{"id":7461,"date":"2024-05-06T15:37:19","date_gmt":"2024-05-06T15:37:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tup.kxe.temporary.site\/what-is-diversity-and-inclusion-in-marketing\/"},"modified":"2024-05-06T15:37:19","modified_gmt":"2024-05-06T15:37:19","slug":"what-is-diversity-and-inclusion-in-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/okdesign.ca\/en\/what-is-diversity-and-inclusion-in-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"What is diversity and inclusion in marketing?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Diversity at all levels of a company is a major indicator of company success and productivity. The benefits of diversity and inclusion can be seen in stock and revenue performance, hiring and retention and customer acquisition and loyalty. A diverse marketing organization aids access to diverse markets.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a nice thing to have, it\u2019s a necessity. Many studies have shown that more diverse organizations outperform less diverse ones.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Creating a diverse and inclusive culture is the result of implementing policies and procedures that empower and support marginalized groups. It prioritizes results over intentions, emphasizing the need for action rather than just words. This approach ensures that individuals who have historically lacked support are now included and valued.<\/p>\n

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Marketing is all about trust. In fact, 46% of customers will pay more for products and services from brands they trust, according to a Salsify survey<\/a>. Moreover, the Edelman Trust Barometer Survey (2023) found Gen Z is leading the charge in demanding more accountability from brands, with 79% saying it is more important to trust the brands they buy today than in the past<\/a>. With such a focus on trust-building, you also must represent diversity in your ads and promotions. Why? Nearly 60% of customers will trust you more if you use inclusive ads, according to a Facebook advertising study<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s essential to note that just adding people who might appear to be of different ethnic backgrounds to your content will not<\/em> accomplish this. The performative \u201cfaces and festivals\u201d approach, where marketing includes different faces and makes a big deal of particular holidays (Juneteenth, Cinco de Mayo, Ramadan, Pride, etc.) is a recipe for disaster. It all but guarantees gaffes that will cause problems with the targeted audience. Avoiding that requires a diverse team.<\/p>\n

Consumers want advertisements and promotions that represent them and their needs and interests. They don\u2019t just take that at face value. They look for proof that representation is authentic<\/strong> and get angry if they believe it isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

This is an introduction to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for marketing organizations. It explains basic concepts and suggests steps you can take.<\/p>\n

What is diversity, and inclusion in the workplace?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While marketing occurs \u201cat work: there is a key difference in how marketers, who are communicating outside of an organization to an audience of potential customers, should approach and advocate diversity and inclusion in their work. Whereas organization leaders and culture drivers are responsible for communicating internally to an audience of employees about workplace diversity and inclusion. Simply put:<\/p>\n

Diversity <\/strong>in marketing content and diversity in the workplace are directly related but take different forms. In content, it means portraying people of different ages, abilities, ethnicities, genders, sexual identities, religions and other demographic characteristics. The organization is actively seeking out and recruiting people from marginalized communities. It is creating a team that reflects society and the audiences you want to reach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Inclusion <\/strong>means policies and behaviors that ensure people from marginalized groups are heard and they and their contributions are given the consideration and respect they have usually been denied. Just having a diverse staff isn\u2019t enough. Inclusive policies and behaviors foster a sense of belonging.<\/p>\n

Underlying both diversity and inclusion is the principle of equity:<\/p>\n

Equity <\/strong>means giving all people the support they need \u2014 training, mentorship, safe spaces and more \u2014 to advance in the organization. This support may look different according to the individual\u2019s needs. It may be driven by how they identify in terms of race, culture, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, differing ability or potentially undisclosed differences and what is required to achieve equity with peers.\u00a0 It requires understanding why the organization has failed to do this in the past and making sure it doesn\u2019t do it again.<\/p>\n

Organizations that put equity at the core of internal and external decision-making and communications, will begin to intrinsically foster a culture of diversity and inclusion, with authenticity.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Benefits of diversity and inclusion in marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Increased audience engagement and trust<\/strong><\/h3>\n