How important is it to have inclusion and diversity in advertising?
The words diversity and inclusion are easily tossed around these days. And companies are considering what inclusivity and diversity in advertising mean and how they can successfully implement these ideas.
To stay competitive in today’s market, you need to know your audience not only of today but of tomorrow, too. Are you marketing to the entirety of your audience or only a small portion? Every company wants to say they are inclusive and diverse but are they? A level of honesty is needed to truly assess the facts of a company’s inclusivity and diversity.
Let’s take a look at what inclusivity and diversity mean. Plus, let’s consider how incorporating inclusivity and diversity into your company’s marketing strategy can help your company stay competitive, generate more leads, and increase sales.
Not only will inclusivity and diversity help your company’s bottom line. But you’ll gain the opportunity to broaden your potential reach to all people instead of just some people.
What is diversity and inclusion in marketing?
Inclusion represents your company’s overall environment and culture, and diversity lends to the range of people you include and target in your advertising.
Let’s break it down more and consider why it’s essential to have inclusivity and diversity in your marketing strategies.
Why is it important to have inclusion and diversity in advertising?
Diversity in advertising incorporates those persons who are customarily marginalized or left out. These marginalized groups include ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical and mental disabilities, and more. The idea behind diversification is to include all types of people.
Race and Ethnicity
If we consider race and ethnicity, these populations in the United States are steadily evolving. By 2060, 27.5% of the population will be Hispanic, rising from 17.79%. Black populations will increase to 15%, and 9.1% will be Asian. Whereas non-Hispanic whites will decrease from 61.27% to 44.29% in 2060.
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Currently, 4.5% of the U.S. population identifies as a different sex or gender identity. This means there are around 11 million people you may not be reaching with your advertising. When you consider those with mental and physical disabilities, you’re looking at 12.7%, which totals 41.1 million people.
Other marginalized groups
The groups mentioned above aren’t the only ones marginalized and left out. Those that are older or are veterans or women may also be left out and marginalized. The idea behind considering diversity is to consider all people.
When you start adding up the number of people that fit the definition of marginalized and left out, you’re looking at tens of millions.
When we add inclusion to the mix, we’re talking about culture.
The culture behind engaging all of these diverse people in a way that allows diversity to grow is inclusion. This means you do not include a “token” marginalized person to meet your quota but genuinely consider your organization’s overall inclusivity and diversity practices. Your company must uphold these values to truly engage people today.
When considering the advertising campaign you want to implement for your company, you need to consider not only incorporating diversity in your advertising but also how you’re incorporating diversity within your company as a whole. People research and are quick to learn about a company’s diversity and inclusivity and are not solely believing the company’s marketing narrative. People want to support companies that actively encourage and support diversity and inclusion.
Also, potential employees are more apt to submit an application to a diverse and inclusive company. Actually, 64% say inclusion and diversity are imperative when deciding whether to accept a job.
How many people are likely to purchase because of a company’s diversity and inclusivity practices?
When you consider that 64% of people are more likely to purchase a product or service from a diverse and inclusive company, there’s no reason why inclusion and diversity shouldn’t be included in your advertising and in your organization’s environment. If you don’t, you’ll pay the price later, especially with the younger generation.
Consider this, 73% of the above 64% are between ages 18 and 34. This means the bulk of those purchasing products from a diverse and inclusive company are a younger generation, and they are the ones you’ll be attempting to engage for several more years. If your company is not meeting this younger generation’s inclusivity and diversity expectations, you’ll miss out on their buying power, drastically affecting your company’s subsequent success.
Additionally, over 61% of all other ages are more likely to purchase a product or service from a diverse and inclusive company, which means that regardless of age, inclusivity and diversity matter in advertising and in a company’s organization.
Then when you add that 67% of people will make an additional purchase if the company is inclusive and diverse, you’re entering long-term engagement, which is a must for your company to succeed for years to come.
Check out this branded content for Chevy by Carlos Gutierrez, that tells the story of an amputee demonstrating courage in Chevy Courage. This is a powerful story of courage delivered in less than 2 minutes that incorporates a marginalized person and inspires anyone who views it.
What are the three key components of diversity marketing?
When assessing your company’s marketing strategy and implementation process, what three key components should you consider to obtain diversity in advertising?
1. Diversity starts at the team level.
We cannot express strongly enough how important it is to have diversity and inclusion within your organization before you actively try to market to marginalized groups. You can’t offer what you don’t have. Suppose your company employs the same gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and aged persons. In that case, you’re not going to have a diverse enough team that can connect with the diverse audience you wish to engage. So mix it up. Get your team diverse.
2. Rethink and start fresh.
Your marketing team will need to rethink and start fresh when it comes to diversifying and creating inclusivity in your advertising. Trying to copy and paste will come off as disingenuous and false because it is. Gather the information you need, know your audience, and use the language and graphics your audience can connect with and relate to.
