Mirror on the Industry: Reflecting Real Lives in UK Advertising
1 October 2025
Mirror on the Industry: Reflecting Real Lives in UK Advertising
On Tuesday 30th September, Channel 4 and ISBA hosted Mirror on the Industry at the Virgin Hotel in Shoreditch, marking six years of the award-winning series that challenges how UK advertising represents its audiences.
Hosted by broadcaster Anna Richardson, the event explored the evolving landscape of diversity, equity and inclusion in media, with a clear message: it’s time to move beyond “inclusive marketing” and start reflecting real human lived experiences.
Accessibility was thoughtfully integrated throughout the event to ensure an inclusive experience for all attendees. This included the presence of BSL interpreters, relay screens, subtitles on all content shown, and wheelchair-accessible stage access — a reflection of Channel 4’s commitment to making representation not just a talking point, but a lived reality.
Opening remarks from Bobbi Carly, Director of Industry Relations & Inclusion Co-Lead at ISBA, emphasised that accessibility is not just a technical feature, it’s a moral and commercial imperative. With 18 million people in the UK experiencing hearing loss and 2 million blind or partially sighted, inclusive advertising is essential for reaching all audiences.
Channel 4’s insights team, Katya Des-Etages and Bronte Skelcher- Maxwell, shared findings from the latest Mirror on the Industry research:
- 77% agree DEI is important in advertising — up from 72% in 2023
- 62% have noticed brands placing more emphasis on inclusion and diversity
- 50% believe more needs to be done to make advertising truly representative of different groups in the UK today.
Anna Richardson then led us into in a powerful panel discussion on Trust, Representation and Inclusion in Media, featuring:
- Melda Simon, UK Chapter Lead, Unstereotype Alliance, UN Women
- Kelly Gordon , CEO of With Not For
- Dom Hyams, Global Client Director, Purple Goat Agency
- Joe Wawrzyniak, Senior Brand Leader in the dairy industry
Key Takeaways from Mirror on the Industry
Representation must reflect real human lived experiences, not just inclusive marketing
The panel emphasised that advertising should move beyond surface-level inclusion and instead tell authentic stories that resonate with real people and communities.Disability inclusion requires genuine accommodation, not assimilation
Kelly Gordon shared her personal experience of being expected to “fit in” rather than being supported with the accommodations she needs. She called on brands to rethink how they engage with disabled talent and audiences.Disabled audiences continue to feel ignored by mainstream advertising
Dom Hyams highlighted the persistent lack of engagement with disabled communities and urged the industry to prioritise inclusive strategies that go beyond token gestures.Brands must audit their audiences and acknowledge who they’re overlooking
The panel encouraged advertisers to conduct deep-dive audits to identify gaps in representation and ensure they are not unintentionally excluding key audience groups.- Inclusive advertising drives measurable business results
Melda Simon referenced findings from the Unstereotype Alliance Business Case report, showing that inclusive advertising leads to:
- A 3.5x increase in short-term sales
- A 16% uplift in long-term performance (measured over two years)
- A 54% increase in pricing power
- 62% higher likelihood of a brand who is representative being a consumer's first choice.
Responsive advertising can be both inclusive and commercially effective.
Joe Wawrzyniak shared a example of how a brand he worked with adapted in-store messaging during Ramadan after noticing a spike in butter sales — demonstrating how inclusive strategies can directly impact consumer engagement.
Inclusion must be embedded from the start, not added on at the end
Both Channel 4 and ISBA reinforced the importance of building inclusive practices into every stage of campaign development, from strategy and planning to creative and production.
Collaboration across the industry is essential to drive lasting change.
The event closed with a call for brands, agencies and media owners to work together to ensure advertising is not only representative but truly accessible to all.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and to all our speakers and partners who made the event such a success.
Read the the Unstereotype Alliance Business Case here.
Visit Ad Accessibility for ISBA'S accessibility guide.
If you would like to view the report in greyscale, which may support easier reading for some, please see here.