Diversity and Inclusion in Advertising: A Call to Action at ANA’s Multicultural Summit

Paramount39s newly released quotThe Industry In Progress Reportquot showcased the significant decline in the representation of Black and Hispanic individuals in advertising Black representation decreased from 165 to 143 while Hispanic representation dropped from 9 to 5 The decline in Hispanic representation was most disproportionate compared to their population size and buying power of 21 trillion In contrast the white population remains overrepresented relative to its share of the total populationThe report also highlighted the need to focus on disability representation including individuals with mental and psychological disabilities Middle Eastern and South Asian peopleThe Association of National Advertisers ANA understands the importance of multicultural advertising and held its twentyfifth Multicultural Marketing and Diversity Conference in October This hybrid event held both inperson and virtually served as a platform to explore effective strategies for reaching multicultural markets and to engage in critical discussions about industry challengesIn one session amp8220Candid Discussion on Inclusion in the Marketing and Advertising Industryamp8221 experts and advocates delved into the impact of recent Supreme Court rulings on diversity and inclusion efforts in advertising the waning representation of diverse audiences in advertising and the crucial role of internal champions and educationThe panel moderated by Jack Myers Founder and Media Ecologist at MediaVillage Education Foundation included Genny HomFranzen Executive Director at the Asian American Advertising Federation 3AF Meghan Bartley Director of Agencies Brands and Engagement at GLAAD and Ozzie Godinez CEOCoFounder of PACO CollectiveThe Impact of Supreme Court RulingsThe opening remarks of the panel set the stage for a candid discussion The panelists expressed concerns about recent Supreme Court rulings on womenamp8217s rights and their implications for diversity and inclusion initiatives While the legal rulings primarily revolve around issues related to education and affirmative action their ripple effects have subsequently affected advertisingOne fear is that the rulings could be interpreted as a license for corporations to backtrack on their commitment to diversity and inclusion both in representation in marketing as well as hiringMyers cited a recent survey that The Myers Report conducted of 4200 industry professionals Of those sixtytwo percent had been in the business for fewer than eight years yet the diversity of professionals has remained unchangedamp8220Overall as an industry weamp8217re not doing enoughamp8221 Myers declaredThe Need for Internal Champions and EducationOne of the key takeaways from the panel was the need for internal champions within organizations These champions are individuals who can advocate for diversity and inclusion initiatives and push for change from within They play a pivotal role in shifting mindsets and corporate practicesHowever the responsibility for change should not be on internal champions alone amp8220Don39t go and grab the one person in your organization that represents that community and make them responsible for itamp8221 emphasized BartleyEducation is another critical component of a more inclusive advertising industry Many industry professionals remain unaware of the impact of diversity and inclusion efforts According to Paramountamp8217s study 53 of consumers exhibit greater loyalty to brands that reflect individuals like themselves while 58 are inclined to purchase from brands that similarly represent their demographicPanelists highlighted the importance of providing education and evidence to support the business case for diversity The US buying power of marginalized communities is over 675 trillion which is a compelling argument to corporate America for changeMoving Beyond CheckmarksAuthenticity is crucial in the process This means more than just putting out statements or launching campaigns it involves making genuine efforts to be a part of and support these communitiesWhile the panel acknowledged the progress that has been made in the industry it also recognized that the advertising landscape is at a critical junctureamp8220Weamp8217re stuck on the amp8216howamp8217amp8221 said BartleyOne way to combat this is to ensure advertising teams have the right experts in the room Having the right people in the room is critical to building authentic stories Godinez believes that amp8220endtoend inclusivityamp8221 starts with hiring Another way to ensure this is by working with minorityowned agencies or nonprofits like GLAADamp8220Having a crisis plan is your number one priorityamp8221 said Bartley amp8220Make sure you have experts in the room that can help you curate your plan so that you are comfortable making decisions in any situationamp8221HomFranzen echoed Bartleyamp8217s sentiment about consulting with experts and noted that 3AF is the leading resource for Asian advertising and marketingItamp8217s crucial for the advertising industry to recognize that diversity and inclusion are not optional they are essential for the growth and sustainability of businesses As the panel concluded the call to action to the advertising industry was clear commit to authentic change and make diversity and inclusion more than a checkbox amp8211 make them the heart of advertisingPosted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership selfpublishing platformClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageorgMyersBizNet

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

Diversity and Inclusion in Advertising: A Call to Action at ANA’s Multicultural Summit

Author

Publish date

Channel

Brandie Feuer

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

More Videos:

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

Diversity and Inclusion in Advertising: A Call to Action at ANA’s Multicultural Summit

Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love

Brandie Feuer

TAGS:

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

Cookies