Diversity, equity, and inclusion is seen as a marketing imperative: Verizon announced the results from its initiative to drive DEI change.

A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is critical to Black shoppers—but there’s more to DEI than hiring and employee-engagement practices.

On this episode of Brand Anatomy, where we get exclusive looks inside leading brands, eMarketer Briefing director Jeremy Goldman sits down with Abigail Jacobs, senior vice president of integrated marketing and brand at Sephora, and Joshua DuBois, co-founder and CEO of cultural insights firm Gauge, to discuss the genesis of the beauty retailer’s "Black Beauty Is Beauty" campaign, what role Gauge’s NXTLab played in the process, how the campaign came to life across multiple channels, and how Sephora uses the 15 Percent Pledge to keep itself accountable with its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Plus, hear what brands Abigail and Joshua draw inspiration from—and learn a little-known fact Joshua picked up from his friendship with a recent ex-president.

At the IAB event, Omnicom Media Group’s chief diversity and inclusion officer Sara Porritt cited the lack of Asian-American hosts as an issue limiting brands’ reach. “There aren’t that many voices that are elevated to that level and it’s up to the industry to help make that happen,” she said.

Searching for inclusivity: Google announced it has updated its inclusive marketing playbook—developed with disability inclusion specialists—and will be sharing those insights at Cannes.

A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is critical to Black shoppers—but there’s more to DEI than hiring and employee-engagement practices. A lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion was the No. 1 reason that Black adults in the US were dissatisfied with their purchases, per an October 2021 study by McKinsey & Company.

Financial inclusion remains a work in progress. And the CRA, which was last updated in 1995, fails to reflect how technology has substantially changed the way banks do business. Banks’ branch footprints are still central to the metrics of CRA tests. But according to the FDIC, between 2010 and 2019, the number of full-service bank branches fell from almost 95,000 to just over 83,000.

Brands and retailers increasingly focus on DEI initiatives: Target’s $25 million in paid media to diverse-owned/founded firms is the latest in a number of corporate commitments.

Their continued and unyielding demands for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) will force companies to develop and market products and services that appeal to larger swaths of the population and reflect diversity-affirming values. Gen Z will be more likely to patronize and reward brands that authentically acknowledge, respect, and support the same affirming principles.

As technology continues to accelerate and transform the financial sector, Visa saw an opportunity to reintroduce itself to the world with a campaign highlighting its role in facilitating global commerce. Watch Industry Voices: Spotlight on Financial Services with Visa executive Frederique Covington Corbett, PhD, to hear her thoughts on cryptocurrencies, "buy now, pay later," economic inclusion, and more.

The potential financial impact of giving more attention to inclusion is a no-brainer as the US grows more diverse. The rise in the US population from 2010 to 2020 was wholly fueled by people who identified as Hispanic, Asian, Black, or more than one race, the New York Times reported in 2021, citing data from the latest census.

A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is critical to Black shoppers—but there’s more to DEI than hiring and employee-engagement practices. A lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion was the No. 1 reason that Black adults in the US were dissatisfied with their purchases, per an October 2021 study by McKinsey & Company. 

Many marketers have yet to fully understand the Hispanic consumer: advertising and film remain two areas where inclusion remains an opportunity

With ESG investing on the rise, it’s become critical for retailers to emphasize their commitments to diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and other social issues to improve access to capital. At the same time, the SEC is proposing rules that would enhance reporting requirements for ESG funds in an effort to prevent greenwashing.

Incumbent banks will need to lean on personalization and inclusion, but must do so authentically to be successful. Internally developed products and services should be influenced and informed by people in the affinity groups they serve. Acquired companies and fintechs must align with the incumbent bank’s values or the acquired firm may not reach its full potential under the new brand.

Why this could succeed: The inclusion of alternative assets, coupled with human portfolio management, could help Neo gain traction with investors. The launch is timely, per a 2021 EY study that found that a sizable portion of Canadian investors are up for grabs. One in five intend to change their wealth management firms over the coming three years.

As a brand, we strive to promote skin positivity, inclusion, and gender nonspecific skincare. TikTok allows the founder, Enrico, to have the ability to openly communicate with other acne sufferers in real time, even though TikTok at that time was not live.

Today’s sociopolitical events have lit a fire under brands to address social injustice and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in deeper ways than they have in the past. Companies are using marketing and advertising to respond to and support discussions about systemic racism and the Black Lives Matter protests, the fight for LGBTQ rights, the #MeToo movement, the COVID-19 pandemic, and issues of immigration reform, to name a few.

Though many companies struggle with diversity and inclusion in their advertising, some are making strides.

Danielle DeLauro, executive vice president of Vab, an organization that provides video advertising insights to marketers and agencies, joins eMarketer co-founder and Insider Intelligence chief evangelist Geoff Ramsey to discuss the role of brands in addressing social issues and the importance of video to drive messaging about diversity and inclusion.

The order directs the Treasury Department to produce a report on the “future of money and payment systems,” including implications for economic growth, national security, and inclusion. It also calls for research and development into the creation of a US central bank digital currency (CBDC).

Understanding the opportunity: A number of retailers have spent the past month spotlighting Black-owned brands and demonstrating how they’re taking steps to address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues beyond the month of February.