Inclusion and Marketing – Details, episodes & analysis

A lot of brands have unnecessary friction in the customer experiences they deliver. That friction negatively impacts those brands’ conversions. That friction and impact on consumers is even more pronounced when it comes to people from underrepresented and underserved communities. This episode is all about how to identify and get rid of the friction in the customer experience your brand delivers specifically for consumers from marginalized communities. As a result, your conversions will increase. Get the Inclusion & Marketing Newsletter Visuals and examples mentioned in this episode

Most brands don’t know how much they could improve their conversions by optimizing their website and social media to also work for consumers from underrepresented and underserved communities. Conducting a website and social media audit can highlight opportunities to deliver better experiences for all the customers you want to serve while improving your conversions. In this episode, I walk you through how to get started with a website and social media audit for your brand. Get the Inclusion & Marketing Newsletter Visuals and examples mentioned in this episode Work With Me

When you look at the ethnic group that is the largest in the U.S., by far, it is the Hispanic population. As of the 2020 Census, 18% of the population was of Hispanic/Latino descent. And this number is growing. Another analysis from the U.S. Census showed that 1 in 4 children in the U.S. are Latino. As a brand, particularly if you are marketing to consumers in the U.S., know that having a sound understanding of how to market to the Latino population is increasingly becoming more important. To help you navigate how to market to this growing customer base, I sat down with Federico Gagliardone, COO at MECENAS, a minority-owned publishing and full-stack media company that connects brands with U.S. Hispanic and multicultural communities. And if you’re not in the U.S. or not marketing to consumers in the U.S., this episode is still totally worth the listen, because many of the principles are applicable to underrepresented and underserved communities. Get the Inclusion & Marketing Newsletter MECENAS WeAreCocina.com StarPicks

Key points covered in this episode: The role of inclusion in performance marketing Where many performance marketing campaigns fall short with regard to inclusion Why so many people are often excluded from performance marketing campaigns Why inclusive marketing is a solution to ad fatigue The key question you should ask to enable you to include more people in your ad campaigns The data you need to build more inclusive campaigns and the caution you should use when analyzing it How to ensure your partners in performance marketing have an inclusive mindset Get the episode transcript here Links and resources mentioned in this episode: www.apiarydigital.com Algorithms of Oppression The End of the Majority, and What it Means for Your Brand with Julye Williams - Inclusion & Marketing podcast episode 11 About Karen Amundsen: I'm a white lady named Karen, passionate about racial equity. As the Founder and Chair of Apiary Digital, the area I'm able to have the biggest impact is in business and marketing. Apiary Digital is a full-service performance marketing collective headquartered in the cloud. We believe that humans are greater than business, and that inclusive performance marketing is one and the same as succeeding in our client's customer acquisition goals. What inclusive brand type are you? Take this quick quiz to find out: www.inclusivemarketing.co/quiz

Representation matters. It isn’t enough to just have representation of the talent in front of the camera. It is just as important to have representation and or expertise behind the camera that is poised to capture diverse talent in the proper light (pun intended). Remember, the people you serve need to see themselves or who they aspire to be reflected in the visual imagery your brand puts forth. If your brand regularly publishes imagery of diverse communities that they don’t think is flattering, then they will get the message that they don’t belong with you. The effort you put into securing representative talent won’t yield the results you like if people are disappointed with the imagery. The next time you and your team start preparing for a photo, video, or content shoot that features and includes diverse talent, it is imperative that you take the time to give proper thought to these roles behind the camera to ensure you get a final product all can be pleased with. Get the episode transcript here ElleUK Wakanda Forever Cover: https://twitter.com/ELLEUK/status/1575763902121803776/photo/1 Elle Brasil Viola Davis Cover: https://twitter.com/ellebrasil/status/1570475582160240640/photo/1 Vogue Simone Biles Cover: https://twitter.com/BritniDWrites/status/1281713398963564544/ ------ What inclusive brand type are you? Take the quiz here to find out. www.inclusionandmarketing.com/quiz

