97% marketers believe LGBTQ+-inclusive marketing delivers benefits
An overwhelming majority of marketers (82%) believe that there is still substantial room for growth in LGBTQ+ inclusive marketing efforts, a new study conducted by ANA found.
The study, “LGBTQ+ Marketing Inclusion,” revealed that marketers believe LGBTQ+-inclusive marketing delivers benefits, including positively impacting brand perception (97%) and increasing brand loyalty (83%). Yet despite a large majority recognizing these benefits, only 55% of marketers actively marketed to or included the LGBTQ+ community in their marketing in the past year.
“This report not only provides a snapshot of the current landscape of LGBTQ+-inclusive marketing but also acts as a catalyst, urging the marketing industry to persistently embrace and champion diversity,” said Bob Liodice, CEO, ANA. “The message is clear: there is both a need and an opportunity for deeper inclusion strategies with LGBTQ+ consumers. As the industry moves towards a more inclusive future, those committed to turning these insights into actionable strategies will drive brand engagement and business growth.”
The study was conducted through August and September 2023, and surveyed ANA’s advertiser/client-side marketer members to understand the breadth of LGBTQ+-inclusive advertising and support for the community overall.
Key findings from the report include that more marketers are embracing LGBTQ+ marketing but there’s room for more. Almost all (93%) of marketers think it is important for the LGBTQ+ community to be visible in advertisements, an increase from 2021 when 79% of marketers thought the same. The study also found that 82% of marketers think more positively about a company that actively markets to or includes the LGBTQ+ community in their advertising, an increase from 2021 when 66% of marketers thought the same. However, in 2021, 98% of marketers noted they saw an increase of LGBTQ+ in advertisements over the past three years, while this latest report found that number decreasing to 64% of marketers.
“We’re witnessing a transformative shift towards genuine LGBTQ+ inclusion, yet the path forward is not clear of obstacles and requires a committed, nuanced approach to truly reflect and embrace this diverse community,” said Greg Wright, Senior Vice President of Brand & Media, ANA.
The top challenge marketers faced in the past year around executing LGBTQ+-inclusive marketing campaigns included difficulties in identifying brand-safe environments for their LGBTQ+-inclusive marketing campaigns (39%) and concern of potential consumer blowback (39%). When the study was previously conducted in 2021, the top challenge preventing marketers from being more inclusive was concern they would get it wrong (50%). However, this recent study found that concern has waned, with only 25% of marketers considering it as a challenge. Similarly, in 2021, 44% of marketers noted budget limitations as a challenge to implement LGBTQ+-inclusive marketing campaigns, yet only 29% of marketers saw it as a challenge over the past year.
According to the study, most of the creative that featured LGBTQ+ casting was found on the internet and in more targetable media, including social media (86%), websites (66%), digital and retail media (66%), and influencer generated content (55%). However, only 34% of marketers used LGBTQ+-targeted media in their marketing mix.
