It’s too hard to be inclusive
Despite calls for more inclusivity within advertising, delivering a successful and appropriate campaign continues to be tricky. Zac Martin, planning director at TBWA\Melbourne, discusses.
We’re too scared to have this conversation. Because it’s uncomfortable. I certainly feel that way writing this. Especially as a straight white cis able-bodied male. But I’m happy to be a punching bag. It’s a convo we need to have.
In a former agency life, we were in post-production on a million-dollar ad campaign. But after months of strategy, concepting, production, even testing – we got a surprising email.
“The Board has seen the offlines, and they’re cancelling the campaign.”
That you propose mandating to a granular level, yet remove reference to any form of quantitative validation that it’s driving outcomes required by brands and their marketing budgets. Yes up to 20% of Australians live with a disability, but there’s nuance. “Crutches” aren’t a cognitive shortcut to reflecting a true disability. How about the mid 20s cancer survivor with incontinence, the person with traumatic mental health disorders, or the 40 year old male driving a Porsche with body dysmorphia.
I fear by striving for more representation, you select only the most easily representable, hence exacerbating this further.
This article is everything that’s wrong with the advertising industry
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