Mark Ritson’s Post

Representing diversity is one thing, which should be a standard practice by now, as it’s the right thing to do, especially if the brand wants to appeal to the mass. But asking brands to jazz up their logo every June? I’m not sure if it solves anything long-term other than giving the external validation to the LGBTQIA+ people, a pretty counterproductive approach to making it BAU. Does it make those who don’t change their logo a villain? Instead of painting the world rainbow, I think we should have a conversation with LGBTQIA+ people and see how they can be empowered from within, and speak up when they’re being treated unfairly. Speaking from someone who has also been discriminated against from time to time, if I always need that external validation to empower myself, I’d never feel fully accepted.

What if I told you that ads with LGBTQ+ representation perform just as well as those without? Research from System1 shows that including LGBTQ+ consumers in ads neither boosts nor harms performance, proving brands can champion inclusivity without a commercial excuse. In other words, brands now have a choice to embrace inclusivity simply because it's the right thing to do. Read up on Mark Ritson's perspective on how transforming logos for Pride can sometimes lose its impact, becoming mere 'rainbow-washing.' Mark suggests that however, genuine representation in ads helps LGBTQ+ individuals feel seen and supported. Is your brand ready to embrace purpose for its true value, not just for profit? #InclusiveMarketing #LGBTQRepresentation #BrandPurpose #MarketingStrategy #DiversityAndInclusion

💯 Data based argument for those in doubt why keep bringing out diversity and inclusivity in advertising can continue creating positive difference from Mark Ritson (scroll to the 2nd half of the article 😉 - if you want to learn some life lessons, read also the 1st half 😀) Thanks for sharing Jerry Daykin! #DEI #LGBTQI #Diversity #InclusiveAdvertising

‘How can advertising respond to the DEI opportunity’ was such an engaging panel discussion that was conducted on 7th December at Mumbai as part of the D&I Edge Summit hosted by The Advertising Standards Council of India and Unstereotype Alliance. Do catch this wonderful article by Noel D'souza (he/him) in Campaign India! The panel was expertly moderated by Prasad Sangameshwaran, Editor, Brand Equity.com with panelists, Ashiish V Patil, CEO & Co-Founder, Isspeshai Stratcon LLP, Sumit Agarwal, DEI Advisor to Fortune 500 Companies, Anjali Madan, Head of Media, Mondelez and Anirban Mozumdar, CSO, Havas Creative India. ✅ They discussed how the narratives within the space of advertising could be reshaped as they looked at ways of how brands could be non-tokenistic and champion authentic representation. ✅ Sometimes more than representation or under representation, wrong representation or mis representation can be more dangerous. Especially when it gives legitimacy to the already existing stereotypes. ✅ They opined that it was critical to look at the product end-to-end – product design, development, marketing, communication - from a diverse, inclusive, representation and accessibility lens. ✅ The panel also deliberated on the challenges of translating brand intentions into meaningful actions. ✅ The dire need for authenticity and genuine and sustained efforts, backed by a deep understanding of consumers rooted in a brand's ethos was highlighted. ✅ There were rich examples of the film industry where misrepresentation of marginalized communities is rampant due to inaunthentic casting.    ✅ They reflected on how Inclusivity is hardly ever a table stake at the nascent or brief stage of communication planning and development. ✅ The panel also looked at how the world is moving towards conscious consumption from conspicuous consumption and how important it is to tell authentic stories where inclusion is unobtrusive in the story without coming across as force fitted. ✅ They also looked at the dangers of insincere intentions at D&I being called out by the discerning consumers and other stakeholders if the brand’s voice sounded tokenistic or came across as a ‘pity party’ in the guise of Inclusion. ✅ The importance of normalization of conversations around Inclusion to change the debate was also highlighted. ✅ They deliberated on the importance of accurate consumer data to understand the various hues of consumers to serve them better. ✅ Importance of aligning actions with the brand message, being relevant as against being caught up in tokenism was addressed. ✅ Despite the positive intentions, there sometimes is the fear of unintended consequences and how there should be a delicate balance between progressive advertising and potential societal pushback. Check the comments for my earlier posts on this summit!

