Does inclusive marketing — marketing that takes into account the importance of consumers seeing themselves reflected in advertising — have a positive effect on consumer behavior?
The answer was a resounding yes. The results show that consumers place a high value on inclusion and both want — and expect — brands to reflect the realities of their lives in their advertising. In response, they are more likely to consider or purchase a product after seeing an ad they view to be diverse or inclusive.
77% of Millennials and 76% of teens have taken action related to a product or service after seeing an ad campaign that was inclusive or diverse. 85% of Latinx consumers have taken actions related to a product or service after seeing an ad campaign that they view as inclusive or diverse 69% of Black consumers indicated they are more likely to purchase a brand whose advertising positively relates their race and ethnicity 71% LGTBQ consumers said they were more likely to proactively seek out a brand whose advertising authentically represents a variety of sexual orientations Surprised? I don’t think so. Communication is effective when it is relevant and reflects the people consuming the content. In other words, if you want to build a successful brand, being inclusive isn’t a choice — it’s a necessity.“It isn’t about whether you should be inclusive or not,” says Virginia Lennon, Senior Vice President at Ipsos and lead of their Multicultural Center of Excellence. “Consumers expect to be properly reflected and when they aren’t, there is real risk they will just turn off.” The reality is that successful brands are already doing this — and doing it well. But if you’re scrambling to catch up, you’re not too late, just keep these three things in mind:And understand that for young people, their reality is more diverse than ever. Gen Z, which includes people born after 1996, is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in American history, with nearly one half of members identifying as a person of color. But as Virginia points out, their focus on inclusivity is outward, not inward. “These young people are saying ‘it isn’t just about reflecting me, but about reflecting my larger cultural group that doesn’t necessarily look like me,’” says Virginia. “They see inclusivity as going beyond their individual identity, and reflecting their overall peer and friend group.” Remember, representation isn’t enough. If you are seeking to court their attention — and their brand loyalty — you must also reflect their reality. Today’s consumers are very savvy, and token attempts at inclusion won’t cut it. “Millennials can sniff out when you are trying to put them into a box, so anything that seems heavy handed, they will reject,” warns Virginia. Where it may have once been considered good enough to include a few words in Spanish to appeal to a Latinx customer, or a rainbow flag to attract an LGBTQ consumer, brands need to go beyond symbolic gestures and focus on authentic, relevant messaging. How can they get there? By hiring the right people. And when you have representation internally, that’s when you can reflect authentically. Virginia agrees: “Authenticity in communication has to start with your organization and having the right people in the room.” Also, you can’t try to be authentic. Either you are, or you aren’t — so be real and be consistent. Rather than looking at diversity as appealing to many individual constituencies, brands that are doing it right realize that consumers have multiple, overlapping identities — and they expect to see that reflected in their product advertising. It’s not just about racial and ethnic categories, but an intersection of all the ways we see ourselves, including body shape and size, age, sexual orientation, physical ability, skin color. “More than anything, inclusive advertising is inviting and allows the consumer to engage with the communication in all the ways that are relevant to them,” says Virginia.practice. We know that if we can #SeeHer, we can be her. Media matters.
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