5 Brand Personality Questions for Defining Your Business

5 Brand Personality Questions for Defining Your Business

Thoughtful woman thinking about brand personality.

Defining your brand personality is essential if you want your business to remain competitive and attractive to a targeted consumer base. 

Consider this: 80% of consumers forget most of the information they consume from branded content after three days, and 50% don’t recall a single detail they read or watched from branded content.

Asking and answering key brand personality questions can pinpoint relevant messaging so that your company remains top of mind for your ideal customer.

But what kind of brand personality questions should you ask to understand your brand’s value? In this guide, we’ll look at how you can rise above a crowded marketplace by defining your brand personality.

What Is Brand Personality?

“Brand personality” is a term marketers use when attributing human personality traits or emotions to a business. Marketers and advertisers use brand personality to shape how the public views a company and its services or products.  

A well-defined brand personality is one a person can connect with emotionally; people are more likely to purchase from companies they relate to.

The 5 Brand Personality Traits

Ask yourself: How is your favorite brand perceived by existing and new consumers? Does it have specific brand personality traits that make it memorable and human-like?

According to a behavioral scientist, Jennifer Aaker, there are five dimensions of brand personality:

1. Excitement

Companies that embrace “excitement” as their brand personality exemplify creativity and boldness. 

Examples include:

2. Ruggedness

Brands with “ruggedness” as a core part of their brand personality reflect strength, power, and adventure. 

Examples include:

3. Competence

A brand that values “competence” will present as reliable and influential.

Examples include:

4. Sincerity

Brands that appear “sincere” are ones with strong ethical and family values. 

Examples include:

5. Sophistication

Brands that value “sophistication” as their personality exude prestige. 

Examples include:

5 Questions to Ask to Define Your Brand Personality

Defining a strong brand personality can sharpen your marketing strategies and ensure the right consumers connect with your business. To get started, here are five brand personality questions to consider:

1. What Are My Company’s Values?

Customers want clear values from an organization. Ask yourself what your business stands for. What matters most to you? What fundamental principles reflect your company’s image and its overall objective in a competitive marketplace? Establishing clear values can lay the groundwork for creating an authentic brand image with a strong brand perception

2. Who Is My Target Audience?

To establish a fitting brand personality, research what traits and behaviors best reflect your target market. Perhaps your audience is outdoorsy types who value adventure. In this case, “ruggedness” may describe your company’s image. 

Always consider your buyer persona when creating your brand image. Remember, no one knows your brand better than your loyal customers.

3. What Adjectives Describe My Brand?

Once you have a defined target audience in mind, brainstorm adjectives that exemplify your company’s image. The key is to select adjectives that perfectly express what your organization represents. This will help you solidify your brand identity in a competitive landscape.

For example:

Some adjectives for a baby product company could be:

  • Down-to-earth
  • Wholesome
  • Cheerful

Whereas a jewelry company may want to go with:

  • Upper class
  • Glamorous
  • Feminine

Adjectives a car company might use include:

  • Reliable
  • Intelligent
  • Hardworking

4. What Kind of Person Does My Brand Represent?

Visualizing your brand as a human being may make it easier to develop a unique persona. Consider the following questions:

  • What motivates your target demographic?
  • What do they like to discuss?
  • How do they behave around others?

5. Can I Remain Consistent with My Brand Personality?

Maintaining consistency with your values, logo, mission statement, and company voice is a critical to maintaining a brand persona your audience will trust. Brand consistency fosters truth and makes it easier to nurture leads through the sales process. 

Build Your Brand Personality with Channel Factory

A well-defined brand personality is crucial for cultivating long-term customer relationships and surviving in a competitive landscape. Channel Factory can help you maximize sales by connecting with the right audience. So whether you want to establish your presence on YouTube or improve your messaging tactics, we have the solutions you need. 

Contact us to get started. 

Video Marketing Stats and Trends in 2023

Video Marketing Stats and Trends in 2023

Video Marketing Trends 2023.

Video marketing is transforming how businesses distribute content and establish relationships with target audiences. The future of video content presents abundant opportunities, from in-house content production to user-generated videos. 