Retrofitting Ad Starbucks: Every name’s a story Creative Brief ——————— GET(Target Audience): LGBT community. WHO (Consumer Problem): don't get to choose their own names. TO (Desired Response): tell us the name they want to write on their cup. By (Strategy): Revealing that they get to choose name at Starbucks. Link: https://lnkd.in/gACp-jT2

For advertisers weary of advertising on news content, this blog is for you: https://lnkd.in/ggiu-NtM News publications are critical to democracy and often have difficulty monetizing content due to status quo brand safety tactics like blunt keyword blocking. ❌ Advanced contextual and partners like Socialcontext.ai make it easy, and safe, to align your brand with positive news stories across a range of segments and topics like gender equality, racial equity, and climate action. If you're ready to commit to investing in responsible journalism, reach out today to learn more about leveraging Socialcontext.ai contextual segments at GumGum! 🤝

Unbiased Marketing Agency: One Week In 😍 Hello LinkedIn family, It's been a whirlwind week since the launch of Unbiased Marketing, and I couldn't be more excited to share a quick update with you all: Reflecting on my personal experiences as a member of the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, and Native American roots, it's clear that our mission at Unbiased Marketing goes beyond just business. We're here to fill a critical gap – bringing genuine inclusivity and diversity to marketing and communications, from Canada to Argentina, and around the world. This first week has been about laying the groundwork, connecting with like-minded individuals and organizations, and setting the stage for what we aim to achieve. We're not just crafting marketing strategies; we're creating a platform for voices that have long been underrepresented. In my vision, Unbiased Marketing Agency is more than just an agency; it's a commitment to making marketing more reflective of the world's rich tapestry. A big shoutout to my partner, Dan Gamble, for your invaluable mentorship and support. I am deeply grateful for it. Also, a big thank you to all my friends and former colleagues who took the time to leave a comment last week. Your encouraging words truly mean the world to me and fuel my passion even further. The journey has just begun, and there's so much yet to work on. I am so excited to see what the future holds. Here's to many more weeks, months, and years of driving change! #UnbiasedMarketing #InclusiveMarketing #DiversityMatters #MarketingForChange unbiasedagency.com

We talk a lot about blocklists at Mediavine. It's a focus for Brian J. Packer, M.A., as our Uplift champion and pillar director. Blocklists repeatedly shut off access for brands to giant audiences they actually *wanted* to reach. In the process, unwittingly denying countless small, independent publishers and giant orgs like TIME access to budgets that would have lifted their business. Whenever online publishers cover important social topics like feminism, social justice or anything to do with the LGBTQ+ community, they're making a purposeful choice to cover content that they know will not monetize as well. We've been talking to publishers that not only track this, but make sure to run content they *know* will monetize well to make up for the disparity. Content creation by independent content creators is a finite resource because you rarely have a staff, or even one other person helping you create that content. We, as an industry, are pushing them to their limits with blocklists and we don't even realize it. This ham-fisted approach was the best we could do 30 years ago. It's 2024 and our programmatic algorithms are more advanced than ever. Brand safety tools are better at context than they've ever been. Yet we're still doing this? Time Magazine's article about Taylor Swift, their person of the year for 2023 — and her first interview in five years — was demonetized after being erroneously flagged "not inclusive of women" for discussing feminism. Want to know how many times a variation of the word "feminine" appears in the article? Four. In a 6,456-word article. Block lists have a serious capacity to kill journalism of all kinds, legacy to independent. It's time for the industry to come together and develop a better way forward. #programmaticads #brandsafety #TaylorSwift #feminism #socialjustice

A fundamental question all marketers should be asking. If the answer is "yes", that's wonderful. Please share what you're doing in the comments. If the answer is "no", what's stopping you? A lack of insight? A lack of know-how? Something else? If the answer is "I don't know", how are you going to find out? #accessibility #inclusion #inclusivity #InclusiveBusiness #AccessibilityMatters #InclusionMatters Image description: the words, Is your marketing accessible? in white font on a purple background with the untapped logo in white in the bottom right. There are white doodles around the copy, including stars, a light bulb and dashes.

Social Media Design Mistakes That Nonprofits Must Avoid 1. 𝐏𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐧  While it is important to showcase the ground reality, refrain from using too many passive images that focus on people’s helplessness. Instead, show people engaging in resistance, record their opinions, and highlight their active participation in solving problems. This approach not only respects their dignity but also inspires others to take action and get involved. 2. 𝐔𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠  Colours often signify solidarity with a particular movement or political inclination. For example, rainbow-coloured posts designed during Pride Month are acts of solidarity with the queer liberation movement. It is crucial to understand what your design colours are conveying through your posts before sharing them on social media. This ensures your message aligns with your organization's values and the cause you support. 3. 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞  A consistent and coherent design language is essential to create easy brand recall. Incoherent design can confuse your audience and dilute your message. Ensure that some visual elements, if not all, remain consistent and align with your brand guidelines and the story you aim to tell. This will create a sense of familiarity with your audience and build the right kind of anticipation. Avoid these common social media design mistakes and create impactful content with clear messaging. For comms services, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] #communication #socialimpactcomms #graphicdesigning