Inclusive Marketing: Awareness and Better Results

Occasionally, we make a different kind of effort here at Leadster.

As you might imagine, most of the articles you read here serve a very important purpose: teaching people, through practice and experience, about digital marketing.

This is closely related to the keywords we use. The more people search for a topic, the more interesting it becomes for us to write about it.

Today’s article is about inclusive marketing. And it completely deviates from this standard. As a keyword, it’s not a highly searched topic on Google.

However, it’s far too important a subject to be treated as a “should we even bother talking about this?” topic.

It’s always worth talking about inclusive marketing — for reasons that will surprise you.

Today, we’ll delve deep into inclusive marketing: what it is, how to start practicing it, and whether it truly yields results — in other words, whether inclusive marketing pays off.

Throughout the article, we’ll also share some great examples of inclusive marketing to inspire you to begin your journey.

Shall we?

The Definition of Inclusive Marketing and Its Practical Application

Inclusive marketing has a straightforward definition, one you probably already know.

We define inclusive marketing as all marketing efforts aimed at representing the diversity of the target audience or using diversity as the foundation for campaigns, actions, and company behavior.

However, this definition doesn’t apply solely to the company’s communication. This is where most companies fail when trying to implement inclusive marketing.

It also ties into internal processes, hiring practices, events the company participates in, affirmative actions within the organization, and even its infrastructure.

Endomarketing, for example, is also part of this equation.

Let’s explore these aspects in more detail now, delving deeper into the discussion. But always keep the main definition in mind: inclusive marketing is about embracing and celebrating diversity.

Now, to better navigate these points, follow the items below:

Inclusive Marketing in Marketing Campaigns

First, we need to discuss the most evident aspect of inclusive marketing: marketing campaigns.

Here, we’re talking primarily about ad campaigns, TV commercials, billboards, and so on.

A bit of personal experience here: I once received invaluable advice from a Black marketing director regarding the search for illustrative images for campaigns.

She told me: “On Freepik and other stock image platforms, you need to specify what you’re looking for to get inclusive results. You have to type ‘Black woman’ instead of just ‘woman,’ or ‘Black executive’ instead of just ‘executive.’”

And it’s true: in campaigns, the default expectation from the market and consumers is always non-inclusive.

Generally, campaigns depict white people, cisgender heterosexual relationships, and standard body types. Take this search for “fans” on Freepik as an example:

No women are represented. Nor are any Black people.

In this case, to address the issue, you need to make an extra effort to identify inclusive features.

By changing the search to “male and female fans,” you’ll find images of both men and women. Changing it to “Black fans” brings results exclusively featuring Black individuals.

If your campaign involves images, look for visuals that represent diversity. Explore beyond the first few pages of Freepik or look for related images.

If it involves video, apply the same approach—specify the diversity directly in your searches.

For AI-generated content, include diversity in your prompts, such as: “woman with a disability, in a wheelchair, cheering for Brazil at the Paralympics.”

🔎 Also read: 18 artificial intelligence tools to create images

Inclusive Marketing in Internal Processes

It’s pointless to create campaigns inspired by inclusive marketing if inclusivity isn’t practiced internally.

Affirmative actions have been part of the corporate world in Brazil for several years. Companies receive incentives and special conditions from municipalities and the federal government for applying diversity in their hiring.

But it’s possible, and indeed necessary, to go beyond simply hiring a diverse workforce.

It’s essential to create spaces of acceptance and respect within the company. Lectures, seminars, and diversity-related events are critical for integrating these affirmative actions into the company culture.

Moreover, even beyond affirmative actions, a company that practices inclusive marketing must itself be highly diverse.

This means the hiring process must be diverse. Even if the company’s demographic naturally leans less inclusive, it’s necessary to open positions that will enhance inclusivity.

Some departments are naturally more diverse than others. Investing in them is an excellent way to promote inclusion within your organization.

