Three Steps to a Family-Friendly, Diverse and Inclusive Brand Strategy
In this modern age, consumers are clued-up and savvy. They want to do good and feel good when shopping! So, an organisation’s morals and ethics play an essential part in the decision-making of customers. Therefore, it’s crucial brands demonstrate their support for diversity and inclusion. It's especially true when creating brands for families and children.
Diversity and inclusion have become hot topics! It’s not unusual for customers to boycott brands when they fail to consider all communities. After all, no one wants to feel left out or marginalised. Therefore, as Brand Guardians, we should understand and empathise with the needs of many individuals.
Use the three ‘M’s: mission, method and members.
Ok, so this much responsibility can feel overwhelming! Yet, it need not be complicated. By adapting research from consultant, Deadra Rahaman (The Drum, 2020), we can share three simple steps for creating inclusive and diverse branding. Here are Buttercrumble's three 'M's or steps to designing a family-friendly, diverse and inclusive brand.
Consider your:
Mission
Think about your brand’s intention. Every organisation should have a purpose (otherwise, what’s the point?) This sets the foundations for your mission statement — something every brand should have! An empathetic brand will ensure their audience is at the heart of this.
Method
Now you have your mission in mind, ask yourself: “Is this right?” Now, there are no hard and fast rules regarding “goodness”, due to cultural differences. However, we all have a built-in moral compass which we should try and stay true to.
To take this a step further, find ways you can improve your strategy. Your brand can be a platform and tool to improve the lives of your audience. If you can accomplish this, you will begin to build a genuine community.
Members
Take time to evaluate your method by questioning whether it can go wrong. To do this, consider the members of your community. Place yourself in the shoes of your audience and reflect. To truly achieve this, host a focus group. Invite representatives of the groups you are trying to target and gain meaningful insights. Ask “is the brand’s approach purposeful and fair?” to discover real opinions and uncover any potential pitfalls!
Inclusivity is essential for children’s brands because it sets the right tone for the future. As a business owner, marketeer or brand manager, you have a responsibility to do this. It nurtures positive feelings of loyalty and care.
For family-focused organisations, representation is important for all backgrounds, abilities, ages and identities. After all, there can be a huge range of diversity within just one family unit! We are richer for having this variety in our lives.
When inclusivity and diversity issues are ignored, it can cause your brand’s reputation long term damage. Let’s not encourage any angry mobs or Twitter feuds. Instead, consider mission, method and members.
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