Creative Equals

It's Black History Month, and we'd like to mention the brilliant powerhouse that is Trevor Robinson OBE. Trevor is one of the most high-profile and highly regarded people in advertising. As a creative, he has been responsible for some of the most famous and talked about advertising of his era from the iconic and multi-award winning ‘You’ve Been Tango-ed’ Orange Slap to the more recent Haribo ‘Kids Voices’ campaign. In 1995 he set up Quiet Storm, the first agency to write, direct and produce its own work. To this day it is still one of the few ad agencies where creatives direct their own work. Beyond advertising, Trevor is renowned for his wider contribution to society. In 2020 he reignited the Create Not Hate initiative to open pathways for underrepresented young people to build creative careers, and mobilised a staggering amount of support. He won the UK Black British Business Award for top senior entrepreneur 2020 and was awarded an OBE in 2009 for his services to charity and advertising. Trevor is recognised in influencer lists including Debretts 500, Campaign’s A-List, The Drum Top 100 Adverati, the IPA’s iList, and won Oystercatcher’s ‘outstanding, lifetime contribution to the industry’ award. He is a regular main stage speaker at Cannes Lions, where he was president of the Titanium jury in 2021. He was President Jury of 2022’s D&AD Entertainment awards, was named a Campaign top 3 Changemaker of 2021, and was made a lifetime Fellow of the IPA. Trevor continues to push the boundaries of whats possible, changing narratives and opening the way behind him. A power house whose work and ideas have rippled and reflected across the advertising industry. ID: A photo of Trevor Robinson, a Black man with salt and pepper locs and a direct gaze down the camera lens. He's in a white shirt, and behind him is a grey/green wall. #BlackHistoryMonth #BHM2024 #BlackHistoryMonth2024

Want an 'edge' for your brand that drives profitability, positive brand equity, consumer loyalty AND improved purchase decisions for your brand? DEI is it. Research by the Unstereotype Alliance and Saïd Business School at Oxford University for the advertising industry shows progressive marketing can give brands and businesses 'an edge', showing that more inclusive campaigns have a positive impact on profits, sales and brand worth. When an advert can authentically and positively portray a full range of people – without negative stereotypes – it can provide an edge in the marketplace when it comes to consumer preferences and long-term sales figures. The positive impact of inclusive advertising on outcomes was significant, with an almost 3.5% boost to shorter-term sales and a more than 16% increase in longer term sales. Inclusive marketing persuades 62% of buyers to choose a product and made 15% of shoppers more loyal. The business case for authentic, inclusive marketing is clear: it's good for brand equity, it's good for purchase decisions, it wins awards and it's good for profit. If you'd like help building authentic inclusion into your comms and campaigns, get in touch. We can help: https://lnkd.in/evTteaDQ #inclusiveMarketing #DEI #brandmarketing #representationMatters #diversityWins #diverseTeamsMakeAdifference #diversityIsProfitable #inclusionMatters #marketing #inclusiveBrands #inclusiveMarketing #progressiveMarketing ID: Orange background, white/red text: Progressive marketing drives 16% rise in direct long term sales. Underneath it reads 'The Business Case for Inclusion'. The Creative Equals logo is top right. Source: https://lnkd.in/eZzckKnp

It's Black History Month, and we'd like to shine a spotlight on the phenomenal June Sarpong OBE, a British TV Presenter, award-winning author and a diversity champion. Having worked in television for two decades, June is one of the most widely recognised faces in British television, and was BBC's first Director of Creative Diversity. She's authored three award-winning books on DEI, and has hosted and interviewed some of the worlds biggest names (hosting Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebrations in Hyde Park in 2008, and interviewed the likes of HRH King Charles, Bill Clinton, Al Gore and George Clooney). June is one of the youngest people ever to receive an MBE, which she was awarded in 2007 for services to broadcasting and charity. She received an OBE in the 2020 New Years’ Honours List for her extensive work with HRH King Charles, as a Prince’s Trust Ambassador and campaigns for the ONE Campaign and (RED). She is Co-Founder of the WIE Network (Women: Inspiration & Enterprise), a conference designed to bring together women from different backgrounds, and to empower, inspire and support one another. She also launched a new publishing imprint, ‘The HQ Creative Inclusion Lab’ with Harper Collins, giving a voice to those from underrepresented communities, with a focus on those with a disability, those from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds and people from working-class backgrounds. A powerhouse by all accounts. We were lucky to have June grace our RISE stage in 2019, and are in awe of all she continues to do in the world of inclusion. ID: A photo of June Sarpong, a Black Woman with long dark hair, smiling at the camera. She's standing in a room in front of a book case, and is wearing a light coloured top. #BlackHistoryMonth #BHM2024 #BlackHistoryMonth2024

