16088: Predicting Dismal, Delayed & Diminished DE&I.

 

Advertising Age published fluff content titled, “33 Ad Execs Predict Industry Trends For 2023.” Reflecting an actual trend—i.e., the growing disinterest in racial and ethnic equality—only three comments had DE&I-related mentions:

 

Latarria Coy, head of ethical media, Influential

“As many marketers grapple with contracted budgets in the new year, my resolution to the industry entails sustaining investment in diverse-owned media companies and diverse influencers. History tells us that recessions hit diverse-owned businesses harder, and ethical investments could be at risk. Investing in multicultural audiences, diverse creators, and culturally relevant content drives outcomes. It’s not just the right thing to do; it could be the very thing that helps advertisers weather the recession.”

 

Najoh Tita-Reid, global CMO, Logitech

“We will all have to embrace the evolution of our industry and commit to enabling Gens Z and A with education, tools and access to pursue their passions. The turning point is now as creators en masse will shift from supporting brands to being brands. Culture stewards and historically marginalized people who’ve had to fight for acceptance will now wield power and own the platforms that decide culture and acceptance, leaving brands on the outside looking in. Academies that have leaned on the privilege of only teaching a select few will now be overtaken by new schools educating underprivileged students who sit at the center of culture, guiding them with valuable practical skills and experiences. The revolution is here, and it will be televised, socialized and digitized.”

 

Lola Bakare, CMO adviser and author of Responsible Marketing

“We’ll finally stop using the blanket term ‘DEI’ to refer to any and all work related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging…because all work should! Instead we will continue to hear more use of terms that are function and output specific—thus lending themselves to more clarity and in turn much needed accountability. If we’re talking about marketing, ethnographic marketing, inclusive marketing, and my personal favorite because it’s the title of my forthcoming book, responsible marketing, will be among the next wave of function and output specific terms that apply DEI to concrete strategies and actions.”

 

With all due respect, the comments constitute a diversity of drivel. It’s also interesting that the only predictions with DE&I-related mentions came from women of color. This represents a long-term trend: delegating diversity to minorities.

 

Ad Age extended another trend by illustrating the content with clichéd royalty-free stock photography—including a shot of minorities joining hands. Perfect.