Bec Brideson is teaming up with start-up Miss Collective on a new series of female empowerment workshops. Titled #LikeABoss, these workshops will set out to nurture and assist young women into leadership positions within the male-dominated communications and creative fields.
Brideson wants to see more women on top who are recognised and respected. Her campaign for women began when she left a flourishing advertising career to start the first marketing-to-women agency in Australia.
It continues today with these workshops and the launch of her new consultancy, Bec Brideson, assisting brands to understand and leverage the growing importance and economic impact of the modern women.
“Change is happening but it’s slow,” said Brideson. “We have to constantly push it, move it forward. We have to be like Cindy Gallop and blow-shit-up. This is the century of women – let’s own it.”
Peak Australian ad industry body Communications Council reported in 2014 that only 15 per cent of women were in creative while only 13.5 per cent of them hold senior positions.
Advertising seems keen to remain a boy’s club despite rising awareness around a lack of diversity and an increasing number of women calling it out. However research has consistently shown that diversity of staff can elevate creativity and increase revenue in what many have considered a stagnated industry.
“With the lack of role models in agencies, it’s up to those of us who have fought for leadership to send the elevator back down for the new female talent. If we don’t, the industry will go to the dogs,” Brideson added.
The Port Melbourne workshops will include Brideson uncovering exactly how to move up and break down the female glass ceiling with funny anecdotes and invaluable insights as a top leader in her industry.
Miss Collective, co-founded by Kara Jenkins, creative director at Isobar and Steph Webster, group account director at Reactive, was created to help women in the advertising, media and marketing industry “take charge of their career and level up”.
Jenkins felt #LikeABoss was the perfect addition to Miss Collective’s unique selection of workshop and networking opportunities.
“Bec is inspiring, thought provoking and a well-known advocate for supporting women in our industry,” said Jenkins.
“We hope Bec can share her inimitable wisdom in how to succeed in a male dominated industry.”
