Guiding Questions to Becoming a More Inclusive Strategist

Artist Credit: Madeleine Jubilee Saito

As strategists, we get to be both the cheerleaders and the flag-raisers. We're the ears, eyes, hearts, and minds of the consumers, but we also must acknowledge that because of our own biases, we may not be representing the most inclusive ears, eyes, hearts, and minds. Interconnected crises have shifted consumer values and amplified brand expectations, revealing new imperatives for organizations. By ensuring brand communications and actions are representative, our industry can advocate for all communities to feel seen by purpose-driven brands.

I co-developed the following questions to jumpstart and guide thinking when counseling clients on intersectional environmentalism, with the hopes of training our brain to challenge our own biases and craft more inclusive briefs. While the questions below are not exhaustive, our goal is to help us think more critically about how our actions impact various communities.

AUDIENCE

1. Are there underserved audiences that would benefit from support that you haven't previously considered?

2. Are there untold stories or unheard voices your brand could amplify?

3. How can we better understand which communities or voices create a sense of belonging?

4. Are there stereotypes we need to understand and acknowledge to active avoid when defining our target audience?

INDUSTRY

1. Are there people in your brand's category that have historically been under-represented (e.g., the cosmetic industry and people of color)?

2. Is your brand being authentic when discussing issues within the industry? bWhat commitments and actions can they take to move the industry forward?

ACTIONS

1. Is your internal team representative of different communities and living experiences?

2. What does the organization believe in beyond their bottom lime? Why does this stance matter and to whom? Where does this commitment exist? And how do you show progress toward long-term commitments?

3. Does the company internally reflect the change they're trying to provoke?

4. Where does your brand currently lack credibility that they cannot resolve alone? Are there partnership opportunities to bolster credibility, and if so, do they speak to the breadth of your audiences?