Backlash. It's a risk marketers take every time they push the boundary and aim for creative excellence. But the line is thin, for campaigns to resonate - brands and businesses must be authentic and respectful in the way you demonstrate your commitment. It's not enough to show a diverse cast and call it good, not if you are perpetuating negative stereotypes. Here are five things brand can do to mitigate backlash BEFORE campaigns go out the door. 5 ways brands can mitigate backlash BEFORE it goes out the door -> 1 Nothing about us without us. Make sure your agency and creative team is diverse with different perspectives and lived experiences. Across age, race, ability, class, gender and sexuality. It matters. If you don’t have lived experience on your creative team, then collaborate while you build up the capability and experience in house. 2: Build inclusion checks in to your process. Set your team up for success and embed inclusion checkpoints into your campaign creation framework. This allows your marketers to proactively build resilience upstream in your brand strategies, and allows space for change if inauthentic or stereotyped content is surfaced. 3: Regularly and repeatedly bias train your team. You don’t know what you don’t know, and bias is more often than not unconscious. Regular applied bias training has been shown to help individuals recognise and address unconscious prejudices, leading to more inclusive and equitable creative content and environments. 4: Stand with inclusion. When the minority are loud because you’ve taken an inclusive stance, hold the inclusion line. Research shows for every 1 consumer rewarding brands that back down from DEI positions due to criticism there are 4 to 5 consumers who would reward brands that uphold their DEI values in the face of criticism. Brands that uphold their DE&I values are more likely to be rewarded. 5: Have a backlash plan. We’re only human, and sometimes we make mistakes. Have a backlash comms strategy and plan in place as part of every campaign. Knowing what to say and when to say it can lead to a calm, measured response (and not a panicked reaction). Acknowledge the error and commit to learning from the incident. Support any diverse community and collaborators you championed and show meaningful, supportive action. Hi, we’re Creative Equalsand we help brands grow their market reach through inclusion by building progressive campaigns (and mitigating the risk of backlash). Want to reach more of your audience or need help mitigating backlash inclusively? Let's chat: hello@creativeequals.org ID: Mint background, teal/white text: 5 ways brands can mitigate backlash BEFORE it goes out the door... #inclusiveBrands #inclusiveMarketing #DEI #brands #digitalMarketing #inclusionMatters #marketing #inclusiveBrands #inclusiveMarketing #progressiveMarketing #brandGrowth #businessGrowth #brandMarketing #brandCampaigns #marketingBacklash #backlashStrategy

It's Black History Month, and we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the many impressive achievements of Karen Blackett OBE. With her stellar career spanning over 25 years, from managing the UK market of the world’s largest advertising company WPP, CEO at MediaCom to holding a number of advisor positions at No.10, Creative England and the MOBO trust, and a celebrated champion of diversity, Campaign recently called her “the most important agency leader in the British ad industry.” She’s gained an OBE and was honoured by the IPA in recognition for her services to changing the industry, such as launching the first government-backed apprenticeship scheme for the creative industry and championing diversity and inclusion for change, across her leadership. She's been very clear on using diversity of thought and celebrating difference as a way to create dynamic, creative workplaces. As a black woman at the pinnacle of her industry, she is a prominent advocate for equal opportunity and was named race equality business champion by former Prime Minister Theresa May. Karen Blackett OBE is arguably the most influential agency leader in the UK, and we are in awe of all that she has achieved. #BlackHistoryMonth #BHM2024 #BlackHistoryMonth2024 ID: Karen Blackett is a Black woman, who is smiling at the camera. Her hair is dark and hangs below her shoulders, and she's wearing a black top and a gold statement necklace. Behind her is a bookshelf with the books arranged by colour.

