March 25, 2025

Super Bowl ads fall short on diversity

Super Bowl 2025 advertisers scaled back diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, per an Ad Age survey, though the NFL, Homes.com and Rocket Cos. were noted for their inclusive ads. Overall representation of people of color, particularly Hispanic and Asian American people, and LGBTQ+ individuals remained low.

Asian American Advertising Federation Executive Director Genny Hom-Franzen said that 62% of the AAPI community are football fans, noting, “This demonstrates a clear and passionate connection to the sport, making the lack of representation in Super Bowl advertising even more glaring.” Full Story: Ad Age (link gifted) (2/7) 

DEI backlash shifts multicultural marketing approaches

Ad spending increased 14% from 2023 to last year at media companies with owners who are Asian, LGBTQ+, Hispanic, Black, Indigenous and disabled. However, not all categories saw growth. Asian (58%), LGBTQ+ (30%) and Hispanic (15%) saw growth while Black (5%) and Indigenous and disabled-owned (36%) decreased. The shift in DEI focus, especially under political pressures, has led to scrutiny and competition for budget allocations, stressing the importance of audience reach over ownership. Full Story: Ad Age (link gifted) (3/12) 

Read the March 2025 Brief: Asian American Advertising News | March 2025