Major League Baseball acknowledged the game’s significance in Latino culture in a spot with “SNL” cast member Marcello Hernández and singer Myke Towers.
Some of the most inclusive and diverse ads of 2024 were centered on representation and shifting the perceptions of marginalized groups.
This year’s top campaigns driven by DEI broke down stereotypes by offering another angle and a glimpse into the lives of people from diverse backgrounds or paid homage to demographics that have played a pivotal role in society.
Here are 11 campaigns that delivered on the mission of diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Ad Council PSA for Father’s Day created by Campbell Ewald depicted intimate emotions felt by first-time dads. The #Dadication campaign captured the heartwarming stories of three fathers—Alex, Jose and Sammy—as they shared their fatherhood firsts. The dad shared their stories and the things that excited them or filled them with anticipation of the future. It was nice to see different walks of life represented, notably debunking stereotypes plaguing certain groups.
Apple paid tribute to Música Mexicana in a beautiful “Shot on iPhone” film starring Gen Z musician Iván Cornejo. “Suerte!” tells the fantastical tale of Cornejo as he tries to overcome a creative block by exploring his roots alongside characters from the traditional game of Lotería—a fish, a devil and a mermaid.
The film, released in July, combines surrealism with scenes on the streets of Mexico, as Cornejo journeys to unlock his heart and write a new song. Other Latino artists were highlighted throughout the film, with Eden Muñoz voicing the frog, Maria Zardoya of indie Latin band the Marías playing the mermaid and Mexico City-based producer Camilo Lara composing the soundtrack. The campaign paid homage to the growing popularity of the musical genre among young Latinos.
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase’s short film brought much-needed attention to a reality faced by many Hispanics across the U.S.: expensive transfer fees and delays incurred from sending money internationally. The ad addresses a little talked-about reality for millions of Americans as it follows a young man who tries to send money to his grandmother in Puebla, Mexico, to support her but encounters challenges.
“The Money Transfer,” starring Mexican filmmaker Gawx and his actual grandmother, Yuyi, introduced USDC—a cryptocurrency referred to as a “stablecoin” for its ability to provide a stable price point—as a faster and cheaper alternative. It was released in English and Spanish in June, during the Copa América soccer tournament and International Day of Family Remittances.
Constellation Brands leaned into Corona’s Latino roots when it named Pedro Pascal as the face of its new iteration of the beer brand’s “La Vida Más Fina” campaign. The creative platform shifted in May after the actor took the reins from Snoop Dogg. The first ads starring Pascal, from outgoing agency MullenLowe, extended the theme beyond the beach to illustrate that “La Vida Más Fina” is a state of mind, not a specific environment, and included several Spanish-language spots.
Doritos made a splash at the 2024 Super Bowl with an action-packed spot full of Latino talent for Doritos Dinamita. The ad, from Goodby Silverstein & Partners, starred Jenna Ortega and Danny Ramirez as they compete with the Ortega character’s two grandmothers (Dina and Mita) to snag the last bag of Dinamita chips. The grannies truly come out of their shells as they chase Ramirez on wheels and through apartments.
The advocacy organization launched a campaign in July from VML Canada that introduced people by traits that went beyond their trans identity. Lucas, Jessica and Jazmine, three trans people, introduced themselves as a major-label recording artist, a former professional hockey player and a model and performer, respectively. The campaign offered opportunities for viewers to consider the qualities that make individuals unique beyond their gender orientation.
This GLAAD campaign launched in May introduces trans people in six documentary-style vignettes. In the videos, Ashton, Nadya and Gio reveal their interests, their relationships with their families, how they interact with their loved ones and their hopes and dreams. Like the Egale effort, the campaign aimed to show who trans people are beyond their gender identity.
For Pride Month, Guided by Good and 22squared launched the “No Pause Project” to eradicate the word “pause,” as well as other homophobic phrases such as “no homo” and “ayo.” from society’s vocabulary. A campaign video addressed how “pause,” developed by the hip-hop community in the ’80s, has spread homophobic messages and kept men’s masculinity in a rigid box.
At the start of baseball season in May, MLB’s “El Beisbol Es Otra Cosa” campaign paid tribute to Latino history, culture and contributions to the sport. In a spot starring Cuban Dominican standup comedian, writer, actor and “Saturday Night Live” player Marcello Hernández and Puerto Rican multi-platinum rapper and singer Myke Towers, the pair described, in Spanish, all the things that make baseball unique, or “something else.”
Scenes and game highlights celebrated Latin players who excel, the traditions that make baseball special to Latinos everywhere and the sounds that draw passion and emotion from its spectators. Created by Latino agency Remezcla, the campaign paid homage to a demographic with deep ties to the MLB, using words and descriptions native to their culture.
The NFL told a West African story for its Super Bowl campaign this year as part of the league’s ongoing effort to expand the game’s international reach and appeal.
Shot in Ghana by creative agency 72andSunny, the spot tells the story of a kid who dreams of playing in the NFL. Three of the league’s star players—Saquon Barkley, Justin Jefferson and Cameron Jordan—flew to Ghana to shoot their cameos in the ad. The commercial’s crew was 96% Black and included just seven people from the U.S. The director, Andrew Dosunmu of Little Minx, is Nigerian and has shot extensively in Africa.
PepsiCo launched the third year of its “Jefa-Owned” campaign in August in celebration of National Latina Day as part of PepsiCo’s Juntos Crecemos (Together We Grow) initiative, a multiyear, $50 million campaign to recognize the economic, cultural and community contributions of Latina women-owned businesses.
This year, “Jefa-Owned” expanded visibility efforts, mentorship and community-building opportunities for Latina-owned businesses in the food and beverage sector, particularly restaurants, bodegas and meat markets (carnicerías). PepsiCo also partnered with actress and philanthropist Stephanie Beatriz, (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Encanto,” “In the Heights”) as well as the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to shine a spotlight on Latina entrepreneurs and encourage consumers to dine at “Jefa-owned” businesses.
Actress Stephanie Beatriz chats with restaurant owner Maria Gonzalez about the Juntos Crecemos campaign.
