20 September 2021
Inclusive marketing: how to move beyond ‘box-ticking’
As marketers, communicators and creatives, we have immense power over the messages and images consumed by millions of people online, and in the media, on a daily basis. Whether it’s the copy we write, the videos we produce or the ads we place, we’re able to elevate the stories and voices of people who are marginalised or underrepresented within our communities, to influence positive social change.
But how can we achieve this in a way that moves beyond simply ‘ticking the diversity box’ for a campaign?
Despite our good intentions, it takes more than just simply featuring a range of people from different cultural backgrounds or someone with a visible disability in your ads. These days, consumers will sniff out tokenism from a mile away — which can not only lead to reputational damage, but send us backwards in building a more peaceful, and cohesive society.
To give both our team at Fuller, and the broader industry, the skills and confidence to apply a diversity and inclusion lens to the work we do in an authentic and meaningful way, I developed a practical guide for how marketing and communications can be used as a tool for social change, as part of the Fuller Fellowship initiative.
The Fuller Fellowship was established in 2020 by Fuller’s Managing Director and founder, Peter Fuller, and is a 12-month program for a staff member to undertake a travel and research study in an area of professional interest.
My Fuller Fellowship journey has involved undertaking research, some revealing interviews with individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds, and a personal journey of reflection as I’ve delved into the exciting, yet sometimes misunderstood topic of inclusive marketing.
