CultureConnect

The U.S. technology industry has grown at a steady if not rapid pace, yet it lags when it comes to diversity in its workforce. The majority of its workers are white and/or male.  On this episode of CultureConnect, we’re taking a look at careers in tech with a panel of experts who are doing their part to diversify this STEM field.  Hosted by Janelle A. James, SVP Ipsos UU. Guests: Nicole Isaac, VP,...

In honor of women’s history month, CultureConnect is taking a deep dive into the advertising ecosystem and talking to some of the contemporary influential women on the front line of this creative and ever evolving field.  From conceptualizing and developing some of the most memorable advertising campaigns to championing DEI, we’ll discuss what it takes to make it as a woman in advertising and brea...

In honor of black history month, CultureConnect is celebrating black creatives in advertising. So much of their experiences include paving the way, creating spaces and conveying messages for those who have largely lacked representation in media and advertising. In this episode, a group of creative directors share their experiences, challenges, and triumphs as black professionals in the media and a...

Corporations recognize the opportunity inclusive advertising offers to connect with all types of consumers and expand market reach. Yet many hit stumbling blocks along the way, including misperceptions or mistakes in marketing.  We discuss these issues and how to avoid them with Mita Mallick,  author of “Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths To Transform Your Workplace.” A conversation with Jane...

Over 2023, CultureConnect has covered many areas surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion, and the ways in which they are driving growth in businesses and marketing. As the year draws to a close, we wanted to look back at some of the interesting topics we’ve explored and celebrate the second year of our podcast.  A Conversation with Janelle A. James, SVP, Ipsos UU, Tarya Weedon, Cultural Insigh...

The landscape for qualitative research has undergone significant transformations in recent years. “Qual” is evolving and overcoming pitfalls related to diversity and cultural understanding. We discuss these issues and best practices in qual for organizations moving forward.   A conversation with, Janelle A. James, SVP, IUU, Tony D’Andrea, Multicultural Marketing Manager at General Mills, Danielle...

Over the years organizations saw making progress in diversity, equity and inclusion as good for business.  However, after a period of reinvigorated commitment to DEI, there’s now concern that may be diminishing. We examine how the current environment is changing the state of DEI in media, marketing and advertising, and how to navigate it.   A conversation with, Koen Pauwels, Distinguished Professo...

The increasing popularity of women’s sports and the increasing presence of women in the business of sports is without a doubt an inspiration. It’s also an incredible case study on diversity, equity, and inclusion touching on topics from pay equity to representation in media. How are teams at all levels driving inclusion and eliminating disparities? What roles do brands, media, and fans play? How a...

Inclusive advertising is an opportunity to reflect society and promote social change while expanding market reach. In our last episode of CultureConnect, we looked at the ongoing efforts of agencies and brands to navigate the complexities of DEI in advertising. In this episode, we continue that conversation with new research from two prominent organizations at the forefront of promoting inclusion...

More and more marketing professionals see DEI in advertising presents an opportunity to expand market reach and increase brand relevance in addition to promoting social change. So how are agencies and brands doing when it comes to navigating the complexities of inclusive advertising? We discuss the ways in which marketers can find success in the future by embracing and influencing changes in socie...

Music has always been a powerful instrument for connection and cultural advancement. It’s a tool for self-expression and self-determination. Music plays a big role in June celebrations of Pride Month, Juneteenth, Caribbean Heritage Month, and Black Music Month.  On this episode, we discuss how music shares culture, challenges stereotypes, and advances different communities. A conversation with Jan...

Immigration is a significant part of the American story, shaping our country's history and cultural identity. However, immigrant portrayals in the media haven’t always been fair, kind or accurate. This episode focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the media when it comes to immigrants, with a focus on the Asian-American experience. A conversation with Janelle A. James, SVP, Ipsos, IU...

You may have heard about ChatGPT. It’s the fastest growing AI powered technology with over 100 million monthly active users. It’s disrupting the workplace and the marketplace.  But as new applications for artificial intelligence continue to materialize, we'll discuss how it's helpful and/or hurtful to our society. This is CultureConnect's third episode looking at how we contend with...

Marketers often look to target customers, though few people fit into just one category. For example, women are multifaceted, and womanhood is complex.  Race, ethnicity, sexuality, class, nationality, age, and even ability impact how women navigate life, work, and society at large.  On this Women’s History Month episode of CultureConnect, we explore womanhood and intersectionality.  A conversation...

The CDC defines health equity as the state in which “every person has the opportunity to attain his or her full health potential and no one is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances.” Yet disparities in our healthcare system persist. We’re going to discuss how diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives can impact and impro...

Over the years, organizations have increasingly engaged in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. But efforts only go so far unless there’s a long-term commitment and continuing efforts to make DEI stick. We discuss insights and strategies for organizations to continually improve operational inclusion .   A conversation with, Nyasia Sarfo,  Global Diversity and Inclusion Program Lead at Micr...

Over the last year, CultureConnect has addressed how diversity, equity and inclusion are driving growth in businesses and marketing companies.  These discussions have sometimes led us down surprising paths and given us food for thought.  As 2022 draws to a close, some members of the ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council join moderator Janelle James, Co-Chair of the CEC and Senior Vice President at Ip...

Whether you're building a company or sustaining the power of a legacy brand, understanding demographic shifts is vital. Moderator Janelle James, Co-Chair of the ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council and Senior Vice President at Ipsos UU, leads a discussion on ways brands have gained an edge by focusing their insights and subsequent marketing on what perhaps used to be considered niche markets.  ...

As media and brands seek to learn more about their audiences, the language that members of those audiences use to identify themselves needs to be reflected in research questionnaires. Moderator Janelle James, Co-Chair of the ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council and Senior Vice President at Ipsos UU, leads a discussion on the challenges of inclusive identity terminology with experts in multicultural...

Qualitative research alone or with other forms of research has proven valuable to marketers and businesses who want to better understand their customers and target audience. The Cultural Effectiveness Council has been working on original research on today and tomorrow’s qualitative approaches. Moderator Janelle James, Co-Chair of the ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council and Senior Vice President at...

Technology is an essential part of our everyday life. We rely on it to help us navigate our  finance, employment, housing, health care and purchases, among other things.  But, perhaps unknowingly, we may be impacted by algorithmic bias, in which systematic repeatable errors in AI treat members of some groups differently than others.    In part two of our look at algorithmic bias, we delve further...

We’re increasingly dependent on algorithms in a variety of areas.  This has led to problems with algorithmic bias, in which statistical and econometric models or a programmed set of instructions systematically treats members of some groups differently than others. This can be due to the unconscious biases of engineers who build the models, biases in the data they are trained on, biases inherent in...

The ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council Co-Chair’s Janelle James led an examination of the media, marketing, and research industry’s effort to face capacity issues due to record departures, and how many Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategies (DEI) are likely to shift as a result. This dynamic discussion ultimately highlighted the industry’s opportunity to implement inclusive hiring practices b...

 If you’ve watched music videos from artists like the Weeknd, Shakira, Justin Bieber or Olivia Rodrigo, chances are you watched it on Vevo, the world’s leading music video network. Vevo reaches over one billion daily viewers globally, and 150 million US viewers monthly. Music videos represent a unique form of premium content. More than entertainment, they’re very much the soundtrack to our lives....

We’re living in a time when the way people identify themselves is constantly evolving. Not only do Americans live in a multicultural society, but many embrace communities that go beyond their own heritage. So, if marketers want to connect with consumers and stand out from the competition, they need to reflect this cultural reality. This episode features a discussion surrounding  a recent study by...