WOW! Advertising’s equality and diversity failure

This is coming to you from London. Last week Jeremy Taylor and I attended the Adforum Summit. This was Jeremy’s first experience of the Adforum Summit and the last one I attended was in NYC back in 2012. With 50 plus pitch consultants (interestingly more than 40% women) from around the world, but particularly from EMEA, we were to visit 19 agencies in three days. It is incredibly valuable to visit and meet with agencies back to back and hear from the senior management on the trends and directions they are taking their agency brands.

But for those unaware last week in the UK was National Inclusion Week and October is Global Diversity Awareness Month, which is even more poignant considering the way the week unfolded across both sides of the Atlantic this week.

Considering the amount of discussion the advertising industry is having on diversity and inclusion, it is probably worth reminding us what these terms mean with this article last week in Campaign UK.

“The term ‘diversity’ has become a buzzword in the workplace and wider society, and it goes hand in hand with the term ‘inclusion’. Many businesses now have specialists dedicated to diversity and inclusion to ensure they’re effectively implementing it in their business.

But it’s not a simple box ticking exercise. Diversity and inclusion encompasses such a wide range of factors including gender, disability, mental health, neurodiversity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, religious beliefs, political beliefs and more”.

Let me take you through what unfolded during the week that made me go WOW - and not in a good way.

#ADFORUMSUMMIT LONDON: GENDER BALANCE A FOCUS

Johanna McDowell is a consultant from South Africa who raised the issue of gender diversity here. “There was also a controversial start to the summit, where comments from the media and participants focused on the huge bias towards male leadership and so gender balance was talked about frequently during the summit, with agencies being very conscious of this. Most took pains to point out their efforts in diversity and changes in balance in leadership”.

But for those interested in comments from the media and participants I strongly recommend checking out the Twitter feed on this by searching #adforumsummit for Sept 23 and 24 2019.

DECLINE IN WOMEN LEADERS AT ADVERTISING, MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES: SHE RUNS IT SURVEY

In the same week new data from She Runs It and management consulting firm Diversity Best Practices shows a troubling decline in the number of women in executive positions in the advertising, media and technology industries. According to the third annual Diversity Best Practices Inclusion Index and the second annual #Inclusive100 benchmark, released on Thursday at an Advertising Week New York panel, just 29% of corporate or executive positions at AMT companies are held by women. That’s down from 30% last year. Clearly heading in the wrong direction.

HOW AGEISM AT AGENCIES AFFECTS OLDER EMPLOYEES

Then this story about Chris Thilk, a 44 years old unemployed ad executive. It’s been three years since he was let go from full-time agency work, and he has yet to find another full-time gig. That’s not for lack of trying, as he has applied for hundreds of jobs over the years. With 15 years of experience in the business, Thilk believes his age and experience level are hurting, rather than helping him in his quest for a new job. 

Then came these two from stories at the end of the week from AdWeek in NYC.

ADVERTISING WEEK’S PITBULL CONCERT UNDERMINES A WEEK OF EQUALITY TALK, SAY CRITICS

In an industry that has long battled sexism, Advertising Week made a concerted effort in its programming this week to address issues of equality and parity. There was an entire track on Thursday called "Future is Female," with seminars titled "Fighting Bias" and "The Business Case for Female Inclusion." Another track on Monday was devoted to "Diversity and Inclusion." So many industry execs were surprised and even disappointed with Advertising Week’s choice of Pitbull as the headline act on the closing night of the event. 

ADVERTISING WEEK NY SAID THE ‘FUTURE IS FEMALE,’ THEN ENDED WITH PITBULL AND TWERKING

Just as it seemed the advertising industry might really be making headway on breaking down its longtime boys’ club, Advertising Week New York ended on a facepalm moment that has sparked vocal backlash on Twitter. The weeklong event ended with Pitbull giving a performance that, per usual for the entertainer, included a group of women dancing suggestively around him and twerking as he pointed enthusiastically.

Yes there are many people, groups and companies around the world addressing these issues. There are champions highlighting gender inequality, ageism and cultural diversity and it is making a difference. But there is a need for vigilance, discipline and a more focused industry effort if we are going to deliver the changes the industry needs and society demands.

It has made me more determined to continue our efforts in leveling the procurement playing field for women owned businesses on media, marketing and advertising including supporting the #womenwithagency initiative and offering clients the opportunity to find the agencies that better fit their diversity requirements and agenda.

As always, if any of this information or issues have piqued your curiosity or raised concerns for you or you simply want to discuss the implications and opportunities let me know.

Cheers

Darren