New research has found 23 out of 32 Grand Prix campaigns at this year’s Cannes Lions embedded inclusion in their work. It also found 96% of campaigns deemed to be inclusion-led ‘drove real impact’, with 22 winners creating ‘tangible social or community benefits’ – and all delivering ROI for the brand. But what does ‘inclusive advertising’ mean?
Inclusivity, by definition, means ‘providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalised.’ This means equal opportunities to receive appropriate sales and marketing, to understand product and service options on the market, and to participate in the rich culture that advertising creates.
Marginalised communities such as the LGBTQ+ community, disabled people, BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of colour) people and elderly people are often under-represented or stereotyped in advertising. Further, little consideration is given for nuances of identity, intersectionality and the actual buying power these groups hold.
Inclusive advertising, therefore, accurately represents those it targets and does not exclude marginalised groups in its media, creative or strategy.
Grand Prix winners including Channel 4’s ‘Considering what?’ by 4Creative and Chicago Hearing Society and Rakish Entertainment’s ‘Caption with intention’ by FCB Chicago were all game-changing ads that encouraged recognition of challenges faced by minority groups. But creating truly inclusive ads and changing the advertising landscape will require commitment, investment, and a push past short-termism.
How can we put inclusivity on the agenda from brief to finished product as brands, agencies and studios?
Hire, consult and champion diverse talent
Ensure talent from a variety of backgrounds have a seat at the table and feel comfortable speaking up when decisions are being made. Consult experts from under-represented groups, cast with them in mind, and reach out to those best placed to represent communities to which they belong.
Make the business case clear
If there is reluctance to make ads more inclusive, cost may be the barrier. But a commercial case for inclusivity can be proven time and again.
At the IPA’s Talent and Diversity Conference, Melda Simon, UK Lead at the Unstereotype Alliance, showed that inclusive advertising drives the bottom line. Analysis of 392 brands across 58 countries revealed that brands adopting more inclusive advertising practices, especially on gender, perform better commercially than those that do not. Inclusive advertising helps brands to grow and prosper.
Ask at every stage
There are many ways to push for more inclusive work. Call people in, not out. Encourage them to use creativity to represent audiences they are targeting with advertising, asking probing questions like: ‘Why are we casting with that specific criteria?’ and ‘Are we using platforms accessible to people with hearing loss?’ Challenge media stereotypes by placing people outside their comfort zones.
At the7stars, we aren’t afraid to ask these tough questions. Our report, The Misdefined Majority, spells out how Britain’s working classes often feel unrepresented by media, while our recent exploration into The Power of Words makes the case for closed captioning in advertising – as both best practice and a driver of brand salience.
While inclusivity being high on the agenda at Cannes is a step in the right direction, inclusive media should not be reserved for the glitz of a Grand Prix – it should be the cornerstone of every campaign.
