Ashad Rehman
We live in an era where consumers are increasingly conscious of social responsibility and diversity. As a social media manager, you understand the importance of creating inclusive and impactful marketing campaigns that not only resonate with your audience but also reflect your business’s values. The goal is to create a positive social impact that leads to scalable business growth. In contrast, staying true to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).
In today’s day and age, standing out as a socially responsible business is important. It involves more than just a superficial gesture; it requires a deep-rooted commitment to making a positive difference. As you navigate the challenges of running social ads, A/B testing, & crafting effective social media strategies, incorporating a socially responsible and diverse approach will set you apart.
As we connect the dots between social impact and diversity, allow us to help you rediscover how you can grow your business by implementing DIEB marketing within your business.
The Power of Diversity – Transforming Marketing for the Better
The world we live in is a vibrant tapestry of diverse cultures, beliefs, and identities, and the heart of successful industries lies in embracing this diversity. This is especially true in the realm of social media marketing, where resonating with a wide range of audiences is pivotal for maximizing business success.
According to industry expert Troy Sandidge, with over 15 years of experience in strategic growth, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) are critical components of marketing strategies. Sandidge’s marketing implementations are fueled by a diversity-led experiential approach. His work underscores a powerful truth – embracing DEIB drives sustainable growth & establishes deeper connections with target audiences.
The potential of this approach is immense, especially when considering the purchasing power of the BIPOC (black, indigenous, and other people of color) community, which stands at a substantial $3.7 trillion. A multitude of brands and agencies are now recognizing the importance of the DEIB principle. By integrating it into their marketing strategies. They are not only doing the right thing but also unlocking new avenues for growth.
A recent study found that diverse and inclusive ads resonate strongly with consumers, with 64% taking action after seeing such advertisements. This demonstrates the tangible impact of diversity in marketing and its ability to influence consumer behavior.
For instance, Coca-Cola’s “Taste the Feeling” campaign celebrated diverse cultures and lifestyles, resulting in increased brand loyalty and a more inclusive brand image.
This is a prime example of how inclusive marketing can expand a brand’s reach and foster a deeper connection with its audience.
By representing diverse audiences in marketing campaigns, businesses are more likely to engage with a broader spectrum of consumers and drive purchasing decisions.
However, embracing DEIB goes beyond the campaigns we see. It requires a long-term commitment, from diverse hiring practices to ongoing education.
Marketing teams must also address their own unconscious biases, utilizing tools and frameworks to ensure that diverse perspectives are genuinely considered in the creative process. This ensures authenticity and respect in the representation of diverse audiences.
The impact of DEIB initiatives can be measured through key performance indicators (KPIs) such as increased brand loyalty, improved customer satisfaction, and higher sales among diverse consumer segments. By tracking these metrics, businesses can quantify the success of their inclusive marketing strategies and continuously improve their approach.
How to Connect with More People Through DEIB Marketing
#1 Understanding The ‘Conscious Growth Pathways’ Framework
Troy Sandidge, the expert we’ve been referring to, has developed the “Conscious Growth Pathways” framework to guide organizations in embedding DEIB principles into their marketing strategies.
This framework adds an important human-centric layer to traditional marketing models like the “5 Ps” and “7 Cs.” The “4 Es”—engagement, exclusivity, experience, and emotion. At the heart of this approach, recognizing that people crave exclusive communities where they feel safe, accepted, and emotionally connected.
The “Conscious Growth Pathways” emphasize the intersection of experience, entertainment, education, and empowerment, with a focus on the human element. It’s about understanding that consumers want more than just a transaction; they want to feel like they belong and that their values align with the brand. By meeting audiences at this intersection, agencies can form deeper bonds and foster long-lasting loyalty.
Troy highlights the importance of starting DEIB efforts internally by examining your organization’s capacity, utility, and performance around these issues. It’s about practicing what you preach and ensuring your team reflects the diversity you want to see in your campaigns. A diverse team brings a wealth of perspectives, increasing the chances of converting customers who share those viewpoints.
The “Conscious Growth Pathways” framework also incorporates a sustainability focus, recognizing that social responsibility and environmental consciousness are increasingly important to consumers. By embracing this framework, agencies can create marketing strategies that not only drive profitable outcomes but also have a meaningful and positive impact on the world.
By embracing the “Conscious Growth Pathways,” agencies can deliver authentic, diverse, and socially responsible campaigns that truly resonate with their target market.
How Ben & Jerry Embraced the “Conscious Growth Pathways” Framework?
An excellent example of a brand that has embraced the “Conscious Growth Pathways” framework is Ben & Jerry’s, the iconic ice cream company known for its delicious treats and progressive values.
