FCB reveals its inclusion practice

Creative network FCB has launched a dedicated practice to ensure clients incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion in their advertising. 

The Upstream Inclusion Practice, led by EVP and executive director of strategic inclusion, Marc Wilson, provides strategic counsel to clients looking to reframe how they address consumers with more inclusive messaging.

The launch is part of FCB’s structural inclusion initiative, driven by global chief strategy officer Vita Harris and global chief talent officer Cindy Augustine. The program aims to cultivate diversity in FCB’s employee population, culture and the work it produces for clients. 

“The Upstream Inclusion process is designed to train all of our teams to be smarter marketers as relates to understanding different cultures, nuances and ways to communicate,” said Tyler Turnbull, CEO at FCB North America.

FCB clients including GE Appliances, Kimberly-Clark and Clorox have already begun working with the Upstream Inclusion practice to develop more inclusive campaigns. 

For GE Appliances, for instance, FCB developed a campaign that invited people of different backgrounds and styles to design their own kitchen and share the result online. 

“We always wanted to have a specific initiative that gave us the tools to create inclusive work,” said Wayne Davis, senior director of the Cafe Brand at GE Appliances. “We went through our purpose exercise with the FCB team and it helped us wrap our hands around how we’re going to inform our creative journey over the next few years.”

According to FCB’s Turnbull, diversity and creating more inclusive work for clients is the agency’s “growth strategy.”

“It's not an initiative on the side or simply an employee action plan,” he said. “It's the key to making great creative and driving solutions.”