A new cross-industry initiative to improve the representation of Black people in marketing.
Create meaningful change by re-evaluating your own practices and taking action today. BRiM provides actionable advice to help anyone, no matter their level, improve the representation of Black people in marketing.
“The Advertising Association is hugely proud to support BRiM. It is the most comprehensive programme yet to accelerate change and improve the inclusion and development of Black talent in our industry.”
“I am committed to helping create tangible actions that lead to sustained and meaningful change for the long term. BRiM will continue to highlight this issue and accelerate progress in the area and I am incredibly honoured to be Chair.”
“Our industry continues to evolve and so must our practices… Failing to commit to addressing diversity now will leave our industry vulnerable – consultancies and agencies must work together with brands to build an industry that is reflective of the society we serve.”
“My singular hope and ambition for BRiM is that we can ignite and inspire a fresh perspective; that the intellectual, creative and commercial contribution of Black people is a critical competitive advantage that requires support, development and equity in every modern media and marketing organisation.”
“[BRiM is] the first ever campaign created by Black creatives and allies, that not only raises awareness around Black representation in marketing, but specifically through BRiM provides clear, immediate and tangible action to create positive change. Less talking and more doing.”
“Organisations that refuse to remove the systemic barriers limiting Black and brilliant talent’s progress or access to leadership roles are effectively limiting their current and future economic value, and will struggle to attract new talent from the market in future as the pool of those happy with the status quo is shrinking.”
“It’s about time the entire Marketing community truly confronts what needs to be done to address under-representation. It takes all of us to make this happen, but leaders need to embrace this commitment with concrete, measurable actions. Not just words. As an immigrant and person-of-colour in Europe, this is personal to me. I will do my part.”
“It’s time we all walk the walk. We all have a responsibility, no matter your business, role or level, to drive real change. The beauty of the BRiM framework is its accessibility. Anyone, and I mean anyone, can take the toolkit and implement it into your business tomorrow with a measurable roadmap for the future.”
“It can sometimes be difficult to know where to begin, or what actions to take. BRiM provides practical, tangible tools to actively support the great commitments made by organisations towards creating a future where we can all see ourselves celebrated, valued and included.”
“We know the WHY, what BRiM provides is the HOW. Great change requires sharp focus. If we can solve an issue this entrenched it will in turn provide the momentum for further leaps forward as we look to improve the way that commerce and society work.”
“The BRiM initiative will enable the entire marketing industry to actively take positive steps to tackle unequal representation and distribution of opportunities, with a usable toolkit to take action. We will be fully backing the initiative at OMG and I am especially proud of how the media industry has rallied to ensure its launch has the coverage it deserves.”
“When it comes to diversity, we all know that actions speak louder than words. Which is why I am hugely excited to be supporting the launch of BRiM. The BRiM framework is a fantastic step in the right direction for the industry, and a valuable tool in driving real change and increasing Black representation in marketing.”
“If we want to see systemic change in society, we need to see systemic change in our industry. Meaningful representation of Black people in advertising and inclusive storytelling to shift the cultural narrative is vital – there is no excuse not to accelerate change.”
“Of course we all do and should continue to empathise and align intellectually on improving Black representation, BUT the launch of BRiM represents a really simple framework that provides a way to take action and make a change.”
“BRiM is the change the industry urgently needs to see. Ultimately, BRiM is about deeds not words, and with so many practical ways to move forwards, we hope this is a game-changer.”
“ISBA and our members are committed to advance industry progress towards greater Diversity & Inclusion, through advertiser engagement. This framework provides another valuable tool for our members to ensure they achieve this.”
“If we want to increase Black representation in our industry, we need to stop thinking it is someone else’s job. Creating long term and meaningful change requires collective action. Our hope is for BRiM to be the catalyst for that action.”
“The power of BRiM is that it’s an effortless way for those working in marketing to ensure that their diversity is meaningful and inclusion more authentic. It’s most powerful impact will come from ensuring that all creators and managers have easy access to Black talent across the board which can only make their output richer and more impactful. At last!”
“The excellent advice and guidance provided through the initiative will educate individuals throughout the marketing industry, helping to build knowledge and confidence which in turn will drive appropriate, conscious action.”
“The lack of broader perspectives and representation results in discrimination in both attitudes and behaviour. This is the moment for change.”
“[BRiM] goes beyond optical representation – this is about ensuring brands have access to diverse talent, allowing diverse individuals practical opportunities to elevate their work, and the chance to have open and honest conversations about the future of the industry”.
