Diversity has been a regular topic at the Oscars, especially since there were only Caucasian acting nominees in both 2015 and 2016 – the first time since 1997. The 2018 Oscars additionally focused on the issue of gender equality and inclusion after Hollywood was hit hard by the #MeToo movement. Long story short: diversity and inclusion have become mainstream topics impacting all organizations and industries, including advertising.
Saturday Night Live just recently addressed the challenges of dealing with inclusion and PEPSI has already proven that advertisers will face distinct scrutiny about their actions.
We have assembled a couple of external, and partially controversial, sources with examples, opinions, and food for thought on diversity and inclusion in advertising. Needless to say, this selection does not reflect the opinions of the Media Link Team – it is intended to inspire, spark thoughts, and spur discussions about topics no marketing professional can avoid anymore.
Gender
• “Gender equality movements in advertising are making gains,” THE DRUM
This article highlights several gender equality movements.
• “Collections: Gender Equality in Advertising,” Ads of the World
This site presents ads addressing International Women’s Day.
• “U.K. bans gender stereotypes in ads,” AdAge
This article highlights restrictions on gender stereotyping.
• “Conservatives feel the least represented among media’s depiction of women,” Ad Age
This article highlights how political perspectives shape women’s receptivity to advertising.
• “Agency exec on scarcity of LGBT people in ads: ‘People fear the bigoted minority’”, DIGIDAY
This interview focuses on the representation of LGBT people in advertising.
Race
• “Different Ads, Different Ethnicities, Same Car,” New York Times
This article discusses Toyota’s take on targeting minority audiences.
• “The case for diversity in advertising,” Think with Google
This article focuses on black millennials and their stance on media/advertising and Corporate Social Responsibility.
• “ProPublica: Facebook advertisers can still discriminate by race,” engadget
This article highlights the legal and ethical challenges of audience segmentation and digital targeting options.
• “I am the woman in the ‘racist Dove ad’. I am not a victim,” The Guardian
This opinion deals with the most recent Dove ad controversy.
Tips
• “How We Encourage Diversity and Equality in Our Content Marketing,” 6Q
• “5 ways marketers can take action to improve diversity,” Marketing Week
• “Pepsi’s ad failure shows the importance of diversity and market research,” Marketing Week
• “Watch marketing and adland’s top names urge industry to fix diversity issue,” campaign us
