Page 28 - AdNews magazine Jul-Aug 2021

Investigation
consumer goods giant Unilever) have made it their core proposi- tion for some time.
The brand launched the iconic Real Beauty campaign back in the early 2000s, and during the years, has launched a number of initia- tives which align with its goals to eradicate stereotypes and show- case real women but not without its critics. Some have called out its Real Beauty campaign for not being diverse or inclusive enough.
Unilever general manager, beauty, personal care and home- care, Markus Rehde tells AdNews that since launching it, the com- pany has focused on continuing to learn and improve ways it can champion inclusivity.
“Our advertising plays an important part in this so align- ment with our goals to improve women’s self-esteem and inspire a generation of girls to have a more positive relationship with the way they look is critical,” he says.
In 2019, Dove launched pro- ject #ShowUs, a partnership with Girlgaze, Getty Images and women around the world to cre- ate what it says is the world’s
This page: Woolworths Diwali campaign by Etcom.
Opposite page: Work Safe campaign by ThinkHQ.
Happy Diwali
We have everything you need to celebrate Diwali this year. Visit www.woolworths.com.au/diwali
for participating stores and products.
Wishing you a happy Diwali from everyone at Woolworths.
“largest” photo library created by women and non-binary individ- uals. Rehde says the library, which is made up of more than 5000 images, aims to “shatter” beauty stereotypes and offer an inclusive vision to all media and advertisers.
He says Unilever has also set itself the challenge to “create mar- keting, not just advertising, that will help influence the next genera- tion of people to be free from prejudice”.
“Today’s aim is to go even deeper — to make real, structural changes to the entire marketing process,” he says.
“This will include provoking inclusive thinking across the full end-to-end marketing process; ensuring an Unstereotype charter for every Unilever brand that outlines the DEI (diversity, equality and inclusion) commitments the brand will deliver through its mar- keting; and increased representation of people from diverse groups on screen and behind the camera.”
Starting inside out
Unilever’s commitment to increase representation of people from diverse backgrounds, both on screen and behind the scenes, is a move being considered more widely by other brands beginning to look from within at the makeup of their own teams and those who they partner with.
This comes as consumers scratch beneath the surface and call out brands which “woke-wash” and don’t practice what they preach. Sunita Gloster, an advisor for Accenture Interactive and UN Women Australia, says the digital age has paved the way for a new kind of activist consumer.
What does diversity mean to you?
Host/Havas CEO and Advertising Council Australia deputy chair Laura Aldington The three parts of diversity for
me are that our population more closely reflects the Australian population; the environment allows these people to thrive; and therefore creates an output that is more diverse because it is based on lived experience.
Accenture Interactive
and UN Women advisor Sunita Gloster
Diversity is about accepting and welcoming differences. It’s more than just representation because for it to be worthwhile it needs to coexist within the holy trinity of diversity, equality and inclusion. Otherwise it’s reduced to a hero shot on a PowerPoint slide.
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