"Diversity & Representation" poses critical questions that can help to eradicate bias from your creative processes in 2021
Too often, creative processes are influenced by unconscious bias. When it comes to advertising and marketing, this becomes particularly apparent through choices regarding representation, i.e., showing who consumes or might consume the services and products we sell.
The World Federation of Advertisers has created a guide to help us rethink these processes. The guide contains critical questions that marketing experts can use when building a brand campaign or strategy.
Below, and in celebration of Pride Month, we take a look at the key questions included in this document titled “Diversity & Representation: Guide to potential areas for bias in the creative process.”
1. A limited view of who your audience and consumers are
Brands that reinforce stereotypes have a limited understanding of who their main customers are and fail to question who they should be representing.
We’ve seen this with beer brands that, until recently, mainly targeted cismale and heterosexual customers, failing to acknowledge that their products were being consumed by people of all genders, social classes, and sexual orientations. This resulted in underrepresentation in their branding choices, sending messages that, slowly, they began to correct. How can you avoid this perception bias?
Ask yourself:
Who is your audience?
Who is excluded?
Are there any underrepresented groups you’re missing?
