The Selfridges Diversity Board was first formed in 2020 and consisted of 12 inaugural members elected by employees. It was formed in response to the racial protests that followed the murder of George Floyd on 25 May 2020, with the aim to shape Selfridges into a more inclusive, diverse and equitable business for the future. The team at Wiser set out to create a piece of content that would showcase the brand as a place where different perspectives are celebrated.

Throughout both video campaigns, Selfridges focuses on the internal faces of the business, giving employees the platform and voice to help shape a more inclusive organisation. The launch video was released in November 2020, featuring employees from across the business, including a designer street buyer and department manager.

The video cuts between interview clips of the employees discussing their experiences with racism, and impactful data to support the audio. One screen reads, “Over 70% of Asian and Black workers who took the 2016-2017 Racism at Work survey reported that they had experienced racial harassment at work in the last five years.”

Leyla Al-Ashaab Mendiolea, brand specialist at Selfridges, says, “Because we’ve all got so many different perspectives, we are able to tackle the same goal to make sure that everything is being considered in order to achieve this positive change within Selfridges.”

Internal footage of the board members in in action assures viewers that the campaign does more than just tick boxes. The video works from an employer brand perspective as it directly encourages future talent to consider Selfridges as a place where individuals from any background can grow and thrive.

A second video from Selfridges and Wiser was released exactly one year on from the murder of George Floyd. The campaign titled ‘One Year On’ reflects on the events of 2020, taking the opportunity to have an internal conversation and reflect on progress of the Selfridges Diversity Board.

The video begins with a blank screen reflecting on the death of George Floyd, who was killed in Minneapolis, USA. The next screen reads ‘For Selfridges it was cause for reflection and a catalyst for change across our business.’

Anne Pitcher, group MD of Selfridges, shared a post on the internal communication platform asking for thoughts and feedback from employees on how Selfridges could be doing better from a diversity and inclusion perspective.

Employees were then invited to share their thoughts on camera as part of the video campaign. Putting internal team members at the forefront of the campaign made it feel authentic and beneficial for both the internal and external audiences.

They discussed the ways Selfridges is acting to improve its diversity and inclusion policies. But, the balance between praise and constructive points for improvement makes this campaign feel more reflective and implies a continued drive for growth.

Andrew Keith, managing director of Selfridges wraps up the video campaign by outlining the businesses’ goals for the future, ‘we wanted to be sure we were coming up with actions, so the diversity board put together three pillars – that everyone is welcome, that we have the yellow curriculum and the fact we are broadening our buying.’

These steps directly respond to the feedback given by the employees, reflecting the brand’s direct communication with its staff as it values their opinion and voice. The six-minute video campaign has been shared widely on social media and received positive internal and external feedback.