As companies work to modify their video marketing strategies, videos will become a necessary medium. This guide will cover crucial video marketing stats and trends to be aware of heading into 2023.

7 Video Marketing Trends Appearing in 2023

The demand for engaging content is only going to increase. Content trends show that 53% of consumers want to see more video content in the future. Brands that want to reach their customers must focus on producing and distributing video content. 

With this in mind, here are 7 video marketing trends that will transform how businesses accelerate their content marketing objectives in 2023.

1. Increased Video Production Budgets

Given its popularity as a reliable medium for audience engagement, it’s no surprise that video production budgets will likely increase. In a survey conducted in 2021, 60% of content marketers planned to increase their video budgets in 2022. Furthermore, 52% of marketers expanded their budget because of video content. This trend is likely to continue.

2. More Social Media Distribution

Social media is becoming the primary driver of audience engagement and brand cultivation. Going into 2023, companies will leverage the power of multiple platforms for content distribution. 

Facebook continues to hold superiority over its competitors, with 2.93 billion active users. The second most popular platform, YouTube, has 2.52 billion users. Data from 2021 showed that the number of TikTok users grew by 18.3% that year. 

The social network is dynamic. Predictions are that by 2023, the number of social network users over 65 will be greater than those in the 18 to 24 group. Marketers will have to deliver content suitable for these multiple platforms.

3. Emphasis on Short-Form Video Content

Short-form videos present an incredible opportunity to distribute relevant, reliable, and engaging content without overwhelming viewers. People have short attention spans, so it should be no surprise that viewers want instructional content to be between three and six minutes long.

Here’s another intriguing online video marketing statistic: Short videos (one minute or shorter) produce the highest ROI (return on investment) as of June 2022. When it comes to content, sometimes less is more.

4. Taking Advantage of User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) helps companies establish authenticity and improve trust with target customers. Consumers are more likely to trust a brand or a company when peers speak highly of them. According to a report, approximately 93% of respondents trust recommendations from friends and family.

Across all ages, 55% of consumers trust user-generated content over other forms of marketing. As video marketing trends evolve, UGC will become a vital tool for companies hoping to establish authenticity and increase brand loyalty. 

5. Doing More In-House Video Production

Think of in-house video production as a do-it-yourself tactic. You purchase equipment and assign people to become a part of the production team to create your videos. Here are some key benefits: Your employees are the ones that truly understand your company’s brand and can convey a specific message to an audience.

Your in-house team gains valuable insights into the company’s operations, including areas where they can add more value. 

6. Increased Live Videos

Live video streaming is exactly what it sounds like—presenting something to your audience in real time. Video streaming is a powerful tool for marketers looking to interact with their audiences and provide an authentic brand experience. 

Data shows that 80% of a brand audience would rather watch a live video than read a blog. Another 63% say that live streaming brings a human touch to digital marketing. These numbers exemplify how real-time content connects with existing target audiences and builds brand engagement.

7. Using Search-Optimized Videos

Search engine optimization (SEO) tactics exist to help marketers improve online search visibility and increase website traffic.

Optimizing videos will become a crucial marketing strategy in 2023— users spend 88% more time on a page with video content. Some key strategies involve developing clear content goals, answering users’ questions, creating relevant material, and optimizing your videos with high-ranking keywords.

Advance Your Video Content with Channel Factory

Now that you know the critical video marketing stats and trends to look for, it’s time to propel your brand forward. Here at Channel Factory, we strive to accelerate your organization and help you establish meaningful relationships with your target audience. Whether you want to learn more about video advertisements or find ways to customize your YouTube brand presence, we can lend a helping hand.

Contact us to learn more about our offers. 

How to Leverage YouTube Influencer Marketing to Boost Your Brand [5 Steps]

How to Leverage YouTube Influencer Marketing to Boost Your Brand [5 Steps]

YouTube influencer marketing.

With more than 2.6 billion active users, YouTube remains one of the most popular platforms for content consumption. In an era where social media dominates the digital atmosphere, YouTube remains the go-to platform for audiences across several demographics.

