Cristina Diezhandino, Chief Marketing Officer at Diageo, has called on marketing leaders to embrace progressive media brands.

Speaking at the Creative Equals RISE conference, Diezhandino shared that ‘media is the canvas’ where marketing appears. Marketing leaders have a responsibility to recognise their impact in shaping that canvas.

Highlighting the Black and Irish podcast and Shangay magazine as two examples of progressive media platforms Diageo invests in, she urged the audience to consider the media their advertising appears within. Notably, she underlined the power of connecting with engaged communities in a marketing ecosystem that has historically over indexed on reach.

She explained: “The truth is you might think these media publications are relatively niche but they can be incredibly valuable because the engagement is so high.” In fact, data shows a 59% uplift in ROI in progressive media channels.

Embracing the commercial opportunity of women’s sports

Diezhandino also spoke passionately about Diageo’s investment in women’s sport, sharing: ‘The portrayal of women in sports coverage is relatively small so we wanted to do more.’

The brand has stepped up to this challenge, running a campaign to remind fans that the Six Nations isn't over ahead of the women’s game. This effort is not just because incision is good for society, it also drives brand growth.

“It works for consumers and it works for us,” explains Diezhandino. She shared that Guinness is the number one beer in the UK. It has experienced significant growth amongst female consumers, where the brand has seen a 24% uplift in the number of women drinking Guinness.

She added: “The aperture of the brand just gets wider when you do this work. It is really good for business,” she added.

Stereotype smashers

Widening the lens is also key to how Diageo approaches stereotyping. Sharing an image iconic of Mad Men character, Don Draper, Diezhandino asked the audience to ask themselves to consider who comes to mind when they think of Whisky.

Diageo has shattered the bias and changed the portrayal when it comes to the Whisky sector.  Diezhandino pointed to creative work with women at the centre, focusing on different drinking occasions such as cooking.

She explained: “We have done work that speaks to whiskey in the context of a different occasion to the one that would have been imagined. This in turn has been really important in having more women coming to both the category and our brand.”

She also discussed the new possibilities AI and technology bring to neutralising bias. A discussion so often absent from the broader industry debate on the ethics, or lack thereof, in AI.

Diageo brought out a programme called ‘What’s your Whisky?’. An algorithm which will help you find a whiskey you will enjoy through identifying each individual's flavour profile. A process free of bias and the assumptions that have historically dominated the category. As Diezhandino explains: “It doesn't matter what gender you are or what age you are. It is your flavour choice that counts.”

Progress over perfection

Diageo’s commitment to widening the lens is rooted in considering what experiences are not accessible to consumers; from bars to the sporting events Diageo sponsors and supports.

Earlier this year In a media first, Guinness and ITV made sporting history by trialling live descriptive audio commentary for the Guinness Six Nations. The move was part of an ongoing drive to make the Guinness Six Nations 2024 Championship the most inclusive yet, supported by Creative Equals

Sharing her experience Diezhandino reminded the audience of the importance of pushing for progress ahead of perfection. Explaining: “It might not be perfect from the beginning, but it is worth it.”

Who makes the work shapes the work

Ali Hanan, Founder and CEO of Creative Equals, explained how Diezhandino has placed inclusion at the heart of the Diageo brand. Diageo has also supported the Creative Equals scheme to support women returners coming back to the industry, as well as its initiative to offer free training to disabled creatives. 

Diezhandino shared her belief that the diversity of a company and the teams making the work is vital to progressive marketing. She explained: “Understanding that people have different needs and experiences is easier within a diverse team.”

Sharing the brand's progressive marketing journey Diezhandino highlighted the brand’s inclusion milestones. In 2017 Diageo was a founding member of the Unstereotype Alliance.

While the Creative Equals Creative Comeback scheme it supports launched in 2019.

In 2020 the brand launched a supplier diversity programme and revamped the progressive marketing programme. In 2021 the Creative Equals Creative Comeback programme expanded internationally. In 2022 Diageo launched inclusion guidelines, in 2023 they launched inclusive design training and in 2024 Accessibility toolkits.

“It really is a journey. I am really proud of the work we have done but I am clear this journey isn't over. What we do next is really important,” Diezhandino explained.

People powered progress

This journey is not just about a new process, adopting a new technology platform or creative process in isolation. Diezhandino explained that thinking about consumers and your teams as people is vital to success. “That is the way to have the inclusive mindset,” she explained.

She urged the audience to be willing to learn. Sharing that while things may not always be perfect, being open-minded about what comes next is really rewarding.

Pointing to collaboration as key to progress. She credited organisations such as the UN Unstereotype Alliance and Creative Equals as key partners for achieving excellence in progressive marketing.

As Creative Equals Hanan noted at the start of the Creative Equals Rise conference “Marketing - and marketers - can shape a society where everyone’s stories are told and heard.”

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Photo credit: Bronac McNeill