GroupM is launching INCA Communities, an initiative to improve diversity, inclusivity, and representation in the creator marketing industry.
Since launching a year ago in Australia, INCA has seen exponential growth in influencer marketing and growing demand from clients wanting to engage with audiences through creator content.
There are 6 million creators in Australia. The aim of INCA Communities is to elevate under-represented voices and enable change across the influencer space. INCA will also provide access to technology, training and tools and that will help create equitable pathways for diverse creators. This will include a launchpad program to drive inclusion and more diverse representation in Influencer and Creator marketing regardless of ability, age, gender, sexuality race or religion.
Whilst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders make up 3.3 per cent of the Australian population, it is estimated that only 0.3 per cent of media spends are invested in reaching these communities.
Six per cent of presenters on mainstream media are Australians of non-European and Indigenous backgrounds, despite making up 24 per cent of the population.
On average female creators earn 14 per cent less compared to men.
INCA will hold itself accountable for advancing and improving the inclusion and growth of diverse creators in the media space across brief responses, content creation and target audiences, benchmarking and tracking progress.
For all brief responses, INCA will ensure content is designed and planned for specific audiences, as well as ensuring key messages speak to a diverse range of people.
The move is part of GroupM’s commitment to shape the next era of media and make advertising better for people. INCA Communities will be the first of GroupM’s specialist media businesses to roll out its DE&I roadmap, with products in development across other channels including Digital Programmatic OOH through Sightline and other addressable channels through Nexus. and other addressable channels through Nexus.
Ryan Menezes, CEO, Nexus Australia, said: “Across the media industry as a whole we can and should be doing better when it comes to diversity in advertising. Representation matters. It impacts how others see us and more importantly, how we see ourselves. We’re on a journey to making creator marketing better for all. With INCA Communities, we are committed to challenging the status quo to achieve meaningful change in this space. We want to help Aussies create content that’s a reflection of all communities in Australia.”
Maria Casas, Colgate-Palmolive integrated brand rxperiences lead AUNZ, said: “As advertisers we have a responsibility to increase the diversity and representation in our advertising, so I’m excited to see GroupM taking a proactive approach to addressing diversity in influencer marketing. I’m looking forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on the industry in Australia.”
