Systems support knowledge and consistency.
Earlier this year, a client I work with reached out for a quick review of a campaign concept.
They wanted to ensure the visuals and voice-overs they had recorded were "inclusive" and free of any red flags before investing more resources in having everything animated.
I gave my feedback, and the team adjusted, going on to create a really cool and fun campaign.
Another client recently asked me to weigh in on some wardrobe options for talent for a commercial they were shooting.
They wanted to ensure what was being proposed was culturally relevant, and there weren't any "watch-outs" associated with it.
I love supporting my clients. And I love that they want what they produce to be culturally intelligent.
But what I love even more? It is when my clients become equipped enough to answer these types of questions on their own.
And in most instances, brands can achieve this across their teams when they have systems in place to support everyone in having the information they need to make the right decisions.
For instance, if you have detailed buyer personas that are doing what they need to do, those personas will tie back to data.
And those data-filled personas will be included in your creative briefs.
And your creative briefs will sufficiently inform your team, so they have what they need to make the right decisions around voiceovers, talent selection, copy, and other important elements that make up the overall customer experience you deliver.
Delivering authentic marketing that consistently attracts, converts, and retains all the customers you want to serve, no matter their identity, requires both systems and insight.
Now, of course, everything systems and insights take time to develop.
And that's when filling in those gaps in other ways is needed, like what my clients did.
But that's a short-term fix, rather than a long-term solution.
Growing your brand by engaging consumers from underrepresented and underserved communities will require some organizational transformation.
That transformation doesn't happen overnight.
Start where you can, get help where you need it, and make incremental improvements over time with every project.
You'll learn a lot, you'll see results, and the people you serve will feel the impact.
Word on the Street
As fast as technology is evolving, it isn't perfect, and needs oversight and vigilance. This post on LinkedIn expresses outrage and frustration with AI tools from various sites that are generating images of people from marginalized communities with harmful biases
How many times have you watched the safety demonstration video on an airplane? Which do you think is more impactful -- those videos, or this one? My vote goes for the one that leveraged user-generated content, as a way to communicate important concepts in a memorable way, and in a manner that today's consumer is accustomed to receive messages. One commenter even wrote, "Petition for this video, in its entirety, to be the new safety demo on ALL aircraft’s😂"
On the Inclusion & Marketing podcast: The Proof Your Customer Acquisition Strategy Needs to Convert More Customers | Spotify | Apple Podcasts