Esi Eggleston Bracey’s Post

e.l.f. Cosmetics has launched an eye-catching campaign highlighting a startling statistic: there are more men named Richard, Rich, Rick, or Dick on corporate boards than a significant number of minority groups. e.l.f. Cosmetics, however, stands out as one of only four U.S. publicly traded companies with a board that's two-thirds women and one-third diverse. Huge ads around Wall Street, including the Fulton Street station, feature the provocative slogan, “It’s ok to be a Dick. But America’s Boardrooms need more of everyone else.” The campaign has sparked excitement across e.l.f.'s social channels, with followers praising its boldness and commitment to diversity. It's a powerful reminder of the importance of diversity and representation in corporate leadership. As one Instagram follower put it, “The approach. The tenacity. The accuracy. 🔥🔥🔥🔥.” For brands, this should be another great example of how genuine diversity initiatives resonate deeply with consumers, and taking a stand can lead to significant brand loyalty and admiration. #DiversityInLeadership #CorporateDiversity #ELFCosmetics #BoldCampaign #InclusionMatters

Time for another edition of the Curious Minds series where we speak to the people making a genuine difference in our industry with fresh thinking and tangible changes. In this article, Kristof Neirynck, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Avon, speaks on breaking through empowerment fatigue and ditching unattainable beauty standards. "The only way for a brand to grow old is to marry purpose and commerce in a meaningful way." Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eNeGRkxY

🌟 **Boosting Board Diversity: e.l.f. Beauty's Bold Campaign** 🌟 e.l.f. Beauty has launched the "So Many Dicks" campaign to spotlight the lack of diversity on corporate boards across the U.S. "For the campaign, E.l.f.'s agency, OBERLAND analyzed the names of nearly 37,000 board members of 4,429 publicly traded companies on the NYSE and Nasdaq. Of the male board members, 566 were named Richard, Rick, or Dick. Hispanic women numbered 283--or half of the men who happened to be named Dick, prompting the wry tagline. The study also found more Black women (806 total) and Asian women (774) than men named Dick, but by slim enough margins to still raise eyebrows. Other findings include that the average corporate board in America is 88 percent White." Their initiative not only highlights disparities but also promotes the business benefits of diverse leadership.  Very clever campaign for sure! I suspect we will see a change in these numbers over the next 5-10 years, but for now, it's still an old boys club at the board level. 🌍💼 👏 Very good progress was made seeing the diverse room of board members a few weeks ago at the #PrivateCompanyGovernanceSummit. I was pleasantly surprised! #BoardDiversity #Leadership #Inclusion #CorporateGovernance Sources: Adweek, Beauty Packaging https://lnkd.in/en2y67Bd

🌟 🌟 🌟 Breaking the 'Dick' Ceiling on Corporate Boards 🌟 🌟 🌟 It’s past time to shake up the lack of diversity on corporate boards! 1️⃣ Calling Out the Problem: E.l.f.'s "Change the Board Game" campaign hilariously highlights that there are more board members named Richard, Rick, or Dick than there are Hispanic women on boards! The average board is still 88% White. This campaign is all about making us rethink the status quo. 🙄 #BoardDiversity #TimeForChange #DiverseLeadership 2️⃣ Walking the Talk: Tarang Amin, E.l.f.'s amazing CEO, has made diversity a real priority. With 75% of their employees being women and over 45% diverse, E.l.f. is one of just a few companies with a board that's two-thirds women. Now, that's leading by example! 💪 #WomenInLeadership #InclusiveWorkplace #DiversityMatters 3️⃣ Taking Action: E.l.f. isn't just talking about change—they're making it happen. They're sponsoring programs to help women and people of color get ready for board roles and partnering with legends like Billie Jean King to double the number of women and diverse board members in the next three years. 🚀 #EmpowerDiversity #LeadWithIntent #CorporateResponsibility Let's cheer on E.l.f. for their commitment to diversity and push for more inclusive leadership everywhere! 🌍🙌 #DiversityInAction #InclusiveLeadership #BreakTheBias https://lnkd.in/evAZ6_Kq

Attention brands: #PrideMonth is approaching, but empty gestures won't cut it! It's time to move past #rainbowwashing and embrace genuine inclusivity 🌈 In the 80s and 90s, as LGBTQIA+ community members began openly embracing their identities, marketing agencies took notice, seeking profit from a burgeoning market without being genuinely relevant to the community.  This phenomenon, initially termed #pinkwashing, is now known as #rainbowashing. Consider the stats: 83% of millennials favor inclusive cultures, and 38% support brands showcasing diversity. McKinsey reports significant financial returns for diverse companies, emphasizing the importance of genuine inclusivity 🏳️🌈 The consequence? Brands striving for trendiness risk falling into the rainbow washing trap. Let's heed this caution. Test the authenticity of your activities with our Rainbow Washing Machine, and truly embody pride with purpose this year. #makeyourboldstroke #creativeagency 

What's it like to create a 19,000+% increase in helping your clients reach clients? It looks a bit like this. Not every client starts big. Some start from 0. And, when we help create results like this, we celebrate — and track — what it means for their business. One of the things I learned in my Tory Burch Foundation Advisory call this last week from Gay Gaddis is that a secret to scaling is to get ALL the data. As a creative, that can be a growing edge. Thankfully, each of my team members thinks as strategically as we do creatively. We heard her advice and got right down to it. What wins are you celebrating this week? #brandingagency #marketingagency #aanhpi #womenfounder #womeninbusiness #marketingtips

