Diversity and inclusivity are the pillars of a modern, open society, and advertising’s role in supporting it bears a critical responsibility. Advertising campaigns have seen a profound shift toward embracing multicultural visuals, mirroring our diverse and complex society. But representation in audio has not been as easy to replicate.
One specific challenge for audio advertisers is ethnolects, which are distinct varieties of a language often characterized by vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and intonation patterns that reflect a speaker’s cultural background and identity. However, for audio advertising, ethnolects and accents don’t always align with the anticipated ethnic representative. So, how do you embrace diversity in a medium without sight?
Unlike visual advertising, where skin color, gender expression, ability and more can be used to convey diversity, audio relies solely on sound. This places a premium on voice, music, sound effects and their interplay to communicate diversity effectively.
The challenge of conveying ethnolects
While visual advertising taps into the ease of physical representation, in which images can illustrate diversity in its many forms, within the realm of audio advertising, diversity becomes more challenging to discern and, thus, convey.
An “unplaceable” voice or accent does not give clear clues about a person’s geographical, ethnic or sociocultural background.
The issue with ethnolects is that they don’t always match stereotypical ethnic identifiers. For instance, an individual with a heavy Australian accent may not be identifiable as someone of Asian descent. Similarly, a speaker with a broad Standard American English accent could well be of Latino heritage.
Because of the importance of cultural representation, this poses a significant challenge to audio advertisers who strive to create content that resonates with a multicultural audience. Accent and language variations are a critical component of cultural identity. Still, they are not a definitive or exclusive attribute of any ethnic group.
Just as many in the advertising industry have embraced visual diversity, it’s time to turn up the volume on the unseen diversity in audio advertising.
Due to global connectivity and the melding of cultures, individuals no longer fit into neatly defined ethnic categories based on their accents or language. The idea that accents or dialects must tie back to a certain ethnicity is too simple and doesn’t reflect the rich and complex identities people have today.
Although accents and language are a huge part of culture and cultural exchange, leaning only on ethnolects as a marker for diversity in audio advertising can actually promote damaging stereotypes. Expecting individuals from a particular ethnic background to sound a certain way disregards their personal experiences and unnecessarily simplifies complex cultural details.
While people can effortlessly recognize visual indicators of diversity, discerning diversity through audio alone necessitates a higher level of cultural exploration, exposure and understanding.
Lean on an array of in-culture creative experts
The ability to recognize different ethnolects is not an innate one, it’s learned; it’s this challenge that complicates the process of communicating multiculturalism through audio products and environments. Audio advertisers navigate this conundrum by acknowledging and embracing the complexity and individuality of multicultural voices.
Rather than relying solely on matching ethnolects with expected ethnic representatives, advertisers should focus on in-culture and authentic narratives that resonate with a real audience—selecting in-culture over in-language alone. After all, cultural diversity is not just about ethnicity but encompasses various facets of identity, including language, values, beliefs, experiences and more.
To reach their desired audiences, brands must leverage the power of storytelling. A well-crafted story can transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries to connect with listeners on a deep, emotional level. This approach takes the focus away from solely depending on the ethnolect itself and places it on the narrative, making it more inclusive and accessible to diverse audiences. Just as many in the advertising industry have embraced visual diversity, it’s time to turn up the volume on the unseen diversity in audio advertising.
The evolving multicultural audio landscape calls for a re-evaluation of the approach to inclusivity, urging the industry to confront the invisible stereotypes that persist. The common perception that each ethnolect must align with a particular ethnicity can inadvertently marginalize individuals whose voices don’t fit the traditional mold. This outdated perspective perpetuates a one-dimensional view of multiculturalism, rendering numerous voices unheard and unrepresented.
It lies on the shoulders of experienced, multicultural creative directors—whose nuanced understanding is essential—to ensure that audio narratives resonate authentically with diverse audiences, beyond the surface level of accent alone.
The opportunity ahead
Advertisers must architect a new soundscape—one that surpasses stereotypes and authentically reflects real diversity. By partnering with diverse creative experts, brands can craft campaigns that resonate deeply with listeners, honoring their nuanced cultural identities. Multicultural audio advertising presents a unique opportunity to shift the sole focus from accents and languages to the stories they convey. A younger multicultural generation is redefining what it means to hear and be heard, challenging the best creatives to re-learn how they navigate art and sound to connect.
