Channel 4 encourages new thinking on class representation with next iteration of Diversity in Advertising Award

Channel 4 Sales has today launched the eleventh edition of its annual Diversity in Advertising Awards, offering £1 million worth of advertising airtime to support work that champions more authentic representation in advertising.

This year’s iteration focuses on class, asking brands and agencies to challenge outdated stereotypes and better represent the lives, agency and influence of working-class people across the UK. 

A 2024 YouGov survey found that 56% of Britons consider themselves working class, while a 2025 report from the Social Mobility Commission similarly found that 53% of the public identify as working class. 

Despite this, early findings from Channel 4’s upcoming seventh Mirror On The Industry audit reveals a stark contrast in representation in adverts, with only 11% of characters identified as working class compared to 41% as middle class. 

Working-class people are also heavily depicted through the lens of their jobs, with characters more than three times as likely to be shown in a uniform (37%) compared with the total sample (11%). 

The Diversity in Advertising Award encourages advertisers to create more accurately representative campaigns, with inclusive, stereotype-free thinking embedded within the creative process, reflecting the intersectional diversity of working-class communities.

Rak Patel, Chief Commercial Officer at Channel 4 said: “Over the past decade, Channel 4’s Diversity in Advertising Award has helped drive meaningful change across the industry, while proving that inclusive advertising delivers results. This year, we're challenging brands to rethink how working-class people are represented in advertising and bring forward fresh ideas that reflect one of the UK's largest and most influential audiences.”

Amy Jenkins, Sales Leader at Channel 4, said: “More than half of people in the UK identify as working class, yet they remain significantly underrepresented in advertising. By entering this initiative, brands have an opportunity to reach an audience whose considerable spending power and influence is often overlooked, while creating work that resonates more strongly with modern Britain.”

The initiative also encourages the meaningful involvement of working-class creatives and consultants behind the scenes.

The winning brand will receive £1 million worth of Channel 4 advertising airtime across the broadcaster’s linear, streaming, and social platforms. An additional five shortlist entries will also be offered up to £250,000 of match funded commercial ad space. 

The long-standing Diversity in Advertising Award sits at the heart of Channel 4 Sales' Business for Good initiatives, demonstrating how advertising can drive both positive social impact and commercial success. Previous winners have included campaigns from Maltesers, Lloyds, Starbucks, Vanish, E45, Currys and Tesco.

Competition entries for 2026’s Diversity in Advertising Award must be submitted by 1st October 2026. 

Further details and how to enter Channel 4’s Diversity in Advertising Award are available here: Channel 4 Sales website – Business for Good 

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Notes to editors:

• Entries are welcomed from any part of the advertising industry and for ideas covering all brands that are suitable and legal to advertise across Channel 4 platforms.
• Entries can be submitted by creative agencies, media agencies or by brands direct- but all entries must come with direct endorsement of the concept from a senior figure at the brand featured.

About Channel 4

Channel 4 exists to create change through entertainment. Publicly owned yet commercially funded, Channel 4 generates significant and sustainable cultural, economic and social impact across the UK – at no cost to the taxpayer.

The broadcaster’s distinctive remit is set by Parliament, and it has a role to represent unheard voices, challenge with purpose and reinvent entertainment. For more than 40 years, it has been a British success story, engaging generation after generation of young people.

Working with hundreds of creative companies every year, Channel 4 makes a major contribution to the local, regional and national economy, creating and supporting thousands of jobs and businesses across the country.

In 2024, Channel 4 launched its Fast Forward strategy to accelerate its transformation into an agile and genuinely digital-first public service streamer by 2030. It is designed to ensure Channel 4 embraces the generational shift in TV viewing, elevates its impact across the UK and stands out in a crowded market.

From its bases in London, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow, Channel 4 is fully committed to harnessing the power of its regional structure to increase its impact across the UK. Through its training and development initiative 4Skills is opening up opportunities in broadcasting, with a particular focus on disadvantaged young people and addressing skills gaps across the Nations and Regions. 4Skills invests millions in training, development and learning opportunities annually.

Through Film4 Productions, Channel 4 also invests in British filmmakers to huge critical acclaim, producing 43 Oscar wins and 97 BAFTA wins in its history. 

https://www.channel4.com