Our Vision for the Future of Advertising
Harnessing the power of community to achieve your DEIA goals.
By Michelle Vincent
We are excited to be joining forces with HS Events at their Creative Production event this Thursday, May 25th in NYC to discuss the latest research and our personal findings on the path forward for bands to authentically embrace and deliver again their DEIA goals throughout their brand and content strategies.
In today’s rapidly changing world, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become essential components of brand success. Businesses that recognize and embrace this shift have a unique opportunity to create lasting connections with their customers. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the key takeaways from a recent presentation titled “Harnessing the Power of Community to Achieve Your DEI Goals” and how Mofilm (Mofilm.com) is leading the way in driving authentic representation in advertising.
Authentic Representation Matters and Boosts Sales
Authenticity matters, especially for brands. Not only are consumers more likely to connect with a brand when they see themselves reflected in its advertisements but they are smart enough to recognize when brand messaging is the result of a “check-the-box” effort rather than community-led and driven. This latter approach not only fosters a sense of belonging but also has a direct impact on driving action, as customers are more likely to support businesses that value and understand them.
Lack of Diversity in Super Bowl Ads: A Missed Opportunity
A striking example of the importance of diverse creative teams can be seen in consumer survey results after Super Bowl VIII. While many viewers look forward to creative and bold advertisements during the breaks, the survey results revealed that most ads failed to meet consumers’ expectations for representation of many communities including BIPOC, women and LGBTQ+ communities. The disparity was stark enough to serve as a clear signal that brands needed to take action starting with curating diverse creative and production crews instead of homogeneously white and male as this season learned the hard way. Since our inception in 2007, Mofilm has recognized this need for change and has made it a priority to champion diverse voices in the creative process, ensuring that brands can deliver ads that truly resonate with their audiences.
Diverse Representation Drives Brand Affinity Across Generations and Races
Inclusive advertising isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s also a smart business move. Studies have shown that diverse representation in ads drives brand affinity across all generations and races.
One study published by the American Psychological Association found that representation in advertising is closely tied to consumer identity, influencing buying behaviors and brand preferences. It found that consumers respond positively to ads featuring people who look like them and share their experiences
Another significant study conducted by Google and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, titled “The Universal Impact of Representation in Advertising”, revealed that diverse representation in ads impacts all viewers positively, irrespective of their gender or racial background. According to the study, advertisements that were rated high in diversity outperformed other ads in all tested metrics, including “likeability,” “brand interest,” and “purchase intent”.
By partnering with suppliers and agencies that value diversity as an organic part of the business model, brands can create campaigns that authentically speak to a wide range of consumers, deepening their connection to the brand and driving long-term loyalty. At Mofilm, we often coin this concept as the shift from brands speaking to communities to communities speaking to communities.
The Role of AI Technology and the Need for Diverse Perspectives
As AI technology and tools continue to revolutionize the advertising industry, there is a growing risk for brands that don’t take the time to assess the implications of these innovations from diverse perspectives. It is critical for creative teams to value the importance of considering the potential impact of AI on marginalized communities and strive to ensure that our technology is used responsibly and ethically. For example, the underrepresentation of women in AI-related fields can lead to biased outcomes in AI systems. A 2019 AI Now Institute report cited that around 80% of AI professors were male at that time, and this gender imbalance can result in AI systems that do not fully understand or represent the needs, perspectives, and experiences of women. This issue also extends itself to race and well-documented sources that showed most commercial AI systems were less accurate in identifying women, particularly women with darker skin tones, than they were in identifying men. When machine learning powers the ability for AI tools to get “smarter” it is critical that the inputs to create these neural networks are as diverse as the world we live in.
The most successful brands of the future will be those that are thoughtful about their supply chain through a diversity-forward lens. This means teams of all types – procurement, marketing, HR, and more – are considering diversity at every stage of a project, from in front of the camera for content that will be filmed or photographed, to behind the scenes and all around. From there, brands that thoughtfully curate the right bench of partners with robust supplier diversity programs and communities within can lean into these channels during times of internal challenge to keep up with benchmarks or external-facing goals. At Mofilm, we are committed to helping our clients achieve this level of inclusivity, ensuring that their ads and branded content reflect the diverse world in which we live.
In conclusion, as the world becomes increasingly interconnected and diverse, brands must adapt to remain relevant and successful. By harnessing the power of community and prioritizing DEI goals, Mofilm is at the forefront of this shift, helping brands create authentic, inclusive advertising that drives lasting connections with their customers. To learn more about how Mofilm can help your brand achieve its DEIA goals through authentic content strategies, visit Mofilm.com.