Brands have multiple opportunities to establish brand recognition and connect with different audiences through YouTube influencer marketing. In this article, we will go in-depth on strategic ways you can cultivate your business through the globe’s most popular video platform. 

Influencer Marketing on YouTube

At its core, influencer marketing is about collaborating with online celebrities and social media influencers to advance brand recognition. The idea is to rely on influencers, or content creators with impressive followings, to market your services and products. 

Think of it as a celebrity endorsement where individuals with thousands or millions of followers leverage their influence to help your company achieve recognition. There are several benefits of influencer marketing for brands. By executing a proper influencer strategy, you can:

  • Amplify your company’s brand.
  • Connect with a larger target market.
  • Distribute targeted and engaging content.
  • Minimize advertisement spending.
  • Share your company values.

YouTube as an Influencer Marketing Solution

Marketers relied heavily on video as a content marketing strategy in 2021. This is because YouTube presents an incredible opportunity for startups and established businesses to advance brand initiatives, connect with target audiences, and make their presence known in a competitive industry. 

People engage with video content, especially short videos that are entertaining, memorable, and relevant. The demand for video is not going away anytime soon. Influencer marketing on YouTube is about establishing connections with reputable influencers and garnering a loyal customer base to help grow your business.

YouTube influencer marketing examples include: 

  • In-depth product reviews
  • Service tutorials
  • Daily vlogs
  • Sponsored videos

All of these video types allow you to nurture a relationship with prospective customers. You can also partner with influencers for company contests and free giveaways. This not only increases brand recognition, but you’ll also be engaging your target base with the allure of free products.

Leveraging Your Brand with YouTube Influencers

A successful YouTube influencer marketing campaign requires strategic planning, reputable representatives, and clear initiatives. Here are five steps to make the most of your YouTube influencer campaign. 

1. Set Clear Objectives

What are you hoping to achieve by partnering with influencers? Are you looking to increase engagement through video tutorials? Showcase your brand’s energetic culture? Increase your company’s ROI? Establishing clear initiatives will streamline your campaign and take your business to the next level.

2. Establish a Budget

Like other forms of marketing, working with influencers costs money. How much you pay depends on several factors, including how popular your representative is, their total reach, and how much content they generate for your business. 

For example, a YouTuber with 10,000 subscribers might charge $200 per video. Expect to pay upwards of $20,000 for YouTubers with at least one million subscribers. Finally, if you’re working with nano Instagram influencers (1,000–10,000 followers), they may charge anywhere from $10 to $100 per post.

3. Hire the Right Influencers

To partner with the right influencers, you need quality representatives who can engage your customer demographic, align with your brand, and have an established following on social media platforms. It makes no sense to hire a beauty blogger to create video tutorials on setting up a data privacy program. 

4. Measure Your Influencer Campaign

Tracking your campaign is essential to gauge its effectiveness. For example, you can use UTM parameters to track online traffic coming from a specific campaign. You can also determine the type of content that resonates best with your customers and make modifications when coming across weak points. 

5. Allow Creativity

Avoid the temptation to overly control your campaign without offering room for flexibility. To generate valuable results, let your influencers do the heavy lifting. Sure, you can collaborate and coordinate specific guidelines, but your influencers are the ones that understand how to connect with their audience and ultimately heighten your organization’s image. 

Boost Your Brand with Channel Factory

Are you ready to accelerate your brand and maximize your advertising performance by using YouTube influencer marketing but aren’t sure where to start? Channel Factory can help you get going!

Our mission is to connect brands to the right audience. We can also help you navigate the complexities of YouTube engagement. Dive into our insights to learn more, and contact us to get started.

5 Ways Advertising Influences a Consumer’s Purchase Intention

5 Ways Advertising Influences a Consumer’s Purchase Intention

shopping online on phone

The basic idea behind advertisements is to draw attention to a product or service to distinguish it from the competition or solve a specific pain point or need. The intended outcome of the advertisement is for the targeted audience to purchase.

While it may appear simple, advertising is often a hit-or-miss endeavor, particularly when brands don’t understand their market and its preferences. Furthermore, companies deluge today’s consumers with advertisements, which they frequently skip, ignore, or tune out.

