Close

STATE OF THE
INDUSTRY REPORT

WE MEASURE WHAT WE CARE ABOUT
AND WE ACHIEVE WHAT WE MEASURE.

The State of the Industry (SOTI) report is designed to help us measure demographic and attitudinal changes related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across the marketing and advertising industry.

This research is vital to ensure we’re all making progress toward our joint mission of changing the face and voice of the industry.

The report primarily gathers data within the three markets The BrandLab serves — Twin Cities, Kansas City, and Milwaukee.

We’ve seen progress in the industry over the years and there’s still more work to do. We look forward to this, the fourth SOTI report to help us reflect on how far we’ve come and to reignite our joint commitment to further change.

Work in marketing and advertising?

TAKE THE SURVEY HERE

State of the Industry Q&A

A: The short answer is yes. The BrandLab asks that you share it with your entire team/marketing department (and network). Suppose we gain a significant number of responses from your organization given we capture the organization's name. In that case, we may be able to provide a custom summary of just your organization's responses compared to the full response summary to support your organization's efforts to measure against. 

A: We intend to capture insights from partners working in marketing/advertising roles, HR, and DEI&B roles. To get the best insights, we aim to receive responses from people leaders and individual contributors. 

A: The responses are anonymous, but we do capture the organization's name. Yes, once the report is ready, we will share out as well as post on https://www.thebrandlab.org/soti/ for site visitors to access going forward.

A: The State of the Industry survey results will help us (The BrandLab and the industry) track how we are doing as an industry against our joint mission of changing the face & voice of the marketing and advertising industry. We will be using this year's results to compare progress since our first report in 2014. We will also use the results to help us set new goals and benchmarks for the industry and to shape The BrandLab's programming. 

A: Because we've made a few last-minute modifications based on partner feedback, the final version of the survey resides within Survey Monkey, and we do not have the survey in another format. You can share the electronic survey link for review.

HISTORY OF THE REPORT

Almost 10 years ago, thanks to our committed partners who answered our call, The BrandLab released our first SOTI report, which has been updated twice since then. The 2023 report, the fourth iteration, dives deeper so readers can learn more about both the quantitative and qualitative realities within the industry.

Interested in viewing past SOTI reports? Download below.

WHO PARTICIPATES IN THE SURVEY?

At present, this survey is focused on marketing and advertising professionals. We collect both organization-wide demographic data and individual employee responses.

Future versions may include additional partners of The BrandLab and organizations that surround and shape the industry, including community partners, school partners, and current BrandLab participants.

HOW CAN I HELP SPREAD THE WORD?

Please help us increase participation by posting on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook. Download an image and suggested language for your post here!

WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE DATA?

The research gathered will be analyzed by our partners at Fusion Hill to uncover insights, and data will be aggregated to keep individual responses anonymous.

Once the data is collected and depending on completion rates for your organization, Fusion Hill may be able to offer you an aggregated report of your company’s responses as useful input for your diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives scorecard and benchmarking, for an incremental fee. We hope this serves as an additional incentive to encourage your employees to participate.

How often is the report released?

The 2023 report will be released this summer. Check back on this webpage to view this year’s report.

Going forward, an updated report will be released every other year.

Who is involved in crafting the 2023 report?

The BrandLab team is partnering with Fusion Hill, a women-owned research, strategy, and creative agency based in Minneapolis.

For questions, reach out to info@thebrandlab.org.

Minneapolis skyline photo by Kevin Nalty on Unsplash.

Milwaukee skyline photo by Matthew Schultz on Unsplash.

Kansas City skyline photo by Colton Sturgeon on Unsplash.