Inspiration: Uncomfortable Conversations | Can Tokenism lead to Representation?

Join us for a thought-provoking panel discussion on the evolving landscape of diversity in communications and advertising in partnership with Publicis Groupe UK.

Uncomfortable Conversations | Can Tokenism lead to Representation?

A headline stat from research by Publicis Groupe UK: 28% of UK adults say they actively avoid brands that don’t embrace diversity but it’s hard to authentically represent diverse communities. This research has uncovered that, for certain minority groups, tokenism is a lesser evil than no representation at all. Meanwhile, our race to embrace diversity has left some major demographics feeling ignored. Join us as we address these uncomfortable questions as well as uncovering the most representative channels for advertising.

Our expert panellists will delve into key questions surrounding the role of diversity in both product-led and service-led sectors, the authenticity of diversity in advertising, its impact on sales and societal perceptions, and the genuine commitment of companies towards diversity.

Here's some things the panel will cover;

Is diversity in comms as critical for product-led sectors vs service-led? Or are there more important elements to communicate about?
Is diversity in advertising now genuine or is it still just a token gesture in some sectors?
Do diverse ads boost sales or risk alienating customers?

Our Uncomfortable Conversation series aims to create comfortable spaces to have honest conversations, bringing together our powerful and influential network to share challenges in an open environment. Where we spark provocative debate, encourage our speakers and guests to step outside their comfort zone, and push boundaries. As an industry, we far too often just scratch the surface of problems so we aim to delve deeper into everyday business challenges.

Sophie Devonshire, CEO of The Marketing Society will be joined by;

Jaswinder Sandhu Head of Media at Asda

Jeff Fang, Strategic Planning Lead, EMEA & LATAM at Meta

Marcos Angelides, Joint Managing Director of Spark Foundry