the roads with a delightful new global poster campaign by BBH London, which captures the post-war spirit of the 1950s. [kickout id="2"] Quote of the Day Adweek spoke with six Black professionals about how agencies should be responding to this pivotal moment to combat racism. This is what one of them (who wished to remain anonymous) said: [kickout id="3"]