When it involves making the workplace more diverse, equitable, and inclusive, brands and agencies sometimes fall under the trap of “checking the box” instead of that specialise in building inclusive behaviours and mind-sets that translate to employee experiences. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are often complex topics to tackle, but there are many simple actions that companies can take today to assist create workplaces where people from all backgrounds and experiences feel able to thrive.
1. It’s not just a business, it’s a brand Remember, your business is your brand, so it’s not just your communication that must be inclusive. Look to figure only with internal partners and agencies who bring diverse perspectives to the work. Currently, Google is conducting agency audits to make sure the partners we work with meet our purpose-driven expectations.
In some cases, incorporating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts at the very beginning can spark industry-wide change. When Volvo found that ladies were more likely to urge injured during a car crash — partly because male crash test dummies are the quality — the carmaker went back and picked up 40 years of crash data to seek out ways to guard all people — no matter size, gender, or body shape.
2. Including Diverse Stories Challenge yourself and your team to hero a special group in each piece of selling . If you don't intentionally include, you unintentionally exclude.
Dove made an ad campaign focusing on ‘Real Beauty’. Their ad is a proof of that. Dove’s latest film walks us through hard-hitting, real stories of beauty-based judgement and rejection faced by women during the matchmaking process, and therefore the impact this has on their self-esteem.
3. Strive for relatable storytelling Tell real stories the maximum amount as possible, championing existing stories and understanding their context, instead of creating new ones. Female athletes in India are achieving incredible success, but this underrepresented community doesn't always get the popularity they deserve.
Google wanted to try to to something to vary this and created a campaign that celebrates the journeys of unrelenting sporting stars like Hima Das, Naina Jaiswal, and Pooja Bishnoi, who are inspiring a replacement generation of individuals to dream big.
4. Challenge Stereotypes Pursue positive portrayals of individuals that directly challenge common preconceptions and stereotypes. First, make sure that you're avoiding stereotypes by involving diverse perspectives to assist identify them, then move beyond them through authentic, multi-dimensional portrayals.
New banking app, K Plus, tackles bias directly in their "No Stereotype" campaign, which adopts a more humorous approach to challenge common stereotypes. The spot includes the various lifestyles of real people — like children who are often "over 60 years old," adults who have the guts of a 15-year-old, and LGBTQ+ people that are often susceptible to stereotyping and preconceptions.
5. Understand cultural context to make your brand’s role positive and credible. Spend time learning about the cultural and brand context round the stories you're telling, and ensure your brand can credibly and positively participate within the conversation. Understanding that a lot of within the LGBTQ+ community felt awkward or scared to carry hands with their partner publicly , ANZ bank in Australia, who partner closely with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Auckland Pride Festival, set out to encourage LGBTQ+ couples to #HoldTight and celebrate the simple act of holding hands. By making this a mainstream conversation, ANZ bank hoped to spark conversations and alter perceptions within the wider community.
Written by
Samraddhi Shree Awasthi
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