Whoever controls the story controls the market

Disclaimer: I do not profess to be an expert; however some, if not all, historical references in this blog may be inaccurate. I am by no means attempting to diminish the impact or works of Black civil rights leaders, but to show that these specific historical figures were strategic and organized in their efforts to fight civil injustices.

Controlling the narrative is the quintessential framework of market power because markets respond to stories or more precisely to the stories they trust.

The first time I bridged the gap between storytelling and the market was when I watched Dave Chappelle’s “Unforgiven” premiered in 2020. Chappelle shared that ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global) had licensed “The Dave Chappelle Show” to Netflix and HBO Max without paying him royalties, but acknowledged that he had no rights to the show. Chappelle took to social media to share an exclusive set about his struggles earlier in his career, and delivered one of the most powerful messages on morality and intellectual property.

How does a story permeate a contractual agreement? Then it hit me, every business has a story and it’s the story that carries the legacy of many upstanding brands today. Businesses need to understand their consumers because storytelling shapes perception which in turn shapes trust and impacts consumer behavior and market success.

ViacomCBS has since reached an agreement with Chappelle (2021). It’s the story that spoke to artists, life struggles and dreamers—controlling, or rather reclaiming the narrative controlling the market. Chappelle’s story captivated me so much that I became curious about other storytellers in history who challenged the status quo and, strategically, helped shape public perception during a time disguised as “America, The Great” —the Civil Rights era—and subsequently, controlled the market.

“With privilege goes responsibility,” President John F. Kennedy said in 1963. I love this quote because it reminds me that it’s incumbent on all generations to ensure that historical atrocities don’t repeat themselves.

Historical figures, such as Claudette Colvin and Bayard Rustin, whose actions may or may not have kept their pulse on the market, prove to be effective storytellers in carrying out key messaging globally.

Claudette Colvin: Branding

Claudette Colvin was an American civil rights pioneer in the 1950s. She was 15 years old when arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman on a crowded, segregated bus.

Colvin was one of four in the first federal court case Browder v. Gayle (1956) to challenge bus segregation in Alabama, which was later ruled unconstitutional. It’s purported that Colvin refused to give up her seat nine months before Rosa Parks. The story goes that civil rights strategists believed Colvin would be a more likely target because she was unmarried, pregnant and working-class.

Organizers needed a case to challenge bus segregation across the states, and Rosa Parks was an ideal choice because of her good character, her likely appeal to the courts and media and her ability to avoid unwanted controversies. Parks was middle-class and of lighter complexion which aided her cause.

Strategy: Problem vs. Solution

Problem: Bus segregation. Blacks have to sit in the back of the bus, or give up seats to white people when crowded.

Solution: Bus segregation is unconstitutional.

Tactic: Spotlight an individual who can garner nationwide empathy (uncontroversial) and pressure the courts for change.

Branding is critical to public perception and to its persuasiveness. For the civil rights movement helped build empathy and pressure for legislative change. Flash forward to modern marketing, the brand’s storytelling is positioned as a solution to your problem.

Colvin’s story shows us that movements are shaped not just by action but also by branding decisions.

Bayard Rustin: Strategy.

Bayard Rustin was a master strategist behind the March on Washington. His role was pivotal to the civil rights movement, operating from the shadows—his role as a deputy (under A. Phillip Randolph, who served as the director of the march) advised civil rights leaders on creating “a coalition of progressive forces” (From Protest to Politics, Rustin 1965), galvanizing Negroes, trade unionists, liberals and religious groups to work together and become allies to win political power.

Internal and external group criticisms kept Rustin from revealing his sexual identity; however, this did not deter him from advocating for gay rights. Campaigners didn’t want to draw attention to Rustin’s sexuality and political views. Rustin had the foresight to consider technological advances, working-class equity and the movement’s conversion to political power to keep the coalition moving forward orchestrating tactics to that end.

Strategy: Positioning and Call to Action

Position:

1. Draw national attention

2. Build coalitions3. Moral persuasive

4. Convert protest to political power

5. Educate, discipline, structure

6. Integrate: justice and economics

CTA:

1. Peaceful protests, sit-ins, boycotts, marches

2. Raise resources, support and allies

3. Build empathy and pressure for legislative change

4. Voter drives, economic campaigns to build public support

5. Create workshops, organized networks, and structured leadership

6. Create budget proposals for jobs, linking civil rights to labor and economic commitments

So how does this translate into marketing?

1. Clear messaging

2. Cross audience partnerships

3. Brand storytelling

4. Systematic brand execution

5. Call to action (conversion and engagement)

6. Value and purpose

Rustin’s strategies shaped history through organized and peaceful demonstrations, showing allyship and bridging the gap between civil unrest and economics. Understanding Negro injustices could not advance without the inclusion of other alienated and oppressed groups. Visibility isn’t always aligned with contribution, but it is strategic to avoid deviating from the cause. Rustin’s identity was certainly suppressed in more ways than not (even the people he worked with), but he did not allow that to prevent him from doing the work.

I believe that Rustin controlled the (who, what, when, why, and how) story, lending to the civil rights movement and positioning the coalition for influence, thus controlling the market which resulted in legislative change.

The PR & Market Lesson

Social media exists because people desire to publish their own story and by doing so, control the narrative. Sidestepping existing media to PR firms to connect to the public.

Control of narrative determines:

1. Who gets funding?2. Who gets platforms?

3. Who gets remembered?

4. Who builds generational wealth?

The Market Implications Today

Let’s think about who's telling YOUR story. Are you building equity or ownership, or are you preserving your story? Here are some considerations:

1. Business. Whoever controls branding controls valuation.

2. Media. Whoever controls framing controls perception.

3. Culture. Whoever controls storytelling controls opportunity.

Reclaiming Narrative Power

In the summer of 2016, I visited my family in Nashville, Tennessee to learn more about my family’s origins. Many of whom were educators and grad students. Admittedly, I was in awe of their knowledge of our indigenous Black history, rooted in familial heritage, and I understood one aspect of life I had lived—racial identity.

Born and raised in California, I went to predominantly white institutions for most of my life. But it wasn’t until I met my Tennessee family members that I realized my knowledge of Black history fell short compared to my cousins.

As we got to know one another, my cousins suggested we take a road trip to Chattanooga,Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. It would only be a few hours' drive, and they would show me Martin Luther King Jr.'s neighborhood and place of rest. I’d hope this trip would help me to understand why my great-grandmother traveled to the West with five children at her hip, leaving behind her family and friends.

Black history offers unique storytelling because it is not just about remembering, but about correcting the narrative imbalances passed down to generations—passed down to me.

Bio: Brianna Johnson is a communications student and contributor to the Agency 398 blog. She is passionate about public relations, brand storytelling and digital culture, and also creates lifestyle content around beauty, fashion and creative expression.