United Kingdom National Chapter

UK Chapter of the Unstereotype Alliance presents Conversations for Change

The UK Chapter is committed to advancing progressive and intersectional portrayals of marginalised groups. To help accelerate the pace of change its members and allies have come together to create a new content series, Conversations for Change. The aim of this series is to offer audiences an informal, inspiring, and personal set of learnings into progressive and unstereotypical storytelling.

The series features brand leaders, inclusion activists and marketing experts addressing a number of key diversity, equity and inclusion topics including how to dismantle stereotypes in advertising, the importance of cultural nuance, and dealing with backlash.

Each ten-minutes episode features a diverse line-up of industry titans and includes intimate conversations across the themes ‘Lived Experiences’, ‘How to Achieve Authentic Representation’, ‘The Power of Cultural Nuance’, ‘Driving Positive Social Change’ and ‘The Future of Diversity in Advertising’.

UK Chapter Chair, Keith Weed, says: “The insights and lessons shared make this compelling and necessary viewing for anyone working in the ad, creative and marketing industries today. Diversity in advertising is no longer an innovative extra, it must be seen as business as usual, and this content series is a vital resource to help advance this agenda.”

Advertising market size (US$): 25.74 billion (4th largest in the world)  

Launch date: July 2020  

Strategic priorities: To tackle deeply ingrained inequalities in the UK, with a specific focus on advancing progressive and intersectional portrayals of women, girls and marginalised communities in the UK.

Strategic industry events: AdWeek Europe, Drum Content Awards 

Members: Acast, adam&eveDDB, Advertising Association (AA), AMV BBDO, BBD Perfect Storm, B&Q, Diageo, E.ON UK PLC, Facebook, Fleishman Hillard, Google, GSK, IPG, Kantar, Kellogg’s, LinkedIn UK, Lloyds Banking Group, Mars, Mondelēz International, PepsiCo, Sainsbury’s, Sky, Tesco PLC, The Co-op, Unilever, Vodafone, WPP

Allies: Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), Business in the Community, CEW UK Ltd, Channel 4, Creative Equals, The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), ISBA, Women in Advertising and Communications London (WACL)


Milestones

  • Launch: On 31st of July, the UK National Chapter launched in partnership with a core group of 28 leading UK advertisers and creative agencies.
  • Conversations for Change: The #ConversationsForChange content series launched 24 May 2022 and features brand leaders, inclusion activists and marketing experts sharing their experience, expertise and personal lessons along the journey to unstereotype. Watch the full series here.

Learn more