How can the industry move from amplification to action when it comes to female representation in front of and behind the lens. She Takes Over returned to BITE LIVE this year with a wide-ranging discussion focused on the practical steps and accountability necessary to  broaden the lens to help create an environment that allows women to thrive.

In  the wake of the pandemic, the industry has a unique opportunity to build back better. There is a myriad of research that shows the pandemic disproportionately affected women so as we emerge from the other side there must be a renewed focus on championing female talent. Yet, data from PWC shows just over a quarter of organisations have clear D&I goals. Talent is distributed equally between all communities but opportunities are not. 

In the newest instalment of She Takes Over, Nicola Kemp, Editorial Director at Creativebrief sat down with Chantel King, Photographer, represented by Studio Pi, Lucy Kelly, Executive Producer at Pulse Films, Laura Rogers, Global Creative Director at adam&eveDDB, Ben Sharpe, Head of Integrated Production at adam&eveDDB and Bukola Garry, Head of Diversity, Equality & Inclusion at adam&eveDDB to discuss how can we move toward meaningful change and action when it comes to driving women’s careers forward in the creative industries. 

Activating measurable change

She Takes Over is an initiative that was founded in 2019, initially to increase the visibility of the talented female creatives working across the industry. In this area, the initiative has seen much success with agencies getting involved to spotlight talented women, yet as it enters into its third year, adam&eveDDB’s Rogers hopes to see this converted into actual measurable results; “It’s not just enough to elevate the profile of talented women, we want to get them hired” she says.

Agencies play an extremely important role in breaking down the barriers that women face; talent absolutely exists yet there remains hesitance from the industry. According to adam&eveDDB’s Garry one of the key barriers to entry for women is in the fast-paced nature of the industry. Quick decision making sees agencies fall back on old-faithful options but “the industry is not going to slow down if anything we all need to speed up.” she adds. New talent needs to be given opportunities, the chance to fail and be supported by agencies to be able to put their unique talent to work.

Engaging the unengaged

While the push for inclusion seems to be industry-wide a key barrier to progress is less engaged decision-makers. As adam&eveDDB’s Sharpe explained: “There is a big push toward the finish line but often once we get there we are met with decision-makers who are making more ‘safe’ choices or perceived ‘safe’ choices.” There’s a large gap between the actual risk and the perceived risk which the industry needs to work to eliminate, as Kemp reminds the panel that true diversity often holds a competitive and creative advantage. 

King, a photographer represented by Studio Pi, shared her own experiences of meeting many people who seemingly champion her work but then fail to push for any real action. It’s a disconnect that can serve to be damaging to mental health as empty promises that seem encouraging but lead to nowhere destroys morale. 

Making space

It may seem like a cliche but it’s often said that “men are hired on potential while women are hired on experience”. An approach which can hold new talent back.  Pulse Films’ Kelly believes that  “with emerging talent it's all about potential.” She goes on to explain that “when we sign new directors to our roster we’re looking at what the future might hold and what we can do for them as much as they can bring to us.” She hopes that the industry should feel excited about the opportunities surrounding new talent, to be a part of that journey and in the power of the collective. 

To truly make more space for women and widen the lens, “clients are our biggest allies” says adam&eveDDB’s Rogers. Those brands that want to truly champion women ultimately have the final say in who they chose to hire. As such direct requests can empower agencies to make inclusive decisions. On the flip side, it’s also the responsibility of agencies to showcase their expertise and encourage brands toward these decisions. Agencies should want to produce new, innovative work and doing this requires diverse thinking and varied viewpoints.

Breaking down barriers to entry

“As a newer creative you’re competing against people with years of experience. People like familiarity and so we need people that push to showcase different narratives to make sure different voices are heard” said Studio Pi’s King, talking about the barriers to entry for women. Still tokenism remains an issue, as she explains it can make people feel as though they are a lonely voice in the room, putting pressure on one person when instead there should be a variety of diverse voices making decisions.

