Revolutionizing Inclusive Advertising: Insights from the CTV Landscape

In a groundbreaking collaboration, Innovid, an independent CTV advertising and measurement platform, and Alltold, a technology player building AI to understand bias, stereotypes, and inclusion in creative content, have released a comprehensive report titled "The State of Representation in CTV Advertising." This report delves deep into the representation of diverse identities within the captivating world of connected television (CTV) advertising, offering a unique perspective on the industry's progress and the opportunities that lie ahead.

Empowering Brands to Embrace Inclusive Advertising

The report, which analyzes billions of impressions of top-served ads by Innovid in the first half of 2024, provides a detailed breakdown of the representation of six key identity dimensions: age, gender expression, skin tone, body size, observed sexual orientation, and visible disability. Leveraging Alltold's Responsible AI technology, the analysis sheds light on the percentage of people detected for each dimension and the screen time they received, painting a vivid picture of the current state of inclusivity in CTV advertising.

Exploring Gender Representation

The findings reveal a roughly 50/50 split between masculine and feminine gender expression in CTV ads. However, a closer examination uncovers an intriguing trend: those under the age of 30 tend to have a more feminine gender expression, while individuals older than 30 are more likely to be portrayed with a masculine gender expression. This insight highlights the need for advertisers to consider the nuances of gender representation across different age groups, ensuring that their campaigns accurately reflect the diverse spectrum of gender identities.

Skin Tone and Body Size Representation

The report also sheds light on the representation of skin tone and body size in CTV advertising. The data shows that the lightest four skin tones account for more than 70% of the screen time, suggesting a significant underrepresentation of individuals with darker skin tones. Additionally, the study found that small- and medium-sized bodies were represented approximately 93% of the time, leaving little room for the portrayal of diverse body types. These findings underscore the importance of actively addressing the lack of representation in these areas and striving for a more inclusive and equitable portrayal of people in CTV ads.

Visible Disability Representation

One of the most striking findings from the report is the extremely low representation of individuals with visible disabilities, accounting for less than 1% of the people shown on screen. This statistic highlights the urgent need for the advertising industry to prioritize the inclusion of diverse abilities and to challenge the persistent stereotypes and biases that have historically marginalized this community.

The Business Case for Inclusive Advertising

The report's findings underscore the importance of inclusive advertising not only for building a more equitable society but also for driving business results. As Alltold's CEO and Co-Founder, Morgan Gregory, eloquently states, "Inclusive advertising not only helps to build a more inclusive world, but it also drives business results." By embracing data-driven insights and setting representation baselines, brands and agencies can establish data-driven objectives and track their progress, ultimately realizing the tangible ROI of representation.

Innovid's Commitment to Inclusive CTV Advertising

Innovid's SVP of Global Client Solutions, Dan Mouradian, emphasizes the power of advertising to make people feel seen, heard, and represented, while also acknowledging the industry's responsibility to do better. "Advertising is ever-present – it's woven into people's daily lives. It has the power to make people feel seen, heard, and represented, but it can also do the opposite. While our industry has made progress, there is so much opportunity to do better."Innovid's collaboration with Alltold to empower advertisers with data-backed insights is a testament to their commitment to driving meaningful change in the CTV advertising landscape. By providing brands and agencies with the tools to understand and measure inclusive content, they are paving the way for a more equitable and representative future in the world of connected television advertising.