ADFEST has revealed its 2023 lineup for its first live event for four years and, with just a handful of women confirmed to be speaking over the three-day event, many in ad land have branded it a “sausage fest.”
The theme for this year’s ADFEST is “RISE” which apparently signifies “optimism and confidence for an upbeat future.” But, with an almost exclusively male line up, it appears as though that not everyone is invited to that upbeat future.
Other industry faces branded the line up “depressing” and “embarrassing.” Helen Neville, former senior art director at Keep Left, said:
“It’s time for ad land line-ups to hold themselves accountable to female quotas. I’d be embarrassed to be a part of that line up if I was one of those sausages. Soz, just saying.”
The ADFEST line up is not exclusively male. Yesterday, it named Laura Geagea, regional managing director, Sweetshop China, Asia and MENA as Jury President of Film Craft Lotus and New Director Lotus.
However, as yet, there are no female speakers confirmed for the event. There are plenty of slots still available for women to take, with speakers from Meta, Google, Media Monks, Dentsu International, Hakuhodo, and ADK Creative One to be announced. A range of slots have not had a company or speaker confirmed, either.
Still, if you fancy taking the trip to Pattaya, Thailand, between 23-25 March to hear from the best and brightest men in the industry, you can take register for tickets here.
