“Authentic representation builds trust, earns loyalty, and unlocks new audiences.
By Becky Wixon, Co-Founder and Creative Director, Balance the Mix
Brands are still getting inclusivity wrong. Already this year, we’ve seen countless ads pulled for reinforcing harmful stereotypes, recently from the likes of Sanex and Swatch. Proof that, despite years of debate, mistakes keep happening. Brands are forgetting that when inclusion is deprioritised, they lose sight of the business case: diverse, authentic representation builds trust, earns loyalty, and unlocks new audiences.
Music offers one of the most powerful and most overlooked routes to getting this right. As a cultural connector, it shapes memory, drives emotion, and builds connection long before a logo or slogan lands. And whilst challenges on-screen persist, the soundtracks behind them also remain male dominated: only ~3% of producers are women, with even fewer non-binary or gender-expansive creators.
But that also makes it a space where brands can start to get representation right, authentically and effectively. By investing in who is commissioned, licensed, and credited, brands can shift from performative inclusion to meaningful change, with real business impact.
Representation resonates
Brands know that investing in inclusive storytelling builds trust, grows market share, and connects them to new audiences. It’s been proven by studies, including the Unstereotype Alliance’s Inclusion = Income report, that show ads with progressive representation deliver stronger engagement and commercial return. When people see themselves – or hear themselves – reflected authentically, it resonates.
“Broaden who makes the work and you broaden the emotional palette, cultural references, and deeper authenticity your audience feels.”
Becky Wixon, Co-Founder and Creative Director, Balance the Mix
And the soundtrack matters as much as the story. Music doesn’t just decorate a campaign; it embodies it. When briefs run through the same catalogues and a homogenous roster of composers, the work starts to sound alike. That sameness risks reinforcing the very stereotypes brands once claimed to be moving beyond.
Broaden who makes the work and you broaden the emotional palette, cultural references, and deeper authenticity your audience feels.
And the stakes are real — as seen in the withdrawal of Sanex’s and Swatch’s ads for reinforcing harmful stereotypes. In today’s climate, audiences are quick to hold brands accountable, and the reputational risk of tone-deaf representation far outweighs the cost of investing in getting it right.
A best-in-class example: Errata at 88, Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker’s Errata at 88 is a best-in-class example of how inclusive creativity can strengthen both brand and culture.
Created with Diageo Brasil and AlmapBBDO, the campaign did more than spotlight Alaíde Costa, an 88-year-old Black Bossa Nova pioneer excluded from her 1962 Carnegie Hall performance due to prejudice; it corrected the record, filing a formal errata and bringing her back to the stage in 2023… this time, she was met with a three-minute standing ovation.
For Johnnie Walker, the impact went far beyond music. It reinforced the brand’s “Keep Walking” platform with a powerful demonstration of progress – showing that moving forward can mean correcting the past. Alaíde’s story captured media headlines, sparked conversation across Brazil and beyond, and connected the brand with a younger, more socially conscious audience. Crucially, it modelled inclusion from story to sound and
proved a way to make heritage brands relevant for the next generation.
And at Cannes Lions, the work was recognised with the Grand Prix in the Entertainment Lions for Music category.
The business case for inclusive sound
The lesson from Errata at 88 is clear: inclusive sound isn’t a side issue. It’s a core driver of creativity and business growth. Brands that ignore who they commission, license and credit risk sounding out of step with the audiences they pay to reach. Those who embed representation do the right thing and the smart thing.
When representation is mishandled, as Sanex and Swatch discovered, the fallout is swift: pulled campaigns, wasted media spend, and fractured trust. By contrast, when it’s handled thoughtfully, brands earn credibility, loyalty, and lasting cultural relevance.
The way forward
Practical steps to start getting representation in music right are within reach; deliberate action includes:
- Auditing the music supply chain. Look beyond the track itself – who is being briefed, commissioned, credited and paid? Map that against audience demographics.
- Setting representation targets in briefs. Make diversity part of the creative process, not an afterthought. Some ideas might be to set diverse shortlists, allocate a % of budget for new talent, etc.
- Standardising credits & metadata. Require proper credits and searchable tags so inclusivity is visible and trackable, not anecdotal.
- Measuring outcomes. Tie inclusive commissioning to core KPIs like recall, sentiment, and engagement.
- Partnering for change. Work with organisations that connect underrepresented creators to opportunities.
At Balance the Mix, this is our daily mission. We’ve developed the EQ Index – a framework that helps brands audit, benchmark, and improve the inclusivity of their music choices. From paid placements for emerging talent to transparent licensing and mentorship programmes, we’re working to ensure the industry’s soundtracks reflect the richness of the people they’re meant to move.
The future is resonant
Representation in music is more than fairness. It’s about creating work that truly resonates — with audiences, with culture, and with business outcomes. Campaigns like Errata at 88 show us what’s possible when brands listen differently.
Inclusive sound isn’t charity. It’s culture at its most powerful: authentic, resonant, and future-proof.
