Dos And Don'ts Of Inclusive Advertising
Portraying yourself as "inclusive" has always been a strategy for success, but it now needs to be more than just a statement on your “about us” page or half-hearted attempt. Instead, it needs to be interwoven into every fibre of your business, representing the under-represented and championing the market. You need to resonate with your audience, helping those from all walks of life to relate and not feel alienated. Statistics have found that 71% of people expect brands to promote diversity and inclusion in their online advertising, while 64% of consumers surveyed took some form of action after seeing an ad that they considered to be inclusive or diverse.
Over the years brands have worked to be more inclusive - sometimes it’s worked really well, and other times, it really hasn’t. There’s a fine line between being inclusive and embodying values and being inauthentic, over the top and pandering. You need to be genuine in your approach and prove you hold the values you represent deeply and that it’s not just to tick boxes. Here we look at the brands that have nailed inclusivity communication and those that have got it wrong.
THOSE THAT HAVE DONE IT RIGHT…
PANTENE HIRED LUCY EDWARDS, A BLIND INFLUENCER TO BE THEIR AMBASSADOR
Pantene recently hired Lucy Edwards to be the ambassador of their Silky & Glowing product range. Lucy is a UK-based blind broadcaster, TikTokker and disability activist and this move is part of Pantene's commitment to ensure social content such as beauty tutorials are accessible for all. When speaking about the news, Edwards said, "I love beauty, I love looking good – but there is an assumption that because I can’t see, I don’t care. But of course, it is still important to me how I feel I look!” Not only does this partnership promote inclusivity by opening the range to those with a sight impairment, but it also gives hope to people with other disabilities that there are opportunities out there and they are becoming more widely represented.
GILLETTE ADVERT FEATURING A TRANSGENDER MAN LEARNING TO SHAVE
In 2019, Gillette featured an advertising campaign that focused on a father helping his transgender son learn to shave. The tagline of the ad was: “Whenever, wherever, however it happens – your first shave is special.” The ad was met with high levels of praise and has since been viewed over a million times. Many trans men commented saying they could relate to the experience, and it made a big difference to see them being supported and represented in mainstream media.
MICROSOFT'S "WE ALL WIN" COMMERCIAL
When Microsoft found out that some children with certain physical disabilities, visual impairments or missing limbs were finding it a challenge to use traditional gaming controllers, they decided to do something about it to include everyone. They came up with a new controller that included bright colours for those that found it difficult to see and a touchpad instead of buttons. They also launched a communication channel where disabled people could request further customisations should they need them. The ad featured children with various disabilities talking about how much they love video games, how it helps them and what a difference having the new controller makes to them. The campaign not only helped this issue, but also highlighted to people with disabilities that obstacles they might have seen as being something that will always occur in society, can get sorted and brands will go the extra mile.
PAMPERS SHOWING MEN CHANGING NAPPIES
While there have been massive advancements in the gender divide with the stereotypes of women looking after babies, there is still a fair way to go. Pampers worked to highlight the issue of men not having access to baby changing facilities, working with Donte Palmer, an Instagrammer from the account Three Boys One Goal. His campaign #Squatforchange went viral where he was showing him having to change his baby on his lap in the men's toilets. Pampers went on to do an ad featuring a host of male Dad celebs such as John Legend and Adam Levine, showcasing them changing their babies’ nappies. They also agreed to install 5,000 changing tables in men's bathrooms across the US and Canada by 2021. Many men appreciated seeing the male gender shown in a role that is mostly given to women in the media.
AND THOSE THAT HAVEN’T…
DOVE’S BODY LOTION ADVERT
The ad: Dove is a brand often known for its carefully crafted and well-thought-out campaigns that actively promote diversity and body image. Yet a recent campaign backfired hugely on the brand. They conducted a Facebook campaign that depicted an African American woman who used Dove lotion and changed into a Caucasian woman.
The backlash: American makeup artist Naomi Blake, who goes by the name Naythemua was one of many who stated their disbelief in the ad, saying in an Instagram post "So I’m scrolling through Facebook, and this is the #dove ad that comes up … ok so what am I looking at." Further in her comments, she continues "What does America tell black people? That we are judged by the colour of our skin and that includes what is considered beautiful in this country.”
