CIPR welcomes diversity Christmas campaign
This Christmas season has seen the launch of a campaign to diversify family images of festive celebrations used within the media.
CIPR welcomes the “Christmas So White” initiative started by Nadia Powell in partnership with modelling agency Looks Like Me; which aims to show families from minority backgrounds taking part in typical Christmas scenes in an effort to tackle under-representation in the media.
“The best Christmas campaigns find a ‘connection’ with their audience, whether it’s a tear-jerker or something more humorous. The audience connection is critical.
“It’s great to see some brands, such as John Lewis, Amazon, Sainsbury's and Curry's PC World taking a more inclusive stance this year, with diverse casting and story lines, that make a noticeably different connection with the audience. These brands have shown they understand the diversity of their audience.
“But, sadly the vast majority of Christmas brand campaigns completely overlook diversity and inclusion and remain all 'white', leaving their non-white audience ‘out in the cold’.
“The recently-launched #ChristmasSoWhite campaign is a timely and important reminder about the critical lack of diverse and inclusive images in marketing and advertising campaigns. The wider communications industry needs to take note, and stop selling the unrepresentative dream of a ‘white’ Christmas.”
Notes to editors
About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)Founded in 1948, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners in the UK and overseas. The CIPR is the largest membership organisation for PR practitioners outside of North America. By size of turnover and number of individually registered members, we are the leading representative body for the PR profession and industry in Europe.
The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR).