After a disappointing year, queer community calls for improved advertising in 2024

2023 started on a high note. The advertising and marketing industry probably saw its first billboard campaign featuring queer couples as Future Generali launched its OOH campaign. However, the conversations around inclusivity and representation simmered down later.

As per a study conducted by ASCI and the Unstereotype Alliance in 2023, there was a near absence of representation diversity in Indian advertising. The study found a dismal less-than-1% representation of the LGBTQIA+ community; people with disabilities featured in less than 1% of the ads, and only 4% of Indian ads depicted people aged above 65 years. 

“It's really disheartening to see that even four years after the passing of the trans act, we are still in a place where we see barely any representation of transgender and queer folks in advertisements,” said Rayyan Monkey, (she/ her/ they), Co-chieftess and Creative Director at Fatsmeagol Collective, Certified Diversity and Inclusion Consultant. 

Akshay CM (he/them), DEI Consultant also spoke about the overall limited representation in 2023. 

They said, “The Indian advertising industry in 2023, despite its growth, continued to show a significant gap in the representation of diverse communities. This includes not just the underrepresentation of marginalized groups but also a limited portrayal of gender roles, regional diversity, and socio-economic backgrounds. For instance, the persistent portrayal of women primarily in domestic roles or the underrepresentation of the LGBTQ+ community reflects a narrow perspective.”

Tropes to be Left Behind in ‘23

The industry will have to move beyond tokenist representation to reach a place where marginalized folks feel heard and seen. While 2023 was disappointing, as the Indian ad agencies work on their annual plans, inclusivity must remain a top priority in 2024. 

Folks from the community pointed out a few tropes that must be left behind in 2023.  

No Rainbow Washing

The queer community is usually only remembered and given the limelight during the pride month. For the rest of the 11 months, brands seemingly forget about the community and stick to their heteronormative storylines. 

Sumitro Sircar, Associate Business Director- PR & Corporate Communications at Chimp&z Inc., thinks that this is one area where brands need to improve. He said, “We must recognize that the LGBTQIA+ community is not a mere marketing event but a diverse spectrum of thoughts, beliefs, and identities that deserve acceptance and normalization throughout the year.”

On top of that, the seasonal portrayal of the queer community during pride month continues to be very stringent and stereotypical. Queer stories are often compressed and made to fit in certain preconceived molds that are regressive, dehumanized, not accurate, and lack reality. 

Danny Advani, Business Head - Influencer Marketing, OML said, “Marketeers, brands and agencies as a collective can ensure that inclusivity does not come as a checklist for the yearly KRA or OKR as a one off but consistent effort.”

However, the consumers want more representation, too. According to ASCI’s report, 48% of Indian consumers agree that not enough brands do a good job of representing people similar to them or their community. 

But what does it really take to go beyond tokenism? 

Sircar said, “Going beyond tokenism involves the consistent inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters in major campaigns, irrespective of specific occasions.”

Praful Baweja (He/Him), Co-Founder, 6 Degrees Diversity Counsel said, “I don't believe in exclusive inclusion, I see the cultural landscape ready for few conversations and for giving some of them the spotlight.” 

Looking back on the year 2023, Baweja found a handful of campaigns that were inclusive and correctly done. Absolut’s ‘Be an #AbsolutAlly’ and McDonald's ‘Eatqual’ were a few that made into his list.  

The first big occasion of the Indian advertising calendar, Valentine’s Day, is around the corner. Brands go all out to communicate with consumers during this season of love, which continues to be seen from a heteronormative glass. 

Stereotypical stories

According to Rayyan Monkey, brands tend to represent queer characters in specific tropes like ‘mentally unstable, hypersexualized or victimized.’ 

Rayyan said, “This kind of representation leaves us looking like caricatures.”

In the past, many ads and pop culture have used queer individuals as mere side or filler characters that lack dimensions, including interests, aspirations, and experiences – to tick the inclusivity box. 

It is high time brands leave behind these prevailing narratives when crafting queer characters. Rayyan Monkey believes these tropes tend to have livid impacts on the lives of gender non-conforming individuals.

They added, “The Sob story/ victim narrative leaves Transgender folks looking like incomplete beings, without their sense of agency and ability. A community that constantly needs support and is unable to stand up for themselves. One that constantly requires cisgender-able-bodied, privileged folk to care for them. Also, PITY is not equal to EMPATHY. It’s hard to be perceived as equal when you are only seen as an object to be pitied.” 

Talking about narratives that we can bid adieu to, Suraj Namboodiri (he/him), Fitness coach (freelancer/f45 training) said, “Stereotypes can be left behind in 2023. Let’s create diversity in stories, narratives, and characters. Start writing/ casting stories by stepping out of the box.” 