Black History Month is an excellent opportunity for brands to celebrate and honour the wealth of contributions, innovations and accomplishments of Black individuals and communities to our society and culture throughout history. However, for it resonate - brands and businesses must be authentic and respectful in the way you demonstrate your commitment. It's not enough to show a diverse cast and call it good, not if you are perpetuating negative stereotypes. Here are five things brand can do to celebrate Black History Month authentically. 1. Feature Black voices and perspectives in your campaigns Highlight the contributions, innovations and accomplishments of Black individuals and communities throughout history, relevant to your brand and category. 2. Champion Black lived experience Sometimes representation isn’t enough, if that representation also perpetuates negative stereotypes. Lived experiences is required for authenticity. If you don't have Black creatives in house - collaborate. Authenticity, devoid of problematic tropes is needed for resonance. 3. Don’t force it, seek it out and centre on it. Be genuine with your approach - don’t try to shoe horn in messaging or a perspective. Instead, start by amplifying Black voices, building their lived experience at the core of your campaign. 4. Commit to growth through inclusion Racism and bias still exist in our workplaces, in our teams and in our agencies, sneaking into the work. Run regular bias training sessions so your marketing teams can recognise and address unconscious prejudices, leading to more inclusive campaigns that resonate with more of your audience. 5. Spotlight the action behind your words Highlight the ways that your brand have put action behind your Black History Month comms, demonstrating that while the month is important, you are committed to walking the walk 365 days of the year - not just in October. Here at Creative Equals we help brands grow their market reach by embracing diversity, equity and inclusion within their marketing strategies. We know that diverse and authentic perspectives, devoid of negative stereotypes or tropes resonate with wider audiences - and we help brands and businesses embed inclusion within their campaigns. How is your brand celebrating Black History Month? ID: Orange background, red/white text: 5 ways brands can celebrate Black History month authentically... #blackHistoryMonth #inclusiveMarketing #brandMarketingStrategy #DEI #marketingStrategy #dei #inclusiveOrganisations #inclusiveMarketing #DEI #brands #representationMatters #diversityWins #diverseTeamsMakeAdifference #digitalMarketing #diversityIsProfitable #inclusionMatters #marketing #inclusiveBrands #inclusiveMarketing #progressiveMarketing #brandGrowth #businessGrowth #brandMarketing #brandCampaigns #authenticMarketing

It's Black History Month, and we'd like to shine a spotlight on the brilliant Jo Hodges, an unmistakable industry stalwart. She was a GIANT in the UK creative space, whose shoulders many stand on, a pioneer for diversity, who inspired so many and grew a generation of creatives. Jo had extensive experience in both the advertising and film industries. Her professional background in advertising as an award-winning art director led to her working at leading agencies such as DMB&B, GGK, Ogilvy and Mather and as feature film screenwriter with International production credits at London Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival amongst others. An example of Jo’s groundbreaking work was with the Football Association, with the ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ and ‘Kick Homophobia out of Football’ campaigns. Some of the work is on permanent display at the Football Association’s headquarters. Jo was a passionate tutor and lecturer, working for 15 years at UAL as a lecturer on BA (Hons) Graphic Design at Central Saint Martins, before moving to BA (Hons) Advertising in 2006 at the London College of Communication, eventually becoming the Course Leader and then Creative Practice Director for Communications and Media Programme. Jo sought to push the diversity of the artistic and creative industries and fought for students’ equal inclusion regardless of their background or race. She paved the way for diverse creatives with her brilliance, she was great lecturer, a true creative and experienced industry professional who created significant and ground breaking work. But it was her passion that she was most known for, across the board. By all accounts, Jo was explosion of energy, positivity and innovation – with a huge and generous heart. Jo died in 2017. She is still an inspiration to many and is greatly missed. ID: An image of Jo, a black woman with beautifully wild dark hair (coils on her crown, soft curls around her face, an undercut on one side). She's got wide eyes and fun 'surprise!' expression. She's wearing a black sparkly top under a white blazer. She's in front of a grey wall. #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackCreatives #JoHodges