That’s why brands must learn how advertising influences consumers’ purchase intentions.

Why Is Purchasing Intention Important?

Purchasing intention is a customer’s desire to buy the advertised product or service. It depends on several internal and external factors and measures a respondent’s attitude toward a good or service—are they likely to purchase it or not based on the ad?

Since buyers often have numerous choices, brands must effectively communicate with consumers to influence their purchasing intention. Directly addressing a consumer’s wants, needs, and pain points influences their predisposition and decision to spend money, translating to an actual sale. And for brands, this outcome drives up revenues and long-term growth.

But how does this relate to brands and digital advertising on YouTube? While there are many reasons to advertise on YouTube, doing so to affect a consumer’s purchase intent isn’t easy—it has to reach the right audience at the right time.

What Influences Purchase Intentions?

Before understanding how advertising influences consumers’ purchase intentions, brands must be aware of the factors that can impact their target audience’s buying behavior and decisions.

1. Brand Credibility

Today’s buyers have many options available on the market. One primary reason most consumers prefer a particular brand is its perceived credibility. When they deem it trustworthy because of its quality products or service, they’re more likely to purchase and become a repeat customer.

2. Usefulness

A successful product doesn’t need bells and whistles—it only has to be useful. Brands must focus on the essential elements of their products to get people to buy them. If they don’t, consumers will spend their money on something new and useful.

3. Product Placement

The content into which you place your ads significantly impacts a consumer’s buying decision. This is called “brand suitability,” and it means that advertisers should choose content that fits the brand’s core values. For instance, an alcohol ad may seem off-putting in an auto-review channel, signaling harmful behavior to its audience.

How Advertising Influences Consumers’ Purchase Intention

For an ad to make its target audience buy a product or use a service, it must accomplish several things.

Here are 5 ways an advertisement can influence a consumer’s purchase intention:

1. Elicit a Response

An effective ad must grab the consumer’s attention and evoke their intended response. For example, your market comprises people who own cats and want the best for their furry friends. If you sell cat toys, your ads should show how much fun cats can have with your products. When pet owners feel happy watching it, they’re more likely to make a purchase.

2. Motivate Them

When brands reinforce a particular need in their advertising strategy, targeted consumers eventually become motivated to buy the product or service to satisfy their curiosity. A good example would be an ad for a cloud-based service highlighting how it can significantly help digital nomads and freelancers. And if placed in the right video content, the ad can translate to sales conversions.

3. Stimulate the Senses

Most effective ads have one thing in common—their appeal to the senses. It’s not surprising to watch food commercials with their appetizing sights and sounds, enticing you to order from this restaurant or buy that ingredient. Consider running your food-related ad in aligned content, like on a food vlogger channel.

4. Reflect Their Beliefs

Beyond the psychological and physiological factors, a consumer’s beliefs may influence their buying behavior. Their attitudes, opinions, and habits often determine the brands they prefer. For example, a buyer who associates brands with status will likely purchase luxury goods. If that’s your intended audience, stay away from themes that don’t match your brand values.

5. Relate to Their Culture

Brands are losing out on potential customers if their advertisements are not inclusive. With diversity in advertising becoming more of a necessity than an afterthought, buyers go with brands that closely resonate with their culture and understand their pain points more. Also, advertisers should tailor their message according to their market’s language and cultural nuance.

Influence Purchase Intention Effectively

Now that you understand how advertising influences consumers’ purchase intention, it’s time to find the right partner to send the right message. Reach out to us so we can build customized YouTube advertising solutions to enhance your brand’s sustainability.

Top Video Advertising Trends for 2023

Top Video Advertising Trends for 2023

woman video advertising

5 Video Advertising Trends to Watch Out for in 2023

Video marketing has become a critical part of a successful content marketing strategy. In 2022, 86% of businesses used video content to increase brand awareness, reach new audiences, and convert leads.

Shifting customer behaviors also contribute to the increasing relevance of video. Modern consumers are watching more videos now than ever and increasingly relying on video content to learn about products and brands. This content tremendously impacts customer purchase behavior, with 88% of consumers revealing that they became convinced to purchase a product or service after watching brand videos.

