Unilever
Embedding Inclusion & Relevance Across Global Brands
We provide ongoing strategic advisory to Unilever brands to embed inclusivity into processes and team thinking
The Challenge
As the steward of some of the world’s most recognisable consumer brands, Unilever operates in a landscape defined by rapid cultural shift, heightened scrutiny, and evolving consumer expectations.
For both corporate teams and individual brands, the challenge is ongoing: how to stay culturally relevant at scale, across markets, categories, and audiences and without fragmentation, performativity, or drift from commercial priorities. Unilever needed a trusted external partner who could help teams navigate complexity with clarity and confidence.
Our Role
We act as long-term strategic advisors to Unilever - supporting corporate and brand teams to embed Inclusion-led Relevance into how decisions are made, not just what gets said.
Our role spans strategy, capability, and application - helping teams translate cultural intelligence into brand growth, stronger audience connection, and future-ready thinking.
What We Delivered
Across multiple brands and functions—including ED&I, Magnum, and Dirt Is Good—we have delivered work aligned to an Unpack → Untangle → Unlock approach:
Vision and strategic alignment
Co-created vision and strategic plans aligned stakeholders around how inclusion supports growth—ensuring consistency between corporate ambition and brand-level execution.Brand-specific Inclusion Playbooks
Bespoke playbooks were developed with global brand teams and their agencies—creating shared language, clear principles, and practical guidance that could travel across markets and partners.Capability building for teams and leaders
Tailored learning programmes equipped corporate and brand leaders with up-to-date concepts, frameworks, and confidence to apply inclusion-led thinking in day-to-day decision-making.Future-facing application
Inclusion-led relevance was extended into emerging areas, including the development and application of AI tools - ensuring innovation remained grounded in cultural integrity.
The Impact
Increased brand penetration among historically underserved audiences
Greater confidence and consistency across brand and agency teams
Stronger alignment between inclusion, innovation, and growth agendas
Inclusion embedded as a strategic capability rather than a standalone function
Inclusion became part of how Unilever brands sense, decide, and act in the world, supporting relevance at scale.
“The Unmistakables are not just leaders in their field, but invaluable partners—trusted, agile, and deeply collaborative. They have a rare ability to take complex issues and turn them into clear, actionable strategies that drive real change. And they are a genuine pleasure to work with.”
Georgi Simpkin, Global Brand Lead, Unilever
What Makes this Case Relevant?
This partnership shows how Inclusion-led Relevance operates over time—helping global organisations build cultural confidence as a core business capability. It demonstrates the value of trusted strategic partnership: one that protects brand integrity, sharpens judgement, and ensures relevance keeps pace with culture, technology, and consumer expectation.