Customers, now more than ever, choose brands that represent them
Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2024 4:48 am
Representation impacts purchasing decisions and reshapes industry structures.
Cecilia Cury
Aug 5, 22 | 8 min read
Clients want to be represented
Reading time: 6 minutes
We've become accustomed to the way marketing is done in the digital age. Before, we were limited to local magazines and TV ads, now we can broadcast to the whole world with just a few clicks. Advertising is reaching more people, and that's great for those who specialize in marketing.
Pay attention here: we are reaching more people with all kinds of tastes, interests, ethnicities, locations, classes, opinions and life stories. And most sierra leone email address importantly, people are now more demanding because they have stopped looking for just products and focused on finding brands that represent their values.
This is not a personal opinion. According to the Global Consumer Pulse Research , a study conducted for Accenture in 2019, Generations Y and Z can be called Generation P(urpose), and they represent almost 5 billion people.
In another Adobe survey , 38% of respondents said they are more likely to consume products from brands that showcase diversity in their ads, and 34% have boycotted a brand at least once because they didn't feel their identities were represented in the ads or actions.
We can say that it is undeniable that in order to connect with the audience, it is necessary for brands and companies to represent their own points of view and opinions , both in advertising and marketing campaigns, as well as in real actions.
Follow us on the Rock Content LinkedIn page
Representation is more than a marketing tool
Although diversity is a very present topic in business conferences, movies, news and advertising, it should not be treated as a marketing strategy, but as a genuine form of inclusion and respect .
Many brands got the message wrong. One example was the beauty products company Love Beauty and Planet of the Unilever group.
Despite having a clear reference to sustainability in its name, the brand was involved in controversies that pointed out that the ingredients in its cosmetics were not as "organic, vegan and clean" as promised, and that the brand was not completely cruelty-free either.
What I really want to reflect on is that Love Beauty and Planet consumers do not only consume their products because they like them, but because of what the brand should represent.
Companies must pay attention to consumer demands, not only related to the products or services they sell, but also to the values, fears, hopes, flags and beliefs of their customers. This has to be the central and internal concern of the company itself, in all its areas.
Customers prefer committed brands
As we mentioned, consumers today are looking to connect with brands that support diversity and inclusion. It is clear that this relates to advertising, where consumers see themselves represented, but it goes beyond that.
According to the Global Marketing Trends Executive Survey , consumers also care about how a company implements diversity in its workplace, encouraging and making room for women, African Americans, LGBTQIA+, and other minority groups.
This is particularly relevant for younger people: the survey showed increasing behaviour in relation to diversity, especially for Generation Z, the new consumer force.
These young people, born between the early 90s and early 2000s, are what we call digital natives, that is, they were born and raised during the digital transformation.
We know that they care about issues related to our planet, hence we find references to young activists such as Greta Thunberg, and to sustainability for both conscious production and business growth.
The Global Marketing Trends Executive Survey showed that 57% of consumers are more loyal to brands that engage in social action. It also showed that companies with better growth performance set KPIs for DEI business goals, unlike competitors with lower growth.
The same survey also found that 94% of Gen Z expects companies to take a stand on social issues, and 90% said they are more willing to buy products that benefit society.
ADVERTISEMENT
These data promote diversity in all spheres of business: in advertising, recruitment, talent retention, purpose-aligned suppliers, and investments in social initiatives that seek to reduce inequality.
Correct representation leads consumers to pay more
Beware: Representativeness is not a concern exclusive to young consumers.
People around the world are thinking not only about how a product is made, but also whether the company that produces it shares the same values. An example of this is a study by McKinsey & Company that found that African-American consumers are willing to pay up to 20% more for products and services that meet their needs.
One company that learned its lesson after a major controversy was Target. In 2020, after being accused of promoting ideas of racial exclusion in its ads , the company began investing in opportunities for historically marginalized and ignored people by adopting Black-owned brands in its portfolio.
My point here is that the company can run an excellent inclusive campaign while simultaneously excluding minorities in its hiring processes . Or it can succeed in fostering an extremely diverse and inclusive environment in its workplace, but run an unfortunate and controversial campaign.
Brands need to pay attention to how to truly promote diversity, equity and inclusion across all their areas. But this is not easy, and requires constant evolution.
The best way to do this is by knowing your consumers deeply, and having strong values at the core of your brand.
Customers will buy from companies they can see themselves represented in. And often, that means companies need to publicly express their support and invite their customers to join the cause.
It's not enough for beauty brands to produce makeup for all skin tones. Customers may also want to know if the company has ethnic and racial diversity in its staff and what positions they hold.