A big barrier to effectively engaging with diverse consumers and communities is the way we think. In many instances, we default to our own frame of reference, perspectives, and ways of doing things. However that limits your ability to practice empathy and to give consumers who are different from you exactly what they need from you. In this episode, I walk you through the essential practice of decentering yourself, they key areas you need to focus on doing it, and of course, I offer up practical ways to do it as well. Get the episode transcript here Get the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter

Some brands do really well when it comes to celebrating communities during their heritage months, like Black History Month, Women’s History Month, PRIDE, Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian-American and Pacific-Islander Month. However, there are plenty others that struggle. And there’s also a large group of brands that stay on the sidelines, because they aren’t sure how to engage, or even if they should. So as we get closer to a new year, and it’s time to decide about what your brand will celebrate and what you won’t - I thought it’d be helpful for you to bring in some reinforcements to help guide you. That’s why I chatted with Arturo Gutierrez, the SVP of Strategy at Codeword, an integrated marketing agency.  Arturo and his team at Codeword did a survey to find out what consumers want with regard to these types of celebrations – and the insights, and the discussion we have around them is relevant and applicable for you – no matter your size, your budget, or your experience engaging with communities in this manner. Get the episode transcript here Key Points: Why brands should consider celebrating heritage months for diverse communities How you should be thinking about the people who are buying your product Why so many diverse communities are indifferent to heritage month campaigns, and what to do about it What you should and shouldn’t be measuring as it relates to heritage month celebrations How brands should think about the objective of heritage month campaigns How to ensure your heritage month celebrations leave a lasting impact What diverse communities want from brands during heritage months and beyond About Arturo Gutierrez Arturo Gutierrez is the SVP of Strategy at Codeword, an integrated marketing agency that develops smart marketing strategies, manages editorial and social channels, and drives news coverage for tech clients both big and small. A former management consultant having advised Fortune 500 clients across The Americas, Europe and the Middle East, Arturo’s expertise include leadership, marketing strategy, and organizational growth. Links https://twitter.com/Art_Gutierrez  https://www.codewordagency.com/  Get the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter

"Hire a diverse team" is often the advice and cry people tout when brands struggle with being inclusive with their marketing. So common practice, is to tap into diverse talent to get them to provide their feedback and expertise on various topics related to campaigns and internal initiatives. But this isn't always the right thing to do, and can impede your efforts to make your diverse talent feel like they belong with you. No bueno. In this episode, I walk you through common challenges with this approach, and what you should do instead to get the feedback you need, tap into the power of having a diverse team, while also making them feel like they belong. Get the episode transcript here Get the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter

Cultural appropriation happens more often than in should. And inappropriate use of a culture not your own happens even more often. Both of these practices are harmful, and in this episode I'm walking you through clear examples of both, and giving you practical guidance on how not to engage in them. In addition, you'll walk away with practical guidance on how you as an individual and consumer can play a role in shutting down these practices as well. Get the episode transcript here Here are the links mentioned in the episode: Hailey Beiber make trend rant - Shantal Smith The cultural appropriation of yoga - Blair Imani The Maasai People Take Back Their Brand Dia de los Muertos Barbie Walks a Fine Line Between Cultural Appropriation and Appreciation Kim Kardashian West's Kimono underwear meets Japanese backlash How Disney redeemed itself with 'Coco' after the Dia de Muertos trademark fiasco Get the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter

All over the world, but specifically in the United States, there has been a lot going on in the past few years. From the Black Lives Matter movement that gained momentum in the wake of George Floyd's murder just two years ago, to the surge of Asian hate during the pandemic, and now another hate crime in Buffalo. And to be frank, I am disappointed in the responses to this event, or lack thereof from many businesses. With this uptick in interest in social justice matters, it is more important than ever for businesses to stand for what they believe in. In the season finale of the Inclusion and Marketing Podcast, I share: The importance of brands expressing their beliefs and taking action around important social and political issues affecting the current climate How to get started on brand advocacy How to be authentic when shaping your brand advocacy Get the episode transcript here Get the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter