Do you find it difficult to relate to TV ads because the stories narrated in them are vastly different from yours? If yes, then relax, you aren’t the only one who feels this way.
Thankfully, we have inclusive marketing that requires campaigns to embrace diversity by including people from different backgrounds that unique audiences can relate to. While many such campaigns try to break stereotypes, others make an effort to embrace people in the real world.
But what does inclusivity look like in the marketing world? Well, here are 5 brands that nailed inclusive marketing in the ad campaigns and can inspire you to do the same. So, let’s get started.
1. Procter & Gamble
This hard-hitting commercial features a mother brushing her daughter’s hair and saying, “It’s not a compliment.”
As we start wondering what she’s talking about, we begin to see other black mothers educating their children about racism and judgment that they would have to encounter going forward. Towards the end of the ad, it is revealed that the daughter who appeared at the beginning of the ad was ‘complimented’ with the remark “beautiful for a back girl”. Her mother tells her not to accept it as a compliment and concludes, “You are beautiful, period!”
The commercial doesn’t beat around the bush. Instead, it exposes the closed-door conversations that black mothers need to have with their children to keep them out of harm’s way and protect them from racism. By bringing these conversations to light, P&G aims to end the need for such conversations and make society much more inclusive than it is currently.
2. Google
Google’s Pixel 2 commercial called “The Picture-Perfect Life” aimed to tackle the issue of mental illness and underline the fact that it needs to be talked about.
The ad shows that although some people might seem happy in the photos or videos, their mental health might need some recuperation. The ad showcases pictures of a man with his daughter, a girl making donuts, a mother singing in the car with her family, a man playing basketball, etc. But as the commercial progresses, we come to know that there’s a hidden story in all their cases.
Through the ad, Google takes the issue of mental health head-on and projects itself as a company that’s inclusive of people battling mental illness.
3. Coca-Cola
In 2014, Coca-Cola launched an ad titled “Together It’s Beautiful”, which offers the audience a glance into the day-to-day lives of American residents who all share a common sense of pride for their country despite the vast difference in their ethnic or geographical backgrounds.
As we see the different scenes in the ad, we realize how diverse the U.S. is. The ad identifies and beautifully highlights the simple things that all Americans have in common. While the ad is a reminder of the immense popularity that Coca-Cola enjoys, it also shows us that we can all find common ground regardless of our differences.
4. ThirdLove
Lingerie company ThirdLove aims to create lingerie items for different body types. And to enforce this message, it showed real women of varying shapes, races, and ages flaunting its products.
While one of its cover photos features an older and younger woman wearing items from its lingerie line, photos on its social media channels showcase multiple women wearing its bras to show off the different variations in body types that its clothes can be made for.
5. Axe
Axe released a commercial in 2016 that embraced every man who used its body spray. While many ads in the past have presented unrealistic-looking athletes to flaunt masculinity, Axe’s ad beautifully argues that masculinity isn’t about molding yourself according to established norms but being confident about your identity.
The commercial goes on to show images of different men finding their passions including a dancer wearing high heels and a man dancing with a woman in a wheelchair. The commercial lays emphasis that masculinity means expressing yourself the way you want and embracing your passions while being completely confident about who you are.
Bottom Line
Inclusive marketing entails highlighting real stories and uniting people with the things that they have in common. It requires brands to give space to voices that we don’t often hear in mainstream advertising. Once you have that sorted, your campaign can be truly inclusive.
We’ll be back with more such awesome commercials and marketing campaigns for you. Till then, stay tuned.