How to Build Culturally Fluent Teams in a World That’s Pushing Back on Diversity.
At a time when DEI is under pressure, many creative teams are still leaning into diversity not just as a value, but as a strength. Here’s why building multicultural teams matters, maybe more than ever.
How Multiculturalism Shapes Modern Creativity
This topic gets a lot of attention and for good reason. Breaking down cultural silos and fostering cross-cultural interaction is essential for driving creativity and innovation. When teams stay in their own corners, ideas get stale. You’ve seen it. We all have. Cross-cultural exchange is when things actually get interesting. Get people talking across backgrounds, and things shift. Fast.
Especially in creative agencies, diversity is essential. Think culturally rich environments blending influences from multiple cultures. Studies back this up: bicultural and multicultural experiences, especially for those who integrate their cultural identities, are proven creativity boosters. And, culturally diverse teams are 33% more likely to beat competitors financially and 74% better at solving problems. Looking at where the work is heading, the need for diverse teams has never been greater as automation replaces routine tasks and global talent expands. It’s time for agencies to go beyond representation and fully embrace the power of difference.
Diverse perspectives create “diversifying moments” that push people out of their comfort zones, sparking fresh and unconventional ideas. The value of this is even clearer within a team. It’s not just about where people come from, but how their experiences shape the way they think, work, and create. Creativity absorbs what it’s exposed to, sparking unexpectedly and evolving as ideas merge. For those with deep multicultural experiences, exposure to cultural diversity along with the need to navigate their identities sharpens divergent thinking. This cognitive flexibility helps them pull from a wide range of perspectives, driving innovation and creative breakthroughs.
This is where “cultural polyamory” comes in—you could call it “a dynamic approach to multiculturalism that goes beyond coexistence.” It actively engages with multiple cultural identities and perspectives, making them essential to collaboration and creativity. Polyamory, in its traditional sense, involves engaging in multiple romantic relationships simultaneously, rooted in principles such as honesty, transparency, and respect. This approach prioritizes communication and mutual understanding, creating a foundation for trust and harmony despite the complexity of overlapping relationships.
But, when applied metaphorically "cultural polyamory" offers a powerful framework for reimagining societal interconnectedness and embracing multiple cultural identities and perspectives with openness and flexibility.
Navigating Cultural Diversity in Creative Agencies
The Do’s and Don’ts of Multicultural Advertising
Towards a More Fluid Cultural Landscape
Why Cultural
Diversity in the
Workplace Benefits
Everyone
Teams that prioritize diversity gain access to broader ideas, perspectives, and learning opportunities. As Gustavo Martinez, former CEO of J. Walter Thompson, put it: “
If we’re going to stay relevant, our teams need to look like the audiences they serve. Creativity isn’t static, and neither should we be.”
A diverse team doesn’t just improve the work, it transforms the culture. And, that's why cultural diversity drives innovation and fosters a shared purpose. When people feel valued and know their perspectives matter, they engage more deeply, collaborate better, and take pride in their work. In this environment, ideas are reshaped and pushed beyond expectations. Conventions are broken, and new standards emerge. Teams made up of people from different backgrounds strengthen problem-solving and build momentum through collaboration. This approach leads to well-rounded outcomes, enabling creative agencies to tackle complex challenges with flexibility and confidence. Homogeneous teams often fall back on outdated ways of solving problems. In contrast, culturally diverse teams bring fresh perspectives and a real understanding of different markets, making it easier to connect with audiences and their unique needs.
Valuing someone’s culture means appreciating the complexity of their perspective and the unique contributions they bring. Without cultural literacy and respect, it risks crossing into cultural appropriation flattening or misrepresenting traditions and stripping them of their meaning.
For creative agencies, the challenge is balancing curiosity with care. Leaders must create environments that encourage meaningful cultural exchange while teaching teams how to engage thoughtfully. This involves honoring cultural nuances, avoiding superficial representation, and staying accountable to the communities they represent.
Creating authentic campaigns in today’s multicultural world takes more than good intentions. Agencies need clear strategies to connect with diverse audiences and foster collaboration within teams. Here are some common challenges and their solutions.
1. Build Cultural Sensitivity Within Teams
Differences in values, perspectives, and communication styles can cause misunderstandings in diverse teams if not managed carefully. Without the right tools, these tensions can disrupt collaboration.
Solution: Offer cultural sensitivity training and clear conflict-resolution processes. Workshops on cultural nuances help teams better understand and respect each other’s perspectives.
Open-dialogue practices and mediators ensure conflicts are resolved constructively, fostering a workplace where diversity is a strength, not a challenge.
2. Avoid Surface-Level Representation
A common pitfall in multicultural advertising is shallow representation. Campaigns often rely on clichés, stereotypes, or superficial gestures like using cultural symbols in ways that feel inauthentic. This undermines trust and alienates audiences.
Solution: Build diverse teams and collaborate with cultural consultants. Authenticity comes from lived experiences. Including under-represented voices in the creative process ensures campaigns reflect real perspectives, not assumptions. The best multicultural campaigns highlight shared human experiences while celebrating cultural details, creating work that feels genuine and resonates deeply.
3. Preserve Cultural Depth in Global Campaigns
When brands expand globally, they often oversimplify cultural elements to appeal to a wider audience. This can result in bland, generic messaging that feels hollow and also inauthentic.
Solution: Create localized campaigns that honor regional languages, values, and traditions.
Localized campaigns maintain cultural depth while connecting to a unifying global message. Let's use this as an example: According to Campaign US, these were the most culturally relevant campaigns of 2024, as recognized by Black creatives. Additionally, Nike made significant progress in DEI; in 2025, they increased the representation of women and racial and ethnic minorities in leadership positions. Or, StockX's campaign, This is Love, which resonates well with Gen Z, and is deeply rooted in culture, serving as a tribute to the dedication and passion of creators, products, and brands with cultural significance. And then there are companies turning campaigns into cultural moments—check out Fast Company's list of the most innovative advertising and marketing companies of 2025. For standout multicultural marketing, explore PRWeek’s Best Multicultural Marketing winners from the 2025 PRWeek US Awards. This might also come in handy: Marketing — The Rising Power of Multicultural Marketing in 2025.
In today’s world, where consumers value authenticity and representation, agencies that implement strategies like hiring diverse talent, conducting cultural sensitivity training, and creating inclusive marketing campaigns will remain relevant and lead the charge in fostering a more inclusive and innovative industry. Collaborating with cultural organizations can help preserve traditions, add authenticity, and bring deeper meaning to campaigns. Internally, agencies can host storytelling sessions, invite guest speakers from underrepresented communities, and create safe spaces for sharing personal experiences to spark fresh ideas and deepen their understanding of the cultures they represent.
In today’s hyper-connected world, an open and inclusive cultural perspective allows individuals and teams to navigate diverse cultural frameworks with intention and adaptability. By embracing norms in context, this approach fosters meaningful connections and a seamless exchange of ideas across storytelling, design, and other creative mediums.
Adopting a multicultural mindset involves developing a deeper cultural literacy, moving beyond superficial exposure to grasp the origins, meanings, and emotional significance of traditions. Cultural elements are intrinsically linked to human experiences, struggles, and achievements, and should always be approached with respect and genuine understanding.
Written by Debora Deva
Debbie is a writer, art director, and multidisciplinary creative at TOML Collective. With a background in advertising, she brings fresh perspectives to the journal — aiming to educate, question, and spark new ideas.
Get in touch with debora@tomlcollective.com