These compelling statistics showcase the importance of marketers capitalizing on the booming video landscape. We’ve compiled the best video advertising trends to watch out for to help you create a winning content strategy in 2023.

Top 5 Video Advertising Trends in 2023

Marketers should stay current on industry trends to maximize their investment and gain a competitive edge in today’s business environment. These video advertising trends can help you boost your marketing strategy in 2023.

1. Rise of Short-Form Videos

Increased media exposure has made the human attention span shorter. Short-form video content is critical for businesses to maintain audience engagement in the digital age. TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels are the leading platforms for short-form video advertising. 83% of marketers recommend videos that are less than one minute in length for optimal results.

Short-form video content can also help brands appeal to younger audiences and keep up with trend culture. Platforms like TikTok are dominated by trending music, dances, and challenges. In 2023, brands are expected to use short-form videos to create authentic, inspiring, and educational content for their audience.

2. Communicating and Selling Using Live Videos

Live streaming became a powerful medium for businesses to connect with customers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This medium has transformed how brands promote their products and services by providing a means to interact with consumers in real-time. Through live streaming, businesses share live events, conduct product demonstrations, host Q&A sessions, and much more.

According to Facebook, live videos are three times more engaging than pre-recorded content. Marketers can strengthen customer relationships, increase awareness and reach new audiences by capitalizing on this video advertising trend.

3. Social Media Video Advertising

The total number of social media users worldwide in 2021 reached 4.26 billion, and will likely increase to almost 6 billion in 2027. YouTube tops social media use for U.S. adults, with 81% of Americans using the platform more than any other social network in 2021.

Businesses aiming to grow their audience base in 2023 should optimize their video content for sharing on social media platforms to make the most of this audience reach. According to Sprout Social, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are among the top social media platforms consumers anticipate using for the next 12 months.

4. Optimizing Videos for Silent Viewing

One of the most recent video advertising trends is optimizing content for silent viewing. The evolving video consumption behavior of consumers influences this trend. According to recent industry research, 85% of consumers now watch videos with the sound off as they view content on the go. As a result, social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok are now embracing audio transcription features.

To keep engaging customers in 2023, brands should leverage captions and on-screen instructions to optimize video content for silent viewing. Preparing videos for soundless playback can also help your business provide a more user-friendly experience for consumers and make your content more accessible to a broader audience.

5. Building Trust through User-Generated Content

Original, brand-related content that customers publish is called user-generated content (UGC). This content can come in many forms, such as testimonials and reviews. UGC provides the authenticity and personalization consumers seek in content. A whopping 93% of consumers find this content helpful when making a purchase decision.

Brands can hop on this video advertising trend in 2023 by partnering with satisfied customers and encouraging them to share video content on their social media channels. You can create brand advocacy programs or offer incentives to get customers on board. In the long run, user-generated content can help build consumer trust and brand loyalty.

Take Your Content Marketing Strategy to the Next Level

These powerful video advertising trends can help elevate your brand’s content marketing strategies in 2023. If you’re ready to leverage the power of optimized video content, rely on Channel Factory. We help businesses reach brand-suitable audiences and grow their bottom line through optimized YouTube advertising solutions. Reach out today to learn how we can help your business!

The Ultimate Guide to Diversity & Inclusion in Marketing [Insights from Experts]

The Ultimate Guide to Diversity & Inclusion in Marketing [Insights from Experts]

Hands piled on top of each other to symbolize teamwork.

We asked the experts for tips and insights on addressing diversity in marketing

 

1. The Need for Diversity and Inclusion in Marketing 

Company: Maryville University 

 

Statistics show that America is becoming increasingly more diverse, as recent data reveals that growth among racial and ethnic minority populations outpaces that of Caucasians. It’s vital for modern marketers to know their audience, but they should also remember that diversity extends beyond race alone. Today, promoting revenue and brand image means defining and communicating with audiences as individuals, including people of all ages, socio-economic classes, and genders. Ultimately, the key to staying competitive lies in providing diversified content for diversified audiences, in a way that actually represents present-day society.

