The Importance of Diversity & Inclusion in Equine Marketing /
Diversity and inclusion within the equine industry is often a subject of debate. On one hand, we have a sport in which men and women can compete on equal terms in events, including the Olympics and other competitions around the world. It is actually one of the few sports where the majority of participants are women, and because many equestrian sports aren’t gender segregated, it is particularly inclusive for transgender athletes.
However, while our industry excels in some ways, there are still so many other areas we can work on to make our sport more welcoming and accessible to everyone. Racial diversity is not strong in equestrianism, and there are also socio-economic inequalities. In 2019, Khadijah Mellah became the first jockey in Britain to race while wearing a hijab. Mellah stated “if you come from my background, it can be difficult to imagine yourself in racing”. It is so important that we identify the issues surrounding exclusion in equestrianism, so that we can prioritise and make efforts to include a wider audience, who may otherwise feel alienated or unwelcome.
Since George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, protests against police brutality have erupted across the US and around the world. The demographics of these protestors have been notably diverse, which is a good sign for racial equity and evolving perceptions, and will further develop the expectations that consumers have of businesses.
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH MARKETING?
In 2020, a Facebook-commissioned study found that 71% of consumers expect brands to promote diversity and inclusion in their online advertising.
Inclusive marketing begins with understanding unconscious bias. In simple terms, unconscious bias is forming a stereotype about people without realising it. All equine brands must become aware of this bias and consider how their marketing communication may include or exclude their audience.
HOW CAN EQUINE BRANDS BECOME MORE INCLUSIVE?
Truly diverse and inclusive content will come from more than just an image or social media post – it requires brands to consider their values, audience, and messaging. Consider the language your brand uses and whether it reads with a broad audience in mind.
Not only can inclusive messaging help change perceptions and shape the equine industry, but it can help you reach a larger audience and build brand loyalty. A 2019 survey found that 64% of consumers took action after seeing an ad they considered to be diverse or inclusive. However, promoting inclusivity within your messaging should be genuine, and making your customers feel valued and represented is something that should be worked on continuously. Inauthentic or forced diversity is likely to have the opposite effect on your audience.
Staying engaged with your audience and listening to what values are important to them, as well as educating yourself about diversity and inclusivity will help inform critical marketing decisions that could help include and attract a wider audience and perform beyond expectations. Take some time to understand the origin of a story, trend, or hashtag before sharing and participating.
It’s important to remember that inclusive marketing doesn’t mean you have to try and cater for every possible demographic. It is about knowing who could be drawn to your brand and ensuring those groups feel represented and welcomed by your marketing efforts.
The Forbes Insights survey found that six out of ten companies already have metrics in place to measure the success of their diversity and inclusion efforts. Improving diversity in the equine industry will involve all aspects of the industry, including businesses and brands like us, pulling together in effort to remove the barriers and stereotypes.
The EQuerry / Co Team feel incredibly lucky that we are able to live and work with horses, so therefore we feel a responsibility to help create an industry where everyone can feel welcome.
