AIMM’s Lisette Arsuaga Discusses How High-Growth Brands Embrace Strong Cultural Relevance & Inclusion…
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AIMM’s Lisette Arsuaga Discusses How High-Growth Brands Embrace Strong Cultural Relevance & Inclusion…

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Lisette Arsuaga, Co-Founder of AIMM, ANA’s Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing, has long been an advocate for demonstrating how high-growth brands are also those with strong diversity and inclusion attributes or “cultural relevance” that is embedded throughout all marketing touchpoints. Recently, AIMM conducted a survey through the Cultural Inclusion Accelerator (CIA) to better understand consumers’ perceptions around inclusive marketing practices and DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging) efforts.

The results clearly showed that most consumers today are motivated to support brands that do not discriminate. 

According to Lisette Arsuaga, “Consumer support for multiculturalism and diversity heavily outweighs opposition, and most importantly, there are immediate and long-lasting consequences when brands breach consumers’ expectations around vital social issues. Consumers expect more action, more accountability, and an unwavering commitment to their values, even in the face of criticism. They expect brands to not step away in times of adversity.”  

Click for a Quick Clip from Interview
INCLUSIVE MARKETING WINS CONSUMERS

The new AIMM Study underscores how inclusive marketing practices positively affect consumers’ support of brands: 64% of consumers are motivated or strongly motivated to support brands that sponsor multicultural events. 64% of consumers stated they are motivated or strongly motivated to support brands that advertise on TV with multicultural and diverse storylines, influencers and representation. 2% of consumers are motivated or strongly motivated to support brands that offer targeted multicultural and diverse focused products, services or experiences. 

NOTE: Only 11-13% of respondents stated they are against inclusive efforts. The rest of respondents (25-26%) admitted to “not caring” in either direction. 

To Learn More About the Study and Review Step-by-Step Guidelines, CLICK HERE.
CONSUMERS REWARD BRANDS THAT UPHOLD DEIB ACTIONS

The AIMM research also concluded that consumers are motivated or strongly motivated to support brands that treat all employees and consumers equally, regardless of gender (71%), race/ethnicity (72%), abilities (72%), age (68%) and sexual orientation (66%).  
It also revealed that most consumers support brands that stand up to their DEIB positions:
  • 77% of consumers would either immediately stop purchasing/using or would continue purchasing/using while looking for other brands more supportive of their social cause. 
  • Only 23% of consumers would maintain their brand purchases if a brand backtracked on support for a social cause they believed in.

The Study emphasized that 76% of consumers who have boycotted a brand would never return to the brand again or will only return once the brand has legitimately changed its position and practices. 

To learn more from Lisette Arsuaga about this new research means for brands and how marketers can authentically implement best practices, watch the video interview on Internationalist Marketing TV (IMTV) on YouTube by CLICKING HERE.

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In our conversation, we discuss the following:
  • You’ve long been a believer that high-growth brands are also those with strong DEI attributes or “cultural relevance” that is embedded throughout all marketing touchpoints. Talk a little about that… 
  • Marketing to variety of audience segments appears to be more complex than ever before. Is that true? Or is it becoming easier? 
  • What are some of the challenges that marketers face when first approaching diversity, inclusion and creating a culture of belonging? I’m sure many are nervous about getting it right, particularly given today’s high-risk political tensions. Are there steps you suggest they take? 
  • At a recent ANA conference Marc Pritchard of P&G talked about multicultural marketing and his belief that advertising should reflect the percentage makeup of the population. Is this also a good starting point for most mass brands that sell to a wide range of consumers? 
  • Is this an agency’s responsibility as much as it is a marketer’s? 
  • What does your recent study suggest to brands… For example, would you say that ignoring or not fully embracing issues of diversity is a bigger risk than perhaps making mistakes along the way while trying to get it right? 
  • The Internationalist recently produced a study on “The Role of Brands in a Global Crisis.” One issue that came through was that corporate culture and brand values are certainly more difficult to foster when society is divided. Are you finding that’s also true for your work with DEIB… or could DEIB provide a solution for these times? 
  • Are there some compelling case studies that you can cite that prove the link between DEIB and brand growth? 
  • If you had one piece of advice for marketers, what would it be?
Or tune in to our Trendsetters podcast…. 

Listen to Lisette Arsuaga, Co-Founder of AIMM, ANA’s Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing, and The Internationalist’s Trendsetters podcast series here on iHeartRadio’s Spreaker or wherever you download your podcasts.TRENDSETTERS: AIMM’s Lisette Arsuaga Discusses How High-Growth Brands Embrace Strong Cultural Relevance & Inclusion…

As co-founder and board member for the ANA’s Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM), Lisette Arsuaga brings together 220+ corporations, agencies, media/research companies and trade associations to address challenges in the multicultural media, advertising and marketing space today. She is also the Co-Architect and Partner of Oppside, a research company that launched CIIM, to measure the impact of culture in ads and programs, the DEI Accelerator to measure the importance of DEI in corporate creative efforts, as well as the Diverse Media Accelerator, to measure the impact of ads in diverse media platforms.

Before co-founding AIMM, she spent more than 20 years heading strategy, communications and venture philanthropy efforts for companies and national organizations throughout the U.S. She also currently serves as Co-CEO of DMI Consulting, which she founded in partnership with Gilbert Dávila in 2010. As the co-founder and head strategist for DMI, Lisette has provided strategic guidance for companies including McDonald’s, P&G, AB, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogg, Proactiv, Gatorade, Dunkin’, Marriott Hotels, Lilly, Feeding America, USAA, Aetna Insurance, Ulta Beauty, SeaWorld, and Synchrony Insurance, among others. She has also created strategic alliances and programs with media companies, such as Harpo Entertainment, Time Inc., Warner Bros. Pictures; government entities such as the FBI, the White House, ICE, and others, as well as celebrities to effectively reach diverse groups in a culturally relevant way.
ABOUT AIMM
Founded in 2016, ANA’s Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM) is the leading voice in multicultural and inclusive marketing and DEIB, powered by a collective of 200+ industry leaders from across the ecosystem, advancing actionable change to drive business growth and equity for all in today’s diverse marketplace. 

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