As the industry marks the 100th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s birth, much of the coverage has focused on the gap between the public image and the woman herself - a screen icon who spent much of her career fighting assumptions about her intelligence, ambition and ability. Beyond the ‘dumb blonde’ stereotype was a highly talented and complex star who worked hard on her craft, challenged Hollywood’s studio system and fought to be taken seriously in an industry that often underestimated her abilities.

Monroe’s career shows that being highly visible is not the same as having control. Despite her fame, her access to better roles, protection from typecasting and long-term progression still depended on who was willing to champion her behind the scenes.

A century on from her birth, her story still feels surprisingly relevant. While workplaces have become more comfortable talking about representation and visibility, progress on who actually gets access to opportunity and progression is slower. Visibility is often mistaken for advancement, when in reality it is only part of the picture.

Monroe’s experience reflects a wider truth about the workplace today, which is that talent and hard work alone do not guarantee success. Progress is also shaped by who advocates, sponsors and uses their influence to open doors for others.

Some like it confident

We often talk about confidence as if it is one of the most important qualities to have as a woman in the workplace to get you noticed. This statement is definitely not unfounded - it’s been well documented that women struggle more with confidence at work. Studies show that 70% of women have had feelings of imposter syndrome at some point in their careers, compared with just 58% of men. Research also shows that women typically wait until they have more experience before pursuing leadership roles because they don’t have the confidence in their own ability to succeed.

I speak from personal experience when I say that as a woman - particularly a woman of colour - I’ve been told to speak up more, be more confident, put myself forward, and be more visible. But that kind of advice can feel counterintuitive.

What I’ve found is that responsibility for progression is placed too often on the employee rather than the employer. If women aren’t advancing, there’s an assumption that they need more confidence, more resilience or need to work on their self-promotion. There isn’t enough attention however, on whether they are being given the same access to opportunities, networks and sponsorship in the first place.

While confidence matters - once you get there, additional pressures remain. In fact, research a year ago showed that 33% of women worry about coming across as too confident (compared to 16% of men). Women are expected to project confidence, but it seems not too much that they appear negatively. This is something not many men have to ever consider.

Confidence can only get you so far and opportunity is also shaped by the systems and structures around us. It is short-sighted to expect employees to bridge structural gaps through assertiveness alone. This is why advocacy matters - particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds who are less likely to be seen and supported without it.

The real gap is sponsorship

There are some incredible networks in our industry. Media For All (MEFA) succeeds in increasing the ethnic diversity of the media and advertising industry in the UK through its events and forums. Meanwhile, Bloom UK seeks to empower women in the advertising and communications industry through delivering professional support for women via its network and mentoring programme.

But this kind of support is not enough and I strongly believe that the industry needs more sponsorship. After all, mentors lend their advice, but sponsors can help use their influence. We need more people in positions of influence to actively open doors, make recommendations and champion talented individuals for opportunities they may not otherwise access.

Real progress is so much more than telling someone to be more confident. It requires managers who advocate, colleagues who amplify and leaders who use their influence to bring others forward. The industry doesn’t have a confidence problem - this can be built - but I believe it does have a sponsorship problem. Until more leaders use their influence to open doors for women and underrepresented talent, visibility will continue to be mistaken for progress.

Marilyn Monroe’s story still resonates because it reminds us that talent alone is not always enough - and not every star gets a fair shot at the spotlight. Women are ready to progress, lead and succeed in our industry. But the question is whether the industry is doing enough to back them.

And if you're in a position of influence, don’t just pay attention to who is visible. In fact, whose name have you put forward this year when they weren’t in the room? Because that is what advocacy looks like in practice.