Ben & Jerry’s has long been committed to social and environmental causes, and their marketing campaigns often reflect this. One of their notable campaigns, “Justice ReMix’d,” focused on criminal justice reform and racial equity. The campaign centered around a limited-batch ice cream flavor, “Justice ReMix’d – Cinnamon and Chocolate Ice Creams with Gobs of Cinnamon Bun Dough & Fudge Brownie Batter,” with a portion of the proceeds going to the Advancement Project National Office, a nonprofit organization working to end racially motivated inequalities in America.
In this campaign, Ben & Jerry’s utilized the “Conscious Growth Pathways” framework by creating an engaging experience centered around a unique flavor and tying it to a larger social issue. They entertained them with delicious ice cream, educated consumers about racial injustices, and empowered them to take action by supporting organizations working toward change.
The campaign also acknowledged the human element, featuring real stories and faces of those affected by the criminal justice system. By doing so, Ben & Jerry’s created an emotional connection with their audience, inviting them to join a community advocating for a more just world.
#2 Integrate the “Conscious Growth Pathway” Framework
The “Conscious Growth Pathways” framework is a powerful tool for brands aiming to enhance their diversity and social impact. Troy Sandidge, the creator of this framework, offers the following guidelines to help organizations implement it effectively:
- Introspection: Encourage honest self-reflection to identify areas for improvement. Seek external perspectives to uncover blind spots and ensure a comprehensive understanding of your brand’s position.
- Genuine Investigation: Have authentic conversations with a diverse range of stakeholders, including clients, leads, and those who chose not to purchase your product or service. Their insights will provide valuable feedback for strategy refinement.
- Incremental Initiation: Recognize that embedding DEIB is a journey. Start small with pilot initiatives, adapt based on feedback, and focus on progress. Perfection isn’t the goal; it’s about continuous improvement and learning.
- Collaboration: Partner with DEIB experts and individuals with lived experiences. Join diverse communities, attend industry events like Black@INBOUND, and actively participate in conversations to broaden your perspective and stay informed.
- Accountability: Set clear metrics and regularly go through your progress. Create surveys, host workshops, and pay attention to audience sentiment and indicators of belonging. Evaluating the impact of your DEIB initiatives goes beyond vanity metrics; it’s about measuring genuine connections.
Patagonia – Setting an Example of Following “Conscious Growth Pathways”
An excellent example of an organization that has followed the “Conscious Growth Pathways” framework to the tee is Patagonia.
As far as introspection is concerned, Patagonia has long been committed to environmental causes, but they regularly engage in self-reflection to identify areas where they can improve. They actively seek feedback and insights from environmental organizations, scientists, and their own employees to ensure their practices are aligned with their values.
Patagonia underwent a genuine investigation, where the company frequently engaged in conversations with various stakeholders, including customers, environmental activists, and community leaders. They listen to diverse perspectives and use these insights to shape their strategies and campaigns. For example, their “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign encouraged consumers to reduce their environmental impact by buying only what they truly need.
Taking a step as an incremental Initiation, Patagonia understands that change takes time and often starts small. They test new sustainable materials and practices on a limited scale before rolling them out across their entire supply chain. This approach allows for adaptation and ensures that their initiatives are effective and feasible.
As a collaborative effort, Patagonia actively partners with environmental organizations and activists to amplify their message and drive change. They’ve collaborated with groups like Greenpeace and 1% for the Planet, using their platform to support various environmental campaigns. By working with experts and advocates, they ensure their efforts are informed and impactful.
For accountability, the company sets clear environmental goals and regularly assesses its progress. They publish annual sustainability reports, detailing their efforts, challenges, and achievements. Patagonia also actively involves its customers in this journey, providing transparent information about its supply chain and the environmental impact of its products.
#3 Choose Sustainability; Then Begin with the Scaling Process
Troy’s guidance underlines creating a foundational structure at the onset of your growth journey.
“Don’t dwell on your current position; instead, focus on your desired destination and the path to get there. Overthinking your present circumstances will hinder your progress towards your goals.”
Perceive your enterprise as one driven by ambition, and develop an in-depth understanding of sustaining that growth. More often than not, businesses become overwhelmed by their success, leading to operational bottlenecks, dysfunctional team structures, inadequate employee support, and many other challenges. Without proactive measures, their business empire may go in the dumps.
So what’s the solution that Troy proposes, it’s the one he advocates strongly which is putting sustainability first, then pursuing scalability. It’s where he talks about how one should take a look at the current organizational framework before stepping into the hyperdrive of exploding growth. As soon as things start coming into perspective and goals become more aligned, you can set up the infrastructure and scale up the brand to achieve long-term success.
