| Welcome to The Conscious Advertising Network (CAN) newsletter for September 2024. This month we celebrated National Inclusion Week, a chance to celebrate inclusion and take action to create inclusive workplaces. You'll see that many of our highlights this month relate to this important topic. Here's some of what we're covering in this month's newsletter:
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CAN at the Better Marketing Conference, Sustainable Brands Turkey, Climate Week NYC, and the Responsible Marketing Summit If you've got news related to CAN and our manifestos, please do get in touch with us at hello@consciousadnetwork.org. #TogetherWeCAN | | | New Report
The Business Case for Inclusive Advertising – Unstereotype Alliance | | | A recent study led by the Unsterotype Alliance has revealed that inclusive advertising campaigns can help brands increase both long-term and short-term sales. Based on 392 brands across 58 countries, the study found that inclusive ads encourage 62% of buyers to make a purchase and 15% of them more loyal to the brand.
What must be noted is that there has been an emphasis on authentic advertising that does not promote harmful stereotypes or capitalise on social injustices. In this article about the report findings from The Guardian, we are reminded of tone-deaf campaigns, such as the Pepsi ad that imitated protests in the Black Lives Matter movement, which sparked a huge backlash for the brand.
It is likely that past campaigns like this have made brands nervous about presenting inclusivity, but the study has shown that if it is done in the right way, then it can only benefit them.
Sara Denby, head of the Unstereotype Alliance secretariat at UN Women has said:
"This irrefutable data should reassure any business and encourage brands to renew their commitment to inclusivity in all forms, to not only benefit the communities they serve but also to drive growth and financially prosper."
In our Diversity manifesto, we highlight that the internal benefits of diversity range from increased morale and a widened pool for recruitment, through to diverse teams and companies performing better. | | | Catch Up with CAN: Better Marketing Conference, Sustainable Brands Turkey, Climate Week NYC, and the Responsible Advertising Summit | | | CAN Co-Founder, Jake Dubbins will be speaking the Better Marketing Conference which is being held in Athens on 1st October. Hosted by the Hellenic Advertisers Association, the event will be hosting an exciting line-up of speakers to find out how we can turn marketing into a positive force for change.
Jake will be discussing AI and how investing in better media can deliver effective and better marketing. Along with Jake, the line-up includes: | | | Currently, Jake is attending Climate Week NYC, the largest annual climate event of its kind, bringing together over 600 events and activities across the City of New York – in person, hybrid and online. We will share more next month about Jake's main takeaways from the week.
Earlier this month, CAN Co-Founder Harriet Kingaby spoke at Sustainable Brands Turkey, an event that unites change-makers to explore strategies for driving positive environmental, social, and business impact. Harriet presented on "3 Ways Your Advertising Is Working Against Your Sustainability Messaging... And What To Do About It ", covering: | | We are excited to announce our involvement with the Responsible Advertising Summit 2024, for which CAN is a media partner. The summit is Europe's first forum dedicated to elevating standards in sustainable, inclusive & accessible marketing, media and advertising. Happening on December 3rd and 4th, the event will bring together senior leaders from across industries to address the growing demand for sustainability, inclusivity, and accessibility in the advertising landscape.
CAN's own Co-Founder Harriet Kingaby will be speaking at the event, and attendees will have the opportunity to hear from industry leaders from giffgaff (CAN member), Boots, P&G, Sky Bet, Tony's Chocolonely, ITV, HSBC, Sanofi, Reckitt, Diageo and more. Download the official event agenda here. | | | P.S – Save £400 off your event pass (expires 11th October) as well as an extra 10% off from us with code 'CAN10'. | | | giffgaff's Responsible Marketing Manifesto | | | Mobile network operator and CAN member gifffgaff have recently launched their Responsible Marketing Manifesto. Their mission is to market and advertise themselves in a way that is 'Up to Good' and their new set of principles is to help them do that.
Their manifesto covers four areas:
We are excited to see giffgaff's commitment to CAN's manifestos and the work they have done to embed this into their organisation.
| | | New Report
How effectively do social networks moderate suicide and self-harm content? An analysis of the Digital Services Act Transparency Database - Molly Rose Foundation | | | The Molly Rose Foundation (MRF) has released research which raises concerns about the failings of social media networks in detecting and removing suicide and self-harm content.
The research has found that 95% of self-harm and suicide posts that are being detected are through the platforms Pinterest and TikTok, with only 1% being detected by Instagram and Facebook. Ofcom are currently preparing to roll out their Protection of Children regulatory scheme as part of the Online Safety Act. These findings have raised huge concerns that it is currently not adequate to protect children against these systematic failures.
MRF's findings have highlighted the inconsistencies in how social media platforms detect and respond to this harmful content. For example, TikTok detected almost 3 million items of suicide and self-harm content but only suspended two accounts. Even more disturbingly, they have found numerous discrepancies in Meta's legal and voluntary disclosure data.
