The recent passing of actor Chadwick Boseman, whose performance as the superhero Black Panther inspired generations of Black people around the world, sparked an outpouring of heartfelt tributes. From grown adults seeing their culture accurately portrayed in mainstream media for the first time, to the many Black children who were finally given a superhero they can see themselves in, Boseman “activated our pride”, wrote Black Panther co-star, the actor Lupita Nyong’o, highlighting the importance of on-screen representation.
This is particularly true for marginalised groups, who are typically unrepresented in the public sphere. But when a recent Argos television advert featuring all Black actors, among them a gay couple, is met with outrage and threats of complaints to Ofcom, we must examine why the much-needed inclusivity on our screens is triggering such a reaction, and what corporations stand to gain.
As a mixed-race person, I grew up with a notable lack of representation in the media of families who looked like mine—so much so that I still take note when I see inclusivity done right. There’s a joy in knowing that, perhaps, by seeing themselves on-screen, the next generation of children won’t have to struggle with their identity as much. However, I also feel a certain amount of dread in anticipation of the backlash that’s to follow. In predictable fashion, particularly around Christmas (as new advertisements appear) the argument that these advertisement are the result of the “PC brigade” shoving diversity down people’s throats still seems to hold considerable weight.
The myth of the "PC brigade"
On Father’s Day, the Conservative Party ran a social media post that depicted a Black man alongside his son. Quickly after, replies to the post were littered with racist stereotypes about Black fatherhood and accusations that white people are being intentionally excluded from campaigns. “Are us WHITE dads included in your message?” replied a Twitter user.Unfortunately, it is far from an isolated incident and there’s often an equally angry reaction to the portrayal of the LGBT community and non-Christian faiths. In 2017, there were calls to boycott Tesco after the supermarket chain featured a British Muslim family in their Christmas advert, while three of the ten television adverts that attracted the most complaints in 2018 contained LGBTQ themes.
The demographics of modern Britain are changing, and representation that reflects our evolving society should be celebrated, both in the frequency with which marginalised groups are portrayed and, importantly, the way in which they’re depicted. Any suggestion that it is “political correctness gone mad” whenever a marginalised group is featured on an advertisement is inane: we exist all across the country.
The insinuation that whites are being purposefully excluded, however, points to the much more sinister and dangerous far-right conspiracy theory of “white genocide”—the white supremacist belief that immigration and the promotion of multiculturalism are part of a plot to destroy the white race. Some have used diverse advertising as propaganda to further this belief.
A divided society
Hate crimes in England and Wales have more than doubled since 2012. Between 2018 and 2019, over 75 per cent of the 103, 379 offences reported were racial hate crimes believed to be linked to the EU referendum and rising anti-immigration rhetoric. But with advertisements steadily becoming part of popular culture—John Lewis's Christmas advert is hotly anticipated each year—there is opportunity for change. Research suggests exposure to progressive advertising can shift opinions and help to “normalise” some marginalised communities.While society may be becoming more diverse, it is far from cohesive. Our usage of social media, and the data that’s harvested when we do, means that we increasingly exist in online echo chambers where our views and beliefs are continually fed back to us, reinforced through the algorithm. We are becoming more polarised and extreme in our views and brands are finding new ways to appease different consumers.
Through fragmented marketing, AI systems are able to cater to their online audiences in real-time. Chris Hackley, professor of marketing at the Royal Holloway University of London explains, “Two users in the same geographical area accessing a social media platform at the same time could see slightly different ads based on their personal profile. This, of course, is likely to mean that a user’s racial prejudices will be baked into the ads they see on their timeline.”
Advertising that is diverse in body shapes, religions, genders, race, sexualities, disabilities, age and class may offer brands financial reward, depending on their targeted audience. A study of US consumers found 70 per cent of millennials are more likely to choose one brand over another if it demonstrates a commitment to inclusion and diversity. Hackley also suggests that provoking resentment can be beneficial in itself: “Look at, say, Nike, whose campaigns often create a backlash from white racists. They know who their market is and they know the backlash makes them look progressive.”
All corporations have a duty to bring in profits and, for Hackley, “being accused of being white-centric carries a more powerful negative PR backlash than being accused of being too ‘woke’” in today’s climate." In that sense, there’s certainly a danger that companies cynically adopt progressive ideals to avoid scrutiny.
Do companies benefit?
Jerry Daykin, Co-Chair of the World Federation of Advertiser’s Diversity Task Force, says a very small percentage of purchase decisions are truly influenced by “purposeful” advertising, though that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to be gained for brands that do so. “There’s obvious opportunity in ensuring diverse audiences feel spoken to and well communicated with,” adding, “When you combine a broad range of diverse minority audiences you often find they can add up to a majority.”When it comes to more traditional forms of advertising, brands are having to balance pragmatics with political stances, potential backlash and, in extreme cases, a decision on the consumers they want to hold on to. For Hackley, “I think, today, diversity in TV ads is the safest way for brands" to transmit values, "even if many of them don’t always put diversity into practice in more substantive ways.”
