SELFHOOD on: Why most brands still suck at diversity

by Kyra Clement

Over the past few years, we’ve seen an obvious shift in advertising. What were previously considered under-represented groups are now being pushed to the forefront of marketing campaigns – from billboards and bus shelters to our screens and magazines.

But many still consider these as tokenistic attempts to fulfil diversity quotas, and suspicion remains that responsibility for improving diversity rarely goes beyond the casting director.  

Last year an IPA study reported that the contributions by Black, Asian and minority ethnic people within advertising agencies makes up just 13.7% and even less for C-suite roles (4.7%).

Gen Z, the generation notorious for championing inclusivity and breaking barriers, will not be won over by smoke and mirrors and are quick to spot insincerity from advertisers when they see it. As SELFHOOD collective member, Rikeiya, 25, puts it:

“Adverts are way more diverse, but it’s probably an over saturation just to say that they’ve ticked the box”.

This is not to say that on-screen representation is unimportant. The power and impact of showing young and diverse audiences the stories of people that look like them on screen should not be ignored. By doing this, younger generations can see themselves in positions that they previously might have considered unattainable. Not only is that the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do for an industry built on aspiration.

However, when these stories are told through a lens of experience and reality, they come across to the audience as richer, more authentic and have significantly higher cut through.

There’s no shortcut here – the people who have that experience and reality need to be given responsibility or influence in marketing creation.

While not an advertising example, last year’s BBC Drama ‘I May Destroy You’ is the perfect illustration of the idiosyncrasy and detail that would not be possible, if there wasn’t a person with lived experience of what is being portrayed on screen, off screen. Now imagine marketing to an audience in such a nuanced and empathetic way - it only makes sense, right?

Well, to Gen Z it certainly does. They are tired of half-arsed, transparent attempts at authenticity and Beatriz, 23, concurs:

“we need to start asking why we don’t see our society reflected accurately. How can the media ever tell stories that matter to us when most of them all look and sound the same?”

Georgia, 24, explained that she doesn’t feel like she’s being spoken to properly when it comes to many brands - ‘If you [your team] are not representative of your customers then you’re not going to get anywhere because you don’t know how to appeal to them’.  

It really is quite as simple as that, yet time and time again brands continue to miss the mark.

If the subject of diversity only comes up when the casting brief gets written, then you’re already too late. 

The awkward truth is that there are hundreds of other ways that brands can subject their marketing creation to diverse influences – but only the brands who truly want to connect with modern audiences are seeking them out.