Hey Adland, Where’s All The Indigenous Creatives?
In this guest post for B&T, Pluto Media CEO Peter Kirk (pictured below) says for all the talk of a more diverse advertising landscape, not enough is being done to promote the industry’s Indigenous talent…
Do you want a more diverse adland? Join B&T at this year’s Changing The Ratio on 30th May…
As I sit down to write this article we have just had the long weekend to celebrate Australia Day, two major accounts have been lost and won by agencies, the annual Lamb Ad is doing the rounds and Australia appears more creatively fractured then in any other time that I can remember.
Where do I start – The Lamb ad by the Monkeys is great self -effacing, funny and gets the message across. Well done to the team at The Monkeys.
The usual articles and hyperbole came out about Australia Day, shall we change the date, shall we not change the date,? I don’t have an answer to this question to be honest however I think we should focus on changing the nation more than changing the date, and of course this is a massive statement, which requires a lot of work, conversation and honesty.
Now onto the two accounts being won by large agencies. Defence Force Recruiting went to VML and Y&R and Tourism Australia went to Clemenger.
I know a handful of people at both of those agencies, there are some talented people that work there and I’m sure that they had to jump through a highly competitive RFT to win the accounts however I can’t help but ask the question – How many Indigenous people are actually working within these agencies that won these accounts and why shouldn’t brands start asking these questions in the tender process?
I have met with quite a few agencies and brands over the last few months and the most common question I get asked is, “Where are the Indigenous creative people, I can’t find them?”
I find this question baffling, amusing and a wonderful example of the insular nature of the industry we work in. There are no shortage of websites you can go to, to start a conversation with Indigenous people, social media pages, blogs, educational units, scholarship foundations, the list is actually quite big. All you need to do is start thinking outside your normal recruiting practices.
Which leads me to the main point of this article: I believe that agencies should set up small Indigenous creative teams working within the larger agencies.
Once you start breaking down this concept it makes sense. I’m not saying that we kick this off tomorrow.
I’m saying this should be something that all the large agencies should start implementing pathways to accomplish.
There are many benefits to this
- Having a small group of team members working together will allow greater trust and confidence
- The interaction will be greater
- Each team member will have more comfortable “voice”
- All team members will be more aware of the work, success failures and direction as a group
- The ability to feel part of something will be greater
- Brands will appreciate that Indigenous people have been included in the creative proces, companies are looking for diverse teams to avoid cultural mistakes.
These teams are being developed in the US. Droga 5 has developed a small team of African American creatives. ADcolor has been created to develop more diversity into the ad space.
The Sundance Native labs are doing wonderful work, creating native and indigenous workshops for film – makers and producers to work together to develop films and stories. Some of the best indie films to come out of Sundance in the last 10 years have come through the native program.
I must say the work AWARD school is doing to create more Indigenous people into the industry has been fantastic and growing interest everyday.
Yet we are still have a way to go in here.
What gives me a lot of satisfaction is that brands are now asking for more accountability from their agency, social purpose, gender equality, well thought out work is now just as important as the margins and the to market strategies. Some brands are now asking for more representation of Indigenous people within the agencies, which is great, however I would like all major brands to start asking these questions as well, and if they have no representation of Indigenous people ( and quite a lot don’t ) then ask to see their pathways program and goals for hiring more.
I applaud everyone for the awareness and changes that have been made in addressing the gap with gender inequality and continuing to address it. I would like to see this same amount of passion and dedication into hiring Indigenous creative people and developing a workforce that truly represents all facets of Australian life.
Latest News
The Mars Agency Announces Latest Findings Of Retail Media Report Card
The Mars Agency has developed a scorecard that assesses the capabilities of leading platforms across key criteria required to optimally plan, execute, and measure effective retail media programs. The scorecard aims To help brands efficiently evaluate their spending options across retail media networks in Australia (and New Zealand). With spending on retail media advertising in […]
‘It’s The Lesser Of Two Evils’ – NRL Eyes US Betting Market As Aussie Regulators Circle
US betting firms will be delighted by the circa 50,000 Americans who could soon watch the NRL on their favourite app.
A-League In Deep Discussions With New Partner To Keep Games On TV After Production Company Enters Administration
The A-League's insatiable appetite for scoring own goals continues.
