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Interview with Rosetta L. Clay
Diversity in ads and insecurities in the workplace

When you think of diversity, what do you think of? The first thing that comes to mind for most people is race. Although race is a factor, other things contribute to creating a diverse group. We spoke to Rosetta L. Clay—a doctoral student of Diversity & Equity in Education—about diversity in ads and insecurities in the workplace. Here’s what we gathered.

Representation

Consumers will buy and engage more with a brand when they are being represented. Having diversity in an ad is critical nowadays, but it can be hard for 

 

companies to portray diversity in a way that doesn’t come off as being a token in a campaign. Rosetta said, “Be clear and intentional about what it is you’re trying to convey. Now, in this cancel culture, we have a lot of organizations that don’t have the budgets to miss the mark on these things.”

Ways not to “miss the mark” in an ad:

  • Start by diversifying your team
  • Once the ad is done, run it by another group that wasn’t part of making the ad
  • Make it a safe place to voice an opinion
  • Use focus groups

Insecurities in the workplace

Many insecurities arise at work when people feel their opinion or perspective doesn’t matter. Often that feeling comes when peers don’t accept their coworkers, or don’t show that acceptance. Rosetta said, “The concept of belonging for me is that everyone comes into the space knowing that they belong there. You don’t own it, I don’t own it. We all share it. We should always think about how we can be better by being a part of that together.”

In the workplace, it can be difficult to navigate co-worker relationships. Rosetta offers a solution by finding an ally. She stated that they aren’t there to speak for you, but they will help you navigate through certain situations because of seniority.

Diversity in the workplace is not just the right thing, but it also makes good business sense. Diversity will help us overcome our blind spots, make our advertising and marketing richer, and help maintain a vibrant workforce.