Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives top every HR leader’s list of priorities these days. Most business leaders understand the well-documented benefits that having a diverse workforce can deliver for their company’s culture and bottom line. But what about increasing DEI in marketing and advertising?
When ads accurately reflect consumers’ personal preferences, style and ways of living, they feel a sense of belonging and inclusion. Featuring people of distinct backgrounds in settings viewers can relate to in a brand’s ads can help build authentic connections with members of new target audiences. Here, members of Forbes Communications Council share their favorite examples of brands that successfully widened the demographics used in their marketing and advertising to appeal to a broader base of prospective customers and clients.
Forbes Communications Council members explore brands that successfully model diverse and inclusive advertising.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Good American
A favorite example of a brand widening demographics is Good American, led by Emma Grede and Khloé Kardashian. Good American has championed inclusivity and made it a mission to have every woman seen and heard. The brand has an annual nationwide casting call for diverse women to model in its seasonal ad campaigns and showcases a model in every size (00 to 24) on its website. - Lianna Kinard, Buckner
2. Progressive
Several brands come to mind, but the top would be Progressive—its ads are always witty and engaging, and each tells a different story of a “potential” customer. The unique element about the “characters” in the Progressive commercials is they are relatable and, although highly entertaining, provide a sense of comfortability for the consumer. - Alicia Lunger, AllCells - LeukoLab & Creative Quick Fix
3. Häagen-Dazs
To be competitive, an organization has to frequently examine the ever-changing landscape, industry trends and the company’s targeted demographics. Häagen-Dazs was a high-quality but old-fashioned brand. In 2016, it successfully rebranded itself (new flavors, vibrant packaging and a revised logo) to target Millennials. Nowadays, we can leverage the capabilities of marketing automation to micro-target audiences. - Andrea Hogan, qualcomm
4. Target
Even before DEI became the topic du jour, Target began featuring different kinds of people in their marketing—not only showcasing racial diversity, but also children with Down syndrome and people in wheelchairs. However, companies must also live this value through their products and culture. For example, Target introduced adaptive clothing to not just feature those with differences but serve them as well. - Whitney Cornuke, TalentLaunch
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5. Coca-Cola
The 1971 Coca-Cola “Hilltop” commercial brought people from all over the world together to sing, “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony; I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.” It really was “the real thing”—authentic and memorable, even 50 years later. - Mollie Barnett, The SMART Co.
6. Peloton
I’m a huge Peloton fan, and the addition of an adaptive training instructor has been super-powerful. It’s evident that other instructors are learning from his leadership, too. A long-time instructor recently described her attire for the first time during a class for all members to feel welcomed. It was awareness-building for me, too, and has prompted more thoughtfulness in other situations. - Erica Morgenstern, Virgin Pulse
7. Nike
Nike’s “Until We All Win” focus is inspiring. The brand states, “Nike believes in the power of sport to unite and inspire people to take action in their communities. Equality isn’t a game. But achieving it will be our greatest victory. Until we all win.” Nike also goes beyond a campaign with expanded product offerings as well, such as its full-coverage swimsuits. - Lana Johnson, Elevation Talent Group
8. Apple
Apple has done a good job of targeting a more diverse target audience. The brand showcases more people of different backgrounds in its ads—unlike in the past, when Apple primarily only focused on its products. Now, through images, videos and even Memojis, Apple’s customizable stickers, they are celebrating diversity in their marketing. - Patrick Ward, Rootstrap
9. Dove
Dove, a Unilever brand, has created campaigns focused on real people—people of color, the LGBTQ community and people of all ages and body sizes. Its “Real Beauty” campaign brings the brand down to the level of consumers, not to the level of models or people of a so-called “perfect” size. Dove has also shaped messaging for children, starting at critical ages, to eliminate negativity around body shape and size. - Brittany White, Apple Growth Partners
10. The National Basketball Association
The NBA has quickly become one of the fastest-growing associations today. Instead of just focusing on the United States as a market, the company has expanded its brand internationally, realizing how many basketball fans there are around the world. This has diversified its target audience, allowing for major expansion and providing a better idea of who truly supports the fastest-growing sport. - Christian Anderson, Lost Boy Entertainment Company
11. Barbie
Mattel has done a great job with Barbie in recent years, moving away from its traditional definition of “dolls” to take a more inclusive approach. This was partially driven by consumer sentiment and should have happened much sooner, but the result is a much wider representation of children, materializing in the product and communication from the brand. If consumers see themselves in the brand, they will engage. - Keith Bendes, Linqia
