Across every diverse group we sampled, we saw the same thing. There were ads which scored significantly higher among the diversity segment (eg Black British, LGBTQ+) than among the general population control group. In almost all cases these were ads which already scored well - gaining 3-Stars or more - but saw a big uplift among the specific groups included in the ad.

This is a win-win – these ads are both commercially effective for the general population but also score even higher among the diversity segment they represent.

Representation improves emotional response: feeling seen feels great.

In the next section of the report, we’ll look at some specific ads which did this in more detail. One of the most dramatic jumps in score came from McCain’s, which got a high 4-Star score in the control group that jumped to a near maximum 5.8-Stars among British Asian viewers. Maltesers’ cheeky “New Boyfriend” also hit 5-Stars among people with disabilities. IKEA’s “Hooray For The Wonderful Everyday”, which stars an ordinary Black family, scored in line with the rest of IKEA’s campaign in the control group but shot up to 5-Stars among Black British viewers.