Brands with the Best Diverse Digital Marketing

Hot Take From Gen Z: Support Inclusive Brands

February is Black History Month which sparks the conversation of diversity in digital marketing. Ads are commonly created with iStock or Canva images, which could sound simple. However, the appearance of the people in those images matters, and you should be strategic about them. 64% of people will take action after seeing an ad that they view as diverse or inclusive (thinkwithgoogle.com). Likewise, Generation Z and Millennials are more culturally competent and have higher expectations of diversity in brands. These generations will commonly research a company and its culture before choosing to buy from them. Businesses that promote social justice and run diverse ads are more popular amongst the younger generations. Therefore, if you are targeting a younger market you might want to consider making your brand, and business, more diverse. Here at PPL Labs we can help you build that brand and get your name out there. Here are some examples of brands that did a stellar job of implementing diversity in their marketing.

Peloton

Peloton, the ever-popular cardio machine, partnered with Beyoncé in the past year. Beyoncé is well-known for her work towards social justice in the Black Community, making her the perfect cultural phenomenon to promote the Peloton brand. Peloton created workouts around Beyoncé’s Homecoming Album and is gifting 2-year Peloton Digital memberships to students at 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. They will be provided with access to Peloton’s full library of fitness classes through their app. Peloton also curated the “Peloton Pledge” which outlines an investment plan of $100 million over the course of 4 years to fight racial injustice. Essentially, Peloton was able to shift their image from just a workout equipment brand to a brand that cares and is proactively taking action to help a cause.

Fenty

Fenty Beauty is a makeup brand by Rihanna that promotes makeup for all shades of skin, “Fenty Beauty- Beauty for All”. Rihanna made it clear from the beginning that no one would be excluded. The brand created 40 shades so everyone could wear Fenty, and then eventually added another 10, making 50 shades in total. They market themselves as “the new generation of beauty” as they aim for beauty inclusion for all women, of all shades. Not only is their brand strategy incorporating all women, but it glorifies all the beautiful different shades. It makes women feel confident. Rihanna is inclusive in all her businesses as she also runs Savage X Fenty Lingerie, created for women of all shapes and sizes.

Bumble

Bumble is a dating app that uses all different types of people to market their brand. This is a simple concept because they’re essentially promoting that Bumble is for everyone. Their recent marketing campaigns have been designed with diversity networking in mind. They released an ad that included people of all different backgrounds, races, and occupations. They brought real people into a real studio in New York and let them talk about themselves. They honored their differences and highlighted Bumble as a bright, diverse place. This is a solid brand strategy because no other dating app is pushing diversity like Bumble is. If anything, some dating websites exclude people if they don’t meet certain criteria.

Nike

Nike is not new to the diverse marketing strategy. Nike has always promoted great performance from athletes of all races, genders, and ages. Their video ads will continue to inspire athletes for ages to come. Within the past few years, they have also released a series of ads voicing their concerns and intolerance of inequality in this country. Nike has not only consistently marketed to all different types of people, but they have contributed to the fight against racism. They recently released their commitment to supporting the Black Community with $40 million over 4 years. Nike is a prime example of an incredible brand. The Nike symbol can be recognized worldwide and its message is relatable, as it applies to everyone: Just Do It.

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