Some examples:

  • The diversity area: a department focused exclusively on thinking about inclusivity;
  • The marketing department: marketing is not the most diverse field in the world, but it is where you will find the greatest number of professionals who are different from the norm, and proudly so;
  • HR: the human resources department is naturally quite diverse, but it is also great for fostering diversity by opening targeted positions;
  • Customer service sectors: this is also a naturally diverse sector, and one where it is quite easy to select candidates based on diversity;
  • Managerial positions: anyone can manage, as long as they have the necessary experience. Diversity can (and should) also play a role here, with a comprehensive hiring strategy.

Inclusive Marketing in Customer Relationships

Beyond hiring a diverse team, it’s essential to promote diversity in the company’s commercial relationships.

In other words, don’t hire a diverse team only to keep it hidden within your office.

Whenever possible, include diversity in technical visits to clients, delivery routes, negotiations, and more.

This fosters diversity in practice. Your company is diverse and communicates this simply by functioning normally.

There’s no need to loudly proclaim how diverse your company is. Simply including diverse individuals in everyday operations is enough.

Inclusive Marketing and ESG

It is becoming increasingly necessary to work on ESG initiatives in companies worldwide.

ESG, in case you’re not familiar with the term, is a set of initiatives from the UN related to sustainability.

Companies that apply its principles are certified as ESG companies and use this certification as part of their marketing strategy as well.

However, this certification requires a report. And this report also includes diversity, both in hiring and in how the company interacts with the public.

Learn about the inclusivity guidelines of ESG so you can implement them as soon as possible and achieve your certification too!

Inclusive Marketing and DEI

One of the best ways to think about inclusive marketing is through DEI, an acronym that encapsulates the core values it proposes:

  • D for Diversity: This is about accepting and celebrating existing differences and actively seeking them out. Different people exist. The company should not merely “accept” them but make a conscious effort to diversify its team. This includes characteristics like race, age, sexual orientation, disabilities, religiosity, etc.
  • E for Equity: This pertains to how the company handles diversity in its day-to-day operations. The principle states that everyone should have the same opportunities. For this, it’s also important to understand that some people start with advantages, while others face barriers.
  • I for Inclusion: Everyone should be able to participate in any event within the company. Their characteristics should not determine whether they can attend an event, perform an activity, etc.

These are the main principles that guide inclusivity within a company.

However, we need to shift focus from deeper transformations you can make in the company to discuss the key aspects of inclusive marketing campaigns.

Let’s dive into their characteristics now. Follow along:

What Are the Characteristics of an Inclusive Marketing Campaign?

As we discussed, inclusive marketing works best when the entire company is inclusive, simply showcasing its values to the world.

The challenge is that this is a long-term effort. But it’s possible to transform your marketing campaigns into inclusive campaigns today — if you’re willing to make the effort.

In this section, I’ve outlined the main characteristics of inclusive marketing campaigns.

Let’s explore them together:

First Concern: The Idea

How does every marketing campaign begin? With a great idea.

And how does an inclusive marketing campaign begin? In the same way.

The idea itself must be inclusive. For example, if you’re organizing an event, it’s essential that it’s accessible to everyone — located in an easily accessible area, equipped with necessary adaptations, etc.

Even for standard marketing campaigns, like Google Ads, inclusivity can be implemented.

To ensure inclusivity in these channels, the idea of the ad, its creative elements, and article must consider certain points:

  • What does the campaign demand from my user?
  • Is the campaign easy to understand?
  • Does the campaign require information my user might not have?
  • How can I address this to ensure everyone can participate?

There are many specific considerations related to the campaign idea that you’ll uncover as you think through it.

Always prioritize inclusion during this stage to ensure you don’t miss out on conversions due to accessibility issues.

Second Consideration: The Article

How you communicate relates to your target audience. But the textual resources you include in your posts, blogs, videos, etc., should be accessible to everyone.

In other words: while how you speak might be beyond your direct control, you must take responsibility for what you say.

To practice inclusive marketing, it’s crucial that your article incorporates features like descriptions for the visually impaired (commonly known as “alt text”), alternative text attributes for all blog images, configured subtitles for your videos, and more.

These subtle yet impactful efforts make your article a driving force for inclusive marketing.

Third Consideration: The Image

Always ensure that the imagery in your posts is simple to interpret and accessible to all.

Even within visual impairments alone, there are various individuals with differing levels of sight.

