The Unstereotype Alliance, an industry-led initiative convened by UN Women, published a first-ever global study which empirically proves inclusive advertising -content which authentically and positively portrays a full range of people and is devoid of stereotypes -has a positive impact on business profit, sales and brand value.
The study was conducted with leading researchers from Saïd Business School at Oxford University, and leveraged proprietary data provided by Unstereotype Alliance members Bayer Consumer Healthcare, Diageo, the Geena Davis Institute, Kantar, Mars Incorporated, Mondelez International and Unilever.
The first-of-its-kind research, based on analysis of 392 brands across 58 countries, proves the positive impact of inclusive advertising on business outcomes in both the short- and long-term, and across multiple metrics. It highlights several areas of performance improvement including sales, financial performance, customer preference and loyalty, brand equity and market competitiveness. The findings confirm that inclusive ad campaigns deliver:
- 3.5% higher shorter-term sales and 16% higher longer-term sales
- 62% higher likelihood of being a consumer’s first choice
- 15% higher customer loyalty
The results further show this positive impact extends into the longer term, with a higher sales uptick, as well as brand perception and brand value metrics indicating a stronger and more robust brand reputation. The study covered different product categories, such as confectionary, snacks, personal care, beauty, pet food, pet care, alcohol, consumer healthcare, and household products, across geographies.
With the publication of the report, the Unstereotype Alliance is calling on the business community to adapt more inclusive advertising practices, and strongly endorses corporate efforts in this area. The findings highlight the commercial benefits from inclusive advertising and therefore supports the notion that inclusion should be considered a key element of overall corporate strategy and associated communications strategies.
Prof Andrew Stephen, L’Oréal Professor of Marketing, Deputy Dean for Faculty and Research, Director of the Oxford Future of Marketing Initiative, Oxford University Saïd Business School, commented: 'It’s crucially important that the decisions we make in business and society are rooted in correct assumptions and scientifically proven facts, rather than anecdotal evidence and unproven truisms. We are very pleased to share the findings which emerged from this study and be able to provide reliable information on this contested topic, allowing businesses to reconsider the role of inclusion in their advertising practices. They can gain a lot from doing so.’
If you are looking to adopt more inclusive advertising practices in your business, please speak to your Relationship Manager to see how they can support you, or contact the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme team via our website here.