Be bold with DEI

Avoiding DEI video cliches

Most brands and businesses start their DEI communication journey by making a powerful statement of intent or belief. However, in our recent research into how the UK’s top brands are using video to do this, we’re seeing lots of identikit DEI films being produced. For example, featuring lots of static portraits of faces mixed with stock footage and driven by earnest music and a friendly voice over artist. Sadly, these kinds of films are lacking in any meaningful emotional connection and give an important subject short shrift.

So how do you make a DEI video that stands out from the crowd?

The key is to remember that today’s audiences are televisually savvy. They demand videos that inspire and entertain. In our research, we identified three key ways that you can consider to be more visually interesting when it comes to making a statement on DEI using video and animation.

1. Show, don't tell

This example from TV2 in Denmark (and don’t worry if your Danish isn’t up to scratch, the film is very helpfully in English) has stuck with us for a long time. The key here is that it is both relatable and helps to make DEI feel tangible using a simple visual device.

All that we share

2. Be seriously funny

Yes, seriously! Your first reaction might be that it feels like a mismatch for DEI, however some of the most interesting work that we came across in our research uses humour to make a powerful impact. Sometimes you need to break the ice and disarm the audience on the subject, and this example from New Zealand does just that. Yes, we can’t all afford Taika, but the idea behind it is simple: by playing on people’s preconceptions, you can stand out from the crowd and land a powerful message.

Give nothing to racism

3. Be more animated

We talk about animation as perhaps the most flexible creative approach for video and it’s great at explaining and simplifying. So, it can be a useful tool for DEI in several ways and particularly when it comes to introducing people to something that can be quite complex. But it can also be a powerful story telling tool, helping you bring to life peoples lived experiences and to help bring those stories to the screen that might be otherwise difficult to share. We chose this recent film from Accenture that uses animation to help an employee share their experiences of black identity in the UK.