 

Company: Deloitte 

In our survey of 11,500 global consumers, we found the youngest respondents (from 18 to 25 years old) took greater notice of inclusive advertising when making purchase decisions (figure 1).

When we examined the US results by ethnicity and race, respondents were up to two-and-a-half times more likely to be aware of a brand prominently promoting diversity when making a product or experience purchasing decision if they identified as Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, Hispanic American, Native American or Alaska Native, or multiracial or biracial.

— Nathan Young, Christina Brodzik, Nikki Drake, Sarah Cuthill

Company: Microsoft

Inclusive advertising drives trust. Our research shows that inclusion in advertising feels like connection or a version of family where there are underlying feelings that inclusive advertising produces in people.

70% of Gen Z consumers are more trusting of brands that represent diversity in ads.

69% of Gen Z consumers said that brands that represent diversity are more authentic.

— Microsoft Advertising

2. Look at Your Team

Company: McKinsey

McKinsey has been examining diversity in the workplace for several years. … The findings were clear:

  • Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.
  • Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians (exhibit).
  • In the United States, there is a linear relationship between racial and ethnic diversity and better financial performance: for every 10 percent increase in racial and ethnic diversity on the senior-executive team, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rise 0.8 percent.
  • In the United Kingdom, greater gender diversity on the senior-executive team corresponded to the highest performance uplift in our data set: for every 10 percent increase in gender diversity, EBIT rose by 3.5 percent.
  • The unequal performance of companies in the same industry and the same country implies that diversity is a competitive differentiator shifting market share toward more diverse companies.

— Vivian Hunt, Dennis Layton, Sara Prince

 

3. Mirror a True Reflection

Who are the people around you, and who are you trying to reach? Consumer purchase intent doubles and more with socially conscious advertising; however, that doesn’t mean much if you aren’t genuine.

 

Company: Forbes 

In 2019, Adobe conducted a research report of more than 2,000 consumers. Their results showed that 66% of African-Americans, and 53% of Latino and Hispanic Americans feel their ethnicity is portrayed stereotypically in advertisements.

This is a challenge, because that same report showed that 61% of Americans find diversity in advertising important, and 38% of consumers are more likely to trust brands that do well with showing diversity in their ads.

— Nathan Young, Christina Brodzik, Nikki Drake, Sarah Cuthill 

4. Take the Time to Truly Understand

The phrase “there are no shortcuts in life” can be applied in many ways, but it especially holds true when considering the importance of diversity in marketing.

 

Company: Think with Google

The Female Quotient partnered with Google and Ipsos this past summer to survey nearly 3,000 U.S. consumers of various backgrounds to understand perceptions surrounding diversity and inclusion in advertising. My team and I asked people about the factors they think are important for a brand’s ad campaign to be considered diverse or inclusive. Specifically, we surveyed respondents about 12 categories: gender identity, age, body type, race/ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, skin tone, language, religious/spiritual affiliation, physical ability, socio-economic status, and overall appearance.

We learned that people are more likely to consider, or even purchase, a product after seeing an ad they think is diverse or inclusive (in reference to the 12 categories discussed in this study).

— Shelley Zalis, The Female Quotient, Ipsos 

5. Create a Content Diversity Checklist 

You want to consider many groups when publishing content and posting marketing campaigns. To keep consumer sentiments at heart at all times, create a content quality checklist and audit.

 

Company: The Business Journals

While many businesses have publicly voiced their commitments to diversity, it’s important to measure that commitment and ensure you’re truly creating an inclusive environment. That’s why we asked members of Business Journals Leadership Trust how you can tell if you’re making progress in your diversity and inclusion efforts, or whether you’re struggling to keep up. Ask yourself these questions to gauge where you’re at with your diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

  1. Is diversity and inclusion a continuous process?
  2. Do you have a diverse group of decision-makers across the organization?
  3. Are you regularly reviewing progress?
  4. Are your employees benefiting from your efforts?
  5. Is there diversity at every level of your company?
  6. What are your employees saying?
  7. Is your diverse workforce organically shaping an inclusive culture?
  8. Are all your stakeholders providing honest feedback on the state of your D&I efforts?
  9. Are you having communication breakdowns?
  10. Is your organization viewing D&I as more than an HR initiative?

