Real Reflections on Representation in Creative Leadership

The second day of the UK Creative Festival 2022 began in the evocatively named Hall by the Sea, with a panel discussion on representation’s critical role in moving towards a society that reflects itself at all levels.

A crucial conversation for the creative industries; the panel drew an impressive crowd for a morning billing, no doubt helped by an expert group of speakers:

- Ete Davies – Chief operating officer, DENTSU CREATIVE

- Jerry Daykin – Head of global media at Beam Suntory

- Christopher Kenna – CEO and founder of Diversity Media Consultancy

- Chanda Pandya – Lecturer in Fashion Retail Academy and Lecturer of the Year 2022, South Bank University

(Chanda also brought her daughter on stage as a surprise special guest - so the comfy looking on-stage sofas were at capacity.)

As Ete remarked, Chris went “straight in with the big questions,” beginning by honestly checking in on where the industry is on representation. Sadly, the answer is not great – As of right now, the data shows a “backwards slide” when it comes to diversity in advertising C-suite jobs, said Ete.

Speaking as a client, Jerry admitted that the industry is clearly “not where we need to be,” but remarked that advertisers are waking up to the necessity for representation - not just as a social obligation, but as a business advantage.

Sadly, so many of the discussions around DE&I in companies stop at ‘box ticking’, noted Chanda, who referred to evidence that even when people from underrepresented groups are employed, they aren’t being heard.

Building on this, Ete added that it's crucial  for brands to be true to the inclusivity they say they value, reminding listeners of the upsurge in consumer activism after the death of George Floyd launched a new phase for the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. People hold brands to account more than ever. And that’s not going away, the panel agreed.

“Brands are recognising that young people shop with purpose,” agreed Chanda, who’s immersed in the fashion industry. She’s noticed a drastic shift recently, one which is undoubtedly positive.

Of course, the flipside of that is a fear that some brands may feel of a backlash that representation in their advertising may provoke. Ete invoked the infamous Sainsbury’s campaign featuring a Black British family, which caused supposed controversy. However, upon looking at the data, , he found that the vocal minority who shouted online about its ‘woke-washing’ were a tiny group, compared to the “number of consumers who just saw a family having a Christmas dinner.”

Fortunately, there are now pieces of advertising in the canon which provide the representation adland needs in the future. The panel rattled off shoutouts to P&G, Nike and JD Sports – work that’s proved representation with authenticity actually works for advertisers.

Following this, the discussion moved into the nuanced space of ‘microdiversity’ and intersectionality – the deeper levels of identity that go beyond the simplistic way in which the industry still has conversations. As Ete noted, the discourse is still largely stuck on those ‘macrodiversity’ levels of male versus female, white versus non-white, hererosexual versus homosexual. There’s rich data out there on what actually matters to people around their cultures and identities, noted Ete, stressing that advertising needs to take into account the complexity of its audiences to thrive.

Determined to finish on a positive note, Chris insisted that we all remember that advertising is “the best industry in the world because you can actually change stuff.”

In that spirit, each panellist shared a thought to inspire people in that:

Chanda: Find a mentor or a mentee

Ete: Challenge briefs and ask how representation can be pushed

Jerry: Look at what you can do to change the shape of your business positively

Chris: Realise that this is heavy stuff and takes its toll on underrepresented people