Marketers Will Need to Double Down Against Divisiveness

The success of advertising rests on clear, concise, and culturally considerate communication. Yet only 22 days into 2025, legal mandates and corporate maneuvers would suggest that facts are not important to consider when crafting what we say, how we say it, or how we show it. 

Everyone was left a little shaken following Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement that Meta will be eliminating its fact-checking policies across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads—his grounds being free rein for free speech, but whether the speech is accurate in depiction or description is no longer a disqualifier. If opinion can be taken as fact or misconstrued, whether deliberate or not, it undermines the reliability of the data we depend on to inform marketing strategies.

This is compounded by recent developments in state privacy laws affecting the data we aggregate: So far, 19 states have deviated from the Washington Privacy Act, which regulates the management and oversight of personal data. The reason is that ethnicity, race, and related attributes are now being treated as sensitive personal information that must be redacted.

While these measures are honorable in preventing information from being used to discriminate, there is a flip side: Data that is mapped against how a person self-identifies helps us understand diverse perspectives. It’s an integral component for quality control. Without this context, we’re hindered from recognizing nuanced insights necessary for creating equitable and effective campaigns.

The fundamental problem with these two developments—Meta’s policy shift and changes to data privacy laws—is the ripple effect in marketing. They’re effectively license to compromise ethical standards when designing narratives that represent diverse cultures.

According to a study by Nuance Matters, 44% of people believe brands focus too much on surface-level representation, neglecting deeper cultural understanding. This is a clear indication that we must take extra care to avoid misshaping how people view the belief systems, behaviors, or values of others from what we create.

The stakes are high. African American, Asian American, and Native American households collectively represent 17.4% of U.S. purchasing power, equating to nearly $1 of every $5.75 spent. Hispanic buying power is projected to reach $2.8 trillion by next year. Failing to engage these communities meaningfully could mean losing billions in potential revenue. We tread a fine line of either affirming or dispelling biases, and if consumers feel sidelined, that’s dollars walking right out the door.

Building trust through data and human intelligence

Trustworthiness in storytelling is the game changer. Even Yann LeCun, Meta’s chief AI scientist, admitted that some AI models will never compensate for the workings of the human mind; qualitative will need equal billing with quantitative, if not more.

Real-life conversations are critical in fact-checking lived experience against what’s ticked in a study or survey. This also extends to focus group testing to ensure diverse perspectives are heard. These measures help identify inconsistencies while adding more depth to individual thought processes. Communal curiosity of the human mind is key.

In addition, agencies must take the lead in developing proprietary AI systems tailored to cultural analysis. A Salesforce study revealed that 40% of marketers lack access to real-time data on specific communities, often relying on outdated insights or intuition.

As AI developments continue to accelerate, we should be at the forefront of developing models that better reflect cultural contexts. No one wants the doctrine of disparate impact knocking at their door, so we need to look beyond AI’s utilization to mitigate biases inherent in current algorithms. This proactive approach positions agencies as stewards of ethical, inclusive marketing.

Steps toward unity in marketing

Creating change requires simple, actionable steps to get ahead of the game. 

First, have honest consultations with brands to prioritize cultural nuance in audience insights; candid conversations are needed to understand how a brand views its current audience—and if they see their consumer in a fundamentally different way than the consumer sees themselves.

Carrying overcomplicated assumptions of the attributes of any given target, such as their political stance or personal ideology, will affect how a brand segments its audience. Reset your approach when building identity profiles, starting with distinctive psychographic and demographic classifications. It will unlock greater engagement.

Appraise data capture protocols, both in-house and client side, to assess to mitigate bias and ensure inclusivity. Get up to date with a brand’s privacy regulations: If important data is being redacted, agencies are unable to build a fully informed profile of different audiences and cultures.

Why does it matter? 81% of brands say they have a deep understanding of their consumers, but less than half (46%) of customers agree. Data capture appraisals put agencies in a position to prevent the creation of a gap in usable customer data for marketing purposes.

Develop mutually agreed-upon criteria for different forms of marketing output, doubling down to reflect all aspects of identity. This helps agencies steer clients toward longevity for their businesses. Continued growth with new cohorts and nurtured intergenerational loyalty is the way to future-proof brand love.

Now is the time for bold leadership and brand bravery. By affirming the dignity and influence of communities, advertising can evolve into a unifying force that bridges cultural divides. We are in a prime position to shape a future where marketing reflects the world and inspires trust.