The Power of Presence: Driving Authentic and Inclusive Storytelling

Contributors: Zachary Walker, Highwire; Fermina Phillips, OACC 

Part 1

1. When you think about inclusive storytelling, what does “community first” mean to you, and how does it shape the way you approach communications?

Fermina: At the OACC, "community first" means our storytelling originates from the community. It’s a commitment to prioritize and amplify the authentic voices, needs, and diverse perspectives of the people we serve — viewing our artists, cultural practitioners, and audiences as one interconnected community.

This approach is the foundation of our programming and communications strategy. Instead of leading with our organization's brand, we lead with the community's stories. When we invite performers and presenters to participate in programs or exhibitions we do not make suggestions or edits. We want the artists to lead the process, so there is authenticity in what they present.

For example, our communication for the Oakland Ilokana film premiere centered on the power of preserving a Filipina grandmother's oral history. When promoting our annual Lunar New Year x Black History Month event, our messaging highlights the artists and traditions that embody Asian and African-American solidarity.

Zachary: To me, "community first" is the strategic anchor that shifts communication from broadcasting to belonging. This shift is not just a change in strategy, but a new way of understanding audiences in an ever-changing digital world. It's recognizing that the people you're trying to reach aren't just consumers; they're individuals who are exposed to influential voices and culture-makers daily. As marketers, our job is to help our clients get their message to resonate through the noise. This approach not only fosters a sense of belonging but also inspires and motivates the audience to take action. And, as we know from consumers, America's population is becoming increasingly multicultural, reflecting a growing trend toward greater diversity and cultural pluralism. In fact, this recent Forbes article reported that "only 26% of African-Americans, 10% of Hispanics and 3% of Asians feel represented in advertising." 

Part of this may be because recent data suggests that 85.4% of the ad industry comprises White advertising professionals, many of whom appear to be simply reflecting their own experiences and subconscious biases in the campaigns they create.  This approach is problematic, as it often overlooks the diverse perspectives and lived experiences necessary to create truly inclusive campaigns. 

Consumers form deeper connections with brands when they feel seen and understood through advertising. Conversely, when consumers feel consistently excluded, underrepresented, or misrepresented, it breeds negative sentiment toward a brand. This emotional response directly impacts brand loyalty and purchasing decisions, making authentic representation not just a moral imperative but a business necessity.

In my work at Highwire, and across our clients in various industries, this means our strategies are built on listening to our target audiences first, so we can craft messages that connect with them. We treat the most popular social platforms not just as distribution channels, but as real-time research labs. This is essential, because consumers are primarily using social media platforms to form and share opinions, which means brands must meet them there with respect and nuance.

This audience-first? approach ensures that our clients' campaigns don't just speak to a community; indeed; they are truly of that community, driving genuine engagement and brand affinity. Conversations are a two-way street, so as much as we want our target audience to hear our narrative, we have to be willing to listen to what they have to say.

2. In your work with OACC/Highwire, what are some concrete practices you use to ensure cultural fluency and authenticity in storytelling? 

Fermina: To ensure cultural fluency and authenticity, our practice relies on two core principles: artist-led creation and prioritizing native terminology.

At OACC, we view our role as one of amplification, not authorship. This means all OACC storytelling is developed by the featured artists and cultural practitioners themselves, which serves to uplift a wide range of authentic AANHPI voices. For example, when planning our Hawaiian Arts and Culture Day, Native Hawaiian artists developed the entire program content. We then ensured all our communications — from social media to press releases — used accurate Hawaiian language to describe the programs shared.

Using the correct, specific native terminology is a fundamental sign of respect and the cornerstone of authentic communication. This collaborative process ensures the narrative always originates directly from the community.

Zachary:  At Highwire, the fiercely distinct approach that has helped our clients is structural and data-driven–ensuring authenticity isn't left to chance. We typically rely on three core practices. This emphasis on data-driven practices reassures our clients and audience that our storytelling is not just authentic, but also effective and impactful:

• Audience-Specific, Platform Strategy: Authenticity on LinkedIn differs from that of TikTok. Our clients are often industry innovators. We adopt an 'educate, entertain, and/or inform' approach, defining a platform-native POV (Point of View) for each social media platform. More strategically, we recognize that inclusive storytelling is a revenue driver. An ANA/AIMM study of over 1,000 brands found that brands with substantial diversity in their advertising see a 45% increase in brand trust among diverse audiences, which translates directly into performance and ROI.

• Insight-Driven Hypotheses and Storytelling: As a member of our agency’s Integrated Solutions team, I’m excited to work closely with our Insights and Analytics department to prioritize grounding every idea in a verifiable cultural insight rather than just a broad demographic target. This involves translating conversations gathered through social listening into a compelling narrative that will resonate in the short time we have their attention. For instance, utilizing vocabulary that's popular among Gen Z consumers (i.e. “No cap” or “bussin” to express excitement about a new product). We used this 'nugget' to create a campaign that resonates with this audience. The key is to uncover the 'nuggets,' or insightful trends, and turn that story into digestible, actionable content for our clients.
• Diverse Creator Ecosystems and Governance: Authenticity must be delivered by authentic voices. Our influencer marketing practice helps clients who are actively looking to build relationships with creators who authentically represent their communities. This means not just finding influencers with large followings, but those who truly embody the values and culture of the community they represent. This could look like partnering with a more micro influencer whose audience comprises mainly a diverse audience that is genuinely engaged, instead of choosing a macro influencer whose audience is made up of several sub-target audiences.  According to recent findings by Adweek, campaigns that successfully tap into diverse creators, particularly those from underrepresented communities, see significant increases in credibility and engagement. This underscores the importance of representation and the value it brings to our clients — especially for organizations with a global footprint.

About Our Contributors: 

As a person of color and marketing leader, Zachary is thrilled to share his unique perspective on leveraging social data and personal experience to build truly equitable and effective communications.  Zach’s success leading the social media strategies of iconic brands like Oscar Mayer, Kool-Aid, and Chamberlain has afforded him the opportunity to speak at several business and networking events over the years, including Social Media Week, the SocialRock Conference, multiple virtual panels, and marketing–related podcasts. 

Fermina is passionate about brands, people, and products who lead marketing with innovation and social conscience. As a member of the APIA community, she seeks to contribute to cultures that foster diversity, open communication and respect.