Dive Brief:

• Netflix released a video featuring Uzo Aduba, star of its series "Orange is the New Black," calling for more diverse actors, writers, directors, producers and stories to work with, according to The Drum.
• The nearly two-minute spot, titled "Make Room," highlights Netflix's focus on bringing on more diverse female talent through popular shows like "OITNB" and the wrestling-themed series "Glow." The ad features Aduba alongside Netflix talent Yalitza Aparicio of "Roma," comedian Hannah Gadsby and "Glow" stars Sunita Mani, Marianna Palka and Britney Young.
• In the ad, Aduba asks, "Have you ever been in a room and haven't seen anyone like you, have you ever felt like you belong but have been told subtly or not so subtly that you didn't? The world is full of those rooms." The ad closes with the tagline "More room. More stories. More voices."

Dive Insight:

With "Make Room," Netflix appears to be working to attract fresh, diverse talent as it continues to invest in original programming, which has helped the streaming service stand out among the growing number of competitors like Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. Netflix spent about $12 billion on original programming in 2018 and has more than 137 million subscribers worldwide, according to an Inc. report.

By highlighting some of its most popular productions that feature diverse casts, including its first best picture Oscar-nominated film "Roma," Netflix is seeking to build an emotional connection with viewers and stand out against traditional Hollywood studios and networks, which have seen mounting criticism in recent years for their lack of diversity.

"Make Room" follows another recent Netflix marketing campaign that similarly celebrated its black creators. The campaign, "A Great Day in Hollywood," starred industry heavyweights Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, Alfre Woodard and Lena Waithe, and featured 47 black creators and actors who are a part of more than 20 Netflix products, Adweek reported.

These emotional messages, along with Netflix's extensive original programming library, have helped the brand become popular with consumers. The company recently ranked No. 1 on YouGov's annual Buzz rankings, with an average score of 33 on a -100 to +100 scale. The ranking asks consumers if they've heard anything, negative or positive, about a brand over the past two weeks. Netflix's recent spotlight on its efforts to attract more diverse creative could help it gain favor with consumers, who increasingly expect brands to reflect their identities. About 70% of consumers ages 18 to 34 prefer watching movies and shows featuring a multicultural cast, eMarketer found.