Lessons on Diversity From the Oscars and Super Bowl

Though the Super Bowl took place on Feb. 2, some are still upset over what their children saw during a supposedly "family-friendly" Super Bowl halftime performance by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. Brands of all sizes, including the NFL and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, continue to reckon with authenticity and diverse representation in their campaigns. Part of that process is grappling with the fact that some viewers might feel isolated, offended or misrepresented, potentially leading to a PR crisis. [kickout id="6"] We saw this when Hallmark flip-flopped over the same-sex Zola ad it ran (then removed, then ran again based on who it was receiving pushback from). The NFL did not respond to a request for comment, and the Academy declined to comment. Making a genuine effort Ever since Colin Kaepernick took a knee in 2016 during the national anthem as a protest against systemic racial oppression and police brutality, the NFL faced loud backlash and harsh criticism. When he subsequently went unsigned in 2017, it sparked allegations of racism and put the NFL in a position of trying to regain viewer trust. Ultimately, the league partnered with Roc Nation on this year's halftime show and got two Latina artists to perform in part because many black artists declined the offer to perform in solidarity with Kaepernick. Some felt it was an inauthentic makegood. Others reveled in newfound representation. Angela Henao, director of regional communications and PR at DDB Latina, was one of those who basked in Latina pride. "What I saw, and what through my own words and interpretations I passed down to my children, was what the power of music, art and talent have to bridge borders, gender and cultural stereotypes," Henao said, "and furthermore, the power to connect people." Alison Trope, director of undergraduate studies at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and director of The Critical Media Project, said it's difficult to say what is authentic versus inauthentic, given the corporate lens. "There is always a careful balancing act going on. Certainly, some of this is about preserving the brand, about looking good, or as Roland Marchand put it, giving the corporation a soul,” Trope said, adding companies view these acts as part of the bottom line. In spite of the controversial baggage that the Super Bowl LIV halftime show and the Oscars brought with them, both events involved actors, singers and personalities that made conscious choices to not shy away from actual issues. Jennifer Lopez donned a reversible feathered cape with an American flag on one side and the Puerto Rican flag on the other while Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." played, a choir of children stood in lit cages and Shakira channeled both her Colombian and Lebanese heritage through her dancing, singing and celebratory trill, the zaghrouta. [kickout id="8"] These choices, while upsetting to some, also resonated deeply with other viewers. Righting the wrongs of #OscarsSoWhite The Oscars, which aired Feb. 9 and have also grappled with the fallout from #OscarsSoWhite, are dealing with something similar. [kickout id="4"] Per Trope, while she believes that #OscarsSoWhite was on some viewers' minds, she's certain the Academy had the hashtag at the forefront of its marketing strategy. Many steps were taken to show inclusivity. Hair Love, the moving short film about a black man who must do his daughter's hair for the first time, won an Oscar; Janelle Monáe opened the Oscars with a song that explicitly calls out the Academy for being "so white"; Parasite, a Korean drama that hinges on class tension and greed, was the first foreign language film to earn the Best Picture award; Idina Menzel sang songs from Frozen 2. When Taika Waititi, an indigenous man who identifies as a Polynesian Jew, won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Jojo Rabbit, he also went ahead and acknowledged the Native American ancestral lands—specifically the Tongva, Tataviam and Chumash peoples—the ceremony was taking place on. [kickout id="1"] [kickout id="2"] At the same time, people on social media fumed when Waititi won, frustrated that Greta Gerwig, director of the latest iteration of Little Women, did not take home an Oscar. Viewers also expressed anger over the fact that not a single woman on Sunday night was nominated for Best Director, and only one person of color was nominated in any of the acting categories. [kickout id="3"] While Trope acknowledges the parallels between the NFL and the Oscars, she does not believe that they're on the same playing field, saying, "The NFL is accused of exploiting players and their radicalized bodies. While turning a blind eye and not recognizing the work of people of color in film is important because it impacts how we see and understand the world through who tells stories, whose stories are told and who is acknowledged and valued for telling those stories, the NFL is a bad actor on another level." Marina Filipelli, COO of L.A.-based multicultural creative agency Orcí, felt that noting J-Lo, Shakira or Janelle Monáe's performances were chosen due to their ethnicities "steps us back a half-century." "Could the show's producers have been looking to diversify in terms of talent? Absolutely. But claims that that's the only reason they were chosen—as some sort of olive branch toward non-whites—is limiting and hurtful," Filipelli said. She continued, saying that equating these decisions to diversify a brand with talent as inauthentic and as tokenism is harmful to the artist’s talent and to the reality that a large part of America is interested in seeing those performances. Super Bowl halftime show sparks a dialogue Samira Sine, New York regional director of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that reviews and rates the age-appropriateness of entertainment and technology, said the organization saw much greater inclusion and diversity, with strong examples for girls and women in broader roles. But even the folks at Common Sense couldn't stop people from being repulsed by the belly dancing, nude Versace bodysuits and explicit Latinidad that distinguished Shakira and Jennifer Lopez's halftime extravaganza. As the middle-aged Latina divas twirled on poles and energetically swished their hips from side-to-side, Twitter raged. [kickout id="5"] [kickout id="7"] Luis Miguel Messianu, creative chairman and CEO at Miami-based multicultural advertising agency Alma, felt that Shakira and J-Lo were "two empowered and self-confident Latinas making a powerful statement about the rhythm, the color and the sense of diversity Latinos bring to the party." Per Messianu, the halftime show was proof that marketers need to pay attention to Latinos. "Advertisers need to believe and commit to marketing to us, understanding that Spanish is an integral part of its culture and how the usage of Spanish is more popular than ever among younger generations." Marketers need to start addressing Latino audiences because, per a U.S. Census Bureau report, "more than half of the nation's children are expected to be part of a minority race or ethnic group" by 2020. Moreover, the Census Bureau projected that in 2060, Latinos will comprise 28.6% of the total population. Currently, Latinos make up about 18.1% of the U.S. population, and 13.4% of those almost 60 million Latinos speak Spanish at home. Kristi Rowe, former CMO of Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, said she feels that the Super Bowl, and even events like the Oscars, can be a great opportunity to watch something as a family and open up a dialogue. It can serve as a catalyst to discuss anything seen or heard, especially more challenging topics like diversity, gender norms and representation. "Brands, in turn, should be aware of that opportunity and can choose to be a positive force, as long as it's authentic to who they are, and beyond the 30-second spot," said Rowe.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

How the Oscars and Super Bowl Are Reckoning With Missteps Around Diversity

Both brands had PR crises in the years following Kaepernick taking a knee and #OscarsSoWhite

Mónica Marie Zorrilla

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Mónica Marie Zorrilla