Business Journals Leadership Trust Expert Panel®

6. Create a Content Diversity Audit

Company: Litmus

 

At Litmus, we try to do this not only through ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion work and training internally, but also by providing paid volunteer time off (VTO) for all employees to get to know their communities and give back to them. A lot of what we individually learn in the process is shared throughout the company in various Slack channels, team meetings, and during our all-hands meetings. While we certainly have difficult conversations as a team, we welcome those conversations as an opportunity to actually figure out what our values are, instill them in our work, and grow as a company.

On a practical level, we need to take to heart that, as Kevin put it, “Change happens with a bunch of intentional, small decisions.” For marketers actually creating campaigns and building emails, some of those small decisions could be to:

 

  • Include people of color (POC) and queer couples in campaign imagery.
  • Link to causes you support in email newsletters or curated content pieces.
  • Engage with your customers on a regular basis to see what they care about beyond your products.
  • Push your company to hire staff and work with freelancers from under-represented groups.
  • Look outside your typical circle for content contributors for posts, webinars, etc.
  • Push back on decisions to ignore social justice movements like Black Lives Matter because they’re “too political” or “might alienate customers.”
  • Read books, watch talks, and listen to podcasts that address diversity, equity, and inclusion.
    — Jason Rodriguez

 

7. Measure Intention vs. Impact

 

You should always be cognizant of your messaging if you value diversity in advertising and marketing. The negative impact of a distasteful ad can cost companies billions of dollars and strike consumer confidence in their brand indefinitely. 

 

Company: Kantar

Following the events of May 2020 and the subsequent rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, we conducted analysis on our Link ad testing database, looking at the representation of different ethnicities and diverse skin colors in advertising. We saw very different levels of inclusion across countries and categories. Once again, we saw that inclusion contributes to long-term equity, by positioning the brand as emotionally different. It can also drive short-term sales by making the content more impactful, helping to drive cut-through.

—Daren Poole

 

Company: Forbes

  1. Create A Focus Group To Help You Develop Content 

Want to represent a variety of groups? Have people from those groups get involved in developing and reviewing the content you plan to use. You don’t need to guess about what kind of images and language people want. You can use polls, surveys and other review processes to ensure that the groups you are representing relate to and approve of your messaging. – Holly Chessman, GlowTouch Technologies

— Forbes Communications Council

8. Be Mindful of Language and Tone

 

Marketing professionals handle all sorts of clients and work to fit a company’s unique brand voice, so deals with potential clients can fall flat if you don’t use appropriate language in meetings. 

 

Company: Forbes

  1. Instill Diversity As A Company Value 

It’s all well and good to proclaim a desire for diversity, but companies need to be careful they aren’t treating it flippantly, because their audience will see right through it. Instilling diversity as a value and solidifying it through an appropriate vision and mission statement will ensure that it’s imbued in a company’s ethos. From there, your marketing will naturally reflect the ethos. 

– Patrick Ward, High Speed Experts

— Forbes Communications Council

9. Speak to Your Audience

If you want to be more considerate of your consumer base, ask for their thoughts.

 

By posing a quick question on social media, like, “How can we improve diversity in our company?” you can open yourself up for genuine input that aids in the research process.

 

Company: Forbes

  1. Pick The Right Messenger

If your communication aims to connect with a diverse demographic or subculture, make sure the messenger reflects that target. For example, hire a woman to communicate about women’s issues. I once attended a women’s networking event that featured the male mayor of the city as its keynote speaker. He seemed like a great person, but his take on women in business wasn’t resounding, to say the least! – Mandy Glidewell, CentricsIT

— Forbes Communications Council

Channel Factory Champions Diversity and Inclusion

As the world changes around us, it is vital to keep up with people’s common sentiments and lived experiences. Given the amount of backlash diverse audiences face online and the legacy of insensitivity in advertising, it should be a priority to take a stand to strengthen collective bonds and fix our digital ecosystem.

 

As an adamant supporter of diversity in marketing, we strive to represent people’s voices.

Contact Channel Factory to optimize your advertising and appropriately meet the needs of your audience.