Welcome to another installment in our series exploring the power of intentional inclusive branding. We’re focusing on this topic because it’s vital for businesses to brand intentionally and also to create internal and external practices that advance inclusion and diversity.
Why Companies Must Now Be Inclusive with Their Branding
In the United States alone, racial and ethnic minorities make up nearly 40% of the population. This number has grown significantly over the past 30 years and is likely to continue to grow as 51% of children under 15 were considered part of a minority in 2019. It’s important to note that the country’s diverse population doesn’t just include people of different races or ethnicities. According to a Gallup poll, roughly 4.5% of U.S. adults identify as LGBTQ. Additionally, more than 40 million Americans have a disability per Pew Research Center. These statistics matter because they reflect the reality of the world we live in. thus when branding is inclusive, it reflects the reality of the market. So, obviously, it’s the right thing to do. But it also benefits the company doing it.
A kantar study found that advertisements that are considered progressive are 25% more effective. The study assessed for effectiveness based on how pleased viewers were, how well they remembered the advertisement, and the metrics that measured the efficacy of the campaigns.
These facts all point to the necessity for companies to be intentionally inclusive and maintain practices rooted in diversity, both internally and externally. With that in mind, we’re featuring companies that are intentionally branding, and today we’re looking at P&G (Procter and Gamble) of Ohio. For at least the past 3 years, the multinational consumer goods corporation has made of inclusive advertisements.
Not only do some P&G ads include people from diverse backgrounds, but they also use their platform to tell stories that spread powerful messages about equality, tackle controversial issues, and discuss topics related to diversity and identity.
A Look at Procter & Gamble’s Intentional Branding
One example of P&G’s inclusive commercials was their 2018 Emmy-winning ad called “The Talk.” The ad featured African-American mothers in multiple decades having difficult conversations with their children about racism. The ad corresponded with P&G’s “Black is Beautiful” and “Proud Sponsor of Moms” campaigns.
The ad won awards, but even more importantly it was a loud statement to African-Americans that P&G was aware of the current and past struggles. It acknowledged the struggles, validated feelings of distress, and made a statement against racial injustice past and present.
How Can You Be Intentionally Inclusive With Your Branding
Here are a few ideas that may work for you:
*Make your next marketing campaign inclusive focused. This is about intentionally approaching the planning and implementation of your next marketing campaign with inclusivity as one of the forefront goals of the initiative. It’s about consciously designing your campaign. This may require outside consultation to assist with this.
*Assess your current marketing messages for inclusivity. How inclusive are your current marketing messages? Do an honest, thorough assessment. You may need to consult an outside, more objective party to help you figure this out. Oftentimes, it’s difficult for us to be objective about our own business. If you have appropriately diverse team members, you can also invite them to give detailed feedback. Once you’ve assessed, you can then decide to either refine or restructure your branding.
No matter how you plan to be intentionally inclusive, you need to remain true to your vision and voice. Let the Brandview Framework be your guide. The Framework lays out a blueprint, a structure you can follow for effective, clear branding. You may or may not need to totally overhaul your branding to reflect inclusivity. Of course, only you can determine what you need once do a thorough assessment. But the key is to weave inclusivity into your branding, while maintaining your core voice. As we’ve been highlighting in this series, it can be done. When done well, you reach a broader audience and show consumers that you support the advancement of social justice for all. This is the power of intentional inclusive branding.