How to make ‘24 more inclusive?

Danny Advani posed a question to the A&M industry, “Why [ads] not show a queer or a trans man or woman? Do they not have talent like the cisgender?”

A month has gone by in 2024, but not a single ad has had a queer storyline in India. Although brands and marketers have promised to become more inclusive in the future, substantial measures need to be taken to close the inclusivity gap in ads.  

Individuals from the community think ad agencies need to make a few more important additions to their 2024 calendar. 

Incorporating Regional Storylines

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer – these are some common words in the urban Indian lingo. But the same can't be said about the rural regions. Queer stories circling rural India seem to be missed out by ad makers in the country. They continue to depict the queer community in urban settings, neglecting an entire section of the underprivileged community. 

In the past, a campaign titled ‘The Mirror’ by UNAIDS set a precedent by speaking to audiences beyond metros.  

Patruni Chidananda Sastry (they/ them), Drag queen - Dragvanti and Content Creator, said, “I would like to see more of rural, non-metro, middle-class, underrepresented queer individuals taking their space.  I want grassroots level trans community members to be represented more than urbanized versions of highly privileged and rich trans narratives.” 

Ank (she/they), Content Creator, also wishes for the same. She said, “Visibility for queer folk has just been either extremely privileged folk or underprivileged kind, the middle-class queer folk does get overlooked by, and that’s a very underrepresented majority.”

Akshay CM touched upon going beyond class, caste, and cultural identities this year. 

They said, “The industry needs to move beyond the narrative of 'aspirational India' that often overlooks the real challenges faced by various sections of society. This narrative frequently glamorizes a monolithic idea of success and beauty standards, predominantly featuring upper-caste- -middle-class and urban perspectives. Embracing stories from rural India, acknowledging the struggles of different social classes, and celebrating diverse cultural identities is vital.”

Representation behind-the-scenes

Accurate stories can’t be portrayed if the storyteller can’t make their story relatable. And one of the major reasons for the lack of representation in ads might be the lack of education and visibility behind the scenes. 

As per a report by TimesJobs, as much as 57% of the individuals stated that their companies would not openly recruit LGBTQ+ and candidates with disabilities in India. 

Will 2024 be the year when this finally changes? 

Rayyan Moneky said, “The main step anyone can take to enhance inclusivity and diversity in their campaigns is HIRE US. Hire women and lgbtqia folks in the process. From the client side to the agency side, from writers to talents and production, hire more queer folks.”

Beyond digital 

By sticking to digital forums while talking about inclusivity, brands miss out on a large section of the audience that prefers traditional mediums. 

To bridge this massive gap, the A&M industry needs to include the Queer community in traditional mediums like OOH, radio, TV, and press. Apart from Future Generali’s OOH campaign, the queer representation outside the digital world was extremely limited. Folks from the community believe this needs to change. 

Akshay CM said, “With the growing digital divide, especially post-pandemic, campaigns should also cater to audiences with limited digital access.”

Dos & Donts

The ad world needs to learn and unlearn a couple of notions to get their representation right. The community believes that brands and marketers need to understand and cater to every consumer in order to hit the right balance between correct representation and delivering the brand’s product/service. 

They mentioned a couple of Do’s and Don’ts to follow through:

• Dos:
  
  • Unlearn Authenticity: Prioritize authenticity in your campaign. Ensure that your messaging, visuals, and overall brand representation align genuinely with your values and resonate with your target audience.
  • Audience Involvement: Seek and incorporate feedback from your target audience during the planning and execution stages. Understanding their perspectives ensures that your narrative is relevant and resonates effectively.
  • LISTEN: Hire Diversity and Inclusion specialists, consultants, writers, and employees. Get the pronouns right. Be authentic and be sincere. 
    
    
• Don’ts:
  • Tokenism: Steer clear of tokenistic representation. Including diverse individuals solely for appearance without genuine inclusion may come across as insincere and may not resonate with the audience.
  • Overlooking Rural Audiences: Don’t design campaigns solely for urban audiences. The rural market is vast and diverse, often responding well to narratives that reflect their realities. 
  • Forced or Inauthentic Campaigns: Steer clear of campaigns that come across as forced or inauthentic. Consumers can quickly discern insincerity, leading to a potential loss of trust in your brand.
    

“This shift towards authenticity in 2024 builds trust within communities and resonates with allies who value brands aligning with progressive values. By embracing diversity, challenging stereotypes, and fostering inclusivity, the advertising industry can contribute to a more socially conscious and impactful cultural landscape. Brands that lead with authenticity can forge deeper connections and play a pivotal role in shaping a positive and inclusive narrative for the future,” Sumitro Sircar concluded.