I'm sure you've seen the E.L.F. BEAUTY and So Many Dicks campaign.... Not only is it eye catching, makes you want to read more, it's full of truth and facts about women and people of color in leadership, particularly in boardrooms around the US. and how we continue to lag. But what's even more eye catching are the comments I've read with people taking issue with campaign e.g., "why is a beauty company getting political? what is a make-up company getting involved in DEI? E.l.f. should just stay in their lane." Perhaps the people making these statements should look in the mirror. Why is this campaign important? Well, the facts speak for themselves. - There are 566 men named Richard, Rick, or Dick (Dicks) serving on public company boards; - Black women and Asian women barely outnumber men named Dick, with only 806 Black women, and 774 Asian women; - There are only 283 Hispanic women on these same boards, only half the number of “Dicks”; - There are 19 times more men named Dick than the 29 women of Middle Eastern descent on these boards’; - There are only three Native American women serving on these boards compared to 566 men named Dick. But more importantly, it's demonstrating that leaders need to turn the lens on their own leadership and evaluate what their teams look like, from all forms of diversity - representation, gender, background, thought. We need more role modeling from our leaders and this is a great example of a company looking in the mirror and realizing their leadership, their board, doesn't represent their employee base, their customers or their communities. So beyond this campaign being eye catching, it's also a great example of a leader of a publicly traded company taking a stand and doubling down on his commitment to DEI in his company and beyond. Something that is definitely lacking as we see the rollback of DEI commitments internal and externally by so many companies as of late. With Luminary in the middle of this DEI conversation with so many of members and partners, we'd love to see more Tarang Amin's in this world. Also, a reminder to all leaders, consumers have many options of who to buy from. They "vote" with their wallets. As an E.L.F. BEAUTY customer directly and through the many retailers they sell their products to, they will now get more of my business. And that hits the bottom line. Sharing a great piece on this campaign from Christine Lagorio-Chafkin of Inc. Magazine. #genderequity #genderparity #womenintheworkforce #diversityequityinclusion #womenonboards #parity #DEI

Closing out #WomensHistoryMonth, Zïa Bailey, PSPO, U.S. research strategist at Mediahub, dives into the buying power and influence of 'Gen She' (aka Gen Z women of color) and their demand for more authentic representation. From conscious consumerism to holding brands accountable, Zia's insights shed light on the pivotal role of media in driving DEI and how brands can go beyond surface-level commitment. Read the full piece, as part of Ad Age's Gen Z contributor column, here: https://lnkd.in/giTStzjn

In today's socially conscious market, brands strive to connect with values like diversity, equality, and sustainability. However, well-intentioned ads can sometimes misfire, leading to significant public backlash and learning opportunities. Consider Dove, known for its "Real Beauty" campaigns. It faced criticism for an ad depicting a Black woman turning into a white woman after using Dove body wash. The implied message that lighter skin is more desirable sparked accusations of racism and calls to boycott Dove products. The brand quickly apologized and removed the ad, acknowledging its failure to deliver a sensitive message. Audi also stumbled with its Super Bowl commercial intended to promote gender equality. The ad, featuring a father worried about the gender bias his daughter might face, was criticized because Audi's executive team lacked gender diversity at the time. This oversight highlighted a disconnect between Audi's internal practices and its marketing messages, drawing accusations of hypocrisy. Pepsi's attempt at a unifying message also fell flat. In a commercial featuring Kendall Jenner at a protest, she hands a Pepsi to a police officer, seemingly easing tensions. The ad was seen as trivializing the serious nature of protest movements, particularly those involving racial injustice and police brutality. Pepsi withdrew the ad and apologized, especially to activists. These examples underscore several important lessons for marketers. Authentic representation is crucial. Ads like Dove's show the importance of handling sensitive topics related to race and beauty with greater care. Audi's experience reminds us that a brand's internal practices should reflect its external messages to maintain credibility. Pepsi’s misstep illustrates the importance of approaching social issues with the depth they require, rather than simplifying them for the sake of a commercial. Moreover, having diverse teams review campaign content can prevent cultural insensitivities and ensure that messages are thoughtful and well-received. These principles not only help in avoiding backlash but also enhance consumer trust and loyalty in a market that values authenticity and social awareness. #MarketingResponsibly #DiversityInAds #InclusiveMarketing #BrandBacklash #AdFailLessons #ResponsibleBranding #EthicalAdvertising #SocialImpactMarketing #LearnFromMistakes #AdvertisingEthics

The challenges CMOs face today cannot be understated. At this year's Advertising Week The Female Quotient Equality Lounge, List member and Chief Strategy Officer of Wunderman Thompson Ellie Bamford expertly defined the crux of the increasingly pressing demands on brands. For more thought leadership on navigating creativity in an age of risk, check out the latest installment of The List's Modern CMO Playbook: https://lnkd.in/eBiHNkb4 #AWNY #AWNY23 #AdvertisingWeek #EqualityLounge #TheList #AdAgeTheList #ModernCMOPlaybook