From Talk to Action: Brands, Authenticity & Results

At times the world can feel like a dark placeamp8212especially for those who are underrepresented and face racial and social inequalities 2020 has amplified the need for everyone to pay attention advocate for diverse communities and champion equality and inclusion More and more consumers are weighing which brands align with and represent their own values and it39s clear that the marketing community has a role to play in driving impactful change and amplifying voices and authentic storiesComcast Advertising39s Culture Conversations webcast series explores the nuanced issues and opportunities impacting the marketing community with industry thought leaders sharing their insights on a range of topics related to diversity equity and inclusion The series aims to educate and inspire dialogue and action within the media and advertising industriesIn the inaugural episode Comcast Advertising39s CMO Maria Weaver pictured top left moderated a discussion centered around how brands are navigating change at a time where some are getting it right and others are struggling to find the right toneExperts in marketing and the beauty industry Nadja BellanWhite pictured top center executive partner at Ogilvy and Esi Eggleston Bracey pictured top right COO ampamp EVP of beauty ampamp personal care at Unilever North America were on hand to discuss the ways in which companies and brands are taking a stand on inequality and injustice The pair shared the quicktomarket Dove campaigns highlighting essential healthcare workers at the start of the COVID19 pandemic and the black community in response to the death of George FloydquotDove is a brand that wants to be a part of the conversation and Dove sawamp8212through the view that Dove would haveamp8212a lot of triumphant actions and the beauty in those actionsquot Esi recalled during a notable moment in the episode The brand is an exemplary one amplifying a message aimed at fighting systemic racism As the campaign puts it quotAmerica will not be beautiful until it39s beautiful for everyonequotA second episode in the Culture Conversations series moderated by myself served as a reminder that even with a victorious Supreme Court ruling on job discrimination in June there is still much to do for the LGBTQ community and brands have the capacity to play a roleAlia J Daniels COO and cofounder of Revry TV and SVOD network Jonathan Lovitz SVP at the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce NGLCC and Raul Rios VP of strategy at the Walton Isaacson agency passionately discussed community wins and highlighted inclusive brands engaging with LGBTQ audiences in the right ways They made it a point however to provide a reality check for companies and brands to step upOn how companies and brands can engage with the segment in authentic ways Jonathan says to quotget involved with us not just as a consumer and business network but also as a stakeholder groupquot Adding quotIf we do better as people and citizens we do better as consumersquotAuthenticity was a fundamental theme that carried through all of the conversations thus far In the third edition Carlos Santiago president of SSG ampamp cofounder of AIMM part of ANA observes that when we go beyond just inclusive casting for instance quotcultural magic happens when marketers like Denny39s PampampG Walmart and others represent consumers in the way that they actually arequotMelanie Hamilton VP enterprise sales at Effectv hosted that conversation with Carlos as well as Sean Cunningham president ampamp CEO at the VAB centering on how advertising campaign inclusivity can have a significantly positive impact on the bottom line The episode draws insights from the VAB39s recent report Do the Right Thing How Diversity and Inclusion Drives Brand OutcomesStriking the right tone and maintaining authenticity is not easy but it39s the right thing to do in terms of shining a light on underrepresented communities which in turn aligns your brand to key customer segments and ultimately drives better results for your business Concerted efforts in multicultural and inclusive marketing not only help society they can often create a competitive advantageStay tuned for upcoming episodes by following Comcast Advertising on its social media channels LinkedIn Twitter You can watch the episodes described in the aforementioned at the video player belowIClick 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 MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet

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From Talk to Action: Brands, Authenticity & Results

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Lee Singletary

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