Today, audiences are shaping the cultural agenda. Empowered to speak up for the causes they believe in, people are actively calling out brands they see as inauthentic. What are the main drivers of this behavioural shift? And how can brands win the trust of these outspoken advocates?

Diverse representation is an expectation, but as individuals no longer allow themselves to be defined in singular terms, there's mounting pressure on brands to understand and sensitively reflect how the intersections between race, gender, class, and ability impact people's everyday lives.

To promote diversity and inclusion within the sustainable fashion space, Custom Collaborative is empowering minority designers via a training program. With plenty of scope to diversify the industry, there are ample opportunities for brands to spotlight under-represented talent.

A US-based study has found that fewer people from minority ethnic backgrounds have appeared in ads in 2022 than 2021, a surprising downturn after a shift towards diversity across sectors. People looking for brands to demonstrate deeper forms of allyship will expect greater commitment going forward.

Unconscious bias is embedded within the media landscape, namely with a lack of diversity in imagery. Shutterstock is working to increase representation in its photos to better reflect the diversity of the world, awarding grants to artists from historically excluded or underrepresented communities.

Since the death of George Floyd and BLM protests in 2020, the representation of diversity in ad campaigns has soared. But Black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups still find that diversity in media entrenches rather than dismantles stereotypes. In 2022, how can brands get diversity right?