Anumita G.’s Post

Friends, the last year has been a journey of personal growth and transformation, leading me to an exciting new chapter. I’m thrilled to introduce my entrepreneurial debut, combining my extensive experience in the advertising, marketing and communications industry and my passion for social advocacy. It’s called Dígame. In Spanish, dígame (pronounced: dee-gah-meh) means “talk to me.” It’s an invitation to pull up a chair and have a conversation. I believe as an industry we are at a crossroads: it's time for brands to connect—authentically and meaningfully—with diverse groups in ways that truly matter, or get left behind. Dígame is a consultancy dedicated to helping brands create genuine and impactful connections with often-overlooked audiences, including Latino, Black, Veteran, LGBTQ and other diverse communities. The consultancy's mission is rooted in a deep understanding of the cultural nuances and rich diversity that define these communities. Dígame serves as a navigator in this journey, ensuring brand messages hit home and resonate deeply with these rich, lively communities. Services include business and brand strategy, in-depth market research, creative campaign development, cultural intelligence training, meeting facilitation and more. I’ve also joined forces with experts who are insiders from these communities and fierce advocates to bring insights and creative that cut deeper than the usual. So, dígame—let’s have a conversation! Together, we can create work that truly mirrors the real spectrum of our world, build understanding, and create genuine bonds.

With high profile proxy contests at Disney and Starbucks, 2024 is proving to be another busy year for shareholder activism and M&A activity. Our Activism Vulnerability Report sheds light on these contests and highlights trends in the shareholder activism space. Download the report for insights: https://lnkd.in/eyrFchqd Key contacts: Jason Frankl, Brian Kushner, Kurt Moeller, and Tom K. #Activism #ShareholderActivism #MergersandAcquisitions

Lots of great information in this year’s Belonging, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion report. I’m proud Walmart continues to drive transparency in this area as we build an environment where every associate feels seen, supported and connected through our culture of belonging.   As the nation’s largest private employer, and a large employer around the world, Walmart’s scale, purpose and values set us apart. We’re focused on creating equitable opportunities for all, and this report provides important transparency to help us identify focus areas and continue driving progress.   A few highlights:    🔵 Global representation for women in officer positions steadily increased, and officer representation for U.S. women and People of Color is at its highest level since at least 2021. 🔵 In the U.S., representation for People of Color in the total workforce made gains of over 1.4% year over year, driven by growth in LatinX representation. 🔵 People of Color hiring in the total U.S. workforce has increased year over year.   I’m especially proud of the work we’re doing in Walmart Global Tech. LatinX in Tech, Women in Tech, and the Black Technology Network continue to foster a sense of belonging and connection, and our Enterprise Business Services’ You Belong Initiative has driven important outreach for early-career technologists.   Our journey is ongoing and I’m looking forward to continued progress as we move forward. You can find the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gNJRkZ2q   #TeamWalmart #YouBelong

Hi there ! 👋 👋 👋 Have you got used to the acronym DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) already? Yes? ... well, you might have to get used to a rebranding of the DEI abbreviation soon ... 😉 According to this Washington Post article below ⬇ there is an actual trend of considering transforming the DEI acronym to something different that would encapsulate a more realistic approach. And that means taking into consideration reversing the letters I and D, keeping E in the middle, and come up with IED instead, in a few words, putting the focus in Inclusion rather than Diversity. ➡ "we under estimated that Inclusion is the real challenge" the article says ... and I couldn' t agree more. When talking to my clients, specially in our first steps of the DEI programs we roll out, they wonder whether their organizations are Diverse enough or not and how could they improve that 🤔 I'm always telling them that they shouldn't' worry much about it as their Companies are already Diverse (... they have women, men, queer people, disabled people, black people or Muslims working in there already!). They should be focussed though on transforming their company in a more Inclusive place to work .... that is the real Challenge as the article says. 🙌 👍 ... However I'm wondering myself too whether to swap already to IED or wait a bit longer to confirm the trend is really set 😉 ... you never know ! #dei #diversity #inclusion #diversitymatters #inclusionmatters #people #peoplematter #ied

