In recognition of February being Black History month and that much of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion work we see under threat today emerged from the advocacy of People of Colour and the Civil Rights Movement, we feature in this month's Transformative Topics the panel session published in Advertising & Society (2023, vol 24, no 4), entitled: Different Boats, The Same Storm: A Colloquium on Implementing DEI in Challenging Times.
This session, which featured Aliah Berman, Jason P. Chambers, Jean M. Grow, Josh Loebner, Susan McFarlane-Alvarez, Kristina M. Shaw, Kevin D. Thomas, Wan-Hsiu Sunny Tsai, Jess A. Vega-Centeno, and Edward Timke, explores what contributes to the backlash of DEI and strategies in navigating it. It is such a timely article and one we encourage all to read. Jean Grow and Ed Timke wrote the following to provide the backstory on this panel and its importance:
Drs. Jean Grow and Edward Timke have spent many hours exploring how to conquer fears of DEI. Their research and seemingly endless discussions have investigated how those fears impact classrooms and limit the potential of advertising agencies. Of course, informal discussions are never enough. So, in 2023, Dr. Timke, Co-Editor of Advertising & Society Quarterly (ASQ), decided it was time for ASQ to host a virtual colloquium to discuss DEI and ways forward in both academia and industry. He hosted the online conversation, and Dr. Grow, now a consultant doing inclusion work, helped pull in industry experts. The colloquium was published in the Winter 2023 issue of ASQ.
To help focus and streamline the conversation, panelists were asked to fill out a survey prior to the colloquium about what they saw as the key effective strategies, needs, challenges, and barriers to implementing DEI in classrooms and the advertising and marketing industries. Industry strategies included accountability with measurable goals, using DEI research to both create internal programs and inform advertising strategy, and making sure DEI was part of the C-suite. Academic strategies included cultivating brave spaces where people feel comfortable sharing and discussing their questions and concerns; celebrating differences; linking DEI to broader values and strategies; and practicing reflexivity.
Different Boats, The Same Storm
The colloquium centered around a crucial metaphor: Different Boats, The Same Storm. This phrase encapsulates the reality that while organizations, individuals, and industries all face the same societal and structural challenges in DEI, they do so with vastly different resources, levels of commitment, and vulnerabilities. Some companies and academic institutions have had robust DEI structures in place, while others struggle to maintain even minimal efforts. Some individuals work in supportive environments, while others face backlash for advocating for diversity.
The colloquium was not just a conversation—it was a convergence of expertise, experience, and dedication to inclusion. The panelists represented a wide range of backgrounds, including corporate diversity leaders, advertising professionals, marketing scholars, and advocates for social change. These participants were chosen not only for their extensive work in DEI but also for their ability to think critically about both historical and contemporary challenges. Each panelist brought their own “boat” to the storm, offering perspectives shaped by their respective experiences in education, business, advertising, and advocacy. The diversity of expertise in the colloquium reinforced that no single strategy will work for all organizations or individuals. Instead, DEI must be implemented in ways that are adaptable, context-driven, and deeply embedded within the values of a given institution.
The boat analogy proved especially helpful in understanding how fear and resistance operate in DEI spaces. DEI efforts are not experienced equally, nor are their obstacles. Panelists at the colloquium noted that hyper-politicization, resource constraints, legal battles, and reactive approaches to DEI all contribute to fear—fear of getting it wrong, fear of retaliation, and fear of stepping outside of the status quo. Advertising professionals emphasized that the industry, known for its fast-paced and often reactive nature, struggles with long-term investments in DEI.
Looking back, it is interesting that both a practitioner and an academic focused on history and/or the long-term. Aliah Berman, Global Chief Diversity Officer, TBWA, suggested that strategic implementation of DEI is difficult in advertising because it is often a reactive industry that doesn’t sufficiently invest long-term. Dr. Kevin Thomas, a leader within the Race in the Marketplace Research Network, and a Research Data Specialist in the California Civil Rights Department, emphasized the importance of understanding current events as well as history to craft effective DEI strategies and to activate change. Given where we stand today — and the mammoth backlash against DEI — Drs. Grow and Timke couldn’t agree more heartily that history should be our guide, always mindful that today will one day be history, and today’s struggles will be lessons for how to battle others in the future.
