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a close eye on the casting for our brand content . What does our cast look like ? Is it a true representation of our society ? Does the woman in the ad represent the women in society ?
You can develop an inclusive brand story , with women in leading roles , only for the casting to undo all that good work .
Kate : So true , Kantar has created a tip sheet for creating more inclusive advertising based on three pillars . Presence is about questioning the role the woman plays in the ad , while perspective focuses on what she is doing in the ad and personality touches on how she feels in the ad .
Kendi : You see how it is all connected . I love the fact that there are many ways to achieve the same goal , which means that being inclusive can actually inspire more creativity . If you do not have a woman in your lead role , for example , there are other ways to build a beautiful ad that is still empowering , either through the personality or the perspective , whether the female has a speaking role or not . There are so many ways to work with , and around , the theme of inclusivity .
Kate : You sound like you are already making progress on inclusivity and positive portrayal at Safaricom !

We build brands with identities and voices so that we can engage with society and we cannot run away from difficult conversations or uncomfortable social issues and realities . Brands have a role to play in shaping and creating the best possible environment for us all to live in , one that represents all of us in the best ways imaginable .

numbers than is probably thought . A big part of the change that needs to happen is to break out of our patterns and ask ourselves , ‘ what gender stereotypes exist in my category and how is my content keeping them alive ?’
Kate : Does that mean brands have to take an activist stance to achieve gender inclusivity ?
Kendi : No , not at all . A brand does not have to take on the issue or aggressively promote the agenda unless they want to do so , and it is in their strategic interests to do that . The biggest thing a brand can do is to take care of their own content , their own story and how they make it , to ensure that it is stereotype-free , inclusive and positive .
Cannes Lions and many more . There are 184 members from 193 countries , with national chapters in Brazil , Turkey , the UAE , Japan , South Africa , Kenya and the UK , and six more chapters on-boarding soon .
Kate : Safaricom are the champions of the Kenya chapter , one of the first in Africa . Why is this important to you ?
Kendi : Gender equality is an issue we are particularly passionate about , and we believe that the dividends of gender equality can help create change in Kenya and , as a brand that has staked its entire existence on the idea of a transformed Kenya , we feel that it ’ s a perfect cause for us .
Kendi : Yes , we have started to work on getting this right . You may have noticed we have a person with albinism in our Tunukiwa and Twende Tukiuke ads . In the latter , we also feature a person living with a physical disability , and showcase a woman in a Jua Kali business . In our latest MPESA ad , we showcase a woman running a tech business . These are just a few examples of how a brand can break stereotypes in advertising .
Kate : Right . Let ’ s build the conversation by talking about targeting . Some of our readers will be thinking , ‘ I am in household care , I have to target women ,’ while others will say , ‘ But I sell engine oil , my brand is definitely masculine , so this gender thing is definitely not for me …’
Kendi : Women drive cars and men buy household cleaning products , in larger
Kate : I have a feeling that ’ s where the Unstereotype Alliance comes in ?
Kendi : Yes , the Unstereotype Alliance is a thought and action platform that seeks to eradicate harmful gender-based stereotypes in media and advertising content . With the vision of an unstereotyped world , the members of the Alliance are committed to using advertising as a force for good .
Kate : Who are the members of the Alliance ?
Kendi : The Alliance is a growing and influential coalition of multinational brands and advertising networks , industry associations , awards festivals , media companies , non-profits and social change consultancies that share our common objective .
At a global level we have Diageo , Unilever , WPP , Kantar , Ogilvy , Google ,
We are not saying that we are perfect or that our content is where it needs to be , we are saying that we want to deliberately do the work that gets us to where we want to be as a brand , and through that we can help create and mould the kind of Kenya we imagine , particularly on this issue .
Kate : What ’ s in it for the brands that do join the Global Unstereotype Alliance ? What makes it a worthwhile investment ?
Kendi : You get the jolt of energy that comes from being part of a collective push on a massive human issue such as this . The sense of purpose and the drive to do better , to help re-write the gender narrative for this and other generations , is a big plus in itself .
The Alliance is convened by UN Women , so you have the reach , energy and expertise of a global organization , whose purpose is to champion for the rights of women
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