The power of inclusive marketing in creator campaigns

Influencer Marketing has cultivated a sense of community between consumers and creators, forging deeper connections and opening up a space for diverse audiences to share their voices. Whilst brands and platforms work to improve their strategies, Inclusive Marketing should be embraced as a long-term priority and be placed at the core of Creator campaign planning. 

October marks Black History Month, and this year’s theme is centred around a ‘Time for Change: Action not Words’. This new campaign encourages everyone to come together to not only celebrate Black history, heritage and culture but also to focus on the future, and create active allies willing to make a positive change.

Sparking Change

Representation of race within the media as a whole is sparse. 69% of ethnic minorities believe that UK media has little relevance to them. As we enter an era of transparency and the desire for authenticity, how are social media platforms rising to the challenge?

Earlier this year, TikTok launched its #MakeBlackHistory initiative to celebrate Black TikTok Trailblazers from a variety of niches, some of the featured Creators included @alexisnikole who shares her love for food and nature, @christian_shelton a highly-talented musician and @beauty2thestreetz a compassionate beauty lover who has used her platform to support people who are homeless in the US. This campaign set out to showcase creativity and innovation by featuring a different Creator each week in a special series of TikTok Live events. 

Instagram also showed an active effort to increase the support and visibility of Black Creators through its UK-focused ‘Black Perspectives’ programme launched in March up until June. This initiative aimed to champion a community of emerging black influencers and support careers across various industries. 

Diversity is not just a checkbox

Diversity and inclusion is about empowering individuals and representing the wider audience with the power to connect with a diverse range of people, cultures and backgrounds. Ensuring your marketing is constantly inclusive will allow you to outperform your competitors, reach engaged communities and avoid being excluded by consumers that feel your brand does not represent their values.

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Key takeaways to consider for your next Influencer Marketing campaign:

• Improve Creator shortlisting. Our team at Digital Voices aims for at least 25% of creators to be from diverse backgrounds to ensure wider representation.
• Build on ingraining diversity within your company culture so that inclusive marketing becomes a natural route. 
• Knowing your audience and making them feel respected will elevate your marketing efforts.
• Partner with an Influencer Marketing Agency that represents marginalised communities. 

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Do you have a campaign you would like to discuss? Or are you a creator looking for further support with partnerships? Contact us. 

Join us at our upcoming event, where we bring together creators and core players in the industry to discuss topics such as the do’s and don’ts of working with creators during Black History Month, how brands should be more open to working with Black creators all year round and the influencer racial pay gap. Sign Up Now.

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