Major Australian brand and agency leaders pledge to better disability representation
Back row L-R: Margie Reid, CEO, Thinkerbell; Naomi Driver, general manager marketing, Bupa; Henry Smith, founder and chair, Inclusively Made; Justin Ricketts, CEO, Hogarth Australia
Front row L-R: Ann Sherry AO; Paul Nunnari PSM, CEO, Inclusively Made; Emma Watkins, ambassador, Inclusively Made; Vanessa Rowed, marketing director, Big W
Inclusively Made hosted leading Australian brands including Nine Entertainment, Big W, ABC, Bupa and Telstra alongside creative agencies Thinkerbell, BMF and M&C Saatchi yesterday at the National Inclusion Commitment event; with the ambition of embedding inclusion as business as usual in the global production and entertainment industries.
The event was driven by a shared drive to translate aspirations into tangible commitments for authentic inclusion in marketing, through the Inclusion Commitment pledge. The landmark function, held at Boston Consulting Group’s Headquarters in Sydney, saw industry leaders sign the Inclusion Commitment to reaffirm their steadfastness to creating a more inclusive and representative marketing landscape in Australia.
The Inclusion Commitment pledge signifies a commitment to three key actions:
• Increasing authentic representation of people with disabilities in marketing campaigns to promote inclusion and acceptance.
• Championing inclusive practices in marketing and production to create pathways for disability inclusion.
• And partnering with Inclusively Made to align efforts in advancing inclusive practices across media and production.
Ann Sherry AO, an influential business figure and long-term champion of inclusivity in marketing, outlined the need for more inclusive narratives in marketing practices: “In a world where one in five people live with a disability, there is a severe underrepresentation of writers and actors with disability in advertising and marketing-related content, and sometimes entirely non-existent.
“Today we witnessed leading Australian companies address that urgent need, by signing the Inclusion Commitment, which is the first step in championing and encouraging inclusive practices by brands and agency leaders in their marketing communications.”
In addition to talks from Sherry on the industry-wide inclusivity problems, attendees at the event engaged in discussions with former Paralympic medallist Paul Nunnari PSM, who is also the CEO of Inclusively Made. Nunnari shared his personal journey and the progress in fostering inclusion in marketing nationwide.
Nunnari acknowledged the overwhelming support from major Australian companies and industry leaders: “It’s humbling to see some of the country’s biggest companies such as Telstra, Big W, Bupa and Nine Entertainment, amongst many others, embracing the Inclusion Commitment. Their commitment demonstrates a collective effort towards fostering authentic representation and advancing inclusive practices of people with disability in media and production.
“We are grateful to everyone who came forward to be part of this important movement and there are still opportunities to commit, so I personally invite and encourage you to sign the online pledge or get in contact with Inclusively Made to find out more.”
Amongst the organisations to pledge their commitment, and a foundation partner of Inclusively Made, Nine Entertainment’s CMO Liana Dubois says: “As Australia’s Media Company, we’re focused on the stories that bring us together. Our commitment to shaping culture, challenging perspectives and entertaining Australia is unwavering. We will continue to strive to represent the audiences we serve right across Australia. Our partnership with Inclusively Made has strategically evolved our approach to representation, ensuring we can integrate inclusive thinking and practices into our every day.”
Says Henry Smith, founder and chair of Inclusively Made: “We are incredibly proud to host and see so many great organisations taking inclusion seriously and committing to inclusive diverse marketing practices. With over two decades of experience in filmmaking and production, our journey at Inclusively Made has led us to this transformative moment and it continues to grow.”
Companies can take the pledge here.
For more information on the National Inclusion Commitment and to join this inclusive movement, please contact Inclusively Made at hello@inclusivelymade.com.