3. Listen to your audience.
Reaching out and asking your audience about inclusion and diversity in advertising is a great way to get informed and understand what your audience wants. It’s impossible to know what you don’t know. That’s why asking questions, actively listening, and weighing and considering are vital in creating a dynamic and effective marketing strategy.
What are some examples of diversity in advertising?
When deciding on the best advertising campaign for your company, you may choose to demonstrate diversity by addressing a particular issue in your advertisement like Heineken did in this commercial. Heineken’s commercial touches on topics like climate change, transgenderism, and feminism. Coca-Cola did a commercial where they incorporated people who spoke different languages and sang America is Beautiful. Apple created a commercial where 68 employees shared who they were and what they believed.
You don’t always need to address a particular topic to create diversity and inclusion. Sometimes the magic lies in showing who your company is, what your company’s values are, and what your company does. If your organization’s culture is inclusive and diverse, showcasing that is easy. Take our explainer video highlighting what we believe and are passionate about.
How can AudPop help you create an inclusive and diverse marketing campaign?
We’re all about inclusion and diversity at AudPop. It’s a natural part of our company culture, and AudPop was initially built from the standpoint of including and engaging diverse employees, creatives, and audiences.
We’re adept at obtaining great content from unexpected places, and, actually, we bank on it.
Our diversity starts at the team level, and we’re proud of it.
When we created an inclusive culture in our organization and engaged diverse people, we opened a vast creative world where the possibilities were endless. Maybe that’s why we have a 75K global creative community and a bounty of high-quality and diverse work from around the world.
We invite diversity and offer inclusion. The benefits are astounding.
We know how to rethink and start fresh.
Not only are we inclusive and diverse from the ground up, but we also are experts at rethinking and starting fresh when it comes to marketing. We get excited to create opportunities and engage diverse people. Our experience continuously reveals the value of unfettered curiosity and the utilization of untapped creatives from around the world.
We’re active listeners and thrive because of it.
We’ve found no reason to fear our creative community, brands, and employees. We value their input and want to know what we can do better because that is one of our core beliefs. Companies we work with benefit from our open-mindedness and authenticity because we exercise attentive listening, execute the agreed-upon plan precisely, and work within deadlines.
Reach out and work with us.
Do you want high-quality, eye-catching video content that will create a dynamic and powerful advertising punch? We’ve got you covered.
We embody inclusivity and diversity and know how to infuse our advertising work with it. Our direct-hire list comprises Premium Creatives from around the world who have submitted their work for review and have met our high standards. Accommodating a reasonable budget for your marketing needs is definitely within our wheelhouse.
We’re adept at video-contest marketing, social media components, content-production strategies, and managed services. We know how to deliver amazing content for your marketing needs, and we’re also inspired and passionate about inclusivity and diversity in advertising.
We have an extensive video library at AudPop, but we also have a 75K global creative community that can deliver amazing content; plus, they embody diversity and inclusivity at heart. Our creative community consists of filmmakers, animators, musicians, social media creators, producers, videographers, actors/actresses, voiceover professionals, and more. We’re seasoned video creatives that know how to execute your goals efficiently, effectively, and within a budget that works for you.
If your company needs a fresh new perspective on your product or service, we’re the video marketing company you need.
Again, why is it important to have inclusion and diversity in advertising?
To review, let’s take a moment and recap some of the statistics and reiterate the power behind inclusion and diversity in advertising. As was stated earlier, the United States population is changing from a substantial majority of non-Hispanic whites to a more mixed-race population. By 2060, 27.5% of the population will be Hispanic, 15% black, and 9.1% Asian, whereas the non-Hispanic white population will lower to 44.29%.
Around 11 million people identify as a different sex or gender identity, and 41.1 million people have physical or mental disabilities. Additionally, there are other marginalized groups like women, veterans, older individuals, and more. Collectively, you’re looking at tens of millions of people you may be missing with your advertising.
It’s vital that your company’s advertising reaches these ever-changing populations. And remember diversifying allows you to reach all people, not just some people. When you consider the number of millions of people who identify as a marginalized group, your company must diversify to engage them.
Showcasing diversity in your graphics and social media is great. But it’s critical to incorporate a genuine attitude of inclusion in your organization. As was stated earlier, 64% of people are more likely to purchase a product or service from a diverse and inclusive company. Additionally, 67% of people are more likely to make a second purchase if a company is diverse and inclusive.
Continually, the data points to inclusion and diversity in advertising as essential for a company to remain successful and competitive.
Most importantly, AudPop is here to help.
We are an inclusive and diverse video marketing company with access to a 75K global creative community that can produce eye-catching and high-quality videos. We offer a range of services that can meet your company’s needs and budget requirements and showcase your company’s inclusivity and diversity. Our list of go-to creatives for direct hire is phenomenal, and we can engage our creative community through contests and campaigns.
Don’t hesitate. Reach out now and let us help you with your inclusive and diverse advertising needs.