“Rather than admiring the extent of the problem, we need to focus our attention on doubling down our efforts in the area of Black representation in advertising. The framework laid out by BRiM is a great place to start, no matter where you are in your D&I journey.”
“I am amazed and so proud of the hard work by so many people to make BRiM a reality. It’s such an important endeavour for all of us to be supporting and implementing, and one which will make real and lasting change.”
“Created with the industry, BRiM is the first step in creating an actionable framework to not only find but also keep and grow Black talent. Advertising that is truly reflective of the communities we live in will drive long lasting change and effectiveness.”
“The issue is no longer whether we have a problem with racial equity, but more whether this is a time for words or actions. Action means measurable change. Do we have the grit to make this happen now not later.”
“Over recent years we have seen clumsy marketing that offends. If the industry refuses to diversify, then these ‘mistakes’ are actually by deliberate design. BRiM is a positive moment that will take us to measurable change in business.”
“The BRiM framework is an actionable resource to ensure that representation in marketing is built from the ground up and not just an afterthought in the work. There is still much work to be done, but this is a great positive step to hold ourselves as an industry accountable.”
“As marketers we know how to fight for market share but there’s a fight that’s long overdue and that’s Black Representation in Marketing. In our storytelling, in our teams, and in our agencies.”
“The advertising industry has an incredible level of power and influence, which goes hand-in-hand with a moral responsibility to shape a more inclusive and equitable society. As organisational leaders, we must transform words of solidarity into meaningful, lasting change.”
“Marketing influences society, it informs what we all think and do and it is therefore imperative that Black people are fairly represented both on and off camera. BRiM is about moving people from good intentions to meaningful actions and giving everyone in the industry the tools to do this.”
“Anyone who works in marketing and wants to help improve Black representation in advertising, now has no excuse. The BRiM framework provides brilliant tools to help companies make meaningful progress and affect real change.”
“If everyone was to take a minute, and just do one thing differently, BRiM could make a huge difference to the representation of Black people in our industry.”
“So often the reason for failing to act when it comes to improving inclusivity and equity in our industry is not knowing where to start or who to ask for guidance. The BRiM framework provides that help.”
“At Human After All we’re excited by BRiM and its unprecedented framework. We’re eager to support this new, collaborative effort to make actual long-lasting change and tackle the structural barriers facing Black members of our industry.”
“We are very proud to host the BRiM framework on our website. It’s a unique and very practical tool to improve Black representation in the entire marketing journey and totally aligns with our All In campaign for a truly inclusive industry. It is also another brilliant example of cross-industry collaboration borne out of the pandemic.”
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The framework addresses principles and commitments to improve the representation of Black people in the marketing industry, on and off camera. It intends to provide a simple baseline for good practice, linking to resources from credible third parties to guide education and implementation. The framework is accessible to everyone across the industry, encouraging individuals to review their behaviours and daily practices.
The BRiM framework is accessible to everyone of all levels across the industry, encouraging individuals to review their processes and daily practices. People are asked to join the BRiM community and start their journey.
This is not a commitment you need company wide approval of. To join the BRiM community we are asking for individuals to take responsibility for their own actions, and review the practices so they can make a meaningful change. At a company level, we want leaders to cascade the framework, and socialise it internally so it can be utilised across multiple teams.
To join the BRiM community, we are asking people to provide a small amount of information and confirm they’d be happy to contribute to ongoing research about the initiative. The research is aimed at understanding how people are using the framework and what more can be done to ensure it’s up to date and as useful as possible. All data will be anonymised before being shared publicly.
BRiM was born out of the Facebook Client Council following the brutal murder of George Floyd (May, 2020). The motive for the project was further supported by insight from experienced practitioners in the field of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, that in order to achieve measurable change, we must acknowledge the nuances each group faces and focus our attention on one specific group, testing and learning as we go.
According to BRiM research (Metrixlab, April 2021), 7 in 10 marketing professionals in the UK understand the need for fairer Black representation. And more than half (58%) of marketing professionals have made decisions to increase Black presentation in marketing in the past 12 months. However, there is an opportunity to move from good intentions to meaningful actions given that 42% of professionals have not made any decisions to increase Black representation in the past year. BRiM can help close this gap. Read more here.
There are multiple ways we are monitoring the effectiveness of BRiM. By joining the BRiM community, individuals are demonstrating their commitment to a long term journey and will be asked to feed into regular research looking at the effectiveness of the framework. Learnings will be shared publicly, anonymising the input.
Please send an e-mail to inclusion@adassoc.org.uk, we’d love to hear from you.
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