82% of Marketers Believe Brands Should Increase LGBTQ+-Inclusive Marketing
ANA Study Highlights Advancements and Challenges That Persist With LGBTQ+-Inclusive Marketing
NEW YORK (MARCH 28, 2024) – 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.”
Key findings from the report include:
- 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. - Marketers Face New Challenges Around LGBTQ+-Inclusive Marketing
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. - Marketers Using Select Targeted Media for LGBTQ+-Inclusive Marketing Campaigns
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.
“These insights underscore a pivotal moment for our industry,” said Greg Wright, Senior Vice President of Brand & Media, ANA. “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.”
“LGBTQ+ Marketing Inclusion” 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. The report includes qualitative feedback provided by the survey’s 101 participants, as well as considerable takeaways and resources. A copy of the full study can be accessed at ana.net/2024LGBTQreport.
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ABOUT THE ANA
The mission of the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) is to drive growth for marketing professionals, brands and businesses, the industry, and humanity. The ANA serves the marketing needs of 20,000 brands by leveraging the 12-point ANA Growth Agenda, which has been endorsed by the Global CMO Growth Council. The ANA’s membership consists of U.S. and international companies, including client-side marketers, nonprofits, fundraisers, and marketing solutions providers (data science and technology companies, ad agencies, publishers, media companies, suppliers, and vendors). The ANA creates Marketing Growth Champions by serving, educating, and advocating for more than 50,000 industry members that collectively invest more than $400 billion in marketing and advertising annually.