Inclusive marketing: more than just visibility
For a long time, marketing focused mainly on the masses and on an "average" customer. People who deviated from the norm were hardly visible. They were also often missed as a target audience. A lot has changed in recent years. Diversity and inclusion are getting more and more attention. As a result, inclusive marketing is also becoming more important. Companies and organisations realise that by focusing only on the norm, they fail to reach large groups.
People often think of inclusive marketing mainly in terms of visibility: making sure your customers recognise themselves. That is an important aspect, but there is more to inclusive marketing than just visibility. I'd love to tell you more about that.
Inclusion and inclusive marketing
A key principle of inclusion is that every person is unique and therefore has different needs and expectations. So if you want to make your marketing more inclusive, it is important that you take this into account. So you don't assume a norm that others deviate from. Instead, you see the diversity of society and of your target audience and adapt your marketing strategy accordingly.
What does this mean for your marketing? With inclusive marketing, it is especially important that you recognise that your target audience is diverse and express this with your marketing. You want all people to feel welcome at your company or organisation. You delve into different audiences and their needs. You also make sure that your content is digitally accessible to everyone.
Fear of fuss
Now you know briefly what inclusive marketing entails, but why would you want to get started with it? A study by Microsoft found that the biggest reason for marketers not to start inclusive marketing was that they were afraid of making mistakes. Many marketers also said they were afraid of actually scaring off certain customers by starting inclusive marketing.
It is not surprising that marketers fear this. A fuss regularly arises when a company changes its communication or marketing to be more inclusive. Think back to the NS, when it started using "dear travellers" instead of "ladies and gentlemen". Or to the HEMA, when it stopped dividing children's clothes into "for boys" and "for girls" departments and now only distinguishes between baby and child. But despite the fear of fuss, more and more companies are making their marketing more inclusive. They have good reasons for doing so.
Inclusieve marketing: de business case
There are many reasons to start inclusive marketing. Besides (hopefully) making everyone feel welcome at your company, there are also commercial benefits. Research by Microsoft found that inclusive ads drive higher purchase intent.
There are other reasons to start inclusive marketing:
Your target audience is larger, because more people recognise themselves in your marketing.
Because you reach more people, you also turn over higher sales.
Customers increasingly expect it. In a Microsoft survey, 64% of those surveyed said they trust brands that show diversity in ads more.
It makes your business ready for the future.
Big companies have also been engaged in inclusive marketing for years. Unilever, for example, started the Unstereotype Alliance in 2017 to work against stereotypes in marketing. They cited that progressive ads are 25% more effective and make more impact.
Ready for the future
So there are plenty of reasons to deploy inclusive marketing. PIM (Platform Innovation in Marketing) concludes in their latest trend report that traditional marketing is in need of renewal and "that inclusion is anything but a trend".
The younger generations, such as Millenials and Generation Z, are finding it increasingly important for companies to be inclusive, and take this into account when deciding where to make purchases. In a report by McKinsey and Company, 75% of Generation Z respondents said they boycott companies that deploy homophobic or racist campaigns. The purchasing power of these young generations is ever-increasing. Therefore, starting inclusive marketing now is also an investment in the future.
More than visibility
You are now almost ready to take the first steps. But how do you get started with inclusive marketing? Unfortunately, it's not as easy as running down checklists or lists. Nor will you get there with just occasionally showing diversity in your videos or images, for example. Inclusion is more than just creating visibility. Think of inclusive marketing as a process. Society is constantly evolving and so are the ways we communicate. That's why working towards a specific end goal doesn't work.
72% of visitors are more likely to support a brand if their marketing is authentic
Instead of just creating visibility or looking for checklists, it is better to weave inclusion into your business. This also makes your marketing more credible. In a Microsoft survey, 72% of respondents said they were more likely to support a brand if their marketing was authentic. So this is about a company also acting on what they show in their marketing.
An inclusive brand
So visibility alone is not enough. If you want to get started with inclusive marketing, think about what you stand for as a brand. What are you doing to improve inequality? Do you have an inclusive corporate culture? Don't let it depend on one employee, but look with a team at how you can make all aspects of your company more inclusive.
While it may seem like a complicated process, there are many benefits to becoming a more inclusive company. PIM concluded in their trend report that organisations with an inclusive culture tend to perform better, achieve more financial goals and are more likely to be innovative and agile. An inclusive corporate culture also helps attract more diverse employees. This also makes it easier to include different perspectives in your marketing.
Getting started with inclusive marketing
Are you ready to get started with inclusive marketing? Get started with the steps below.
Step 1: consider what your motivation is
As mentioned earlier, it is important to come across as authentic as a brand. Otherwise, people might not take your marketing seriously. Therefore, ask yourself: why does your company want to do this? Do you feel motivation from within, or do you feel external pressure? Make sure your communication comes across as genuine and that you act on what you are saying. Therefore, examine your company culture and see what steps you need to take to be more inclusive.
Step 2: examine the current marketing strategy
It is good to examine what your marketing looks like now. Make sure you map everything out and ask yourself - and each other - questions. What do you radiate? What people are you showing? What is your language like? Which target groups do you reach and which do you not? Is your communication stereotyping?
Step 3: shape inclusive marketing for your business
Now you can really get down to business. Think about how your marketing can become more inclusive. Make sure your communication exudes diversity. Note that a person's identity consists of multiple dimensions, giving everyone a unique experience. By using that as a starting point, you don't reduce people to one part of their identity. You also ensure that you don't see one person as representative of an entire target group.
Think about how you tell your story in an authentic and inclusive way. How do you make everyone feel welcome at your brand? At the end of the day, it is not about whether someone recognises themselves in every expression of your brand, but whether people can identify with the feeling you exude as a company. For this, it also helps if inclusiveness plays a role in your internal processes.
Step 4: delve into accessibility
Especially if you want to appeal to various target groups, it is also important that your content is accessible to everyone. If you don't, your content will remain inaccessible to a large group of people. Moreover, companies also have a legal obligation to offer online services as accessible as possible. Take digital accessibility into account and read up on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Do you need help with this? Then we are here for you.
I could use your help!