Your brand must have a clear purpose and contribute to social causes to be relevant and appealing.
Why? Because the world is changing. Driven by the inclusive views of younger generations, attitudes towards identity are becoming more fluid. As a result, the global consumer base is diversifying, and more countries are legislating on matters of inclusivity. Consumers expect brands to react to this. Or better still, to be driving social change.
Chasing profits, however successfully, is no longer enough to stay competitive in this changing landscape. Interbrand’s 2018 Best Global Brand Study* found the best-performing brands were driven by the desire to create products and services that solve customer problems and use their marketing to serve and not just sell.
In a programme that started in 2016, the Global Customer Insights team at Jaguar Land Rover has run internal and external research to ask: how can we build our business on a foundation of inclusivity?
Employees took part in focus groups on gender roles, race and ethnicity or sexuality and gender identity. External research had a similar focus. We also used online research communities and held accompanied retailer visits, tele- and in-depth interviews with our customers and other premium car owners, to better understand their experiences and perspectives.
Additionally, we brought engineers, marketers and consumers together in workshops. Speaking to disabled consumers, and those with specific mobility needs, showed us how to make our products, communications, services and experiences more accessible. Together with Generation Z (born circa 1995-2015) we developed future brand strategies and explored how we could implement them across our business.
One thing became clear: a brand can only be fully inclusive when inclusivity is embedded into its business behaviours. The idea that people can express their identity at work is paramount, and something consumers expect. Everyone in our research shared this view – regardless of age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity or disability.
These inclusive behaviours will then trickle down into product design, communications, retail and services.
Accessibility should not be a feature, add-on or enhancement. Brands that embed inclusivity into the design, engineering and manufacturing process produce better products for everyone, which in turn drives sales.
Inclusive communications is now the bare minimum, not the cutting edge. To stand out, your brand has to do more. We created some key communication guidelines to help us achieve this.
Retailers – and any other part of the business connected to customer service – need to ensure every customer feels they are valued. Diversity of retailers is interpreted as a reflection of the corporate culture; a lack of it instils a feeling that your organisation does not appreciate minorities.
So, how do you bring these insights, and the voices that underpin them, to life in the board room and among senior leaders? You demand ownership. Leaders need to believe in the strategic importance of inclusion. Your culture will shift only if this message is consistently communicated and upheld.
As well as driving morality, an authentic diversity and inclusivity strategy will improve business performance. Diversity increases employee satisfaction and productivity, and fosters positive attitudes and behaviours in the workplace.
This approach means Jaguar Land Rover’s diversity and inclusivity strategy is supported at all levels across the business. Ownership exists at both a senior and functional level. We have introduced progressive HR policies to create a more diverse organisation and new employee benefits to encourage a more inclusive culture. We achieve this with a variety of methods. For example, board members receive regular ‘reverse mentoring’ from our diversity and inclusion employee network leaders.
We have created marketing campaigns to build our brands with the LGBTQ+ community while giving to charity. Last year we became the first automotive brand to join The Valuable 500, a global leadership organisation to promote disability inclusion. We are also the first manufacturer to sign up to the Race at Work Charter to improve equality of opportunity.
If you are interested in developing your company’s diversity and inclusivity strategy, my recommendations would be:
- Start with your core business behaviours and evolve your company’s culture before developing products, communications, services and experiences.
- To be authentic, embed inclusivity across the entire customer journey.
- Include the customer in the process: perspectives change, diversity and inclusivity are constantly evolving.
Interested in finding out more or have any questions?
Email: aboettch@jaguarlandrover.com
Find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annesophieboettcher/
* Interbrand’s 2018 Best Global Brand Study – https://www.interbrand.com/newsroom/interbrand-releases-2018-best-global-brand