Forming a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and bias-free community has numerous benefits for any business. When you create an environment where people feel valued, respected, and connected, they are more inclined to support and advocate for your business. By fostering genuine connections, you establish a network of loyal customers, advocates, and brand ambassadors. They become your biggest supporters, willingly providing referrals, positive reviews, and constructive feedback.
#4 Redefine Relationship by Creating a Market for Everyone
If you want to redefine your relationship with important prospects and leads, “Conscious Growth Pathways” implementation is one of the best methods. We always have this innate drive for more sales, and in pursuit of this goal, we often prematurely sever ties with those who don’t make immediate purchases. This is where Troy emphasizes the importance of having a group of not just buyers but also advocates and elevators for your brand. These individuals are just as valuable as those ready to purchase.
Troy highlights the idea that agencies must commit to serving and assisting leads, regardless of their immediate conversion rate. Some may become buyers, while others shift into different roles, such as brand advocates or elevators. They may not buy from you right away, but because of your dedication to providing a personalized experience, they may want to add value to your brand over time. By building trust and expanding your network of allies, they can contribute to your resilience and success.
For example, Mailchimp, an email marketing platform, understands the importance of building relationships and providing value beyond its core product offering. They recognize that not everyone who interacts with their brand will immediately become a paying customer, but that doesn’t mean those leads are any less valuable.
Mailchimp provides a wealth of free resources, guides, and tutorials to help businesses improve their marketing efforts, regardless of whether they are Mailchimp customers or not. Mailchimp offers a freemium model, allowing users to access their platform and send emails for free up to a certain subscriber count. As businesses grow and their needs expand, they may then be inclined to upgrade to Mailchimp’s paid plans.
#5 Invitation for Introspection
Last but not least, Troy encourages businesses to begin their journey of introspection & investigation. It opens doors to diversity-led growth that brings your business closer to sustainability. Diversity-led growth can be different for every organization based on its unique context & audience. However, if you have a curious mindset and you’re open to new implementations, you can commit to bold experimentation, and continuous learning and set a humble course.
We believe transformation happens within, especially when you take a courageous step. You can always read case studies of companies such as Procter & Gamble or Microsoft which have sequentially contributed towards diversifying their teams. Based on values such as race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other factors, such companies have created a workforce that reflects the diversity of their customer base.
Key Takeaways
- Consumers increasingly value social responsibility and diversity, and incorporating these values into your marketing campaigns can create a positive impact and drive business growth.
- The “Conscious Growth Pathways” framework, developed by industry expert Troy Sandidge, emphasizes the importance of engagement, exclusivity, experience, and emotion in marketing, recognizing consumers’ desire for exclusive communities and emotional connections.
- Embracing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in your marketing strategies can lead to stronger consumer resonance and unlock new avenues for growth.
- Diverse and inclusive ads have a tangible impact on consumer behavior, with 64% of consumers taking action after seeing such advertisements.
- Internalizing DEIB efforts and diverse hiring practices are crucial for authenticity and ensuring diverse perspectives are considered in the creative process.
- The “Conscious Growth Pathways” framework incorporates sustainability, social responsibility, and a focus on the human element, allowing agencies to create meaningful and positive impacts.
- Ben & Jerry’s “Justice ReMix’d” campaign is an excellent example of using the framework, engaging consumers with a unique flavor while educating and empowering them about racial injustices.
- Implementing the framework involves introspection, genuine investigation, incremental initiation, collaboration, and accountability, ensuring continuous improvement and learning.
- Putting sustainability before scalability is key to long-term success, and forming diverse and inclusive communities fosters loyal customers, advocates, and brand ambassadors.
- Redefining relationships with prospects and leads by serving and assisting them, even if they don’t immediately convert, can lead to valuable brand advocacy and elevation.
- Businesses are encouraged to embark on a journey of introspection and investigation, embracing diversity-led growth and a courageous step towards transformation.
Conclusion
In today’s socially conscious landscape, businesses have the opportunity to create meaningful change and drive growth by embracing social responsibility and diversity.
The “Conscious Growth Pathways” framework provides a powerful tool for agencies to connect with their audiences on a deeper level, fostering emotional connections and a sense of belonging. By integrating DEIB principles into their marketing strategies, businesses can expand their reach, strengthen consumer resonance, and create a positive impact in this digitally savvy world.
Are you ready to take your business to the next level with impactful and socially responsible marketing? We understand that embracing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) is about more than just campaigns; it’s about a long-term commitment to making a positive change. Get in touch with us today and let’s work together to create a brighter future for your business and the communities you serve! Schedule a call with Branex, your next step towards digitalization.
