“We need diversity training for every employee.” That was the simple mandate from AT&T’s CEO in 2020. From there, the company’s DE&I team sprang into action to develop a scalable solution in a short window on a modest budget. Partnering with AT&T’s creative agency, Translation, the team brought Equality First to life. At its inception, it was a mobile application focused on driving employee conversations on inclusion and featured original content that helped unlearn bias.
As Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, I was responsible for taking this low-adoption concept, rebranding and establishing a compelling value proposition and competitive product positioning, while meeting the continued need of building a more inclusive company. I led primary and secondary research, including: surveys, focus groups, message testing, white space analysis, and best practices, that revealed three themes: 1) Employees did not want to download another work-related mobile app, 2) Employees did not trust a mobile app owned by the company as a safe place to have potentially risky DE&I-related conversations, and 3) People still find benefits in larger screens for cognitively intense learning and most preferred the use of their phones for entertainment, if not communication.
With this research in hand, the app’s go-to-market positioning was redefined as “a platform where you can access entertaining content that expands your worldview and inspires (off-app) conversation,” and messaging emphasized exclusive access on AT&T’s dime. To deliver on this promise, I developed a more cost-effective content strategy by shifting from only original production to 90% content acquisition and 10% original production, both of which I oversaw. This shift reduced annual spend by 13% and was fueled by standing up brand sponsorships of major film festivals and podcasts that celebrated diversity through outside-the-box storytelling.
I delivered an integrated marketing campaign that drove downloads from 2% of AT&T’s employee base in the app’s first full year in market to a 16% adoption rate one year later. I also negotiated contracts with each festival that included employee access to in-person festivals, stipends paid directly to filmmakers, as well as guaranteed paid and owned media impressions to improve external awareness of AT&T’s DE&I efforts with an eye on brand affinity metrics, customer retention and LTV. I owned all creative briefing and approvals, as well as oversight of all live event brand activations, which improved doorswings at AT&T’s flagship retail by 10%.
Outside of our business KPIs, Equality First + content has scored two Addy Awards and has been recognized by DiversityInc/Fair360 as an innovative approach to inclusion.
Mobile App UI + Wordmark Design + App Icon Design
American Black Film Festival Sponsorship + Owned Social
OOH Creative Development
The Moth Presenting Sponsorship + Co-Branded Event @ AT&T Discovery District
Original Content Campaign