Fenty Beauty, a brand created by pop star Rihanna, offers 40 shades of makeup. In its first month, Fenty reportedly made $72 million and sold out in stores, proving that there is a market waiting for companies to meet their demands.
When we look at the presentation of the products made by Fenty in its collections show, the concern to represent all types of people was clearly present.
Diversity in all your touchpoints
To reach this new consumer, the most favorable path is to invest not only in advertising that promotes consumer diversity, but also in representing it within the company itself.
A diverse workforce, which includes professionals of different ages, genders, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities and who share different life experiences, areas of study and culture, increases the richness and knowledge base of a team. It also benefits the work and productivity of the entire company, as well as promoting greater creativity and, consequently, innovation.
According to data from a study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) , companies that invest in diversity, particularly in leadership roles, also reported 19% more innovation revenue than companies with below-average leadership diversity, demonstrating the value of representativeness and diversity in leadership positions.
This scenario can cost crucial business and innovation opportunities to grow a business, as, according to HBR, a team with at least one member who shares a customer’s ethnicity is 152% more likely to understand their real needs.
Increasing results are a consequence of a greater purpose
Having a social purpose is also a strategic agenda for the growth of your business. By setting out to be a company that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion, it is necessary that you extend your actions to society, worry about reducing environmental impacts and actively support social causes.
At Rock Content, our concern for those around us is evident: we treat the uniqueness of each person with due fairness and respect, we listen carefully to all voices and we act to transform realities beyond our employees and consumers .
For us, social impact means generating employment opportunities for people who, due to their gender, race or socioeconomic status, find themselves in a vulnerable situation. This happens by promoting education, enabling inclusion in the market and ensuring equity in business.
There are several ways to contribute socially to building a brand committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. It is possible to issue less paper, encourage the use of public transport and even implement recycling in the company.
However, it is interesting to associate your product or service with this contribution, if possible. Donating products, offering social discounts to certain groups or even sharing the knowledge of your workforce can bring results not only in the development of a more sustainable society, but also in the company's income.
When a company's commitment is clear and shows its contribution to society, it is possible to generate value, whether for shareholders, employees or customers, and then create authentic and trusting relationships with all these audiences, and also gain new consumers.
Having a purpose is a path to competitive advantage and sustainability within the company itself, which is critical to long-term financial success.
Knowing all this information and having clear criteria for your target audience, you need to analyze how much your company is committed to this new consumer scenario and start investing, increasingly, in building a diverse and inclusive approach.
Cecilia Cury
Aug 5, 22 | 8 min read
Clients want to be represented
Reading time: 6 minutes
We've become accustomed to the way marketing is done in the digital age. Before, we were limited to local magazines and TV ads, now we can broadcast to the whole world with just a few clicks. Advertising is reaching more people, and that's great for those who specialize in marketing.
Pay attention here: we are reaching more people with all kinds of tastes, interests, ethnicities, locations, classes, opinions and life stories. And most sierra leone email address importantly, people are now more demanding because they have stopped looking for just products and focused on finding brands that represent their values.
This is not a personal opinion. According to the Global Consumer Pulse Research , a study conducted for Accenture in 2019, Generations Y and Z can be called Generation P(urpose), and they represent almost 5 billion people.
In another Adobe survey , 38% of respondents said they are more likely to consume products from brands that showcase diversity in their ads, and 34% have boycotted a brand at least once because they didn't feel their identities were represented in the ads or actions.
We can say that it is undeniable that in order to connect with the audience, it is necessary for brands and companies to represent their own points of view and opinions , both in advertising and marketing campaigns, as well as in real actions.
Follow us on the Rock Content LinkedIn page
Representation is more than a marketing tool
Although diversity is a very present topic in business conferences, movies, news and advertising, it should not be treated as a marketing strategy, but as a genuine form of inclusion and respect .
Many brands got the message wrong. One example was the beauty products company Love Beauty and Planet of the Unilever group.
Despite having a clear reference to sustainability in its name, the brand was involved in controversies that pointed out that the ingredients in its cosmetics were not as "organic, vegan and clean" as promised, and that the brand was not completely cruelty-free either.
What I really want to reflect on is that Love Beauty and Planet consumers do not only consume their products because they like them, but because of what the brand should represent.
Companies must pay attention to consumer demands, not only related to the products or services they sell, but also to the values, fears, hopes, flags and beliefs of their customers. This has to be the central and internal concern of the company itself, in all its areas.
Customers prefer committed brands
As we mentioned, consumers today are looking to connect with brands that support diversity and inclusion. It is clear that this relates to advertising, where consumers see themselves represented, but it goes beyond that.
According to the Global Marketing Trends Executive Survey , consumers also care about how a company implements diversity in its workplace, encouraging and making room for women, African Americans, LGBTQIA+, and other minority groups.
