How identity
impacts media choices
in modern Britain
MIRRORS
& WINDOWS

Animation showing pictures of diverse people standing in swimsuits, attending an event, preparing to cycle and playing football, in geometric shapes, with a "play" icon

Animation showing pictures of diverse people standing in swimsuits, attending an event, preparing to cycle and playing football, in geometric shapes, with a "play" icon

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Picture showing a man skateboarding
The report examines what identity means today, how that impacts viewing behaviours, and the importance of media offering a mirror and a window to audiences in the U.K.
New Report
Mirrors and Windows is a new report launched by Google
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We interviewed experts, leading advertisers, and a nationally representative sample of over 10,000 Brits for this inclusive study.
Here are some of the things we learnt:
10,635+
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Map of the United Kingdom and Ireland
89%
London
87%
Northern Ireland
86%
North West
86%
West Midlands
85%
Scotland
85%
East of England
85%
North East
84%
South & South East
83%
South West
82%
Yorkshire & the Humber
81%
Wales
81%
East Midlands
U.K. audiences are
concerned about inequality and discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics1
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But while people recognise its importance,
discussing issues of diversity, equity, and
inclusion can be uncomfortable to talk about for both audiences and advertisers.
57%
Worried about
consequences of
misspeaking2
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Icon of a crossed off item
Despite increased focus on representation in creative in recent years, many audiences are not reflected well and some audiences are even less well reflected than others.3
% of general population who say media in the U.K. represent each audience well

Animation showing a bar chart with percentage on the x-axis, with following figures: Young people - 42%, Elderly - 29%, Asian - 35%, Black - 42%, White - 45%, People with a disability - 32%, Average across all audiences - 39%, Ideal - 100%

Animation showing a bar chart with percentage on the x-axis, with following figures: Young people - 42%, Elderly - 29%, Asian - 35%, Black - 42%, White - 45%, People with a disability - 32%, Average across all audiences - 39%, Ideal - 100%

The Mirror
People want to see themselves represented authentically in the media.
But identity is multifaceted. Here’s how some respondents described themselves:4
Film
Anime
Love
Food
Cat
Mother
Football
Happy
Care
Kind
Read
Music
Family
Icon of a quote mark
Icon of a quote mark
And while protected characteristics matter a great deal, they are not necessarily the only — or most important — way people identify or want to be seen in media.
I’m not just someone who’s transgender... I watch more YouTube videos about dogs than being transgender. I like animals, gaming, and fitness videos.
Morgan
18-24, Transgender man,
Pakistani, Scotland
U.K. audiences most love and trust media that is relevant to their passions and interests.5
Is a place where I can dig deep into my interests and passions.
Netflix
65%
Prime
Video
60%
Instagram
65%
TikTok
71%
YouTube
76%

Bar chart with people preparing for a cycle in the back ground

Bar chart with people preparing for a cycle in the back ground

A semicircle
Picture showing a laptop sitting in someone's lap
Picture of a woman at an event
Enter variety
People are looking for relevant, specific content — the kind that can cater to every interest. And it’s the open platforms that foster this variety.6
The variety of content available means I can always find something to watch that is personally relevant to me.
% of monthly users for each brand who agree

Bar chart with a picture of a man and a child looking at a tablet, with following figures - YouTube - 78%, Netflix - 77%, TikTok - 74%, Prime Video - 69%, Instagram - 66%, BBC - 61%, Twitter - 60%, Channel 4 - 56%, ITV - 55%, Facebook - 50%

Bar chart with a picture of a man and a child looking at a tablet, with following figures - YouTube - 78%, Netflix - 77%, TikTok - 74%, Prime Video - 69%, Instagram - 66%, BBC - 61%, Twitter - 60%, Channel 4 - 56%, ITV - 55%, Facebook - 50%

Picture of a woman in a wheelchair playing tennis
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Blockbuster content is fantastic, but some of the most emotionally engaging content can include personally relevant content with far fewer views.7
Videos with <10,000 views had double the personal engagement of videos with >500,000 views
Personal
meaning
2x
Image of a women interacting with a phone
Less barriers means more diversity…
Open platforms are seen to support a diverse range of people to become content creators.8
YouTube
74%
TikTok
76%
Instagram
73%
Twitter
67%
Facebook
60%
Picture of a man holding a football and a phone
YouTube
70%
TikTok
75%
Twitter
68%
…on a global and local level
The diversity of the U.K. stands out on open
platforms for U.K. audiences, who see
themselves represented in their content.9
Has content that reflects the diversity of the U.K.
Channel 4
70%
Instagram
69%
Icon of a lightning
Picture of a man sitting in a coffee shop with his laptop holding a phone
This combination of relevant content that’s able to closely reflect viewers and their experiences is what makes open platforms so unique. But it doesn’t stop at their own reflection.
Icon of a quote mark
Icon of a quote mark
And allow people to not just reflect upon
themselves, but explore and learn more about the lives of others.
On TikTok I follow someone with Tourette’s . . . I went to YouTube for a more detailed explainer as there are a lot of wrong assumptions about people with Tourette’s and I wanted to
understand better.
bailey
18-24, non-binary,
mixed-ethnicity, west midlands
Open platforms also open windows into other worlds…
Daily YouTube users report a stronger sense of community and empathy compared to monthly users.10
Daily YouTube
users
Monthly YouTube
users
Agreement with statements amongsT YouTube users
…and help build up
communities
Feel a sense of community with each other
Feel understood
Be able to understand needs of friends, partners, or family

Bar chart with following figures - Monthly YouTube users - 53%, Daily YouTube users - 64%

Bar chart with following figures - Monthly YouTube users - 53%, Daily YouTube users - 64%

Bar chart with following figures - Monthly YouTube users - 72%, Daily YouTube users - 60%

Bar chart with following figures - Monthly YouTube users - 72%, Daily YouTube users - 60%

Bar chart with following figures - Monthly YouTube users - 50%, Daily YouTube users - 62%

Bar chart with following figures - Monthly YouTube users - 50%, Daily YouTube users - 62%

Picture of a laughing woman
Picture of a laughing woman
Brands have a responsibility to reflect evolving social values and diversity. This goes beyond creative choices and requires a thoughtful commitment to their audiences.
So what does this mean for the industry?
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Brands need to practise inclusive media buying to avoid underrepresenting audiences.
Representation, diversity, and brand safety need to coexist.
73%
In the end, it’s a balancing act
safe LGBTQ+ related articles blocked by some brands’ safety approaches11
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Trust + love
= engaged audiences
Meet and support British audiences on the
platforms that allow them to be themselves.
Picture of a man holding a football and a phone
Picture of a woman holding an apron
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Creative + media
= reached audiences
In today’s diverse media landscape, carefully considering both creative and media choices is key to reaching all audiences and supporting more voices.
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Want to know more details? Check out our full report.
Design & Production: RCCO Creative (Agency)
Project Lead: Robert Rushing

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