In TV’s New Reality, Diversity Is Just Good Business

After seeing the most racially diverse broadcast schedule at last week’s Upfronts, TIME reporter James Poniewozik wrote a great piece about diversity in television. According to Poniewozik, advertisers “increasingly know that diversity is good for business.”

Anthony Anderson and Laurence Fishburne in Black-ish, premiering next season on ABC. (Adam Taylor/ABC)

“It’s the right thing to do. It’s decent. It’s fair. But let’s be frank–it’s about dollars and cents, and that’s not a bad thing. Making advertising diverse may not be without controversy, but there’s a clear, simple message that being seen as inclusive is better for your brand image than exclusion. It makes you seem more desirable, more aspirational–and, this is advertising here, after all–it makes you seem younger, in tune with a society that is growing more varied and socially tolerant with the generations.”

The AD Club wholeheartedly supports diversity of thought, background, culture and race in advertising, marketing and media. By putting dollars behind shows with diverse casts who reflect the reality of our culture, the industry is making diversity not only a priority, but an innate part of business. We’re excited to see steps, both big and small, being taken in the right direction.

Read the full article here.