This is particularly relevant for younger people: the survey showed increasing behaviour in relation to diversity, especially for Generation Z, the new consumer force.
These young people, born between the early 90s and early 2000s, are what we call digital natives, that is, they were born and raised during the digital transformation.
We know that they care about issues related to our planet, hence we find references to young activists such as Greta Thunberg, and to sustainability for both conscious production and business growth.
The Global Marketing Trends Executive Survey showed that 57% of consumers are more loyal to brands that engage in social action. It also showed that companies with better growth performance set KPIs for DEI business goals, unlike competitors with lower growth.
The same survey also found that 94% of Gen Z expects companies to take a stand on social issues, and 90% said they are more willing to buy products that benefit society.
ADVERTISEMENT
These data promote diversity in all spheres of business: in advertising, recruitment, talent retention, purpose-aligned suppliers, and investments in social initiatives that seek to reduce inequality.
Correct representation leads consumers to pay more
Beware: Representativeness is not a concern exclusive to young consumers.
People around the world are thinking not only about how a product is made, but also whether the company that produces it shares the same values. An example of this is a study by McKinsey & Company that found that African-American consumers are willing to pay up to 20% more for products and services that meet their needs.
One company that learned its lesson after a major controversy was Target. In 2020, after being accused of promoting ideas of racial exclusion in its ads , the company began investing in opportunities for historically marginalized and ignored people by adopting Black-owned brands in its portfolio.
My point here is that the company can run an excellent inclusive campaign while simultaneously excluding minorities in its hiring processes . Or it can succeed in fostering an extremely diverse and inclusive environment in its workplace, but run an unfortunate and controversial campaign.
Brands need to pay attention to how to truly promote diversity, equity and inclusion across all their areas. But this is not easy, and requires constant evolution.
The best way to do this is by knowing your consumers deeply, and having strong values at the core of your brand.
Customers will buy from companies they can see themselves represented in. And often, that means companies need to publicly express their support and invite their customers to join the cause.
It's not enough for beauty brands to produce makeup for all skin tones. Customers may also want to know if the company has ethnic and racial diversity in its staff and what positions they hold.
Fenty Beauty, a brand created by pop star Rihanna, offers 40 shades of makeup. In its first month, Fenty reportedly made $72 million and sold out in stores, proving that there is a market waiting for companies to meet their demands.
When we look at the presentation of the products made by Fenty in its collections show, the concern to represent all types of people was clearly present.
Diversity in all your touchpoints
To reach this new consumer, the most favorable path is to invest not only in advertising that promotes consumer diversity, but also in representing it within the company itself.
A diverse workforce, which includes professionals of different ages, genders, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities and who share different life experiences, areas of study and culture, increases the richness and knowledge base of a team. It also benefits the work and productivity of the entire company, as well as promoting greater creativity and, consequently, innovation.
According to data from a study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) , companies that invest in diversity, particularly in leadership roles, also reported 19% more innovation revenue than companies with below-average leadership diversity, demonstrating the value of representativeness and diversity in leadership positions.
This scenario can cost crucial business and innovation opportunities to grow a business, as, according to HBR, a team with at least one member who shares a customer’s ethnicity is 152% more likely to understand their real needs.
Increasing results are a consequence of a greater purpose
Having a social purpose is also a strategic agenda for the growth of your business. By setting out to be a company that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion, it is necessary that you extend your actions to society, worry about reducing environmental impacts and actively support social causes.
At Rock Content, our concern for those around us is evident: we treat the uniqueness of each person with due fairness and respect, we listen carefully to all voices and we act to transform realities beyond our employees and consumers .
For us, social impact means generating employment opportunities for people who, due to their gender, race or socioeconomic status, find themselves in a vulnerable situation. This happens by promoting education, enabling inclusion in the market and ensuring equity in business.
There are several ways to contribute socially to building a brand committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. It is possible to issue less paper, encourage the use of public transport and even implement recycling in the company.
However, it is interesting to associate your product or service with this contribution, if possible. Donating products, offering social discounts to certain groups or even sharing the knowledge of your workforce can bring results not only in the development of a more sustainable society, but also in the company's income.
When a company's commitment is clear and shows its contribution to society, it is possible to generate value, whether for shareholders, employees or customers, and then create authentic and trusting relationships with all these audiences, and also gain new consumers.
Having a purpose is a path to competitive advantage and sustainability within the company itself, which is critical to long-term financial success.
Knowing all this information and having clear criteria for your target audience, you need to analyze how much your company is committed to this new consumer scenario and start investing, increasingly, in building a diverse and inclusive approach.