Authored by, Kruti Shah, Founder, The Design Drama
Kruti Shah, Founder, The Design Drama.
As the founder of THE DESIGN DRAMA, a digital marketing agency based in Juhu, Mumbai, I’ve seen firsthand how much the marketing landscape has shifted. Inclusive marketing has moved beyond being just a trend it has become a business imperative. Consumers today expect the brands they support to reflect their values, identities, and experiences. At THE DESIGN DRAMA, we’ve adapted our approach to ensure our strategies reflect this new reality, making inclusivity central to everything we do.
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Understanding Diverse Audiences
At our agency, we start by delving deep into the diversity within our clients' audiences. We understand that inclusivity is more than just representing various groups visually it’s about authentically connecting with their stories, values, and backgrounds. Whether we’re working with a local brand in Mumbai or an international label, we emphasize creating campaigns that resonate with people from all walks of life.
Our approach begins with research and in-depth discussions with our clients to understand who their audience truly is. We don’t just focus on race or gender; we also consider other dimensions like age, ability, socio-economic background, and cultural nuances. These insights allow us to craft messages that resonate on a deeper level, ensuring that they don’t feel like superficial attempts at inclusivity.
Moving Beyond Surface-Level Diversity
When creating campaigns, we don’t stop at featuring diverse faces. We aim to go deeper by understanding the lived experiences of the target groups. At THE DESIGN DRAMA, we believe that simply adding diverse images or token roles does more harm than good. It often leads to a perception of inauthenticity and fails to establish a meaningful connection with the audience.
For instance, in a recent campaign we developed for a fashion client, we worked to ensure that our representation of diverse body types wasn’t just about ticking a box. The models we featured genuinely reflected the customer base and the target market. By doing this, we sent a clear message of authenticity, which resonated with the audience and generated positive feedback.
Collaboration with a Diverse Team
One way we ensure our campaigns are authentic is by fostering collaboration among a diverse team. At THE DESIGN DRAMA, our team members bring a variety of perspectives from different backgrounds, allowing us to avoid the pitfalls of tokenism. Diverse input is critical when developing both short-term campaigns and long-term marketing strategies.
We also believe in consulting experts from the communities we aim to reach. Whether it’s seeking insights on cultural practices or hiring consultants who understand the intricacies of different identity groups, we take these extra steps to ensure that our messaging hits the right notes.
Inclusivity in Product Development
Inclusivity shouldn’t stop with marketing it must extend into the product itself. We encourage our clients to incorporate inclusivity into their product development and service design. This could mean designing products that cater to a wide range of skin tones, body types, or abilities.
One of our proudest collaborations was with a client in the ethnic wear space. We worked on a campaign that championed body inclusivity by showcasing models of different body types, all of whom authentically represented the brand’s customer base. The campaign didn’t just boost engagement it deepened the emotional connection between the brand and its audience, proving that inclusivity is good for business as well as for society.
Accessibility in Digital Marketing
At THE DESIGN DRAMA, inclusivity also means ensuring that our clients’ digital assets are accessible to everyone. Accessibility is an often-overlooked but essential component of inclusivity. In 2024, it’s crucial for brands to think beyond visuals and ensure that all users can interact with their content comfortably, regardless of ability.
We guide our clients on how to make their websites and content more user-friendly, implementing features like alt text for images, captions for videos, and designs optimized for screen readers. Not only does this widen the reach of our campaigns, but it also sends a clear message that our clients care about all members of their audience.
The Heart of Our Strategy
In 2024, inclusive marketing is no longer optional it’s essential for businesses that want to thrive. At THE DESIGN DRAMA, we’ve embedded inclusivity into every stage of our projects, from audience research and product development to campaign execution and accessibility design. We believe that the brands that succeed today are those that not only reflect the diversity of the world but also connect with it on a deeper, more meaningful level.
For us, inclusive marketing is not just a strategy we preach it’s the heart of everything we do. By ensuring our clients’ messaging is authentic, inclusive, and accessible, we help them build stronger connections with their audiences and thrive in a diverse world. At THE DESIGN DRAMA, we firmly believe that the future of marketing is inclusive and we’re here to help our clients embrace that future, every step of the way.
For more information visit our website : https://thedesigndrama.com/
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