We are currently living through a period of powerful unrest, with those who are on the side of progress and those who are on the side of conservatism seemingly unable to coexist. For brands that might have a preconceived notion of their target audience, it can be difficult to take a stance, particularly if that stance stands opposed to the values of your existing customers.
But there is an increasingly strong case being made for brands to spend more time and resources understanding a more diverse audience. We have evolved and while there are always going to be those that will roll their eyes at the concept of referring to someone by their chosen pronouns or involving a more diverse range of people for the sake of visibility, most of us seem to realise these are inconsequential inconveniences.
The ends more than justify the means. Because it might seem “hard” to remember somebody’s pronouns today but that’s just because the culture hasn’t moved on yet. For that to truly happen, the media needs to take a stand and adland is one sector of the media that has never been afraid to kick up a fuss.
Signs of the times
To underline just how far we have come and have yet to travel, the LGBTQIA+ advocacy group quite cleverly called Outvertising, recently unveiled a major campaign to coincide with LGBT History Month. The idea was to reframe the narrative of some famous advertising scripts from the past, making them more inclusive for LGBTQIA+ audiences.
The creative work – developed by creative agency Across the Pond – reinvented ads include DeBeers’ ‘Two Months Salary’ poster and Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” spot. It also features a call to action for LGBTQIA+ ad professionals and allies to join the Outvertising community. In association with OPEN Media and Clear Channel, the posters will feature across billboard sites in London, Newcastle, Liverpool, Sheffield, Coventry and Hull throughout February.
Using the power of advertising to shape society for the better isn’t a new thing, of course. Indeed, advertising has been an agent for positive change. Even a few years ago, Gillette’s short film, “The Best a Man Can Be” rightly criticized toxic masculinity and its implications for future generations. The problem is, so many other brands have got it wrong, such as the notoriously tone-deaf Pepsi ad, which tried to make a statement about police brutality but instead felt like it was poking fun at the whole thing.
Connecting organically with new communities
The key is making the connection with these communities feel natural and authentic. Advertising has always been an exaggerated facsimile of our realities and our realities now include a more diverse range of people that deserve a platform. It’s up to advertisers to ensure these people are being included in a way that makes sense.
When done poorly, it can have negative effects: alcohol ads can contribute to underage drinking and people may experience depressive symptoms when exposed to the ultra-thin, unrealistic body ideal often portrayed by models in ads. Unsurprisingly, there are very real consequences from being exposed to certain types of advertising. However, the influence of advertising also can move in the opposite direction.
Properly done advertisements historically have started important conversations. In 2013, for example, Cheerios released a seemingly innocent ad with one integral element: it featured an interracial family. The resulting backlash sparked conversations about race and what currently constituted the “traditional” American family. However, in the aftermath of the ad’s release, it “inspired an online community of interracial families dedicated to publicly reflecting the changing face of the American family,” according to Medium.
The Cheerios ad was largely responsible for inspiring numerous other brands, such as Chevrolet and Coca Cola, to weigh in on the new American family, from such names as Chevrolet and Coca Cola. Arguably, the Cheerios commercial sparked an important conversation about race in America that wasn’t taking place on such a large scale before. The ad established a stage for open debate over a crucial topic.
This is, ultimately, what needs to happen for even more diverse communities, be it trans people, same-sex couples or disabled people. Thanks to initiatives like Outvertising it would at least appear we’re on the right path.
Steve Holman February 17th, 2023, in the afternoon
This is pointless wokery. The script (lets imagine it's a classic Levi's ad) calls for one man taking off his jeans. This diverse 'update' confuses the model agency, so they send over everyone on their books - and they might also think the role is for two actors. Brilliant. Advertising is meant to be about clear communication.