Key campaign elements must be clear and easy to read, with sufficiently large text, high-resolution images, and minimal distracting visual elements.

This ensures that everyone viewing your ad can easily understand it.

Another critical point regarding images is the selection of models featured in your advertisements.

Whether you use your own models or stock images doesn’t matter—inclusive marketing requires that the representation of people aligns with reality.

This reflects the earlier Freepik example: avoid searching for just “executive,” but instead look for “Black executive,” “executive in a wheelchair,” or “female executive,” for instance.

Arguments Supporting Inclusive Marketing for Your Meeting

What you’ve read and will continue reading throughout this article is quite new. Inclusive marketing rarely progresses beyond casual discussions among marketing teams.

It’s applied here and there, where professionals can manage, but its broader application, extending to entire organizations, often faces significant resistance.

The primary opposition typically relates to outcomes. Inclusive marketing, above all, is an investment in marketing itself.

And investments must yield returns. Many companies mistakenly believe that investing in inclusive marketing leads to equal or worse outcomes—or even losses—during the campaign.

However, this assumption is often unsupported by data. Moreover, most brands don’t even know how inclusive marketing would manifest.

Below, I’ve highlighted some of the main arguments commonly used against inclusive marketing, along with data-driven responses wherever possible.

Consumers Care About Sustainability

The first argument concerns presenting your brand as diverse to the public.

Here, we’re specifically addressing marketing efforts: ad campaigns, TV commercials, Google Ads and Social Ads, institutional campaigns, and more.

The opposing claim often goes: “Nobody cares if we practice inclusive marketing. Results will remain the same or worsen. Why bother changing?”

Note that this involves two hypotheses. Let’s tackle the first one first.

According to a PwC survey, 48% of global consumers believe companies need to do more to advance global sustainability.

This indicates that inclusion is a corporate responsibility, not merely a “bonus” that consumers might appreciate.

A sustainability seal, for example, serves as marketing. Looking at this data alone, it’s clear that inclusivity is a valuable marketing strategy.

Inclusive Marketing Yields Better Campaign Results

This argument is straightforward to address without requiring extensive data.

Remember: it claims, “Results won’t be better or worse with diversity. So why pursue it?”

The reality is that diversity in digital marketing is not just a moral or ethical issue—it’s a matter of performance.

Digital marketing operates on a highly precise understanding of the target audience.

Expanding your target audience to include diverse groups is essential for improving ad performance.

While ad platforms don’t explicitly offer this option, you can conduct marketing research to identify the diversity characteristics within your audience.

Inclusivity Boosts Business Outcomes

Beyond directly impacting campaigns, operational inclusivity—embedded in how a business functions—also drives significant results.

A McKinsey study found that companies embracing diversity achieve 35% better outcomes compared to those that don’t.

This research analyzed 366 companies across Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and Latin America, focusing exclusively on board composition.

Organizations prioritizing diversity and inclusion create space for diverse solutions, directly contributing to revenue growth.

Inclusivity Is Achievable

Your company won’t need to exert excessive effort to implement inclusivity.

In fact, all businesses already have the core ingredient to make inclusion a reality today: applicants.

Operational inclusion involves valuing diversity during candidate selection processes.

Conduct broad recruitment efforts, including but not limited to affirmative action roles. Greater workplace diversity makes it easier for marketing to convey these values.

Speaking of which:

Inclusive Campaigns Are Easy to Create

Just as implementing inclusion across your entire company isn’t overly challenging, creating inclusive campaigns isn’t particularly difficult either.

It all comes down to a few key steps. The first, and most basic, is understanding the diversity within your target audience’s context.

This is achievable through effective research and, if possible, fieldwork.

A great way to measure this diversity is through social media. Who follows you? Who interacts with your content? Who engages with you?

➡️ Also Read: Instagram Engagement — Everything You Need to Know to Increase It

The second step involves content production itself. Strive to reflect your audience’s diversity in images, videos, copywriting, and any interaction between ads and viewers.

The third step is more advanced: going beyond basic representation to genuinely embracing diversity as both an objective and a practice.

Going Beyond Marketing with Inclusive Marketing

There’s a critical distinction between inclusive marketing that stops at marketing itself and inclusive marketing that conveys a broader vision.

