The Australian Influencer Marketing Council (AiMCO) has announced its first-ever diversity webinar for members, designed to explore inclusion in national influencer marketing campaigns.
Lead image: Ellie Cole
The free AiMCO webinar, to be held on April 30, will look at how brands can effectively incorporate diversity and inclusion into their influencer campaigns to resonate with diverse audiences and drive meaningful connections.
The webinar panel will include TikTok creator, Taz Zammit, Paralympian and Disability Advocate Ellie Cole (fresh from the I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here jungle), motivational speaker and resilience coach, Rhiannon Tracey, and Vivienne Smith from creative agency Elastic Group.
Tracey will host the event and raise critical questions such as where efforts should begin, and what barriers hinder people from taking action. Cole and Zammit will share their personal experiences in advocating for meaningful action from brands beyond superficial gestures, urging them to consider genuine impact over mere checkbox exercises. Smith will discuss the recent Shift 20 inclusivity in advertising initiative, addressing the challenges faced, the strategies employed, and insights for future endeavours.
“In today’s diverse world, authenticity and representation matter more than ever. As an organisation, we’re committed to providing opportunities for critical conversation around diversity and inclusion in influencer marketing. This webinar is an opportunity for our members to gain valuable insights and actionable strategies for creating more inclusive influencer campaigns, and hearing from people leading the way in the diversity and inclusion space. It also demonstrates our commitment, as an organisation, to educating our members to improve professionalism and boost diversity and inclusion for influencer marketing across the board,” said AiMCO managing director, Patrick Whitnall.
Taz Zammit (@tazzammit) and her girlfriend Alessia Allfree, Australia’s most followed lesbian couples account on social media, have been breaking down LGBTQI stereotypes with their engaging and humorous TikTok videos since 2020. They quickly recognised how there was hardly any LGBTQI representation in the media, with heterosexual couples often being the focus for advertisements and digital campaigns. Today their combined social media presence of over a million followers globally and LGBTQI friendly app, TeamTANDA, acts as a platform to challenge stigmas and stereotypes around lesbian couples solidifying their influence in promoting diversity and inclusion.
Ellie Cole (@elliecoleswim) is Australia’s most decorated female Paralympian with a staggering 17 Paralympic medals. Retiring from swimming in 2021, Ellie has transitioned into a media presenting role and is an accomplished keynote speaker, event host and MC. Later this year she will fly to Paris as part of the Channel 9 Olympics and Paralympics commentary team in Paris. Throughout her career Cole has been committed to driving parity and finding a greater voice for people with a disability through her work with international initiatives such as the #Wethe15 campaign and local partners such as APM (a disability services provider). In April 2024, she was also elected to the Board of Paralympics Australia. She joins the panel fresh off her turn as a contestant on the latest season of Network 10’s I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here – the first Australian with a physical disability to ever enter the jungle.
Rhiannon Tracey is a proud diversity and inclusion advocate. After a pool accident made her a quadriplegic at age 20, Tracey became committed to changing the face of disability advocacy. Today, she is a highly successful motivational speaker, model, and resilience coach. She also founded spinal injury rehabilitation charity and recovery centre, The Next Step, became the Napoleon Make-Up Academy’s first-ever quadriplegic graduate and launched her own freelance makeup business, and became the first female on wheels to dominate the catwalk at the 2019 Melbourne Fashion Week. She also boasts a significant blog and social media following across her @rhiannontraceymywheellife platforms.
Vivienne Smith (@viv_smith) is a Creative Producer and Director at Elastic Studios, an independent creative company located in Sydney and Melbourne. The award-winning agency has worked with some of APAC’s most notable brands in government, FMCG, auto, construction and charities. Smith brings a bold and global perspective to Elastic’s commercial and documentary work, including Kotex’s 2023 campaign and the upcoming Neon Streets docu-series about Sydney’s nightlife. Smith’s TV shows have been distributed globally including National Geographic, Discovery Channel and ESPN, and their narrative and documentary films have won them numerous awards, including most recently Best Director at The Australian Women’s Film Festival.
“In this webinar, I’ll discuss not only the importance of visible diversity in influencer campaigns but also the essential need for authenticity on both the brand and creator side. Every campaign we’re part of isn’t just about visibility, it’s about making progress and real changes in how diversity is represented. It’s time we move beyond the surface and drive conversations that create lasting impact,” said Zammit.
“By using our platforms to challenge stereotypes and promote inclusion, we’ve seen first-hand the powerful impact of embracing authenticity in influencer marketing. This webinar is a brilliant opportunity for brands to learn how to genuinely engage with diverse communities, not just to expand their audience but to be active participants in driving societal change”.
“Representation in advertisements is crucial for brands that want to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. ‘Ticking boxes’ and ‘diversity campaigns’ don’t work anymore, but authentic alignment and genuine support does. In this webinar, I will speak openly about how brands and LGBTQI creators can work together in a way that benefits everyone”.
