CEO of startup Nhai, Raquel Virgínia explains how diversity projects can generate social impact for companies
The economic impact of the LGBTQIA+ Pride Parade in São Paulo exceeds R$800 million. As it is carried out in several countries, in addition to other aspects that encompass the Pink Economy, global values reach US$4 trillion per year.
Founder and CEO of startup Nhai, executive Raquel Virgínia, a trans, black woman, born and raised on the outskirts of SP, sets out to develop diversity projects to generate social impact for companies.
Source for the LGBTQIA+ issue, is ahead of a census that will be completed at the end of this year to measure the productivity of the community in the country. The singer was nominated twice for a Latin Grammy, an unprecedented feat. Next, she talks about prejudice, how brands should consider gender and equity issues. And the role of advertising and marketing.
Diversity, inclusion and blackness. Why do brands need to be aware of these topics?
Because these people represent new business models, inspire new products, and are a consumer market. So, having more effective conversations with society about the topic and including them, obviously, there will be a greater conversion into sales. In practice, conversion to that brand and that brand’s products is better when considering this community. Furthermore, this debate has to do with how connected this brand is. This connection makes a company define its contemporary nature and this, of course, makes the public have a different view of a brand that is present at the moment, but also in the future.
In advertising, does prejudice exist? Even in a black country? What kind of prejudice? Veiled?
I believe that structural racism is something present in all structures and, certainly, also in the communication market and the creative industry. In advertising, we notice this prejudice when we talk about representation, for example. But it’s not just in front of the cameras. The lack of representation is also behind the cameras. After all, what is the number of black directors in leadership? How many black men and women are defining the budget, tone and agenda of campaigns? All of this, all of this senior management is still racially very white. Of course, this reality is a symptom of a racialized society, with a hegemony of whiteness.
What are the main issues that advertising should take into account in relation to LGBTQIAP+? What about issues of diversity and inclusion?
In my opinion, the main issue that brands need to take into consideration in relation to the LGBT agenda is that we are talking about a huge community, which has the power to generate billions of reais per year in Brazil. We need to keep in mind that it is a very powerful community and can further elevate its place in society, consuming and moving the economy. It is necessary to pay attention to the power of the LGBT community. Just think about the São Paulo LGBT Parade: in one day, the event generates almost 1 billion reais. So, how many products, how many business models can this community support? That’s why brands need to pay attention and take into consideration a series of factors, such as their purposes, their missions and their principles.
What was the key/factor for the change?
In my view, there was an explosion in the debate on the topic and a consequent investment on the part of companies, which occurred a little before, and with a peak, in the post-strangulation period until the death of George Floyd, in the United States. In Brazil, the case of João Alberto, beaten and asphyxiated by security guards at the Carrefour supermarket chain, in 2021, also resulted in increases in the investment of resources in projects aimed at diversity by companies. We, who are professionals who deal with the topic, noticed that the market saw this as a moment of trend. However, the problem cannot be resolved immediately, with specific actions. It is a structural issue and the market is not used to thinking in such a long term. But we need to be consistent in this investment so that we have effective changes.
Does it still require fighting or is there already a standard setting?
Yes, there is still a lot of fighting needed. We have many questions, we have many agendas to give visibility. The research “Representa – The map of representation in advertising”, prepared by UN Women, shows that, last year, the number of advertising pieces with the LGBTQIAP+ public was 0%. There was no campaign with the LGBT community represented. And how many people in society are part of this group? Therefore, we still live in denial. There is a denial of the market as a whole in relation to our power. Companies and the media, in general, still look at our community, its values and its pains in a very seasonal way. I think we have to look at this cause in a more pragmatic way and understand how much movement this community can generate. So, we have a big fight to make ourselves perceived as a power.
Read the full article in the printed edition of May 27th
