Unilever Marketing Chiefs Call on Brands to Make a Difference ‘on the Frontline’

Trust in businesses is rising, and people expect brands to make a bigger effort to tackle societal and environmental issues after the pandemic, Unilever’s top marketers claimed during the Cannes Lions Live festival today. Conny Braams, chief digital and marketing officer at Unilever, and Aline Santos, chief brand officer and chief diversity and inclusion officer, outlined the company’s new marketing approach during a virtual session at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity, which is taking place this week. After more than a year of the Covid-19 pandemic, Braams issued a call to action for marketers, who “have a unique opportunity to really make a difference—not behind our desks, but on the frontline.” “Trust in institutions and businesses has never been high," she continued. “And this goes hand-in-hand with increasing concerns over the environment and economic and social inequality. However, during the pandemic, many businesses have surprised consumers with what they are capable of. Trust in businesses is on the rise. If ever there was a time for brands to make a difference, it’s now.” Setting 'Unstereotype' into motion Her comments come less than a week after Unilever set out the next phase of its “Unstereotype” strategy to improve representation within its advertising and marketing. Five years after launching the initiative, Unilever has pledged to provide “inclusive thinking” across the whole marketing process, including in its consumer insights, product development and production teams. The company also said it would work with underrepresented groups to cease digital alterations to photography and include more diverse perspectives, such as from the likes of inclusive design and disability activist Christina Mallon, broadcaster and cultural commentator David Whiteley and Jon Miller, founder and chair of Open for Business, the coalition of global companies promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion. Speaking at Lions Live, Santos explained that Unilever’s marketing approach will focus on three principles: “Get real,” which means using a combination of data and empathy to “solve real problems for real people”; “Do good” by using “the power of brands to spur real, positive change for society and the environment”; and “Be unmissable” by ensuring brands are “first to mind” and champion “creativity and accessibility.” “It’s easy to forget, but we’re not our typical consumer. In our little bubble we think about brands and marketing all the time. We dissect, overanalyze it and celebrate it,” Santos continued. “Most people don’t give a damn about brands and advertising. Many don’t see themselves even represented in the ads.” Recent research conducted by Kantar on behalf of Unilever discovered that people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+, Hispanic, Black and Asian communities felt they were worst represented in advertising. Additionally, 71% of consumers believe that using stereotypes in advertising offers a bad influence to younger people. However, underrepresented communities were 30% more likely to be stereotyped than the general population, with over half (55%) of women with an Asian heritage stating they didn’t believe advertising represented them, and 46% of disabled men saying they saw negative portrayals of people like themselves in ads. Unilever campaigns that have featured the “Unstereotype” strategy are Dove’s “The Crown Act,” Shea Moisture’s “It Comes Naturally” and a campaign for tea brand Brooke Bond Red Label that was created to commemorate International Dwarfism Awareness Day. Adapting after the pandemic The pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, and marketers must adapt to “the new on-demand world,” Braams said during the Cannes talk. “The marketing world has merged with the sales world. Media channels are becoming commerce channels, and commerce channels are becoming media channels,” she said. Recent disruptions in technology and data also mean that “consumer choice is greater than it’s ever been,” Braams said, which can have greater benefits for marketers. “The availability of data allows us to have a much deeper understanding of people’s needs. It also allows us to better serve previously underserved groups in society,” she said. Santos added that “unmissable brands” meet two criteria: “First, in the battle for attention, they win by standing out in culture. Second, in the frontline of commerce, they win by being effortless to buy.” Unilever Sets Next Phase of 'Unstereotype' Strategy to Improve Representation in Industry