The pace of change needs to be sped up and the easiest way to do this in simple terms is to “say yes more than we say no”  explains adam&eveDDB’s Garry. She calls for repositioning around the idea that it’s such a big risk to take a chance on new talent and for greater transparency around who is making decisions and at what point things are failing. The industry needs to “allow people who’ve invested in change, who have advocated for programs like She Takes Over, to play a part in the decision-making process.” she adds. If processes aren’t working, they need to be reviewed and changed. For an industry so innovative and creative in the work it produces, this same ethos should be upheld behind the scenes within its inner workings, embracing change when something isn’t working rather than maintaining processes for the sake of tradition. 

Still, more can be done to make space for new talent. Studio Pi’s King suggests allowing the same budget allocated to bigger talent to allow the opportunity for growth and creative excellence. Pulse Films’ Kelly raises the idea that junior talent should have more opportunities to shadow established directors early on to help build their careers. The panel are all in agreement that often, it’s brilliant partnerships that are behind the best creative work as ultimately, a collective will be able to break down more barriers than an individual.

Authenticity leads to great work

In order to make any real progress, it’s important to look at the people that make up these collectives and be willing to listen and learn. With this in mind adam&eveDDB’s Garry is passionate about humanizing the inclusion process as it’s easy to forget that it’s real people being affected. She explains:  “We are talking about people, individuals with experience and skills. It’s nothing new, its value to add and it needs to be humanized.” The industry needs to leave behind the ‘tick-box’ mentality and remember that a cross-section of minds leads to authentic storytelling.

Uncovering new talent is not only essential in creating new work but should be exciting; agencies have a very real opportunity to be a part of a breakthrough moment. “There needs to be a shift in perception,” says adam&eveDDB’s Sharpe “as agencies, we should want to help facilitate career-defining works that can turn new talent into a-list directors.” This not only raises up individuals but raises the bar across the entire industry, creating a new generation of excellence.  

Follow up and feedback

For every opportunity made for emerging talent, there will always be times of rejection. A simple way to make the process feel worthwhile is by offering feedback. “Feedback can be transformational to someone’s career,” says Creativebrief’s Kemp, and so it’s essential that decision-makers get on board and take the time to give back to those who dedicated time to the process. Mandated feedback could improve the experience for all those involved, creating more mutual respect and helping talent grow.  

There is still a lot of pressure on talent to push themselves forward and set themselves apart creatively. On her Instagram, Studio Pi’s King shows behind the scenes of her work to show potential clients how she operates on set. The external pressure can be both good and bad as it pushes talent to be better but also sets unrealistic expectations. Beyond the talent, everyone must be engaged in pursuing a more diverse creative workforce as this eases the pressure on all involved. 

“Men can help by acknowledging our bias and looking outside of our own circles,” says Sharpe “we need to acknowledge any advantages we might have had due to our gender but beyond that take the time to look at new work.” Others work can serve as a source of inspiration as y leaning into curiosity projects take on a more interesting shape. Across the entire industry, adopting a fresh, open mindset generates the most groundbreaking results. 

Accountability and action

The industry has reached a point where there is no viable reason why people should be hesitant to take steps toward greater inclusion. adam&eveDDB’s Garry stresses that this all leads back to creating great work that is proven to be award-winning and groundbreaking by thousands of existing case studies. “We need to explore what is holding people back and break down those points?” she says. For those that feel their roles are being challenged, She continues: ”We see nothing but opportunity; change and creativity and everything that leads to”. Initiatives are about increasing and sharing opportunities, not taking them away. 

To round off the panel shared some of their actionable insights to help move the conversation on from amplification to action. From holding each other accountable to taking half an hour each week to look at the work that’s out there and get inspired; each panellist agreed that to truly move the conversation forward time investment is needed. Giving feedback is a small but actionable way to make a real difference to the talent hiring process that should be about forming new relationships to aid opportunities long term as much as it’s about filling a current vacancy. 

Generosity and working as a collective will be what makes the real difference in creating a more inclusive space. Whilst time is precious it’s important to remember that a single opportunity can be the making of a career and there is little satisfaction in pulling the ladder up behind you. No one entered the advertising industry to make mediocre work. By broadening our circles, listening to diverse voices and taking the time to help others succeed, the industry will continue to raise the bar to create ground-breaking campaigns that lead to real, meaningful change. 

To watch the full session: click here