The Coca-Cola Company's Campaign by Ogilvy #CocaCola loves to sprinkle emotions into almost all their #videoads, thanks to #EmotionalMarketing tactics. So, what’s Emotional Marketing all about? It's all about crafting persuasive messages that connect deeply with our emotions. Whether it's fear, anger, joy, or any other strong feeling, the goal is to influence our decisions. In this campaign, Coca-Cola showcases different scenarios where they focus on positive emotions rather than the #SpillOfYourFavouriteDrink. The idea is to create a positive vibe around the brand for everyone, not just the consumers. It might sound simple, but that's the beauty of it. They always go for a minimalist approach to get their message across, and once again, they've nailed it!

Last year, Eli Lilly and Company’s annual shareholders letter referenced the acronym for diversity, equity and inclusion 48 times. This year, “DEI” is nowhere to be found. In a shifting landscape, companies like Starbucks and Molson Coors Beverage Company are quietly adjusting their focus, replacing DEI with terms like "talent" and "People & Planet." Critics argue that DEI creates its own inequalities, prompting legal challenges and a reevaluation of corporate strategies. Yet, despite the changing rhetoric, the business case for diversity remains strong. Companies are rebranding programs, overhauling teams, and adapting to guard against legal threats while seeking to foster inclusive cultures. The debate around DEI continues amidst a complex legal and social environment. Read more in this The Washington Post gift link: https://wapo.st/4b3EP8G #DEI #CorporateDiversity #InclusionMatters

Here's what I tell anyone concerned about the "attack" on DEI: this work is fundamentally about cultivating environments where everybody thrives. Pure and simple. Who can argue with that? From there, the work becomes: ➡ Identify the obstacles in your specific org that hinder this. ➡ Develop the list of actions that you'll take to address those obstacles. ➡ Establish a system to track progress ("accountability) and have regular check-ins to adjust as you go. Yes, language is important and yes, we need to be able to openly address the issues of race and gender and discrimination that are huge problems in our workplaces and our world. And we also need to think about how we invite everyone in to this conversation, and motivate everyone to take action every single day -- actions large and small. So for anyone struggling to get their colleagues on-board with DEI work, ask them how they feel about this framing and see what they say... https://lnkd.in/eUdrXpnk

They say a rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but what if the garden itself needs tending? That’s how I see the current state of DEI. While the urge to rebrand DEI is strong in today’s climate, let’s not get hung up on labels. Personalizing DEI is the real challenge here. True inclusion isn’t about following a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s about weaving inclusion into the core of our organization’s mission, vision, and values. When everyone feels safe and included in our spaces, our brands flourish. By creating a genuinely inclusive space, we solve customer problems, gain a competitive edge, and build lasting loyalty. Labels aside, the work continues. Our future depends on it.

Maybe instead of changing the name we should focus on leading open and honest discussions about where the true power of DEI efforts lie. In the last few years, the conversation around the power of diversity has started and stopped at the diverse characteristics we can see instead of focusing on the cognitive diversity these identities can bring. Diverse perspectives, experiences, and heuristics is the secret sauce behind the success of companies which embrace diversity and we need to drive that point home. And because this cognitive diversity is present in every person in any group, it allows each person to feel included and see themselves as an important part of DEI initiatives. Oh and SHRM... rebranding DEI to IED ain't it. Unless you want your acronym to potentially trigger anyone who has served in the military over the past 20 or so years.

Amid growing political backlash and legal challenges, American businesses are quietly rebranding DEI with other less polarizing terms. While companies are altering terminology around DEI, many are still committed to the goal of improving diversity and inclusion as a core value. Many large companies see a correlation between a diverse workforce and financial success, and those with the highest racial, ethnic, and gender representation are 39% more likely to financially outperform, according to a study by McKinsey & Co. https://lnkd.in/eaJBKXYx