Defining a diversity and inclusion messaging strategy

A definitive guide to getting your tone in writing right — right now

Photo by Tim Mossholder

60 percent of Americans say that brands must take a stand and publicly speak out on racial injustice.
60 percent of Americans say that they will buy or boycott based on a brand’s response to current protests.
— Source: Edelman Trust Barometer flash poll (June 5–7, 2020)

Many companies are staring these stats in the face as they think about changing how they run their businesses, develop their products and services, and communicate with their employees and customers.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve done the important work of recognizing that you need to make a change. You realize that discrimination based on race, national origin, ability, and sexual orientation is not only against the law, but it’s also bad for business.

If you want your communications to be inclusive and bias-free, but are unsure about where to begin, start where you are. You probably already know you can’t put a messaging band-aid on the need for systemic change. You’ll need to invest time into learning about key issues, talking openly with your team and colleagues, thinking about the impact your organization can make, and formulate next steps.

“You can’t be quiet and avoid the conversation,” writes Lisa Ross, U.S. chief operating officer of Edelman, in There’s No Pill You Can Take: Systemic Racism and the Path Forward for Brands. “You have to face this head-on. If you don’t, you may face negative consequences.”

David Ogilvy, the “Father of Advertising” (you could say he’s the original Don Draper) defined brand as “the intangible sum of a product’s attributes.” The Dictionary of Brand defines brand as “a person’s perception of a product, service, experience, or organization.” Elon Musk, founder of Tesla, takes that definition a step ruther, inspiring creativity to the max: “Brand is just a perception, and perception will match reality over time.”

As a leader of one of the largest global communications firms, Ross underlines the urgency of addressing anti-racism right now. “The tide toward social activism for brands — one we’ve observed for many years — is coming to shore. And it’s here to…