How to Incorporate Diversity in Video Marketing
Currently, the issues of diversity and inclusion have taken center stage. Audiences do not feel represented in the media and want to see that brands give visibility and voice to minorities and groups from different backgrounds that have long been excluded.
For example, respondents to the My Code Beyond Demographics report were clear that they seek more diversity in advertisements and brands to showcase a genuine understanding of their needs and passions in their marketing efforts and strategies, including video.
Brands Turn To Inclusive Marketing Practices
Audience demands for more diverse marketing have made numerous brands open their eyes to the importance of developing and implementing inclusive marketing practices.
Inclusive marketing aims to create campaigns and content that accurately reflect the diverse communities that brands serve. This type of marketing discards any racial or cultural bias, features diverse voices, embraces people from different backgrounds and promotes thoughtful and respectful content.
Through inclusive marketing, brands can promote and produce positive social changes. However, it is not easy to incorporate and execute this type of marketing correctly. There are many cases where campaigns tried to be inclusive and diverse, but achieved the opposite effect.
Create Brand Inclusion Using Video
Video is an excellent vehicle to create brand inclusion and connect with multicultural audiences. Utilizing video marketing allows people to transmit stories better to today’s tech-savvy audience and allows brands to visually express a clear representation of how their products are for everyone. My Code’s Multicultural Entertainment Report demonstrates just that by emphasizing the significant role diverse audiences play in contouring the digital video landscape.
How to Incorporate Diversity in Video Marketing
The first step to incorporating diversity in video marketing is understanding that the concept is broader than you think. For example, cultural creativity is usually associated only with race, but the concept is more comprehensive and has many constantly changing and evolving layers. For example, expanding your demographic can also be done by incorporating people who represent various sexual orientations, faiths and body types.
In addition, diversity does not only refer to individuals; it also represents bigger groups like families and communities. A Pew Research article demonstrates how the idea of family structures in the US are evolving, such as the inclusion of families with co-parents and ones with same-sex parents. The report also reveals that most people see these changes in family structures as a good thing.
A HubSpot study shows that in 2021, businesses showed more interest in highlighting body diversity in their ads. This indicates that it is time to see the issue of diversity from a broader perspective beyond race.
Research your audience
While it is necessary to view diversity in a broader sense, it should accurately and professionally align with your brand without being misleading.
Research the audience that is interested in your product or service. Then, learn about the characteristics and nuances of your target users so you can create content that appeals to their values and beliefs so that they feel represented.
Conduct surveys and interviews to learn directly about the various characteristics of your audience. You can also use reports published by My Code to gain in-depth insights from multicultural consumers.
Establish a diverse internal team
You can’t create content for diverse audiences if you don’t have diversity in your professional workplace. According to a 2018 Deloitte diversity and inclusion report, companies with inclusive cultures and diverse internal teams are six times more likely to be creative and adaptable.
According to a McKinsey report, companies with diverse teams are more likely to have financial returns above their national industry, and having diverse teams increases the likelihood of outperforming competitors by 35%.
By having a team that represents more than one or two demographics, you will have different perspectives on the table and you’ll make better decisions about communicating with your entire audience.
Brand inclusion is much more than a passing trend. Instead, it is a philosophy that the corporate culture can and should sustain. Brands that establish a corporate culture based on diversity are not only able to generate the right content that resonates with all the audiences they serve, but they are also more successful.
Create authentic content
Today’s audiences are very discerning and can notice when a brand is not authentic. Therefore, you must be genuine and show that you truly care about diversity and inclusion when creating video content. Try to use real videos of consumers and employees to generate a deeper connection with your customers. Avoid the use of stock videos and images, as these take away the power and authenticity of your message.
Take care of the production details
To correctly incorporate diversity into your video marketing strategy, you must take care of every little detail of the production. Everything from the wardrobe to the makeup and the type of lighting communicates and adds meaning to your content. It’s important to color balance your videos and not overexpose the lighting so you can accurately represent everyone in your advertising. Marketers must take care of every detail to avoid reinforcing any stereotypes while conveying their message.
A study by Shutterstock revealed that 88% of marketers agree that using diverse representations helps with brand reputation. Sourcing diverse talent for the entire production process, from filming and editing to selecting actors, will help you remove any bias that may negatively affect your content’s production.
Do Not Rush to Incorporate Diversity in Video Marketing
Diversity and inclusion are very relevant topics today, and consumers expect brands to take action on them. However, you shouldn’t rush in and aimlessly create inclusive content without a strategy.
Take your time to understand the complexities of diversity. Next, study your audiences well, create an inclusive corporate culture, and then build a multicultural team that allows you to craft your approach and strategy.
Inclusive video marketing is a great starting point for fostering brand diversity and attracting a broader audience. At the same time, you give visibility to diverse voices both inside and outside your organization.
