How do you balance the representation of diverse voices in your marketing content without falling into tokenism or performative allyship?

I love this question.  It's a question every marketing professional should ask themselves when planning and executing their marketing strategy.  Here are a few of my recommendations:

1) Be genuine and authentic:  Your marketing efforts should be a reflection of your company culture and collective commitment to DEI.  And it should be consistently reflected in all your marketing efforts and not just a signal campaign or moment in time.  If there's any contradiction or inconsistency, your efforts most certainly will be viewed as tokenism and performative allyship.

2) Education and Empathy are key:  Being informed is one of your most valuable assets in your marketing toolkit.  Continually seek learning and understanding to ensure you're being inclusive and respectful in your efforts and representation.  Don't make assumptions. Do the research and create opportunities for feedback and insights from diverse audiences.  Learning more enables you to empathize and connect with diverse voices to portray them positively and respectfully.  

3) Representation matters: Don't "check the box" by showcasing diversity (age, gender, ethnicity, etc.) in your images and messaging. Go a step further and examine the context of the pictures and the messages or perceptions they convey. 

4) Literally include diverse voices in your marketing.  Make them a part of the work you're doing.  Empower them to tell their story and in their own voice.  Find ways to partner with diverse communities that don't always advance your company's self-interest, but theirs. 

5) Be vulnerable:  Allyship is a journey, not a destination.  Sounds cliche' but it's true.  And the designation "ally" has to be earned. If you're openminded and operate with a growth mindset, your authenticity and efforts will be recognized and rewarded.  Be accountable and when you make a mistake, be transparent and learn from it.

Most importantly, don't let fear paralyze you in your efforts to be inclusive.  We only fail when we don't try.

I find having a messaging framework really helps with feedback because you can evaluate it against your framework to see if it is in alignment. Of course this framework should be vetted with experts and customers often to make sure it is staying relevant with changing needs.