Inclusive marketing: A challenge worth every effort

Every day brings new ways of looking at traditional identity norms, from race to gender to sexuality.  People are eager to express who they are through their media consumption – from the social media platforms they’re prepared to post on, to the podcasts they listen to and the influencers they follow. This presents a tricky challenge for brands, which are trying to stay culturally relevant, create marketing that connects with people’s values and lifestyle choices, but not fade to grey by trying to be everything to all people.

Everybody wants to feel seen – including traditionally represented groups. Yet many brands remain hesitant on diversity, equity and inclusion, caught between the fear of getting it wrong, the risk of staying silent, and the threat of noisy and unfounded ‘go woke, go broke’ rhetoric.

They shouldn’t be. Brands need to recognise the metrics that matter: we know that one in four people globally consider diversity and inclusion when making a purchase. They’re not just talking the talk, they’re influencing real spending decisions based on their values. So why are we seeing behaviours that suggest we’re going backwards?

To stay relevant, brands must bridge the gap between people’s expectations and authentic representation. We know that brands that consumers see as meaningfully different and which manage to predispose more people to their offer are better positioned to maximise their business growth and impact, commanding up to five times the market penetration.

In high-growth regions like Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa, diverse brands are winning. Why? Because inclusivity opens up business in markets and segments where representation isn’t just desired: it’s demanded.

Bridging the value-action gap
Of course, it’s easy to say that people want inclusivity. But what about when ideals and reality clash? Just like people who want to eat sustainably but still reach for fast food, not everyone acts on their values every day.

A white, middle-aged man who feels left behind by gender equity movements may share the same sentiment as a younger man feeling pressured by narrow definitions of masculinity. Inclusivity isn’t about silencing one side to lift another – it’s about widening the scope to reflect everyone’s reality.

Brands can help bridge this gap, creating an environment where people feel good about supporting inclusive practices. This isn’t about pushing a single vision of diversity. It’s about reflecting people’s real lives in a brand’s story.

Gender – the biggest culture war?
Given the intense focus on gender in politics and culture in 2025, we conducted a study to explore how changing masculinities need to be reflected by brands and marketers. Society is challenging that men need to be a certain way – in fact, a quarter of Gen Z men in the US now identify as either equally masculine or feminine or very feminine (three times more than Boomers).

At the same time, stereotypical attitudes prevail, especially among young men: UN Women research reveals that more than a third of men aged 16 to 19 think men should be paid more than women for the same job, while more than half of men between 16 and 34 say women should work less and dedicate more time to caring for their families.

Our report, Connecting with men: How brands can decode modern masculinity, shows that brands willing to evolve alongside changing ideas of gender and identity can reap real rewards. When brands portray men as emotionally intelligent, authentic and reflective of modern realities, it doesn’t just resonate but drives real impact. Staying the course matters: inclusive portrayals of people in advertising can increase brand loyalty and engagement, resulting in a 3.5% boost in short-term sales and up to 16.3% in long-term growth.

That growth is apparent for brands that are inclusive in the broadest sense, not only around individual characteristics but from an intersectional approach too. In an era where political and cultural forces influence decisions more than usual, brands need resilience.

It’s about choosing to invest in inclusive practices and not retreat at the first hint of friction. This is especially relevant as people scrutinise brands’ actions more closely than ever, seeking those that stand by their values despite external pressures. Today’s buyers can smell inauthenticity, and that means brands can’t afford to be all talk and no action.

Aligning creative and media strategies
One big disconnect in advertising – sometimes more of a chasm – is the gap between the creative content that brands produce and the people they actually reach. Take baby products, where more dads are hands-on in childcare than ever, and more ads feature fathers – but less than a quarter of ads are tested with men. Compare that with pet products, where 95% of ads are tested with both genders.

It’s unlikely that brands really think men are more interested in their pets than their children – but by not even considering men in their advertising, they’re making the decision for them.

Household products tell a similar story. Men are taking on more responsibilities at home, especially as more live alone. Yet only 15% of ad testing in this category seeks feedback from men. The irony? Ads that show men as decision-makers at home resonate more and drive stronger engagement.

Look at personal care. With 40% of men now using skincare, you would think ad testing would reflect that shift. But 91% of creative testing in this category still focuses solely on women. As ideas of masculinity evolve, more men are leaning into self-care, both physical and emotional – so brands need to rethink their approach.

Nothing worth having comes easy
Creating genuinely inclusive advertising is challenging. It requires integrating perspectives from diverse audiences and creators and using insights to inform every stage of decision-making. But brands that avoid, rather than tackle, these hurdles risk becoming irrelevant. It takes commitment, talent and alignment across departments, from creative to media, to get inclusivity right. When brands do lean in, they build a customer base that values authenticity over polish.

Brands need to show up – boldly, consistently, and authentically, building inclusivity into every part of their business to fuel growth. Representation isn’t just about images either. It’s about genuine, relatable portrayals that let underrepresented people and communities see themselves free from bias or stereotypes. True inclusivity respects cultural nuance and values authenticity over perfection.

The industry needs to focus on undoing the diversity and inclusion backsliding that’s become commonplace over the past decade. Harsh and dehumanising language is being used to get attention but reflects badly on those who use it – we have the business case to stop ceding ground to these voices.

Valeria Piaggio is gobal head of diversity, equity and inclusion at Kantar