What's wrong with advertising?

Roberta and I really enjoyed our time last Fall visiting Bucharest so I could speak at the International Advertising Association’s annual conference. ?After we returned home, in a moment that combined hubris with wishful thinking, I decided that the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity should be my next stop.

I figured I’d be one of the few Account weenies speaking at a Creative conference, perhaps arming me with novelty as an advantage (how many Creative Directors can one listen to?).? Plus, I was drawn to my topic, “Genius Needs Collaborators” – an idea that had its genesis as a blog post – where I claim collaboration is:

“the jet fuel that sparks moments of true genius.? We witness it in songwriting, watch it on the athletic pitch, see it in the science lab, observe it in the writer’s room.”?

I thought it sufficiently provocative to warrant attention, so in a “Why not?” moment, I applied.

When the Cannes evaluators kept me waiting, there was cause for hope.? Even so, I prepared for the likely “No;” in that, the evaluators did not disappoint.? So much for hubris.

There’s no shame in trying and perhaps next year I’ll try again, although I imagine an anonymous Account person with little agency doesn’t have much of a chance of acceptance against the John Legends, John Hegartys, and David Drogas of the world.

I wasn’t at the conference, but read about it; what got my attention was an ADWEEK story headline, “Where Are All the Women?? Men Overwhelmingly Took the Cannes Stage to Accept Awards.”?

Where indeed.

I wrote about this very matter more than eight years ago, in a post celebrating my pioneering Creative Director step-mother-in-law, Francine Wilvers, along with those who preceded her, not to speak of the women with whom I partnered during my agency years. ?My intent was to counter a photo of Advertising Age’s “A-List” that included exactly one (token) woman in it.?

As my former colleagues Sandy Sabean and Kristi Faulkner point out, “85 percent of buying decisions are made by women, yet 85 percent of creative departments are populated by men, most of whom don’t have a clue how women think, feel, decide, and buy.”

Perhaps those numbers are different now – maybe there are more women creative directors – but the Cannes photo suggests otherwise. ?

If you’re wondering about that speech I wasn’t able to give at Cannes – “Who are ultimate collaborators?” – I have an answer for you:?

Women.

Are there men who are as effective as women?? Of course; I’ve worked with several.?

But it’s the women who are the true performers here.? For me it began with my first boss in advertising, the patient and wise Kristen Wainwright; continued with my near-genius colleagues Cami Edlund and Jane Gardner; included my idea-a-minute and mesmerizing presenter Creative partner Christine Bastoni. ?

I haven’t even mentioned Shelley Lanman and Carole Weitz, the co-Creative directors who not only rescued my creative department from near-irrelevance, but also elevated it to where its prowess was worthy of Ammirati & Puris’ well-deserved reputation.

All of the women with whom I’ve had the privilege of working rank among the best innovators, idea creators, problem solvers, and, from what I’ve witnessed, leaders. ?What I’ve experienced is not the exception; it’s the rule.

Will advertising ever recognize this?? Will it change?? Will women, at long last, get their due?

I used to be an optimist, telling you, “Yes, it will change and here are the steps to make it happen.” ?If, however, I choose to be truthful, a realist, I know it won’t, and they won’t.?

And that, sadly, is what’s so terribly wrong with advertising.

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