Outvertising

🌈 Outvertising Live 2024: Courageous Creativity in a Changing World 🌈 A few weeks ago, I attended Outvertising Live, an LGBTQIA+ advertising event at Meta's London HQ. With 200+ senior marketers and advertising leaders, the conference sparked important conversations on how to create more impactful and authentic inclusive advertising in today's cultural climate. It was an enlightening forum and one I'll be adding to my annual calendar. Here’s what I took away: 🚨 Why are brands so quiet? From Bud Light to Target, brands have pulled back on DEI initiatives due to backlash fears. But underrepresenting LGBTQIA+ communities is a missed opportunity. Gen Z is the queerest generation yet, and visibility in ads isn't just the right thing to do; it drives growth and strengthens relationships. 💡 Authenticity matters Session 1 featured E45's trans-inclusive ad, born from authentic insights via social listening. It wasn’t just inclusive—it was rooted in trans joy, providing value to the community beyond the ad space. One key takeaway: authentic LGBTQIA+ advertising requires preparation. The team anticipated backlash and had strategies in place, from customer care responses to knowing when to stay silent. This ensured the brand stood firm instead of retreating. ✊ Representation beyond visibility Session 2 focused on intersectionality, especially for QTIPOC communities. Chloe Davies’ work on Virgin Atlantic showed how inclusivity starts with strategy, advocating for inclusive uniform policies. Authentic representation needs ongoing investment, not just seasonal campaigns. 📈 Effectiveness vs. Fear Outvertising’s consumer report highlighted the commercial benefits of inclusive advertising. But fear of backlash still holds brands back. We need to shift the narrative from “woke” risk to measurable growth. 🤖 AI and Inclusivity The final session explored AI’s role in inclusive advertising was explored. Without diverse datasets, AI risks perpetuating biases and we need to champion inclusive data practice. 🎯 Key Takeaways: ·     Don’t just preach to the queer choir—reach new audiences. ·     Invest in long-term, authentic representation. ·     Embrace boldness with nuance; showcase joyful, everyday queer stories. ·     Harness AI responsibly, ensuring diverse voices shape the technology. Shoutout to my Artbot queer partner-in-crime, Jack Apperley, for attending with me! #OutvertisingLive #InclusiveAdvertising #MarketingLeadership #DiversityAndInclusion

More trans representation (and joy!) in the industry, please 🫡 🏳️⚧️ One of our faves in the advertising space, Sonnie (Comms Co-Director at Outvertising) doing their thang (moderating a panel about platforming trans voices) at the Meta offices in London 🔥 ft. Rachel Bowen and Sarina Da Costa Gomez (T&Pm), and Sally Perry (Karo Healthcare). Some of our main take-aways: 👉 There’s money to be had in dem der hills — it’s not ‘go woke, go broke’. 👉 If you’re backing a community as a brand, you need to ride-or-die for them. For every one person who will complain about you making a statement in support of LGBTQIA+ groups, there’s 1.8 people who will be disappointed if you back out. 👉 ⁠Asad Shaykh closed the event with an inpsiring, hilarious, and emotional talk — titled ‘The Tiger and the Jackal’ — on how fear is the real enemy. 👉 ⁠The panel Sonnie moderated discussed the latest TV ad from skincare brand E45 (which features real stories and experiences from the trans community) and the huge lengths they went to to work with the people they were representing, so they got the message right. 👉 More representation of trans-masc people is needed across the board 👉 But also, overall LGBTQ+ representation is still FAR too low, and abuse and negative press is still WAY too high.

Honoured to have the opportunity to work with you Cassius Naylor and Jose-Luiz Moura on the Outvertising AI Taskforce. Your panel positioned the topic brilliantly, particularly that we are all the personal "I"s in AI and we have the opportunity to ensure that its outputs represent us. Congratulations to Chris Dunne and the whole team who delivered a superlative event.

Last week, Outvertising, the not-for-profit LGBTQIA+ advertising and marketing, advocacy group held Outvertising Live 2024 at Meta. The event launched at a pivotal moment in time when brands are buckling under backlash, pulling pride campaigns and failing to properly represent their LGBTQIA+ consumers. The day was designed to inspire brands and marketers, to equip and empower them with the tools they need to make queer-friendly work that works. In this article, discover the three key learnings from Outvertising Live 2024: https://lnkd.in/eitvFXfx

As a early and former Director of Communications for Outvertising, its a thrill to see it ever growing potenial. #OutvertisingLive was an exceptional experence to enjoy. I greatly look foreward to next year.

I was delighted to facilitate this Outvertising Live panel - and if you missed it we will have the video of the panel soon. The E45 ad really has set the bar, deftly demonstrating what centring Trans+ voices and committing to benefitting the community can look like. Thank you to my guests Rachel, Sarina and Sally not just for the insights, but also helping make this important work happen.

It was such a pleasure to moderate last week at Outvertising

Thank you Campaign UK for featuring Outvertising Live and highlighting how queer advertising can be more impactful and authentic, especially for diverse audiences. It was funny (but not really) to realise that even within queer advertising, representation is in products and sectors that are considered 'fun' – it's always the fun stuff, like the alcohol, the skincare, the fashion, the beauty. Where are the QTIPOC people buying homes, banking, driving cars, doing DIY? Yes we are fabulous, but if advertising aims to show audiences the best lives they can live, why are we not seeing ours? It was an honour to be on a panel with incredible people like Kerrie Braithwaite, K Bailey Obazee, Chloe Davies and Russie M., to hear about your accomplishments, experiences and the work we all still have to do. It gives me great hope and joy to know that we are all moving towards the same goal - better and more authentic representation in the work and in who makes the work - together.

Last week I had the privilege of attending #OutvertisingLive for a brilliant afternoon discussing #LGBTQIA+ representation and acceptance within #advertising and #marketing. While we celebrated brilliant work such as #E45's 'This is Me. This is My Space.' campaign by T&Pm - we were also reminded of the animosity and hate that we're subjected to by media outlets, individuals and digital platforms. While the negative noise around our community has felt louder and more amplified than ever - our authentic stories and lived experiences, along with our commitment to uplifting EVERY part of our community, is more powerful than any attempts to silence us. A huge thank you to Chris Dunne, the Outvertising team, and all the incredible speakers for such an uplifting, impactful and empowering event. It’s clear that when we create spaces where diverse voices are truly heard and valued, we unlock the potential to drive meaningful change and inspire a brighter, more inclusive future 🌈 If you want to find out more about #Outvertising and their brilliant work, get involved here --> https://lnkd.in/evriFvFg Sonnie S. / Rachel Bowen / Sally Perry / Sarina Da Costa Gomez / Russie M. / Chloe Davies / Ade Yeo / K Bailey Obazee / Kerrie Braithwaite / Cassius Naylor / Deborah Womack / Laura Jordan Bambach / Asad Shaykh / Rodney Collins PhD / Andrew Tindall / Thanh Catachanas / Sandra Masiliso / Joanne Lucy / Mark Runacus MBE