The Power of Collaboration between Marketing and DE&I Teams

Today’s businesses are aware of the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) within their organisations. Yet, undertaking a practice for needs’ sake is not a route to success, without full understanding and cooperation. Not to mention, teamwork.

Often during a company’s growth pattern is the formation of operational teams – aka, divisions. Some will share responsibilities while others will work as dedicated functions. Human Resources is usually allocated the practice of encouraging and measuring DE&I.

For brand managers, DE&I is a discipline they work with HR to build employer branding. Relatively new and gaining ground is inclusive marketing. This is a practice where all aspects of marketing and brand work together with human resource management to create a single, credible culture that respects and embraces all human interaction with the business.

There is a much that inclusive marketing can bring to your business as a whole. When it truly involves all parties it embeds an open-mindedness that permeates all aspects of marketing and business activity and aligns this with your brand. When a company’s leadership takes the necessary steps to ensure inclusive marketing is adopted and that it does more than just cascade within a business, then it becomes part of its DNA.
Inclusive marketing has become influential for businesses across all industries.

The technology sector, in particular, has recognised its importance as a means to create a positive impact, shape brand loyalty, and drive innovation. By embedding DE&I / inclusive marketing within their businesses, tech companies can reap a variety of benefits – not least being that they join many establishments in championing diversity.

Employer Branding

As mentioned, key benefits are achieved when marketing, branding and human resource teams work together. By promoting DE&I in the workplace, in production, in communications and in actions, a strong continuity is forged that supports the brands’ credibility. A major gain is that the brand becomes recognised as a most desirable place to work for talent. It also ensures, through regular internal inclusive marketing, that this talent is retained. In the real world of business, none can afford to hire and fire to any degree of regularity. Nor can they be continuously hiring to fill roles made vacant due to poor employer branding & marketing.

Building Brand Reputation

Brand managers appreciate that to build a positive brand reputation requires showcasing their brand’s best attributes. By incorporating diverse representation and narratives into their marketing campaigns, tech companies can resonate better with and to a broader audience. Their brand personification also expands within this audiences’ psyche to include themselves. This approach strengthens brand perception, builds trust, and creates new customer relationships. The net effect is a cyclic return from business to customer to business.

Adobe for example, has embraced inclusive marketing with their “Creativity for All” campaign (2020). This showcased 1000 diverse individuals using their creative software, representing various ages, genders, ethnicities, and abilities. This campaign exemplified their commitment to inclusivity and garnered positive attention, enhancing their brand reputation.

Expand Your Market Reach

What company does not consider how to tap into a new market segment? Every business has a market expansion plan. Yet to single out just DE&I as one campaign would be self-defeating. By embedding inclusiveness to all expansion plans, involving all parts of the business, it becomes an automatic input to all marketing efforts. Inclusiveness enhances the tailoring of marketing energies to different demographic groups, and helps tech companies address the unique needs, preferences, and experiences of diverse communities. This expanded reach can lead to increased market share and revenue growth.

Apple for example embraced inclusive marketing with their “Shot on iPhone” campaign (2020). By featuring diverse photographers and their unique perspectives, Apple opened their existing customer base to a much wider cultural audience and their experiences. This approach not only increased market reach but also positioned Apple as a brand that celebrates diversity.

Gain Valuable Customer Insights:

Inclusive marketing requires a deep understanding of diverse audiences and their perspectives. By actively engaging with and conducting research on different communities, tech companies can gain valuable customer insights. This knowledge helps inform marketing strategies, product development, and user experience, resulting in more relevant and inclusive offerings.

Microsoft made significant efforts in inclusive marketing through their Xbox Adaptive Controller. By teaming up with disabled gamers and advocates, they developed a controller that improved the gaming experience of players with disabilities. Microsoft’s gains were better insights for engineering and design, added with enhanced brand experience and loyalty building with an under-represented market.

Encouraging Innovation and Creativity

Encouraging a culture of innovation and creativity within organisations is every CEO’s remit. People do not think identically. There are cultural alignments, yet these are formed over time by a combination of environment, belief, and to some degree, habit. Habit being the key obstruction to innovation.
Breaking habits open innovative and design thinking. Thus, through collaboration across the business, by embracing diverse perspectives, tech companies can tap into a wealth of ideas, insights, and experiences that drive innovation forward. Inclusive marketing encourages teams to think beyond traditional boundaries, resulting in groundbreaking solutions and products that cater to a wider range of customers.

Google’s “AI Impact Challenge” began in 2018, and has invited organisations to submit proposals that leverage artificial intelligence to address societal challenges. By encouraging diverse perspectives and providing resources, Google promoted an inclusive ecosystem that generated innovative ideas from around the world.

Conclusion

Inclusive marketing is not a process, it is an aspiration – as much as your brand personifies your business’ ideals and values to your customers, so too does DE&I add value to every aspect of your brand, client engagement, employee well-being and future development. In addition, cross divisional, collaborative working helps brands identify subconscious biases and provides information that overcomes internal barriers to progression.
A brand is everything you say and do. Marketing needs to always be ‘on’ for inclusivity – otherwise it is not looking out for its potential marketplace.

One might even suggest it would be negligent to ignore the diversity in markets. As the tech industry continues to evolve, it is fundamental for organisations to embed inclusive marketing practices to create a more diverse, inclusive, and prosperous future.

Embracing inclusive marketing is both a moral imperative and a strategic business move. It means all teams work together and it needs to be a core ingredient of your brand’s DNA.

About Us

3 Colours Rule is a branding and marketing agency specialising in growing tech companies and start-ups. We create inclusive brands that attract wider audiences leading to increased brand loyalty and business success.

Beyond our brand strategy, design, and marketing services; we also have a podcast: Tech Brains Talk where our founder has conversations with experts and entrepreneurs in tech. Join us for our next webinar hosted by Brand Strategist Jay Woolf. Additionally, discover our branding and marketing academy to support marketers expand their skills and entrepreneurs too. Visit our non-profit organisation, TLA Black Women In Tech, one of the fastest-growing communities for black female professionals and entrepreneurs in tech.