I recently attended the Association of Luxury Suite Directors Conference in New York. Right in the middle of Manhattan – Times Square, specifically. There were people everywhere and lights so bright you couldn’t tell if it was day or night. It’s a place where the United States heralds an open melting pot.

The tone of the conference was excellent. Many talked about their organizational and personal responsibilities to embrace true marketing inclusivity; a noble and long overdue value. But, so much more is required to understand the depth of what that means and how to mobilize strategies and tactics that must be first rooted in shifts of cultural norms.

I was a panelist with some very bright and diverse minds (I was an outlier); people who shared how to open minds and hearts to action on necessary change. This wasn’t and isn’t an exercise in political correctness. It isn’t even an exercise. It’s a way of life. It’s a cultural definition.

To make the progress we need, it is important for marketers to adopt behaviors around four activities (as defined in the Google Inclusive Marketing Playbook) and one as defined by Designsensory Intelligence:

Build the right team. Embed underrepresented talent in your team and among your partners so your ideas benefit from a variety of perspectives.

Embed inclusion into your strategy. Act on inclusive marketing principles at every stage of execution – from planning to execution.

Make inclusive creative choices. Find tools to help you make inclusive choices and avoid stereotypes throughout your creative process.

Hold each other accountable. Set goals and measure your progress to ensure your work is on the right track.

Benchmark and track your performance against established goals at every marketing touchpoint. Whether a physical or communication touchpoint, make sure you measure acceptance and impact with not only the DEI&A audiences, but also the entirety of the consuming population of your goods and services.

If you alienate any segment of customers, you run the risk of alienating up to 75% of your customers. Do what it takes to engage in sincere, respectful, motivating marketing. It’s a win-win for everyone. Let there really be liberty and justice for all. Be informed. Be intelligent. Be effective.

True marketing inclusivity strike a chord? Contact me, Christopher Wise, via email: [email protected]

Until next time, stay wise!