The Super Bowl Commercials Were All About Diversity

Last night was Super Bowl 52. I’m by no means a football fan (I barely even watch TV), however I attended an event where the game was being broadcast and managed to catch the Super Bowl commercials. One thing I noticed about the commercials was, similar to the themes that were echoed at last year’s Super Bowl, there was a lot of emphasis placed on the importance of diversity. These companies wanted us to see how inclusive they are and how much they embrace and celebrate everyone’s differences.

Two commercials, in particular, stood out in mind:

The first was a commercial from T-Mobile. I don’t even know what the commercial was for, to be honest. The commercial was a clear promotion for gender and racial equality. During the middle of the commercial the words flashed “We Are All Equal.”  There were babies, of all different races, making different facial expressions-it was adorable. At the end of the commercial, the words flashed “Change Starts Now…” then “Are You With Us?” The commercial ended with the T-Mobile logo.

The second commercial was a Coke commercial, similarly showing different types of people, from all walks of life. They wanted us to see that there’s a Coke uniquely designed for each person, regardless of what race you are, what gender you identify with, and what lifestyle choices you choose.

There were other commercials that featured this same diversity theme, but these two were the ones that stood out to me.

Organizations can learn from companies like T-Mobile and Coke. The current political climate has left our nation feeling divided. Companies that want to connect with their consumers need to emphasize their commitment to diversity. What are some ways that companies can show their commitment to diversity?

1.   Feature diversity in your advertising. It’s important for customers to see that your business caters to individuals from all different walks of life. When consumers visit your website, what types of people are featured on there? Is there a wide range of people featured in your promotional items?

2.   Hire employees that represent different backgrounds. I am more likely to patron a business if I see someone that looks like me. It’s important that customers feel represented and the employees are a great way for companies to highlight their ongoing commitment to diversity.

3.   Issue a statement via social media about your commitment to diversity. After the Uber boycott that went viral last year, I remember receiving several emails from different companies about how they strived to make diversity and inclusion a priority. No exaggeration, but it gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling upon opening the email.

In this day and age, the country has become extremely contentious. Organizations that can continuously demonstrate (through their words and actions) that diversity is a priority will strengthen organizational commitment, company culture, and brand loyalty, among other things. 

What are some other ways that companies can show their commitment to diversity?