“Diversity” has been a popular buzzword among marketing types for the past few years. Brands and marketing partners that perhaps in the past weren’t paying any attention now seem very interested in understanding and embracing it. But what exactly is the science or secret recipe to creative work that embodies diversity? Where does it start and where does it end?

As much as I would love to take a deep dive into a subject that is dear to my Mexican/Japanese/Guatemalan/French-Canadian/American heart, this article does have a word limit. So I chose to concentrate on four campaigns that, in my opinion, do a great job with diversity in their own way, even if they don’t get us any closer to arriving at a magic formula for effectively fostering it.

Feeding America
Fluent 360

This campaign, which tackles food insecurity, is proof that sometimes “simple” simply works. The connection between food and success is articulated through visuals that push the viewer to have deeper thoughts about the issue at hand long after the spot has concluded. Food isn’t something one would naturally connect with science projects or graduation caps, which is why this campaign initially grabs your attention. It then explains the importance that food plays in living life to the fullest, a universal truth to which everyone can relate. The work is creative and relatable – and proof that diversity should never be complicated. 

Pause is Power
Powerade

Sometimes timing is everything… and boy, does Powerade understand that. Not only did the brand jump on the wave of calls for more attention to mental health and balance, it rode that wave all the way to shore by amplifying the conversation started by Simone Biles and inviting other similarly situated athletes to join it. By honing in on the power of celebrity athletes, Powerade says, in essence, “If these incredible athletes can admit they need to take mental and physical breaks, so can anyone.” This campaign does an amazing job using the shared affinity of sports to challenge a wide diversity of people to consider their own mental wellness and the okay-ness of needing a break. It’s a strategic, clever and powerful way to make the connection.

Erase The Line
The Chrysalis Initiative and Eversana Intouch

This campaign boldly tackles the deep and persistent racial bias in breast cancer care and does not shy away from a direct approach. Via beautiful handcrafted graphics featuring Black women, the inequality sign and verbiage such as “if my skin were white…,” the campaign shows respect and empathy for the women experiencing disproportionately poor outcomes and even death. Anything less than this bold and unapologetic approach would have diminished the importance and urgency of the issue at hand. The campaign’s call to action is multidimensional, speaking to the many lines of separation causing disparity. It proves that campaigns tackling such issues require knowledge, emotional intelligence and unapologetic execution.

Wear A Mask
American Hospital Association

Imagine being handed the assignment of a campaign instructing people to wear a mask. I mean, sure, I love challenges — but this might have been one of those smile-and-wave kind of moments for me. So when I say that I love this campaign, which presents a creative solution that invites imagination and fun around a call to action that is dreaded by so many people, that’s high praise indeed. The people behind it don’t try and explain why wearing a mask is important. Instead, they allow the mask to do all the work by letting it embody any lifestyle and express what matters most to any culture, while showing the important role it plays in safeguarding the enjoyment of important moments. “Wear A Mask” is an amazing example of a campaign that finds a unifying factor that is bigger and more powerful than making sure all the races on a casting list are checked off.

From the August 01, 2023 Issue of MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media