Marketers seek to understand their target audience by looking at characteristics such as income, age and gender. However, in order to really connect with people, marketers must also understand cultural differences and the importance of diversity. I mean come on, it’s 20 freaking 19, it’s about time brands start breaking down barriers and demolishing stigmas and stereotypes. Listed below are five brands that are dominating at being more culturally competent.
Covergirl
Covergirl decided to take a stance on boys/men advertising makeup back in 2018. Covergirl is a huge supporter of LGTBQ+ rights and decided it was time for a change. After the reality show “RuPaul’s Drag Race” becoming a huge hit, people were starting to question why only women advertise makeup. So, Covergirl took it upon themselves to create a shock factor by having the first ever Coverboy, James Charles, for their new campaign “Lash Equality.”
Aerie
Aerie has always supported all shapes, sizes, and colors in their brand. I myself am a curvy girl and love to shop there solely because I feel welcome. Because they already celebrate these forms of beauty, they wanted to take it step further and celebrate women who are in different walks of life, showcasing their disability. Aerie’s slogan, “We are committed to making all girls feel good about their REAL selves,” is another reason this campaign is so important to them. They wanted to make lingerie, bras, underwear, activewear, for ALL women. There’s not many, if at all, undergarment line’s that cater to someone’s disability, so Aerie wanted to change that. Being your real self means embracing what you were born with.
Nike
Nike is the first ever company to come out with an athletic version of a hijab for Muslim women. Nike has always been pro-diversity and always takes a stance on social injustice with their remarkable ads. Nike wanted their Muslim-athletes to still participate in sports while still wearing their hijab, so they created a breathable material that wouldn’t get too hot. Nike is one of the biggest athleticwear companies, and they do their absolute best to use that as a platform to cater to all types of athletes. They realized that they were lacking in the Muslim community, so they decided to make a change and create an athletic version of the hijab. The Pro Hijab even won the Beazley Design of the Year award.
Target
Target is a multicultural business empire, and they are more willing to promote Latinos than most companies. Because of this, there’s been a huge positive response from the Latino community. Target aims to win over the Latino community to increase their diversity and because they are loyal shoppers. With a new CEO who joined back at the end of 2015, he made it his goal to help turn around Target’s retailer to a more Hispanic-friendly shopping experience. Target is already ranked as number 22 of 50 of the most diverse companies.
Fenty Beauty
The creator of Fenty, Rihanna, was tired of African American women only being able to choose from a handful of dark shades of makeup foundation. She took it upon herself to create a whole makeup line that specialized in all skin shades, types, and undertones. Fenty is the first makeup brand to have over 40+ shades of foundation and concealer. She wanted people to understand that there are many different shades of “black.” Rihanna herself is a mix of many different races, including African American. She wanted her company to be inclusive of all gender, race, personality, and culture. She highlights the whitest of people to the darkest of people to show that all skin type is beautiful. She mainly focuses on the darker shades because not many people realize there are many shades of undertones, and there isn’t just a “dark” shade of foundation.