Cultural Diversity Campaigns: December 2021/Holiday edition

Feel-Good Ads Depict Interracial Connections

As holiday ads get more racially diverse, some brands are foregrounding interracial and also cross-generational connections. Notably, in the context of soaring anti-Asian hate crimes since the pandemic (including many assaults of elderly victims), Coca-Cola and American e-marketplace Etsy both portray bonds forged between Black youth and elderly Asian women.

Retail Embraces Wide-Ranging Holiday Traditions

This year has also seen a clear uptick in retail comms and products that honour cultural and religious celebrations outside the standard template for Christmas – from reflecting how South Asians in Canada or Jewish Americans might spend Christmas to acknowledging a diversity of seasonal holidays, including Hanukkah, Diwali and Kwanzaa.

Brands Diversify Depictions of Santa

Emphasising a commitment to racial inclusivity by reimagining one of the most iconic Christmas motifs of all time – Santa Claus – brands, including US retailer Old Navy and handmade goods e-marketplace Etsy, are tackling the stereotypical portrayal of him as a rosy-cheeked white man (itself largely a brand construct, crafted by Coca-Cola).

Shopping Activations Boost Black Entrepreneurs

From tech giants (Google, Facebook) to retail leaders (H&M, Nordstrom), marketers are raising the profile of Black-owned brands, often via the full might of the extended holiday shopping season, including Black Friday. Such initiatives are particularly appealing to Gen Z, 56% of whom believe companies should support Black-owned brands, suppliers and vendors (McKinsey, 2021).