Inclusion marketing is now the norm, from inclusive email marketing strategies to inclusive content marketing writing. Your brand can connect with new audiences by understanding inclusive marketing.

Marketing is no exception to this evolution in commerce and business over the years. You’d find many examples of advertising design from the 1960s if you searched.

What is inclusive marketing?

Are you familiar with ads that exclude certain races, genders, ethnicities, ages, socio-economic statuses, or religious backgrounds? This is exactly what inclusive marketing aims to avoid.

Inclusive marketing means embracing diversity and appealing to markets that are underrepresented or otherwise stereotyped. Your brand will be more accessible to more people if you don’t use social labels. Your audience will see your brand differently and not in the same way they associate it with.

While ads are a direct reflection of a brand’s inclusive strategy, other marketing activities could reflect this. It can be evident in blog post ideas and email copywriter goals. You can also tailor social media to your customers without alienating any other audiences, which could just as well be your prospects.

Brands that nail inclusive marketing

Many ventures are looking for ways to make content that is inclusive and diverse. Take a look at some of the successful brands that have mastered this strategy if you are one of these ventures.

1. Dove

Dove was one of the first persona-care brands to adopt an inclusive branding identity. Its ads feature people of all ethnicities, shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Perhaps the best effort of this brand is its campaign against ageism.

Dove’s “Real Beauty Showcase”, a campaign featuring females aged 11 to 71, was launched in 2017. The best part is that they didn’t digitally alter the images. This encourages older adults to embrace a wider definition of beauty.

2. Burger King

When they hear the word inclusive, most people think of race, gender, and ethnicity. It could also apply to diet! Burger King released a new product in 2019 called “Impossible Burger.” This is a vegan-friendly version of their most popular burger, and it’s suitable for vegetarians, vegans, and anyone else who doesn’t like beef patties.

To hype the product, the ad featured what was supposedly the opening of a vegan burger shop called “Impossible Restaurant.”

3. Gillette

Many razor ads have been focused on men and shaving. It’s no surprise that Gillette was a big hit in 2019, despite being against the grain. The ad featured a transgender man shaving for the first time. He was nervous, but he had his father coach him. His father said, “Don’t be afraid.” “Shaving is about confidence.” This scene is as touching as you can imagine.

4. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola was a pioneer in 1971 when it produced one of its most memorable ads. The ad featured 65 people from different ethnic backgrounds singing “I’d like to Buy The World A Coke” on a hilltop, in Manziana, Italy.

5. Neutrogena

Neutrogena showcased its inclusive branding by marketing its product alongside Holi (a Hindu/Indian Festival). Holi is celebrated in spring and usually includes colored powder fights. The holiday is also very popular in western countries, so the brand posted an Instagram message recommending that people use their makeup remover wipes to clean their hair and skin after the festivities.

7. Maybelline

Maybelline recognizes that makeup is not just for women. The New York-based cosmetic company selected a male model as one of its endorsers to appeal to a wider audience.

Manny Gutierrez, a YouTube star, was named the first male ambassador by the brand in 2017. Gutierrez was one of the most popular male beauty influencers online. Maybelline selected Gutierrez as their ambassador and the makeup line was able to reach a wider market.

8. Campbell’s Soup

Campbell’s Soup has seen its fair share of housewife ads in the mid-20th century. It has evolved over the years to a more varied strategy. Its 2015 advertisement for Campbell’s Star Wars soups featured an ad featuring a gay couple with their child.

Two dads alternate delivering Darth Vader’s famous line “Luke I am your father,” while spoon-feeding their child. This is a simple scene, but it’s heartwarming and fun. The tagline “Made from real, real life” concludes the scene.

Conclusion

Marketing these days is more than just driving traffic to your blog and crafting the best eCommerce landing pages. Marketing is about connecting the brand with its audience.