The latter is where our focus lies. As discussed, creating campaigns that leverage inclusive marketing is straightforward.

But true inclusive marketing requires transforming the entire company into an inclusive environment.

This ensures that every campaign naturally reflects the company’s purpose and aligns with its overarching values.

Let’s look at some examples to clarify this. While theory is essential, practical insights allow for a much deeper understanding.

Hyundai North America Case, Featuring Angela Zepeda

One fascinating case study involves Hyundai and its current CMO, Angela Zepeda.

Automotive marketing in the U.S. has historically been far from inclusive. In fact, much of the advertising in this sector has sought exclusivity.

In 2019, Hyundai North America made a pivotal hire: Angela Zepeda as CMO. She stepped in to prioritize inclusivity, starting with assembling a diverse team.

Changing the entire structure of Hyundai is impossible in such a short time, so Angela did the best she could: selecting marketing agencies composed of diverse teams.

The main agency handling Hyundai today is Culture Brands, an agency focused on diversity.

With the help of this agency, Hyundai launched campaigns targeting African American audiences, Chinese American audiences, and even the brand’s first bilingual campaign.

Take a look at one example, the “Miles That Unite Us” campaign, below. It features interracial couples, same-sex couples, cisgender heterosexual couples, young people, seniors, and people from all walks of life:

Notice how the final result is far from being over the top. It’s just a regular campaign showcasing ordinary people with a strong concept behind it.

This was only possible due to the diversity choices Hyundai made.

Watch other campaigns:

➡️ It’s OK
➡️ Your Dad is Going Electric
➡️ My Love, My Son-in-Law — this was the bilingual campaign.

Nubank’s ESG Cases

Earlier, we mentioned how ESG can become a key element in your company’s marketing strategy.

Nubank’s approach is quite straightforward: through the Nu Institute, they fund initiatives for minority entrepreneurs. They fund the businesses directly.

Social innovation is the Nu Institute’s flagship, placing Nubank on the map of companies most invested in ESG in Brazil.

A prime example for us to analyze together is Acelera Iaô, an initiative by Fábrica Cultural, a cultural association in Bahia, aimed at empowering Black women entrepreneurs in the city.

Everyone benefits from this initiative. Fábrica Cultural receives investments from Nubank and passes them on to entrepreneurs, creating a strong cycle of entrepreneurship in the city.

Today, 45 businesses are already supported by the initiative. Nubank gains data for its ESG report and plenty of stories to feature in its marketing campaigns as well.

Dove’s Real Beauty Code (Dove Real Beauty in the AI Era)

Impactful and emotional marketing actions have been Dove’s forte since the launch of its Real Beauty campaign 20 years ago.

And especially since the major Real Beauty Sketches campaign, whose name alone might bring a tear to your eye. It’s truly moving.

So it’s no secret that Dove has been a major voice in inclusive marketing for many years. The brand helped pave this path when few others were talking about it.

In 2024, Dove launched a fascinating initiative using the same concept.

When people type into an AI tool “the most beautiful woman in the world,” the results are typically white, thin, non-disabled individuals with straight hair and blue eyes.

Dove created “a code” for AIs: when writing the prompt, include the instruction “following Dove’s Real Beauty standard.”

The AI results reflect the campaign’s values, showcasing completely different people.

Work with Inclusive and Personalized Marketing in Your CTAs

One area where marketing is less inclusive is in CTAs.

In fact, many people don’t even imagine that it’s possible to do any type of inclusive work in these calls-to-action. Banners, conversion forms, pop-ups? There’s neither space nor reason to be inclusive, they argue.

But they’re wrong. It is absolutely possible to work with personalized and inclusive marketing in your CTAs.

With Leadster, you can use a chatbot that automatically generates and qualifies leads on your website. Each flow — and every message, in fact — can be personalized.

It’s an automated chatbot, but you control each interaction, greatly increasing the potential for applying inclusive marketing.

Leadster is also introducing new features involving ChatGPT. Now, conversations can flow much more naturally with the support of AI.

Try it out for free today. In fact, you can use the tool for 14 days for free, with no credit card required. Just click the banner below. I’ll be waiting for you!

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