Academics on the panel expressed concerns about the structural barriers to embedding DEI in curricula. Some institutions are pulling back on DEI-related education, fearing the backlash of the “anti-woke” movement. Faculty members say they face concerns about professional repercussions, while students—particularly those from historically marginalized groups—grapple with the emotional burden of repeatedly justifying the need for inclusion.
Sweden’s Middle Way: A Global Perspective on DEI Resilience
Feeding into the virtual colloquium’s conversation was Drs. Grow and Timke’s experiences earlier in 2023 on a project about what could be learned about DEI from outside the United States. They looked to Sweden, a country known for taking the “middle way,” which involves balancing free-market capitalism with strong social democracy. In May and June 2023, they conducted 24 in-depth interviews with advertising practitioners, trade industry leaders, and social science scholars to explore how Sweden navigates DEI in its advertising industry.
Their project, DEI and Sweden’s Middle Way: The Drive for Social Impact Through Inclusive Advertising, currently under revisions with a major advertising journal, reveals that Swedish advertisers, long recognized as early adopters and trendsetters, consistently strive to balance societal values with market demands. And, just as in the United States—though not as intensely—Sweden is also facing tensions between traditional collectivist norms and rising individualism. As attacks on DEI grow, Swedish experiences provide highly valuable insights about the importance of resilience, authenticity, and ethics.
Swedish advertising professionals recognize that DEI efforts must be embedded in the core identity of an organization to withstand backlash. They prioritize long-term commitments over reactive solutions to try to ensure that DEI is seen as a business imperative rather than an optional initiative. Importantly, Swedish DEI efforts are grounded in ethics, social responsibility, and consumer expectations. Swedish consumers actively demand DEI authenticity and transparency, holding brands accountable for their actions. This consumer-driven pressure suggests a future in which U.S. brands will be forced to respond to similar market expectations–if they’re allowed within the current political and regulatory environment.
Building DEI Resilience Amid Backlash
From the meaningful conversation had in the colloquium on the challenges to implementing DEI to their work on Sweden’s success in DEI, Drs. Grow and Timke find that building DEI resilience involves embedding DEI principles into the core values of an organization. Rooting DEI from the top down allows organizations to withstand external pressures. Strength in unity will be essential, as efforts continue to chip away at any progress that has been made in the past.
Finally, the world is not getting less diverse, nor are countries becoming more isolated. In fact, cultures are ever-more swiftly crossing paths, influencing one another as they do. Despite the governmental policy changes in the United States, globalized markets are expanding ever-more rapidly, while technology brings us closer by the nanosecond. Resilience and hope are the new imperatives, and DEI will be—inevitably—at the forefront, leading these changes.
Even in the face of backlash, fear, and resistance, the need for inclusion and equity remains undeniable. The challenge now is not just in pushing for change, but in ensuring that DEI is woven so deeply into corporate, educational, and societal structures that it becomes an unstoppable force—regardless of the storm.
To close off their work, Jean Grow created the visual below (www.wordsmithphd.com). As she explains:
When seeking excellence in innovation and ideation DIVERSITY (32) delivers the best outcomes. Motivation is higher when pay EQUITY (45) and equitable growth opportunities are the norm. Teams perform at higher levels when INCLUSION (22) is valued and supported. Still, DEI is BANNED (16) within government agencies. Time without DEI will prove its true value – from severely hampered medical research and lower public health outcomes to reduced military recruitment and diminished international security. That’s just for starters.
Read: Berman, Aliah, Jason P. Chambers, Jean M. Grow, Josh Loebner, Susan McFarlane-Alvarez, Kristina M. Shaw, Kevin D. Thomas, Wan-Hsiu Sunny Tsai, Jess A. Vega-Centeno, and Edward Timke. "." Advertising & Society Quarterly 24, no. 4 (2023). https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/21/article/916293/summary
Abstract:
Advertising & Society Quarterly held its sixth Colloquium on November 3, 2023. During this virtual event, a panel of ten diversity, equity, and inclusion leaders from academia and industry address the complexities of integrating DEI in professional and academic settings. Panelists discuss the backlash to DEI and explore its accompanying causes, such as hyper-politicization, resource constraints, and fear. The participants provide strategies for implementing DEI effectively in both professional and educational settings, advocating for comprehensive approaches that integrate it into organizational values and teaching methods. The discussions highlight the importance of strategic planning, open conversations, and inclusive decision-making to overcome biases, encourage critical thinking, and build empathy. The Colloquium concludes with a Q&A session that delves into strategies to facilitate meaningful and honest conversations about DEI issues.
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