ThinkNow Diversity & Inclusion: Brands and Consumer Purchase Intent Report 2021

It’s Pride Month! Every year, in June, LGBTQIA+ communities worldwide celebrate the freedom to be authentically and unapologetically who they are. City streets erupt in festive expressions of Pride as enthusiastic, and often costumed patrons attend parades, concerts, and festivals decorated with brightly colored rainbow flags, streamers, and confetti. But the celebration doesn’t just bring people together for a good party. Instead, it shines a light on an underrepresented community, like other minority groups, who have struggled to be seen, heard, and included for generations. Over the past few months, America has been taken to task for its treatment of minority groups. Be it the inexcusable deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of white police officers, unfair and restrictive voting practices that target minority voters, or stereotypical representations of underrepresented groups in advertising. The latter is where we’ll focus. Companies en masse stepped up in 2020 decrying racism in America. But have those public declarations resulted in systemic changes in their diversity and inclusion practices, and how are consumers responding to those changes? To answer that question, ThinkNow conducted a nationally representative survey of Americans to understand the impact of companies that demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The insights are presented in the 2021 ThinkNow Diversity & Inclusion: Brands and Consumer Purchase Intent report, now available for download.