Advertisers made big pledges to help Black-owned media. Black executives say their efforts fall short: ‘a dog and pony show.’

Many advertisers pledged to increase their spending with Black-owned businesses and media companies following the 2020 murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans.

Companies including GM, McDonald’s, and Verizon now say they’ve made progress toward those goals, although in interviews, marketers and agency leaders acknowledged challenges.

Some Black media executives expressed skepticism about their efforts. Some view such pledges as performative acts by companies facing public pressure and threats of legal action from The Weather Channel CEO Byron Allen, who sued McDonald’s and threatened to sue other brands and agencies.