Steph Sisler’s Post

At Bernstein-Rein, we use our 60 years of retail experience to craft an InsideOut Retail view of brands - uncovering consumer insights and understanding how those insights intersect with brands at every touchpoint. As we celebrate Pride Month with the LBTQIA+ community, we find it interesting how brands are participating this year - not only in the social space, but in the retail environment as well. Do you think these brands are making decisions based on consumer insights or simply reacting to the loudest voices and avoiding the noise? #PrideMonth #RetailTrends #RetailInsights #RetailExperience #ConsumerInsights #MarketingStrategy #BernsteinRein #BR #AdAgency #AdvertisingAgency

Step by step the right direction!!

𝘼 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩, 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙖 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧. 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙙, 𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 "𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙧" 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙖 𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙥𝙩, 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙨. This exact scenario is used for a training video made for retail employees as part of a new antibias push by dozens of retailers across the country. This is a stark reminder that systemic bias continues to impact individuals' experiences based on race. As an advocate for justice and equality, I applaud the efforts of retailers taking steps to address this issue. Read more about this important initiative in the article linked below. https://lnkd.in/ghEgXWXc . . . #Antibias #Inclusion #Equality #RacialProfiling

Our latest research reveals the power of DEI in brand success. Our 2024 Brand Inclusion Index found that #DEI influences buying decisions for an overwhelming 80% of shoppers and that 75% of U.S. consumers say it is important that brands they buy from promote diversity and inclusion. Learn more about our ranking, which spotlights the most inclusive brands of 2024 - those earning consumer recognition for their authentic commitment to DEI and for setting positive examples in the market, in this article from Mass Market Retailers: https://loom.ly/d9kLSJM

The supermarket industry has considerable marketing and promotional hurdles. Men account for 49% of grocery store buyers and 59% of Costco Wholesale customers, however, Kantar's Link Ad Testing model shows that 71% of all grocery advertising in the United States are geared toward women. Taylor Farms green goddess salad mix, my favorite salad, was even marketed as "be the girl that gets it". Despite being a Costco offering, 59% of shoppers are convinced not to purchase it. I feel that corporations are no longer performing research and instead rely on assumptions about their target market. Alienating more than half of your customer base is terrible for business, and men are increasingly shopping for their families as women pursue incredible professions. This is not a negative post about women's lack of shopping, but rather a reflection on our society's progress as sexist notions fade and true equality emerges. Instead of "Be the girl that gets it," consider "They get it, you should too." #marketing #advertising #readthedata #equality

In 2013, Chip Wilson said that Lululemon’s popular leggings are not for plus-size women. He told Bloomberg this: “We don’t work for some women’s bodies, and I don't want certain women coming into our stores.” He had to step down from his CEO position. But, removing him cured the symptom, not the disease. In 2023, at least 6 of the store’s 16 former employees filed complaints alleging racial discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a US regulatory agency that investigates workplace discrimination. Clearly the department they launched in November 2020 named IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action) was just to “ride the wave until there is something else,” according to one of the supervisors. IDEA even had an annual budget of $5 million. Issues like these make DEI investments look like fraud. This is why we need to speak up. We can’t keep supporting companies that can’t create an inclusive environment for both employees and customers. We need companies that: ➤ Create products that everyone can access. ➤ Listen and add feedback from diverse customers & employees. ➤ Proactively engage in DEI practices without having to be called out. We also have a role to play here. We must support companies that value DEI. It’s not a one person job, it’s a collective initiative. Tag the company that made you feel inclusive, let’s appreciate their effort! #Diversity #Inclusion #Equity

