The rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives might be well under way in the US but DEI is still alive and kicking in the UK, with nearly eight out of ten (77%) Brits agreeing that it is important in advertising; unfortunately, adland appears to be stuck in a time warp.
According to Mirror On The Industry, Channel 4’s series exploring diverse representation in UK TV advertising, pregnant women appear in just 0.1% of all UK ads, only 2% feature LGBTQIA+ people, which is below the 3.2% of LGBTQIA+ people living in the UK population (2021 Census), and only 4% of ads feature disabled people compared to 17.8% in the UK population; unchanged from the average representation of the last six years.
The report, produced in collaboration with research agency Tapestry, reveals that, despite perceived improvements, representation of some minority groups has stagnated and remains tied to limiting portrayals.
The research highlights three key opportunity areas that the advertising industry should consider: the power of storytelling through ad format; the balance between aspirational and relatable characters and storylines; and the inclusion of people we rarely or never see in TV advertising.
Montage-style ads, which are more likely to feature characters that are often unrepresented, are on the rise.
But while they do allow for more representative ads, individual characters receive significantly less screen time and 87% of tokenistic portrayals occur in this style of ad, highlighting the ongoing challenge of maintaining authenticity and quality storytelling with this format, so that inclusion does not come across as a tick-box exercise intentionally built into the ad.
In recent years, while there have been lots of notable examples of brands challenging conventional beauty standards, the report shows a slightly different story with only 5% of all characters in ads featuring people who are defined as ‘plus-size’, a significant drop from 13% in 2023, and, when looking at the Fitzpatrick skin colour code, those with darker skin tones are the least likely to appear.
Meanwhile, depictions of ordinary life are also often skewed, for instance with working class characters less likely to be portrayed as confident or happy.
In addition, key data from the latest audit shows that several groups remain consistently underrepresented in advertising. This includes disabled people, who only play a lead role in 2% of ads overall (dropping to 0.3% of ads showing neurodivergent people or those with neurological or mental health conditions), pregnant people, with only 0.1% of ads featuring them, LGBTQIA+ people, who play a lead role in just 1% of ads, and those aged 70+, who are most often featured in specific advertisements focused on health or charity.
In response, the report makes recommendations for brands and marketers to capitalise on this opportunity.
First up, they are being urged to push the boundaries, and show the people we rarely see – tell the stories that are rarely told.
Next they should research their audiences, and develop campaigns rooted in informed lived experience, test executions, and consider the role of format in the storytelling process.
Finally, from beauty standards to relationship and family dynamics and class, marketers should push representation and portrayal to walk the line between aspiration and relatability.
Channel 4 chief commercial officer Rak Patel said: “We believe deeply in our role as a catalyst for positive social impact. Mirror on the Industry is more than an ad audit; it’s our commitment to expose where advertising still falls short, and to light up the path forward.
“We want advertisers and agencies to see us as more than a media owner, we’re your partner. We want to walk alongside you in your DEI journey.
“When levels of representation are greater and portrayal is more authentic, and more inclusive, the stories we tell become richer, the connections stronger, and the business case undeniable.”
ISBA director of industry relations and inclusion co-lead Bobi Carly added: “ISBA’s Inclusion Network, made up of 70+ Advertisers, believe representation in advertising is not a nice-to-have, it’s a business imperative and a moral responsibility.
“The data from Mirror on the Industry makes it clear: too many communities remain invisible or inauthentically portrayed. Brands have the power to change this.
“By investing in inclusive storytelling, rooted in lived experience and informed research, advertisers can build deeper trust, drive stronger commercial outcomes, and reflect the society they serve.”
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