Diversity and inclusion are becoming increasingly important in brand communication

According to the IAS consumer study in the DACH region, the topics of diversity and inclusion are playing an increasingly important role for the vast majority of German-speaking consumers (90 percent). And this is precisely the attitude they expect from companies: One in two of them (50 percent) already believes that brands should promote diversity and inclusion in Germany.

This expectation has a direct impact on the shopping behavior of consumers: Nearly one-third of respondents (30 percent) already regularly adjust their own shopping decisions to support companies' diversity and inclusion initiatives. On the other hand, 32 percent of consumers would be very likely to turn away from a brand if it did not take diversity and inclusion values sufficiently into account - even if they have actually always bought its products.

A further 31 percent would even boycott companies in general if they did not take the issues of diversity and inclusion seriously. For marketing, these survey results mean one thing above all: brands should definitely meet the diversity and inclusion requirements of consumers in their digital advertising campaigns in order to remain in the relevant set of their purchasing decisions in the future.

Advertising in diversity- and inclusion-friendly environments is preferred. Already in the planning and creation of their advertisements, it is important for brands to consider key diversity and inclusion aspects. Nearly one-third of consumers expect advertising and content to be accessible to people with disabilities (30 percent), to use inclusive language in advertising (29 percent), and to reflect a diverse society made up of different individuals (28 percent). However, in the perception of consumers, it is not only the ads themselves that are important, but also the content and environments in which they are played. 84 percent of them believe that brands should make a targeted effort to place ads in the environment of content that promotes diversity and inclusion. One in two (50 percent) would be likely to interact with an ad that appears alongside content that promotes diversity and inclusion.

"Our latest study shows one thing above all: German consumers expect brands to take a clear stance on important issues such as diversity and inclusion," says Patrick Stoltze, Country Manager CEE at IAS. "This makes it all the more important for companies to live up to this expectation and to present their values authentically already in their communication in order to remain successful in the future."

The complete study "Brand Communication in the Age of Diversity and Inclusion by Integral Ad Science IAS can be here can be downloaded.