The response: Following the backlash, Dove stated “All three women are intended to demonstrate the ‘after’ product benefit. We do not condone any activity or imagery that intentionally insults any audience.” Yet they admitted they had missed the mark and pulled the advert.
BECCA COSMETICS SKIN LOVE FOUNDATION RANGE
The ad: In 2018 Becca Cosmetics came under fire for their Skin Love Weightless Blur Foundation. The product is part of its Skin Love range and was intended to showcase the inclusivity of the product. The issue? The darker skinned model's arm and palm were the same colour leading others to believe they had photoshopped a white person's hand rather than hiring a black woman.
The backlash: Among many calling out the advert was beauty blogger and makeup enthusiast Mai. She stated in an Instagram post: "So @beccacosmetics let’s have a talk about these swatches. Most people don’t have palms that are the same colour as the rest of their arms, this is photoshopped as heck and it is shameful that you’re trying to promote your “inclusive” foundation range but can’t even bother to hire real models for the swatches and are resorting to artificially colouring their arms."
The response: They swiftly removed the advert and responded with a new photo, claiming: "Thanks to everyone who shared feedback on our recent arm swatch image, we hear you and want you to know that we remain committed to continually representing our inclusive Becca beauties. To demonstrate this commitment, we've re-shot with real girls from the Becca office."
HEINEKEN LIGHTER IS BETTER
The ad: Also in 2018, Heineken came under fire for their advert. In the short clip, it showed a light-skinned woman at a bar not happy with her glass of wine, so a bartender slides a beer past three other people, all of whom are black. The caption that comes up reads "Sometimes. lighter is better." While they might have thought they were being inclusive by having a range of ethnicities featured in their advertisement, the way it was conducted coupled with the tagline caused it to have quite the opposite effect.
The backlash: Chance the Rapper called the advert out and his tweet alone received over 26.2k likes as well as countless other people condemning the brand.
The response: Heineken was called out on Twitter to their ad and responded by saying “The “Sometimes Lighter is Better” line in our ad solely refers to the benefits of the beer itself; it contains only 99 calories. Unfortunately, the line has been misinterpreted by some people. This was of course never our intention and we're taking the feedback to heart.”
PEPSI RIOT AD
The ad: Chances are, we've all heard of this one. In 2017 Pepsi tried to launch an advert that projects a global message of unity, peace and understanding... and instead were accused of appropriating imagery from serious protests to sell its product, undermining the sacrifices people have had to take in utilising protests in the past.
The backlash: Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr tweeted "If only Daddy would have known about the power of #Pepsi" alongside a black and white image of her father at a protest for black rights.
The response: Reporting on the ad, Pepsi said “We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are removing the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologise for putting Kendall Jenner in this position.”
MCDONALD'S BEREAVEMENT AD
The ad: In 2017 McDonalds ran an ad that focused on a child that had lost his father. In the clip, he was struggling to find anything in common with his dad until it was found they both loved Fillet o'fish from McDonald's.
The backlash: The bereavement charity, Grief Encounter revealed they had received countless calls from upset families and that the message was tone-deaf. Leah Miller from London said "What are children supposed to think after watching it? That a simple meal can solve their emotional pain? "It's irresponsible not to include any support advice or information for families affected by this issue." So, while the fast-food giant was attempting to include different types of families and tap into those that had lost a parent, it backfired greatly.
The response: When asked about the advert, McDonald's said: A McDonald's spokesperson said: "This was by no means an intention of ours." "We wanted to highlight the role McDonald's has played in our customers' everyday lives - both in good and difficult times."
The above examples show the need for not only being inclusive in your marketing, but the importance of executing it correctly. It’s not enough to go against stereotypical norms or just to feature diversity, you need to ensure it is done in a way that is thoughtful, has meaning and, as so many of the brands state after, doesn’t “miss the mark.” Consider a broader audience and how you can influence positive social change with your communication. By being inclusive in your marketing, you are essentially giving a voice to those that can be overlooked or marginalised, so make sure your message is clear from the off.