As marketers, we’re taught that words matter. The legendary Rob Schwartz lives by the mantra that, as creative agency professionals, “clients buy words.”
Lately, we’re being told acronyms matter more.
Over the last few months, countless brands began to think the solution to their marketing or culture problems was the removal of an acronym.
Not a change in strategy or more innovation. Not a new message, big idea or partner.
Three simple letters.
D. E. I.
To a few Wall Street activists and a loud minority of Americans, that acronym was the problem. They claimed it wasn’t racism, but “pro-business” or “meritocracy-driven” beliefs.
Ironically, what underpins those three seemingly petrifying letters is a commitment to doing just that. Including a wider array of voices and inputs to deliver better products for customers, a better experience for employees, and, ultimately, outsized returns for shareholders.
Many of this country’s top brands have decided to remove the acronym from their vernacular but "keep their commitment to diversity and inclusion.” This, despite overwhelming support from American consumers, to continue supporting diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
e.l.f. Beauty, a brave OBERLAND client, actually doubled down on its commitment to Change the Board Game.
“Inclusivity is not optional. It’s fundamental, and our entire business is based on that, we've never actually had a DEI program or quotas or a number of the things that are being attacked. It's much more fundamental than that. Our mission is to make the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip and face. Fundamentally believe in inclusivity and the power it has in terms of business.” - Chief Executive Officer, Tarang Amin said to Forbes.
“You can see our work across women in sports, or the work we did to talk about how diverse boards actually enhance overall performance and results. We haven’t diminished that in any way. We’re very proud to stand for positivity, inclusivity, and we think it’s part of our success recipe.” - Chief People Officer, Scott Milsten, said to HR Brew.
In its latest earnings, released in late May, 2025 full-year fiscal 2025 net sales grew 28%, with the fourth quarter representing the 25th consecutive quarter of net sales growth and market share gains. On top of that, engagement scores show over 94% of employees were highly positive, and 98% commended e.l.f. Beauty as a place to work.
Other industry leaders have continued to stick by their diversity, equity and inclusion programs citing strong business performance, employee retention and shareholder value.
- Apple: Apple has reaffirmed its commitment to DEI after challenges from the National Center for Public Policy, a shareholding conservative pressure group. The group argued that DEI posed “litigation, reputation, and financial risks” following Trump’s executive order. Apple refused, stating that its DEI programs were integral to creating a “culture of belonging” and urged its shareholders to vote against the proposal
- Costco: Over 98 percent of Costco’s shareholders voted against a proposed anti-DEI initiative, as the board said it believes “our commitment to an enterprise rooted in respect and inclusion is appropriate and necessary.”
- Delta: “DEI is not something that’s going to stop at Delta Airlines," Eric Hendricks, Delta’s director of pilot outreach, told NBC News. Delta has maintained its DEI page, which states, “We actively seek diversity, boldly pursue equity, and consciously promote inclusion to create a sense of belonging for all people.”
- Marriott: CEO Anthony Capuano recently defended Marriott's DEI initiatives during an interview at the Great Place to Work For All Summit in Las Vegas. He said: “The winds blow, but there are some fundamental truths for those 98 years. We welcome all to our hotels and we create opportunities for all — and fundamentally those will never change. The words might change, but that’s who we are as a company.” Capuano said that within 24 hours of standing up for the practices, he received "40,000 emails from Marriott associates around the world, saying ‘thank you.'"
- Proctor & Gamble: "We are committed to building an outstanding and diverse pipeline of talent at every level across P&G," adds Chief Equality and Inclusion Officer Kristine Decker. "Creating an environment where we can all be our full and authentic selves fosters a culture that inspires the best from our employees."
There are two questions we at OBERLAND want to ask those companies who fear the acronym:
- How does your diverse workforce feel about this?
- What will happen the next time a core principle of your company feels under attack?
To those brands who are continuing their commitment to DEI, we encourage you to…
- Join the Change the Board Game movement with our partners at e.l.f. by visiting elfbeauty.com/changing-the-board-game
- Get in touch with our partners at PolicyLink who are “working to build a future where all people in the United States of America can participate in a flourishing multiracial democracy, prosper in an equitable economy, and live in thriving communities.”
Or just reach out to us at hello@thisisoberland.com for a 30 minute call where we discuss how we help brands MAKE GOOD MONEY.
Clients aren’t the only people who buy words.
Consumers, employees and shareholders do, too.