As a result, MRF have submitted the following recommendations to support regulators in the UK and EU: -
Moderation of harmful content is uneven and inconsistent, and should be a primary focus for regulators -
Content moderation must accompany, and in some cases facilitate, a step-change in safety-by-design -
Transparency frameworks must be seen as a means to an end, and should draw on the broadest possible set of harm indicators -
Corporate transparency data needs to be subject to audit, with a duty of candour on regulated companies
Ian Russell, Chair of the Molly Rose Foundation has stated: "Parents across the country will be rightly appalled that the likes of Instagram and Facebook promise warm words but continue to expose children to inherently preventable harm. No ifs, no buts, it's clear that assertive action is required." | | | What We Are Reading
The 'I' word: why inclusion is more than just a trend - Creativebrief | | | In a recent article for Creativebrief, Adele Lewis Bridgeman, Media recruiter for the Responsible Resourcing Agency discusses how the industry needs to focus on inclusion to retain diverse talent.
Adele points out that: "diversity, equity and inclusion is no longer optional and within our industry, we have the power to help drive change systemically." She also highlights the issue of businesses focusing on diverse hiring without creating an inclusive environment can lead to discrimination within the workplace.
Along with the ethical reasoning, Adele reveals that there is a commercial advantage for embedding inclusivity into our organisations. She notes insights from Korn Ferry who state: "Inclusive teams make better decisions 87% of the time."
Adele also emphasises the importance of inclusion within our teams across all levels. For example, junior members of staff will benefit from seeing themselves reflected in more senior roles. They also need to see the company implementing DEI in action, not just making a nod to it to fill their quotas. Just as we do at CAN, Adele acknowledges that we cannot expect immediate perfection in our organisations, but we should strive to focus on progress to make long lasting and positive change.
CAN's Diversity manifesto is here to help members create truly inclusive teams as well as providing diverse campaigns. | | | New Campaign
TFL's 'Abuse has Consequences' Campaign | | | Transport for London (TFL) have recently launched their new campaign, 'Abuse has Consequences'. The campaign is a response to the rising incidents in workplace abuse, with TFL revealing a 5% increase in reports of verbal abuse and threats in 2023/2024. TfL in partnership with its agency of record VCCP (CAN member) and Wavemaker UK, aims to challenge this behaviour with a campaign across the network which makes it clear that both physical and verbal abuse is a criminal offence with consequences.
When working for TFL, research agency The Smaller Boat found that highlighting the consequences of abuse is an effective message. TFL have put that into practise in their new campaign posters which reveal sentences offenders have received as a result of their abuse towards staff.
Miranda Leedham, Head of Customer Marketing and Behaviour Change at TfL has commented: "TfL is committed to doing all we can to eradicate workplace violence and aggression and protect our colleagues in their roles. This new campaign takes a firmer, direct tone and aims to send a strong message to offenders that we do not tolerate any form of abuse towards our staff and we will push for the strongest penalties. This campaign is designed to aid the wider ongoing work across TfL to support our colleagues in tackling workplace violence and aggression." | | | Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) - C.A.R.E Kit | | | The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) launched their new resource this month on World Suicide Prevention Day; the CALM C.A.R.E Kit, to help adults support young people and protect them from suicide. CAN member UM London was a research partner on this important work.
The kit offers practical advice that covers prevention, intervention, crisis, and what to do in an emergency. C.A.R.E stands for: C. Check in A. Ask how they are R. Remain close E. Expert help
In the UK, we currently lose 18 people per day to suicide and a staggering one in five of us will have suicidal thoughts in our life. Along with the C.A.R.E kit, CALM offers a free life-saving helpline that is open 5pm-midnight each day to provide support to those feeling suicidal, those who have lost someone to suicide, or anyone needing advice on how to support someone they are concerned about.
The kit is a vital aid in supporting both adults and young people, along with their mission to end youth suicide.
| | | Automated Creative: Advertisers Watching Ads - Bodyform | | | This month Laura Lesser, CAN's communications volunteer, was invited to take part in Automated Creative's feature 'Advertisers Watching Ads'. Along with Automated Creative founder, Tom Ollerton and Ruggable's Europe Senior Marketing Director, Charlotte Ford, Laura reviewed Bodyform's short film "Never Just A Period".
The film depicts how women experience periods throughout their lives. It's bold and uses strong imagery, but the group found the campaign to be lacking in some areas. When asked at the end "Would you sign the campaign off in its current form?" Laura gave it a thumbs down. Whilst she commended the diverse range of experiences represented, Laura also points out that there is little follow up to the campaign.
Without a call to action or telling the audience what they are doing to help make a change to address their final line "It's time for a world that actually understands our bodies" Bodyform could be missing a vital point. Laura also points out the lack of diversity and suggests a positive male representation in the film could have helped to encourage inclusion and allyship. | | | MEFA Diversity & Inclusion Awards | | | The MEFA Diversity & Inclusion Awards are back this year, and now is the time to nominate yourself, a colleague, or a client. The awards are to spotlight those who are making a long-lasting positive impact and to uncover the great work they are doing.
If you would like to nominate yourself or anyone else, the deadline to do so is Saturday 5th October 23.59 pm. The categories are: -
Hammer: to celebrate a senior leader from a diverse background who has shattered the glass ceiling and made remarkable strides in incorporating D, E & I across their business. -
Unsung Hero: to recognise extraordinary individuals from diverse backgrounds, who may have gone under the radar but have made a significant positive impact on those around them. Good luck to anyone who has been nominated, we look forward to hearing the results! | | | Watch out for more news on all things CAN related via LinkedIn. For any other questions or concerns, or if you would like to know more about joining, please feel free to contact us at hello@consciousadnetwork.org.
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Thank you for your ongoing support, The Conscious Advertising Network | | | | |
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