How To Be More Diverse & Inclusive in Advertising, According to Shana Gujral of Think Lila

2020 made a lot of us (white people) wake up to certain things we’d been passively ignoring or glossing over in society, that racial discrimination is everywhere. After the atrocious death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor being murdered by police (just two examples), to the current Capitol coup going on in Washington which lies in stark comparison to the peaceful protests for Black Lives Matter in the same location. It’s clear that our societies both in the UK and all around the world are still fundamentally racist.

Whilst we as a global community are clearly not doing enough, some companies and brands are at least trying to change the way they think about, and approach, racial discrimination, both internally in their offices and externally in the way they market themselves to others. It’s not a big leap, but it’s a step in the right direction. Think Lila is an example of one such company who is making its mark by making the world a more inclusive place. With her mantra, ‘the business of belonging’, founder Shana Gujral is changing the face of advertising by helping to close the all too big diversity gap. She calls out outdated brands and films on Think Lila’s Instagram page, highlighting cultural inequalities (Bend It Like Beckham), inauthentic brands that don’t represent real women (Victoria’s Secret) and much more. Not only were we super excited to talk to Shana about her reasons behind starting such an incredible company, but we wanted to get an idea from her and also business advice on how to be more diverse and inclusive in advertising as brands.

What sparked you to create the Think Lila instagram platform

Typically 'diversity and inclusion' is a heavy and intense subject crammed with hollowing statistics. As a result, we become hugely overwhelmed or largely fail to engage.

With experience in innovation, where on a day to day basis I learnt to provide a fresh perspective and ultimately build meaningful brands with purpose, I thought about how I could apply my skill-set to the topic of diversity and inclusion. The landscape was lacking a real solution. Initiatives internally were not making change and frankly there was a lot more to be done by brands. It was time to roll up my sleeves and get to work!

As a result, Lila was born. Lila is dedicated to the business of belonging, allowing all people to feel seen and heard. It’s time for the industry to diversify not only their brand, but also their thinking.

We approach the difficult subject of diversity and inclusion through a challenger mindset to resonate with future generations and inspire and motivate brands to make long term change. We have curated a series of inspirational workshops and 1:1 consultancy.

What does closing the diversity gap in advertising look like? What can brands do to ensure their advertising is diverse and inclusive?

Closing the diversity gap is by no means an easy task!

Brands should strive for inclusivity to be embedded into their values and individual campaigns. It should embody and stretch across every touchpoint and should be consistently adhered to.

To be diverse and inclusive, a brand must: authentically want to make changebe able to empathise and understand the areas of opportunity for their brandreview their brand values and be willing to evolve

What does diversity mean to you?

Diversity is very close to my heart.

Growing up, I never felt a sense of belonging with a distinct lack of role models that looked like me in the media. For years I dismissed my South Asian identity and suppressed parts of the culture which made me who I am. In recent years, I learnt to embrace my true identity, and I want all underrepresented voices to do the same. Lila was created to empower and inspire those who have felt discrimination and create a sense of belonging for those who have been previously neglected.

What other women inspire you personally?

Rihanna, Mindy Kaling and Priyanka Chopra to name a few.

These women of colour are all championing inclusion and diversity on a large scale in their individual industries, which is so amazing to see. Rihanna in particular has changed the face of beauty with her challenger brands Savage Fenty and Fenty Beauty. Moving from music into beauty, she knew what fans wanted and ultimately she gave women confidence and the stage to be seen and heard. I mean who wouldn't want to share the stage with Rihanna?

Let’s talk about transparency in advertising, because that also ties into diversity, is transparency an important thing to bear in mind for advertising in 2021?

One hundred percent!

With diversity comes transparency. It is absolutely okay for brands to be on their journey to making change - no brand is perfect after all. Honesty and transparency in the process humanises the conversation and we can clearly see that the brand isn't using diversity as a tick box exercise or being tokenistic.

Do you have any advice for women looking to fight any gender gaps they face in their day to day lives? Whether this through their brand advertising or something like trying to fight for their right to equal pay as their male counterparts.

My main piece of advice is to stand up for yourself. As a woman that has experienced racist microaggressions more times than I can count, I learnt to stand up for myself. Time and time again, I have just let comments slide out of feeling embarrassed and confused what to do.

If you're an employee, speak to others experiencing the same thing and pitch to senior leaders how you are going to change it. Can you bring in someone to run a workshop to educate and inspire? A lot of the time, if someone receives discrimination, they don't know how to manage it. If you don't know enough, consider taking a course and reading up on the subject as much as you can. Can you encourage HR to put out an anonymous survey to understand the size of the problem?

For those running a business, learn to surround yourself with the right people. I know this is so much easier said than done, but it is so important to gain the right support if you truly want to make considerable change. Social media is such a great place to network. How can you partner with the right people online that align with your values?

How can companies continue to fight the battle for racial diversity and inclusion in 2021?

Companies must incorporate a 'diversity and inclusion' strategy into their business. It is not a HR problem....it is a business objective.

To avoid overwhelm, consider choosing 3 core areas of focus and celebrate the small wins along the way. Be proud of the change you are making!

I would recommend bringing in a consultant who can inspire and educate your colleagues and ultimately keep you accountable on achieving your 3 core objectives. Each year, you can evaluate and build upon your objectives with ambitious goals to create a sense of belonging across all touchpoints.

What does 2021 and the future hold for Think Lila, what can we expect?!

This year is certainly an exciting year for Think Lila! We are growing our client base to make long term change across the creative industry and are on a mission to help as many brands as possible! Additionally, we are working on success kits and a Youtube Channel to provide free value that will build a foundation to cultivate inclusivity. Check us out on @ThinkLila on Instagram and Youtube