Celebration days are great. They give us all thoughtful context to our lives, whether it's a birthday, a made-up day for green saints that are rodent whisperers, or today. Today. Today should not be a holiday. Today should not have retail sales. I used to be opposed days like this, where awareness and forced recognition is needed to remind people to express love for their mother or father, but I've come around. Come around big time. In our culture and in some other first world's, even though women are 51 percent of the population, women do not define the baseline for conduct. Everything, from the accepted ways to lead and manage people, to expectations of participation in watching sports, to innovation, is based on a male baseline. Meaning, more or less than men, or different than men. Women and men are obviously wired very differently in the U.S. We are not the same biologically. So why is everything "compared to men" vs "compared to women?" Meaning, not just in participation, but in approach to, well, everything. From healthcare to education to expectation. We are more than half the population, you know. "For a woman" as a phrase will be diminished, as "for a girl" is making progress (thank you Nike). I look to a day, especially in business, where 51 percent of companies are run by estrogen rather than testosterone. Governments, too. No diss on you guys – I love men – but the U.S. would be a different, dare I say better place. Just 51 percent will do. #internationalwomensday2024 #iwd2024 #womenentrepreneurs #womeninbusiness #womenempoweringwomen #womenbusinessowners #womenchangemakers #womenfounders #Nike #51Group

In today's socially conscious market, brands strive to connect with values like diversity, equality, and sustainability. However, well-intentioned ads can sometimes misfire, leading to significant public backlash and learning opportunities. Consider Dove, known for its "Real Beauty" campaigns. It faced criticism for an ad depicting a Black woman turning into a white woman after using Dove body wash. The implied message that lighter skin is more desirable sparked accusations of racism and calls to boycott Dove products. The brand quickly apologized and removed the ad, acknowledging its failure to deliver a sensitive message. Audi also stumbled with its Super Bowl commercial intended to promote gender equality. The ad, featuring a father worried about the gender bias his daughter might face, was criticized because Audi's executive team lacked gender diversity at the time. This oversight highlighted a disconnect between Audi's internal practices and its marketing messages, drawing accusations of hypocrisy. Pepsi's attempt at a unifying message also fell flat. In a commercial featuring Kendall Jenner at a protest, she hands a Pepsi to a police officer, seemingly easing tensions. The ad was seen as trivializing the serious nature of protest movements, particularly those involving racial injustice and police brutality. Pepsi withdrew the ad and apologized, especially to activists. These examples underscore several important lessons for marketers. Authentic representation is crucial. Ads like Dove's show the importance of handling sensitive topics related to race and beauty with greater care. Audi's experience reminds us that a brand's internal practices should reflect its external messages to maintain credibility. Pepsi’s misstep illustrates the importance of approaching social issues with the depth they require, rather than simplifying them for the sake of a commercial. Moreover, having diverse teams review campaign content can prevent cultural insensitivities and ensure that messages are thoughtful and well-received. These principles not only help in avoiding backlash but also enhance consumer trust and loyalty in a market that values authenticity and social awareness. #MarketingResponsibly #DiversityInAds #InclusiveMarketing #BrandBacklash #AdFailLessons #ResponsibleBranding #EthicalAdvertising #SocialImpactMarketing #LearnFromMistakes #AdvertisingEthics

Would you take an hour-long racial inclusion survey to bag a sweet 20% off at your favourite outdoor brand? Well, if you were looking for cut-price North Face gear, the outdoor brand was offering a 20% discount for anyone who completed their racial inclusion and allyship survey. The survey was part of its Allyship in the Outdoors programme. The offer now seems to be closed... ... but not before a thoroughly predictable culture war-style backlash that we all know and love (i.e. don't love). (We spoke about this on our recent episode of Bad Boy Running and whether we'd do it ourselves...) Do you think The North Face had a genuine intention to effect change? Or was this a cynical ploy by a brand to pin its colours to the inclusion mast? Or is it an act of marketing prowess by the brand in knowing *exactly* what the reaction would be from the very audience it knows is NOT its customer base? Polarising on purpose? I have my thoughts. (Which I'll reveal in my next Cult List email - subscribe below on in the link on my profile if you want cult-building gold landing in your inbox to combat all that lead gen spam) What do you think? Cynical, masterful or ill-executed? #marketing #brand #polarising #inclusion