Diversity is great, but it’s not enough. We need equity and inclusion too.
Diversity
Everyone is different
Our agency and the ads we make should reflect that diversity. Some common types of diversity include:
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Race
The U.S. Census uses White, Black or African American, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander and “Some Other Race.”
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Ethnicity
Ethnicity can include national, tribal, religious, linguistic or cultural origin/background. Hispanic/Latino is considered an ethnicity and can include people of any race.
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Gender identity/expression
This spectrum includes men, women, nonbinary, fluid and more. It’s important to consider people who are transgender (their gender identity doesn’t match their sex assigned at birth) and cisgender (their gender identity does match their assigned sex).
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Sexual Orientation
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual and straight are most common, but it’s also a spectrum, so there are endless identities.
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Body shapes and sizes
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Disabilities (including those that aren’t visible)
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Language/accent/speech pattern
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Age
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Socioeconomic status
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Religion
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And more…
Demographics
This is what America looks like
Not every brand will have the same demographics as the whole United States, but these numbers aren’t a bad place to start.
Race/Ethnicity
age
religion
The U.S. Census estimates that the country is:
59%
18%
13%
12%
13%
12%
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219
The U.S. Census estimates that AMERICA’S AGE BREAKDOWN IS:
25%
27%
25%
19%
4%
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219
Pew Resarch Center found that america is:
70.6%
22.8%
1.9%
.9%
.7%
.7%
https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study
Gender/sexual identity
LGBTQ+ stats are generally thought to be underreported, but the number of people identifying
as LGBTQ+ is growing, especially among younger generations. Gallup found that:
5.6%
Identify as LGBTQ+
5.6% of U.S. adults identify as LGBTQ+. Within this group, 54.6% identify as bisexual, 24.5% as gay, 11.7% as lesbian, 11.3% as transgender, and 3.3% using another term such as queer.
72%
Identify as bisexual
One in six Gen Zers identify as LGBTQ+—and a full 72% of those Gen Zers identify as bisexual.
Body Size
Body size comes up a lot in advertising. According to the National Center for Health Statistics:
American Women
American men
The average American man is 5’9” and 198 pounds with a 40-inch waist.
Disability
There’s no universally accepted definition of disability, which means that estimates vary widely, but the CDC estimates that 26% of Americans have some kind of disability
Equity
All get fair treatment, access, opportunity and advancement
Equity doesn’t mean treating everyone the same. It means meeting them where they are.
We must identify and get rid of the barriers that have kept some groups out and/or treated them as less valued than others.
We’re committed to equity in how we hire, pay and promote people, how we work with vendors, how we portray people in our ads and more.
1. Imagine three people’s commutes to work.
2. Their boss wants to help them commute.
3. Not equity: She gives them each a gallon of gas.
4. Equity: She gets them each what they need.
INCLUSION
Everyone is valued, supported and welcomed
If we hire diverse talent but only really listen to what one group says, then we aren’t being inclusive. And we won’t get the benefits of diversity.
Everyone needs to be heard and feel like they can be themselves and contribute their unique perspectives. That’s inclusion. And it’s where the magic happens.
How does this translate to our creative work? Well, diverse casting isn’t enough. The characters must also be complex, relatable human beings, not just stereotypes (this concept is sometimes referred to as representation).
Diversity is being at the meeting.
Inclusion is being part of the discussion.
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