Representation and Diversity in Media with Claudia Worms Sciama

We all know diversity and inclusion are important in marketing, but what exactly does that mean for new Canadians? Many Canadians come from multicultural backgrounds, with families and roots in other countries. Finding ways to best communicate with and speak to these values is an important part of Canadian marketing. What can brands be doing to make all Canadians feel more represented in their advertising efforts?

Emma Whiten, Editor of Marketing News Canada, had the opportunity to chat with Claudia Worms Sciama, Managing Director, Automotive & Consumer Goods at Google Canada, about her perception of the current state of advertising in Canada. Claudia’s answers can be found below:

Emma: Do people living in Canada feel represented by current advertising standards?

Claudia: The cultural makeup of Canada is distinct, and diversity has always been part of its collective identity. I moved to Canada in 2018 with my husband and four kids from Brazil, and I’ve been in awe of how many other Canadians share similar stories.

Diversity and inclusion is top of mind for many Canadian companies, and businesses have certainly made strides to prioritize it in marketing strategies. Despite this, research from Google shows that 1 in 4 Canadians feel there is a lack of representation in advertising today. While there is progress being made, brands have an opportunity to create more authentic connections with their audiences.

What authentic steps can brands be taking to better improve diversity in advertising?

Many Canadians with multicultural backgrounds have a foot in two worlds and seek the balance between their home culture and Canadian culture. One size doesn’t fit all when communicating with diverse audiences, making it important to tailor messages that resonate with different people. When brands authentically make diverse audiences feel seen, the more likely they are to build long-lasting connections and brand loyalty.

As marketers, every creative choice you make has the power to shape how we see ourselves and each other - and make a positive contribution to the media landscape. There are a few things brands can do to better improve diversity in their advertising. First, they need to build the right team. This includes hiring and empowering underrepresented talent in their teams so ideas benefit from a variety of perspectives. Second, brands need to make inclusive strategic and creative choices, from defining the audience and media strategy to brief making to writing a script or social copy. Lastly, brands need to hold their teams accountable by setting goals and measuring progress, through things like representation audits and creative targets, to ensure your work is on the right track.

How can brands help Canadian newcomers feel more confident in their new community?

As someone who experienced life as a newcomer when I moved over to Canada, I understand how challenging navigating an unfamiliar environment can be. Before arriving in Canada, newcomers often have to find a place to stay and are researching potential communities they might connect with once they arrive. Even then, it tends to take a while to start feeling at home.

Marketers need to understand the typical newcomer journey to Canada to know the right time to show up for them, and how. For example, language plays an important role. More than 40% of East Asians consume media in Cantonese, and one-third in Mandarin, while almost half of South Asians do so in Hindi and more than 1 in 5 in Punjabi, meaning Canadian advertisers have the opportunity to present ads to newcomers in their native languages. Also, a survey of East Asian, South Asian and Southeast Asian Canadians revealed that most said they are trying to balance Canadian lifestyle and traditions with those of their own countries, meaning it's key for advertisers is to show up for diverse audiences during key moments. There are key moments in the calendar each year that are particularly important for multicultural Canadians, and marketers should be including and prioritizing these occasions. Events like Diwali and Lunar New Year see high search interest year after year.

What are the top three things brands need to prioritize when looking to increase diversity and inclusion in advertisements?

Multicultural marketing needs to be at the forefront of every brand's business objectives, and marketers should weave in diversity at every stage of the creative journey. Beyond the growth opportunities, it’s ultimately important to remember that “business is about belonging”. When people feel like they’re being represented and that they belong — either through diverse and representative advertising in their native language or by connecting during their holiday celebrations — they’ll reciprocate with their loyalty.

For marketers looking to increase diversity and inclusion in advertisements, a few areas to prioritize include:

• Designing an inclusive strategy: It is important to thoroughly understand your audience. Ways to do this include leveraging extensive market research and insights-based strategies; ensuring these learnings are built into all objectives, creative briefs and media strategies. As Canada’s diverse population continues to grow as a result of increased immigration, prioritizing diversity within all marketing efforts is only going to become even more essential.
• Building authentic content: People are increasingly looking out for content that represents their journey and background. By understanding the key multicultural moments and being there at the right time, marketers have the opportunity to break the mould and deliver diverse stories from a variety of voices.
• Measuring, learning, and adapting: The multicultural audience is ever-evolving, as a result, it is essential that advertising adapts to these changes to improve. Don’t be afraid to test and learn. And if you don't know where to start, you can always start small and build scale-up.

As someone who has once been a newcomer to Canada, how has this experience shaped your career?

That’s a great question. I am the first newcomer to join the C-suite of Google Canada. It’s been incredible seeing how my perspectives differ from my counterparts, both as a newcomer and as a woman. I am not saying they are better or worse, but they ignite discussions that probably would never exist if this Brazilian woman wasn’t there.

Sharing a bit of my trajectory. I’ve been with Google for over 15 years. I started in Google Brazil back in 2007 and led partnerships with main retailers, pure players and omnichannel for 11 years. I moved to Canada with Google to lead partnerships with Consumer Goods and Automotive companies, helping them to achieve their marketing and business objectives.

I’ve always felt that my experiences, both in Brazil and in Canada, provide a unique perspective on the industry. Through engaging with various projects, I’ve also seen more women rising to leadership roles that were previously led by men in Google and business partners.

I feel very fortunate to be a newcomer in Canada, where my partner and I can raise our kids in an inclusive environment with a diverse perspective of the world. This would be hard to find anywhere else. I also feel fortunate to partner with companies that are willing to build inclusive and authentic communications with their clients.

In your own words, why is a multicultural approach to marketing so important?

With Canada’s commitment to immigration, the diverse population continues to grow as a result. Prioritizing diversity within all marketing efforts is only going to become even more essential. This is an important consideration for advertisers and marketers because multicultural Canadians increasingly want to be associated with brands that reflect their own values. We’ve seen this through brands like Sephora, who have worked to incorporate more inclusive marketing tactics that resonate with diverse audiences.

Specifically, Sephora’s purpose has long been to inspire and cultivate an inclusive beauty community. Their “We Belong to Something Beautiful” brand platform is rooted in championing diversity through the authentic representation and stories of local Canadian collaborators to foster a sense of belonging for all. Over the last few years, their ‘We Belong’ brand platform has extended into highlighting even more individuals, communities, and culturally significant moments, including Lunar New Year, Diwali, and National Indigenous History Month.

Companies that authentically celebrate diversity should exemplify this key Canadian value in all of their marketing efforts to resonate with shoppers. And brands need to have a multicultural marketing strategy specific to the Canadian market.

Written by Emma Whiten, Former Editor of Marketing News Canada, with answer from Claudia Worms Sciama