by As our society evolves, we see an increasing use of images featuring multicultural and diverse people on websites, SEO, and SEM campaigns. This raises questions like, should we consider diversity when choosing images for our websites during creation, revamping, or adjustment?
Today, I want to share my personal perspective on this matter and how it might help you with your business decisions. In my opinion, the discussion about diversity isn’t about whether we should include diverse images. It’s about reflecting the people and target audience we interact with in our daily lives. Looking back, we often saw the stereotypical image of a good-looking, blue-eyed, blonde Caucasian on products. With our current awareness, we must acknowledge that this did not represent the society we lived in—not even back then. The industry was trying to create a stereotype that didn’t match the reality around us. The problem was that advertisements of the past did not reflect real people.
The diversity we see in images today is not necessarily forced; it is a more genuine representation of society. I remember when fashion ads featured perfectly fit, Caucasian, good-looking models. Even then, a random group of people on the street wouldn’t resemble these models.
So, instead of debating whether to use more diverse images, think about how genuinely you can represent your real target audience in your pictures.
Why is Authenticity Important?
The answer is simple: creating stereotypes no longer aligns with current trends and societal awareness. Thanks to social media, we constantly see people from all walks of life, shapes, and ethnicities around the world. This exposure has fostered a new form of awareness and reshaped our perception of beauty. Before the widespread use of internet technologies, people often lived in their own silos, unaware of the diversity the world offers.
In the past, the theatricality of advertisements was prioritized over creating a realistic environment. This trend is also evident in films and movies. Movies from the 1950s and 1960s were more theatrical and superficial, often clearly showing that the actors were performing. In contrast, today’s movies almost resemble documentaries, with realism becoming a crucial element. At the very least, the feeling of realism has gained importance.
Internet technologies have also enabled people to verify events, behaviors, and cultural aspects of our world. As a result, creators, including advertisers, have become more cautious when creating fantasy images and more aware of depicting real scenarios.
In 2025, we live in a world where there is demand for realism. People want to connect with other cultures and lives more than ever before. They ask more questions and are critical of anything that does not resemble real events.
Diversity in Advertisement
I remember my time in Germany during the 90s. Advertisements often depicted the stereotypical German: tall, blue-eyed, blonde, and good-looking. However, walking down the streets of German metropolitan areas told a different story. The real Germany was much more diverse, with people from Turkey, Italy, Greece, Eastern Europe, India, and African countries such as Nigeria, Sudan, and Kenya.
The advertisements did not speak to this large and important target audience, creating an unrealistic image of German society that did not exist in reality. Today, when I create campaigns for Germans, such as those for private universities I work for, I strive to reflect the true diversity of German society in the images.
Although I can’t exaggerate, I ensure there is a healthy mix of ethnicities in the pictures, mirroring the reality of Germany. Instead of using the stereotypical German image, I might feature a brunette with dark eyes who could represent someone from Greece or Turkey, alongside a Black person and a blonde person in the background. This approach creates a more realistic depiction of the ethnic diversity found in Germany.
Adapting Diversity in Advertising
The approach to diversity in advertising depends greatly on the country and its environment. For example, I work with Chinese and Korean clients who produce products for their domestic markets. In China, it would be strange to create images featuring Latino, Black and Indian people because that wouldn’t represent the reality in China. Most people you see in China are Chinese, as it is not a country of immigrants like the U.S. or Germany. Forcing diversity in this context would look unnatural. Similarly, images that feature only Caucasians or just young people, appear unnatural in the diverse landscape of today’s USA.
The overall goal of campaigns is not to create forced diversity or multiculturalism, but to depict reality. If you are in the U.S., incorporating multicultural aspects into your inclusive images is essential to create an authentic representation. This also means including people of different shapes and appearances.
Moreover, it’s no longer just about featuring good-looking people, as that does not represent reality either. Instead, aim to create images that look friendly and genuine. This approach ensures that the advertisements resonate with the actual target audience and reflect the true diversity of the environment you are depicting.
