WFA urges consideration of DEI opportunities in media choices

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) has launched a guide to tackling diversity and representation issues in the media planning and buying process; WFA Diversity Ambassador Jerry Daykin says the issue goes far beyond the creative or HR teams.

Why it matters

“Making the right decisions can both ensure brands create more effective campaigns and, critically, play their part in funding a richer and more diverse media ecosystem,” says Daykin. 

“There is a delicate balance between ensuring we block hate speech but increase the funding of positive representative voices,” he adds, “and whilst the solutions can get technical, they all start with advertisers asking some simple questions in their brief.”

What the guide offers

Diversity & Representation: Focus on Media Planning and Buying highlights four key areas where bias can occur and proposes questions and approaches that can be used to ensure progress: 

1. Inclusive audience planning: ensuring audiences are diverse and inclusive at the planning stage;
2. Supporting diverse voices: making deliberate decisions on media spend and building partnerships with unique media owners;
3. Balancing brand safety with diversity: consciously managing brand suitability and safety alongside inclusion; and
4. Measuring success: measuring all audiences fairly and investing in research.

Key quote 

“It is our responsibility to not only create content that is reflective of today’s society, but for it to appear in media that is diverse and inclusive too” – Isabel Massey, Diageo global media director and WFA Media Forum co-chair.

Sourced from WFA [Image: fauxels from Pexels]