Creative Equals

October kicks off the Black History Month in the UK, providing an opportunity for everyone to share, celebrate and understand the impact of Black heritage and culture. We've seen time and time again - BHM campaigns only resonate when they're authentic and genuine (this is not the time or space for performative tick boxing). Are you working with Black Creatives in your BHM comms? How are you prioritising action, empowering Black voices, and communicating accountability? Are you showcasing multiple stories with nuanced perspectives, with multiple versions of Blackness? (The Black population is not monolithic or homogeneous, but instead rich with many different narratives and history). Is your campaign driven by real insight, grounded in truth, and followed by meaningful action to create change? Is there clear purpose within your campaign, avoiding shortcuts (like paid collaborations?) If you can't answer these questions, or if your organisation is rolling back your DEI strategy... let's chat. We can help you build genuine authenticity within your campaigns so they resonate as they should. If you're worried about how to mitigate backlash, or want to triple check for tricky stereotypes before it goes out the door - book in an inclusion clinic: https://lnkd.in/etgvURBm Let us help you build campaigns that matter the right way - the way the resonates and builds growth for your brand. ID: A beautiful Black woman with natural curls sits on a couch. She's in a white tee and is smiling. Behind her is a grey wall with a pot plant. #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackMarketing #inclusiveCulture #inclusiveOrganisations #inclusiveMarketing #DEI #brands #representationMatters #diversityWins #diverseTeamsMakeAdifference #digitalMarketing #diversityIsProfitable #inclusionMatters #marketing #inclusiveBrands #inclusiveMarketing #progressiveMarketing #brandGrowth #businessGrowth #brandMarketing #brandCampaigns #authenticMarketing

The expectations of brands have changed. It's not enough to just market your wares - consumers expect brands to care about DEI and they're putting their money where their mouth is, by being more likely to purchase from brands who demonstrate a commitment to DE&I (Caravan and Big Insight Study). We can grow your brand and business by expanding your market reach and enhancing your social impact through embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion within your marketing strategies. It WORKS: 68% of brands with representative ads saw a stock gain of 44% in a seven-quarter period. (Heat Test Report). Brands with diverse representation in their ads enjoy an increase in brand prominence and brand value, an opportunity for brands to do good while doing well. (Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science) And if you're worried about backlash - 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 (ANA AIMM) Together, we can identify, understand, and effectively engage your diverse consumer groups, driving growth and promoting inclusivity for good. Let's get started: https://lnkd.in/evTteaDQ ID: Mint background, white/teal text: Inclusion = brand growth. Are you reaching 100% of your audience? The Creative Equals logo is bottom left. #inclusiveCulture #inclusiveOrganisations #inclusiveMarketing #DEI #brands #representationMatters #diversityWins #diverseTeamsMakeAdifference #digitalMarketing #diversityIsProfitable #inclusionMatters #marketing #inclusiveBrands #inclusiveMarketing #progressiveMarketing #brandGrowth #businessGrowth #brandMarketing #brandCampaigns

That's right! Shockingly, 80% of UK companies STILL pay men more than women, with a gender pay gap of 14.4% - and the global figure is even worse at 20%. Despite being illegal - the significant benefits of equal pay across gender (and race!) are clear: employees feel more valued, trust the organisation and in return are more engaged with their work. It mitigates any issues and resources fixing legalities with pay discrimination. When equal pay is embedded into the business culture as a core value and business function, across recruiting new staff, setting salaries and giving promotions - it makes a real difference. Inclusion is an effective and genuine driver for business growth. How are you building equity and inclusion into your culture? (Transparent and fair salary brackets are only one aspect, after all). If you'd like a more inclusive culture that results in improved efficiency and productivity, improved candidate attraction and reducing staff absence and turnover... let us help embed inclusion into your workplace culture. We can design and deliver best practice training and toolkits for your business and inspiring L&D programmes for inclusive cultures, upskilling your senior leaders, ERG networks, managers and colleagues in everything from mindful conversations to inclusive leadership. The key to long-term capability building is in operationalising inclusion throughout your day-to-day processes with training to embed. Let's have a conversation about how we can help: https://lnkd.in/eY_5pc8F ID: A women sits in front of a laptop. Behind her the wall is beige, and in white text it reads: "Can we talk about 80% of UK companies STILL pay men more than women?!" #inclusiveCulture #inclusiveOrganisations #inclusiveMarketing #DEI #brandmarketing #representationMatters #diversityWins #diverseTeamsMakeAdifference #diversityIsProfitable #inclusionMatters #marketing #inclusiveBrands #inclusiveMarketing #progressiveMarketing #genderPayGap

New academic research carried out for the advertising industry shows progressive marketing can give brands and businesses 'an edge'. Conducted by Unstereotype Alliance and Saïd Business School at Oxford University looked at data collected across 392 global brands over 58 countries (including Diageo, Kantar and Unilever) and showed 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: New study shows inclusive advertising is better for business... the Creative Equals logo is bottom right.

