Breaking Barriers: Channel 4 Launches Groundbreaking £1m Grant for Inclusive LGBTQIA+ Representation

Channel 4's annual Diversity in Advertising award is calling on brands to tackle the issue of insufficient and genuine portrayal of LGBTQIA+ individuals in advertising. This year, the award continues the theme that was introduced in 2019, highlighting the unfortunate lack of progress in representation for the LGTBQIA+ community over the past four years.

In 2019, Starbucks won the award for its 'What's Your Name' campaign, showcasing a transgender man using his new name while ordering a coffee.

Now, the broadcaster is urging the industry to embrace a wider array of diversity, sexuality, and identity, challenging them to be 'Proud All Over.' The broadcaster also highlights brands' increasing hesitance to include LGBTQIA+ communities in fear of potential backlash.

The winning brand will receive £1m worth of commercial advertising, including airtime on linear TV, All 4, and Channel 4’s YouTube channel. Additionally, the winner will be granted a custom media campaign from 4Studio, valued at £100,000.

According to Channel 4’s Mirror on the Industry research, the representation of LGTBQIA+ individuals in advertising has remained stagnant in recent years, with only 3% of adverts featuring members of these communities. While this aligns with the latest UK Census data, which states that 3.2% of the UK population identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or another sexual orientation, it is believed that the actual percentage may be much higher as 7.5% of the population chose not to answer the question at all.

The research reveals that LGTBQIA+ characters featured in advertising are significantly more likely to be of white ethnicity (71%) compared to black ethnicity (23%). In terms of gender representation, two-thirds (61%) of LGTBQIA+ characters are male, while only 26% are female. Furthermore, LGTBQIA+ characters are found to be 15 times more likely to be assumed to be between the ages of 16 and 49, rather than over 50. Despite some progress, Channel 4's chief revenue officer, Verica Djurdjevic, acknowledges that there is still an imbalance when it comes to promoting diversity and inclusion in the advertising industry.

"We are thrilled to announce our revamped LGBTQIA+ brief for this year, aiming to showcase the diverse range of identities within this community. We eagerly anticipate the development of innovative campaigns that push the limits," she declares.

In the previous edition, the chosen theme focused on disability, resulting in Vanish winning the prestigious £1 million award. Their pitch effectively educated viewers about autism's realities. Channel 4 has awarded a cumulative total of £8 million in airtime to date.

Channel 4 is committed to adhering to the AdGreen guidelines provided by the Advertising Association to minimize the adverse environmental effects of advertising production. Additionally, the winning campaign this year will also align with these guidelines.

According to Channel 4's research, past award-winning campaigns have consistently outperformed standard creative advertising campaigns in terms of brand recognition and improved brand perception.

The winner of the Diversity in Advertising award will be announced in October, with the winning campaign airing on Channel 4 in early 2024.