Campaign published a perspective on performative diversity that has direct applications to Adland.
The author presented two sentences commonly appearing in the cultural conversation: “Genuine inclusivity recognizes the moral imperative and business benefits of DE&I. Studies consistently show that diverse companies are more innovative and profitable.”
White advertising agencies—as well as the White holding companies maintaining ownership—do not have genuine inclusivity; hence, there is no recognition of the moral imperative and business benefits.
Besides, most Madison Avenue enterprises are not founded on or fueled by moral values. And DEIBA+ has not demonstrated negative business consequences. In short, there is no motivation for even aspiring to attain genuine inclusivity.
Consider the second sentence that reads, “Studies consistently show that diverse companies are more innovative and profitable.” Well, that might be true, but Adland—with its self-absorption and cliquish awards—could argue that exclusivity has not adversely impacted innovation and profitability. Indeed, the industry has thrived without fair representation of the historically underrepresented.
Adland is not moving past performative diversity—the industry is perfecting performative diversity. And no one will admit, accept, or acknowledge that perfecting performative diversity is a clever revision for perpetuating systemic racism.
Moving past performative diversity
By Hope Farley
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) has been at the forefront of corporate agendas recently — and for good reason. Not only does DE&I promote a more just and equitable society, but it also has a profound impact on business success.
New DE&I leadership roles and fast adoption of inclusive policies in response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement were initial positive steps. However, these efforts have recently fallen off for many companies, raising concerns about the depth of their commitment.
Recent mass layoffs and high-profile resignations, including Karen Horne at Warner Brothers and Latondra Newton at Disney, suggest a troubling shift away from DE&I.
In its place, a disavowal of DE&I has emerged, due in large part to a lack of corporate follow-through.
Why are commitments to DE&I fading?
The lack of progress on many well-intentioned but often misguided initiatives has left many questioning the authenticity of corporate DE&I efforts.
In a recent ABC News report, diversity strategist Christie Lindor highlighted a fundamental flaw in the approach: “In 2020, many organizations reacted to the market, reacted to social events taking place without really having a clear understanding of what DE&I is and how it should be enabled in business.”
In other words, the focus on DE&I often served as a cosmetic fix rather than a real commitment to inclusivity.
The breakdown of what was recently such a promising field could also be due to the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling to strike down affirmative action, leaving an opening for the business world to follow suit.
Or, perhaps the problem lies in a lack of comprehensive solutions that address the root issues minorities face. Performative programs fail to make a lasting impact.
It could also simply be that Americans are fickle, so companies have dropped diversity initiatives as DE&I fades from headlines. As Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean for leadership at Yale says, “The business world goes through cycles of enthusiasm for various topics.” Perhaps DE&I has been swapped out for the new topic du jour, AI.
Corporate backpedaling is likely due to a combination of these factors and more. Regardless, DE&I remains as critical as ever. We must revive, rethink and remake the conversation.
Moving beyond performative diversity
Genuine inclusivity recognizes the moral imperative and business benefits of DE&I. Studies consistently show that diverse companies are more innovative and profitable.
Audiences are more diverse than ever, and consumers are more therefore likely to support brands that prioritize inclusivity. Brands need diverse perspectives to speak to different types of consumers — even AI can't manufacture the spirit of a community.
Promoting equality and upward mobility for diverse employees, can lead to these employees multiplying a company's reach. Therefore, companies must move beyond performative gestures and focus on meaningful action to revive and reimagine DE&I efforts.
A few corporations are prioritizing authentic inclusion. NBCUniversal offers multiple mentorship programs, including the Edge program for minority-run companies and the Below-the-Line Traineeship for people starting their careers, for instance. These types of programs are currently the exception rather than the rule, but this doesn’t have to be the case.
If each candidate knew they would be paired with a mentor on their first day, companies would be able to hire more diverse candidates from non-traditional backgrounds. These candidates would be prepped for success, and senior leaders would become more in touch with demographics outside of their own.
But corporate culture needs a fundamental shift for these approaches to be successful. Companies must prioritize inclusivity at every level and empower diverse voices to thrive. In addition to mentorship, this means encouraging managers to recognize the value of diverse perspectives, lived experience, atypical career paths and varied educational backgrounds. This is where DE&I consultants and firms are invaluable.
What distinguishes performative diversity from a genuine commitment is a plan to bring in diverse voices and support them along the way. This, coupled with diversity at every level, can make a company stronger and more profitable.
Hope Farley is founder and executive producer at Adolescent Content.
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