The Inclusive 100 has launched in Melbourne and Sydney. The industry initiative aims to make inclusive production standard practice across film, television and advertising – to transform the creative industry through accountable inclusion rather than tokenistic gestures.
Representatives from major brands including McDonald’s, Mars, Tennis Australia, Bunnings, Commonwealth Bank, Aldi, Nine, Woolworths, Bupa, Big W and Pinterest joined leading agencies Hogarth, Paper Moose, Chello, Ogilvy, Thinkerbell, The Hallway, Atomic 212, Clemenger BBDO and 2045 at the launch events, alongside the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA).
The movement is spearheaded by Inclusively Made, the industry standard for inclusive production, which provides the certification framework that guides productions to authentically represent people with disability both on-screen and behind the camera.
Liana Dubois, member of Inclusively Made’s advisory board and former Nine Entertainment CMO, highlighted the commercial imperative: “If you are missing 20% of the population, you are leaving value on the table and you are not commercializing your business in the most effective way.”
At the launch events, marketing executives from major Australian brands shared compelling evidence that inclusive production delivers both commercial and cultural returns.
Hayley Mein, marketing communications manager at Woolworths revealed how the company’s Olympic and Paralympics campaign, created in partnership with Inclusively Made, was “hugely successful for our brand” – earning Gold (top placement in Australia) and Bronze (Third place globally) for effective Olympic and Paralympic advertising ranked by Systems 1. “The proof is in the pudding,” she said. “Authenticity and results were probably the greatest outcome.”
Vanessa Rowed, marketing director at Big W, stated, “We made every production Inclusively Made from the start… it’s so much easier than I anticipated. The framework is so clear and very simple that you can confidently pass it on to all team members.”
The initiative addresses a critical industry gap. While 20% of Australia’s population has a disability, only 3% of on-screen talent represents this community, with even smaller numbers working behind the scenes.
The Inclusive Made framework removes traditional barriers that have prevented widespread adoption of inclusive practices. The framework has gained such industry recognition that Screen Producers Australia named Inclusively Made a Breakthrough Business finalist at the Screen Forever Awards this year.
Henry Smith, founder of Inclusively Made, commented, “To change an industry, we need to all do it together. There’s no point in us doing separate great initiatives on our own. When we come together, we can actually change an industry to see systemic change.”
Lisa Cox OAM, an Inclusively Made ambassador, added, “It’s good for business. To put it bluntly, it’s commercial viability… We are simply trying to get people with disabilities included in front and/or behind the camera on ads for everything – frozen products, pet food, cars… all the normal things that people with disabilities buy.”
The Inclusive represents founding members who will be announced on International Day of People with Disability (December 3), demobnstrating the leading organisations committed to driving industry-wide change.
Business leader and member of Inclusively Made’s advisory board, Ann Sherry AO, noted, “If Nine can produce the Paralympic Games as a behemoth broadcast operation as a fully certified inclusive production, then everybody else can too.”
For marketing and production leaders ready to join The Inclusive and become founding members of this industry transformation, contact hello@inclusivelymade.com.