Healing the Divide: Finding the win-win in your marketing. Our friend Samira Brophy from Ipsos recently published an article on Division – specifically, the weaponisation of it – and how it is a major issue for us all as we approach the close of 2024. It is also presenting profound challenges for marketers, notably the way division impacts efforts to execute responsible marketing. But in these challenges lie opportunities, too. The main takeaways? The weaponisation of division in society is harmful to us all. There is both an urgent need as well as a business imperative for more nuance, trust and responsibility in the actions of our industry. But, inclusive and progressive marketing portrayals have a significant advantage on measures of attention, sales lift and brand equity AND a winning Effie award agency is 7.2% more diverse than the industry with an apparent positive correlation between agency diversity and award level achieved. Inclusion is good for brands, good for sales and profits and good for winning awards. Read Samira's article: https://lnkd.in/exjTqrar Want to build more inclusion into your comms and campaigns? We can help you expand your market reach and enhance your social impact by embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion in your marketing strategies. https://lnkd.in/evTteaDQ ID: Samira, a non-white woman with short dark hair stands in front of an orange backdrop. In white text it reads "Healing the divide". Beyond is the Creative Equals logo. #inclusiveMarketing #DEI #brandmarketing #representationMatters #diversityWins #diverseTeamsMakeAdifference #diversityIsProfitable #inclusionMatters #marketing #inclusiveBrands #inclusiveMarketing #progressiveMarketing

Here's what we know: authentic inclusion wins more awards, is more profitable and speeds up growth. Truly progressive campaigns, that are authentic and devoid of stereotypes resonate with more of your audience (inclusion really does win!) Are you embedding inclusion within your biggest campaign of the year? Research conducted by the Advertising Association for the festive advertising season revealed nearly half (48%) of all adults credit Christmas ads with helping to spark gift ideas, while 70% of young adults (25-34) find holiday ads to be the ultimate festive mood booster. Make sure you're resonating with more of your audience, we can work with you to build inclusion within your holiday campaigns, either in a one-off inclusion clinic where we check for inclusion faux pas (mitigating potential backlash), or within a deeper strategy audit, where we embed inclusion within your marketing framework. Book in an inclusion clinic now - lets set your campaign up for success. https://lnkd.in/etgvURBm ID: Mint background, white/teal text: "SUPERCHARGE your holiday campaigns. Are you reaching all of your audience with your biggest campaign of the year?" The Creative Equals logo is bottom right. #inclusiveMarketing #brandsForBetter #howIsYourBusinessComittingToChange #dei #inclusion #diversity #equity #beBetterDoBetter

The results are IN - Yes, we've done the analysis. More than 60% (!) of awarded Grand Prix went to work championing a range of topics from social economic inclusion to sexual harassment and championing independent journalism. We have the results, and we want to share them with you! The LIONS have been very clear - they know that creativity drives progress - this lives at their core - and they also understand that our business has the power to be a driver of positive change. When submitting a content offering to Cannes Lions, they encourage everyone to look a little deeper at the cast of characters before submission, with DE&I at the heart. If you'd like the FREE List of Winners and where DE&I came in to help you build an edge for your entries, visit: https://lnkd.in/e3nay7eJ If you'd like to build DEI into your campaigns, and improve your chances at winning at Cannes Lion, let's get going. We can help: hello@creativeequals.org. ID: A gold Cannes Lions award sits on a bench, there are lights in the background. In white it reads "When Inclusion wins Cannes Lions" #CannesLionsWinner #CannesLions #inclusiveMarketing #DEI #EDI #marketing #inclusivecommunication #inclusion #diversity #DiversityAndInclusion #MarketingAndCommunications #AuthenticRepresentation #CreativeInnovation #IndustryLeadership #ContinuousImprovement #marketing #digitalmarketing #ValuesMatter #marketingstrategy #marketingexperience #brandexperience #activation #inclusivemarketing