Since 1976, Black History Month has celebrated the successes of Black people globally. However, since the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 (with the catalyst of the murder of George Floyd), Black History Month has become an even more powerful call to action for us all to address the racial disparities within society so that all Black people are celebrated and treated with respect and fairness. Black History Month is not just a time to recognise and celebrate the resilience and achievements of Black people – past and present, it continues to be a vehicle for us to recommit to driving out racism from our places of work and wider society. And we need to. Because in 2024 we've already seen violent racism on our streets, from the mouths of our politicians, increased hate related crimes (with 43% of Hate Crimes reported to Stop Hate UK related to race). It's in our businesses, with non-white employees mean hourly pay 19.04% lower than white employees hourly pay). It's in our ads, with representation levels 7% lower than they were last year. Almost every audience segment feels less represented by the advertising they see, with the most noticeable drop amongst non-white people. In a month, where we lift up and champion the brilliance of Black people worldwide, we should also be working towards equity and equality across the whole year. What can brands and businesses do? - Build diverse teams, and work with diverse partners. - Make sure you work is genuinely authentic, nothing about us with us. Include people from the audience you wish to portray in the creation process. - Provide regular and mandatory bias training for leadership, managers and marketers, empowering those to speak up when they see racism in action. - Grow inclusive cultures, where everyone feels heard and empowered (minimising micro aggressions and hateful tropes, removing your ethnic pay gap, providing a safe way to report hateful behaviour free of retaliation) - Insist on diverse long list and short lists in your recruiting processes, with explicit goals Together, we can make change. ID: Mint background, white/teal text: Racism. The Discrimination and prejudice against people based on their race or ethnicity. May include negative emotional reactions to members of a particular racial group, acceptance of negative stereotypes and racial discrimination against individuals. The Creative Equals logo is bottom right. #BlackHistoryMonth #BHM2024 #BHM #blackhistorymonthuk #bmh2024 #britishblackhistory #Racism #Bias Sources: - UK Government Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap Report 2024 - Spark Foundry, Insights Accelerated, 2024

Need a quick turnaround Inclusion check for your end of year campaigns? Mitigate backlash and unleash the power of true inclusion in your marketing strategy. Award-winning, profitable, and growth-accelerating, genuine inclusivity is a proven game-changer in ad campaigns. Consider this: research by the Advertising Association shows nearly half of all adults find inspiration for gift ideas from festive ads, and a whopping 70% of young adults (25-34) see holiday ads as a mood enhancer. Maximise your resonance with your audience with our expertise. We're here to assist you in weaving inclusion into your holiday campaigns. Be it through a one-off inclusion clinic to avoid potential backlash, or a deep strategy audit to embed inclusivity in your marketing framework, we have you covered. Take the step towards success today. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/etgvURBm ID: Slivers of images from last years festive campaigns. They include a venus fly trap, a racoon begging with a santa hat, and carrot with a red scarf, a cowgirl mannequin with a glittery star, and two white men (one of which is Graham Norton with an "ooo!" expression). #ChristmasCampaign #holidayCampaign #ChristmasMarketing #holidayMarketing #inclusiveCulture #inclusiveOrganisations #inclusiveMarketing #DEI #brands #representationMatters #diversityWins #diverseTeamsMakeAdifference #digitalMarketing #diversityIsProfitable #inclusionMatters #marketing #inclusiveBrands #inclusiveMarketing #progressiveMarketing #brandGrowth #businessGrowth #brandMarketing #brandCampaigns #authenticMarketing

We know that backlash is a thing - we've all seen what happens when your audience doesn't like what you have to say. By building an inclusion check into your marketing strategy you can mitigate the risk of backlash before they happen, at a point in the creative process when change is still cost-effective. We run inclusion clinics at a point when it works for you. We’ll review several assets of your choosing with an inclusion lens, so you can integrate inclusion into the product and campaign journey. Our in-house team of inclusion specialists - who will review the work - represent a wide range of lived experience and expertise. Crucially, they relate the assets crucially to the brand within your organisation's framework. We assess the perception of your communications from an inclusion perspective, to demonstrate your audience growth commitments more effectively. These clinics WORK: “The insights we have gained from our inclusion clinics have meant our work is stronger, more inclusive and performing better than ever before with our brand trackers up 16% for the Vanish brand." Efrain Ayala, Global DEI Marketing Excellence Director, Reckitt With the biggest campaigns of the year currently in progress, now is the time maximise your resonance with your audience and make sure you're setting your festive campaign up for success. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/etgvURBm ID:Orange background, white/red text: Need a quick inclusion check? Mitigate backlash with our inclusion clinics - next day reports with potential watch outs! #ChristmasCampaign #holidayCampaign #ChristmasMarketing #holidayMarketing #inclusiveCulture #inclusiveOrganisations #inclusiveMarketing #DEI #brands #representationMatters #diversityWins #diverseTeamsMakeAdifference #digitalMarketing #diversityIsProfitable #inclusionMatters #marketing #inclusiveBrands #inclusiveMarketing #progressiveMarketing #brandGrowth #businessGrowth #brandMarketing #brandCampaigns #authenticMarketing