Rose Herceg and Patrick Guerrera have not had your typical adland experiences. Both came from marginalised portions of Australia’s population and, despite some significant challenges, have risen to positions of power within the industry.
Ahead of the launch of Advertising Council Australia’s Create Space census which seeks to map the industry and quantify the industry’s diversity problem — or, hopefully, track its progress against the previous census.
Herceg, president ANZ of WPP, and Guerrera, founder and CEO of M&C Saatchi Group agency Re, spoke candidly about their respective time in advertising.
Herceg, the daughter of immigrants only speaks English at work and grew up in Sydney’s western suburbs at a time when most of her peers went on to trades or had babies. Rising to the top of a professional services industry was not in the offing.
Guerrera, meanwhile, grew up in Clovelly before it became the well-to-do suburb it is now. Plus, as a proud openly gay man, his years in advertising have been marked by bullying, discrimination and homophobia.
It is in this context that they implore everyone in advertising, even you, to fill out the Create Space census.
You can watch the shorter version of B&T’s chat with the pair below, or listen to the full 20-minute podcast on Spotify or Acast.
Spotify
Acast