For those in the UK who experienced racism, Islamophobia and Xenophobia, there is a fear the recent riots are still with us, seen in Scotland just recently. Together, we can work harder to dismantle the systemic racism that has spilled out onto our streets. ‘Doing the work’ is why Creative Equals exists in our sphere of influence. Our goal is to embed diversity, equity and inclusion in the day-to-day processes people work within to make lasting change. By doing this, we make a more inclusive workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging and their contributions are valued to make powerful work. We exist to build brands to have an outsized, positive impact and create an inclusive industry we can all be proud of. So, what now? 📣 Apply the Online Safety Act: invest in platforms that uphold basic human rights. 📣 Fund high-quality journalism: support pluralistic, independent media and quality journalism, like the Financial Times (we love their new campaign). It is kryptonite to disinformation. 📣 Invest in local news outlets from diverse communities. Use your media £££ to enable diverse perspectives to thrive in media. 📣 Conduct a media review: diversify your media spend into community platforms. 📣 Double down on representation: brands drive social inclusion and cohesion. We can have the power to create stories that unite us all. Brands have the power to make change, we can do this. If you'd like to know more about how to drive inclusion that has a real impact on the social good, get in touch. We can help embed inclusion into your marketing campaigns. If want to make sure your comms aren't doing any harm we run on demand inclusion Clinics to help mitigate backlash, and check for an exclusionary concerns. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/etgvURBm ID: Orange background, white text: "The UK Race Riots... what now?" The Creative Equals logo is bottom right. #RaceRiots #makingRealChange #brandsForGood #progressiveMarketing #marketingForImpact #inclusiveMarketing #dei

Creative Equals Business Leaders, the leadership training programme for women and gender non-conforming people working in the marketing and creative industries, is BACK! Since our launch in 2018, we’ve empowered over 100 leaders with the essential skills and network needed to succeed. As we embark on our sixth year, we are thrilled to announce the next programme starting this October 2024. If you are an emerging leader at a creative agency, media agency, brands, media owners, production companies, or others within the marketing and creative sector - this is programme for you! Level up your career, and get leadership ready. Here is what some of our recent alumni had to say about the six month program: “The rocket fuel every ambitious woman deserves to supercharge their goals, clarify their priorities, and step forward into their rightful spotlight, surrounded by an inspiring cohort cheering on your every move.” – Hayley Sivner, Head of Strategy, TBWA Manchester "Creative Equals Business is not like other management training courses. It's focused, honest, and empowering; backed by a team of inspirational advertising heavyweights who understand the challenges of being an aspiring female leader." – Aileen Rushton, Group Head of Creative, STV New DEADLINE: Applications Close: 11 October 2024 Let's step your leadership skills. Apply now! https://lnkd.in/d8n_VBT Creative Equal’s Business Leaders is a Creative Equals programme sponsored by Stagwell. ID: A white woman with shoulder-length blond hair stands at the head of a conference table. There are women seated on either side, and behind her there is an orange wall with a tv screen. In white text, it reads "Level up your career this autumn - apply now Creative Equals Business Leaders". The Stagwell logo is in white, top right. #femaleleadership #creativity #development #CEB #leadershipProgramme #leadershipDevelopment #leadershipTraining

The results are IN - Yes, we've done the analysis. More than 60% (!) of awarded Grand Prix went to work championing a range of topics from social economic inclusion to sexual harassment and championing independent journalism. We have the results, and we want to share them with you! The LIONS have been very clear - they know that creativity drives progress - this lives at their core - and they also understand that our business has the power to be a driver of positive change. When submitting a content offering to Cannes Lions, they encourage everyone to look a little deeper at the cast of characters before submission, with DE&I at the heart. If you'd like the FREE List of Winners and where DE&I came in to help you build an edge for your entries, visit: https://lnkd.in/e3nay7eJ If you'd like to build DEI into your campaigns, and improve your chances at winning at Cannes Lion, let's get going. We can help: hello@creativeequals.org. ID: Mint background, white/teal text: Cannes Lions have been clear: Diversity, Equity and inclusion should be at the heart of your idea" Get your FREE list of the winners and where DE&I came in! #CannesLionsWinner #CannesLions #inclusiveMarketing #DEI #EDI #marketing #inclusivecommunication #inclusion #diversity #DiversityAndInclusion #MarketingAndCommunications #AuthenticRepresentation #CreativeInnovation #IndustryLeadership #ContinuousImprovement #marketing #digitalmarketing #ValuesMatter #marketingstrategy #marketingexperience #brandexperience #activation #inclusivemarketing