Two LGBTQ+ industry leaders on inclusive advertising and why real change starts with listening

In this dual feature, Rich Miles, Founder of the Diversity Standards Collective, and Thanh Catachanas, Head of Collaboration and Acquisition at JCDecaux, discuss their journeys into diversity-led work, their unexpected career paths, and how inclusive practices are shaping the future of advertising and representation.

Thanh Catachanas: Rich, thank you so much for being part of this conversation. Let’s start with your background. How did you end up running the Diversity Standards Collective?

Rich Miles: It’s a bit of a squiggly path, to be honest. I don’t come from a traditional research background – I actually spent ten years as a creative director in ad agencies. I then decided to set up my own LGBT-focused creative agency, but I wanted to differentiate it. I thought, how can we be truly inclusive and not just market under the rainbow?

A few years earlier, I’d worked on an ad for a female brand – created almost entirely by women – which was banned by the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) for being too sexually explicit. Ten men on the board made that decision. The public pushback was huge. People were saying, “How can someone outside this community judge what’s appropriate for it?”

That moment stayed with me. Why don’t we have the people being represented in ads actually reviewing and shaping those ads?

That’s where the idea for the Diversity Standards Collective came from – a platform where communities review content made for them, not just from a legal or brand-safety perspective, but from a cultural and lived experience point of view.

Thanh: I love that. You’re turning the whole idea of validation and accountability on its head—and handing the mic back to the community.

Rich: Exactly. We originally launched both the LGBT-focused ad agency – called “What’s Normal”  – and the Collective, but the response was crystal clear: everyone wanted access to the Collective. Brands were saying, “You can connect us to diverse voices? Help us check our ads?” So we pivoted, shut down the agency, and went all in on the Diversity Standards Collective.

Four years on, we’ve worked with some brilliant clients – Virgin Atlantic, JCDecaux, McDonald’s, Mother, Uber – you name it. We’re a research company built for creatives. We don’t just collect data – we understand how to apply it with cultural sensitivity, which makes a huge difference.

Thanh: That is amazing, Rich. Honestly, I feel like I need to raise my game! To give you a bit of background on me, my career has always had a through-line of advertising and marketing. I actually started out selling keywords on Lycos – remember that?

Rich: You’re showing your age now!

Thanh: I know! From there, I moved into radio advertising at Global, selling spots for big stations like Heart, Capital, and Classic FM. I spent a decade there before joining a video marketing agency, where I helped brands create and promote content across social platforms.

Eventually, I joined JCDecaux and now lead the collaboration and acquisition team. But the part I’m most passionate about is REACH – the programme I run. Our mission is to harness OOH’s inherent inclusivity to elevate, reflect and amplify representation of all the communities our channel serves. We do this by supporting ethnically owned businesses by helping them scale and grow through our media channels. We also support brands and agencies to reach diverse audiences through inclusive planning strategies and authentic messaging.

What you often find is that founders from ethnic minority backgrounds tend to build businesses that are inherently inclusive. They’re impact-driven entrepreneurs who are solving problems they experienced firsthand. So, by supporting them, we naturally elevate diverse stories.

Rich: That’s so important – people solving problems for their own communities always bring nuance and authenticity.

 Thanh: Exactly. But I also wanted to expand REACH to include intersecting identities – because people aren’t just one thing. They’re not just LGBTQ+, or just part of an ethnic minority, or just disabled. They’re often multiple things at once.

That’s why I wanted to work with the Diversity Standards Collective. There’s very little research out there about how LGBTQ+ communities interact with Out-of-Home advertising. I thought – why not go to an LGBTQ-owned research organisation that understands the lived experience?

Rich: And that’s how we started collaborating! It’s been a brilliant partnership.

Thanh: Before we go deeper into the work, I think we should acknowledge the recognition we’ve both received. You’ve been nominated recently, haven’t you?

Rich: Yes! For the first time ever, actually. I was nominated for the Changemaker of the Year award in research, which was a huge moment. I’ve always felt like a bit of a wildcard in the research space, so this kind of recognition feels meaningful. Fingers crossed!

Thanh: That’s incredible. And yes, I’ve been lucky too. Last year, I was highly commended in the Unsung Hero category at the MEFA Media For All Awards. And recently, I was awarded the Patricia Mann Award at the WACL (Women in Advertising & Communications Leadership) in addition to my Talent Award for embodying Patricia’s spirit and being a change-maker in the industry.

Rich: So deserved. You’re doing work that’s truly impactful.

Thanh: Thank you! Now let’s talk about inclusivity. How does the Diversity Standards Collective support LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace?

Rich: For us, inclusivity means visibility, opportunity, and trust. We make sure that people from the community feel seen – not just represented in the ads we consult on, but within our actual process. That’s the difference between “research on” and “research with.”

But more broadly, brands need to understand that their audience is everyone – including LGBTQ+ people. You don’t need an LGBTQ+ brief to speak to this community. If your ad says it’s for “everyone,” then that includes us.

Thanh: That’s such a good point. And it ties into how we approach inclusivity at JCDecaux. REACH is not about token gestures or seasonal campaigns. It’s about creating long-term space for underrepresented voices in public advertising – and in the industry itself.

We want to be the bridge between lived experience and brand storytelling. We’re doing that by giving businesses and creators access to media opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise get and ensuring that campaigns reflect the communities they serve.

Rich: And you’re doing it so thoughtfully. Inclusivity isn’t just a box-ticking exercise – it’s about weaving those values into the DNA of your brand and your operations.

Thanh: 100%. It’s not enough to say, “We care.” You have to show it in who you hire, who you platform, who you listen to. And that’s why collaborations like ours are so important. When you create with, not for, that’s when real change happens.

Rich: I couldn’t agree more. The future of inclusive advertising lies in co-creation. It’s time to dismantle the old models and rebuild with people who reflect the real world. That’s when you get advertising that’s not only effective but also empowering.

JCDecaux is a proud partner of myGwork, the LGBTQ+ business community. Find out more about LGBTQ+-friendly job opportunities at JCDecaux.