And humanity
For better or worse, few people have more influence on public opinion than marketers. Tammy Tsang took that to heart when she launched Vancouver-based Andhumanity with her brother, Matthew Tsang, last year. The inclusive marketing and communications agency helps a wide variety of brands build customer loyalty and drive positive social change, by elevating and authentically connecting with underrepresented groups.
“We've been very lucky to work with some great clients who truly believe they want to make a change in the way they communicate,” says Tsang, who is also founder of sister agency My Loud Speaker Marketing.
To its knowledge, Andhumanity is the only such firm to ask equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) experts to help create a measurement framework and process for its efforts. The Tsangs hold weekly staff training on EDI, led by an in-house specialist. For 2021, they've asked other experts to join them.
Andhumanity's team of 10 also works with advocacy groups from underrepresented communities. In exchange for, say, participating in focus groups or surveys, those nonprofits might receive funding or gain access to a brand's platform. “Advocacy for underrepresented groups cannot happen unless the privileged are helping them along,” Tsang says.
Then there's the company's allied work. Andhumanity is building a network of copywriters, designers and fellow creatives from the BIPOC and other marginalized communities–and making them available to clients. As Tsang explains, it's about “recruiting people from lived experience to work on the project so that we're not speaking on their behalf.”