TV Ratings (27/03/2024): Jungle Members At War Over Concealed Lipstick
A heated argument between two jungle members did the numbers for Ten last night, with I’m A Celeb obtaining a total national reach of 1,282,000. Fans were delighted as Candice Warner and influencer Skye Wheatley got into it over a stick of lipstick, leading Warner to dub the Instagram star “selfish.” Wheatley, best known for […]
Is The Australian Music Industry In Trouble? Inquiry Launched Following Splendour Cancellation
Earlier this week, an inquiry was launched into the challenges and opportunities currently facing the Australian live music industry in the wake of multiple festival cancellations. On 25 March 2024, the Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Tony Burke MP, asked the Committee on Communications and the Arts to inquire into and report on the […]
Liana Dubois, Leandro Perez, Aimee Buchanan & More Gather For Inaugural Compadres Leadership Event
Didn't get the invite? Perhaps you're not as important as you thought.
Cathay Captures The Unforgettable Thrill Of Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, Via Publicis
Nobody does rugby like Hong Kong, apparently. Certainly nobody does it as badly as Australia.
Cocogun Nabs Christine Watts, Kirsty Reynolds & Shev Tan Bolstering Management & Creative Teams
Cocogun bolsters its team with new hires. Committed to purchasing a bigger sofa, too.
The Media Store’s Jacquie Alley & Sam Cousins Take The Plunge With Pro-Bono Work For Cure Cancer
B&T chats with The Media Store bosses about their great pro-bono work and sponsored swim.
Hawke’s Brewing Co. Taps Rocket Comms For PR Agency Following Competitive Pitch
We're expecting Rocket Comms productivity to crash in spectacular fashion following this win.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Patties Serves Up A Taste Of Home For Olympians & South Sydney Rabbitohs Recommit To Gambling Reform
While the Rabbitohs commits to gambling reform, B&T reckons the team should commit to a decent auto sponsor.
Google: “Inevitable” That Bad Actors Will Abuse Ads Platform As Advertiser Account Suspensions Double
Google maintains it's simply impossible for it to entirely stop bad people placing & paying for ads using its service.
Quantcast Expands APAC Sales Team With Appointment Of News Corp Account Manager
No pressure at all when you are appointed as a client success manager.
Publicis Sapient Tests Microsoft-Powered Gen AI Search Tool With Homes & Villas By Marriott Bonvoy
Given Gen AI's record for mangling stuff, B&T cannot see the problem with letting it decide your next holiday digs.
Volkswagen & DDB Group’s “Roo Badge” To Reduce Kangaroo Related Road Collisions
Watch out for RooBadge as Cannes Lions' most debated campaign this year.
Twilio Launches Unified Profiles & Agent Copilot Features To Boost Productivity & Engagement
Agent Copilot sounds like James Bond's less interesting cousin.
Reebok & Honda Among New Clients For onetwo agency
OneTwo finally lives up to its name with this double billing.
Ogilvy Report: Throw Out The Social Strategy Rule Book, The Rules Of The Past No Longer Apply
B&T was puzzled that all 'influencers' aren't, effectively, 'virtual', but here we are.
WhiteGREY & AKQA Merge In Australia, Lee Simpson Departs
Fortunately, the combined agencies aren't opting for a trite portmanteau for the new name.
Splendour In The Grass 2024 Music Festival Cancelled!
Music fans all over the country reportedly relieved they can pack away their rain coats and gumboots for another year.
TV Ratings (26/03/2024): “Fairy Bread, F***ing Disgusting”: Gordon Ramsay Slams Aussie Food In Food Stars Launch
Ramsay not one for mincing his words, even when it comes to minced meat pies.
Paramount+ International Boss Doubles Down On Aussie Content, Says Ad-Tier will Grow Audiences And Revenue
Good news as Paramount will not be binning I’m A Celebrity for re-runs of Frasier.
Brent Smart: Telstra Pushing For 50-50 Brand-Performance Split But Warns Numbers ‘Won’t Look Great’ Initially
The old brand vs performance debate continues. But here, Brent is firmly sitting on the fence.
Crowded House, Tones And I & Dom Dolla Win Big At The Shure Rolling Stone Music Awards
B&T staffer reports back with humdinger of a hangover & feeling seriously uncool after mixing with music types.
Opinion: Dyslexia “A Hidden Gem” For Brands & Agencies
Dyslexics offer underappreciated benefits in the corporate field, according to this op-ed.
David Jones Taps Criteo To Power Online Retail Media Arm
Want to see ads for things you probably can't afford? David Jones has got you covered with new retail media play.
oOh!media Sets Up Team To Target Business Audiences Across Airports & Offices
oOh! wants brands to harass you every minute of your next business trip.
QMS Launches Australian First DOOH & TV Partnership With Samba TV
Samba TV, of course, is not a channel dedicated to dancing. Much to our dismany.
Slew Of New Hires At Amplify
Four new faces join the Amplify offices. Team say desk scarcity becoming "acute".
Adobe Announces Content Authenticity Initiative Expansions To Counter Deep Fakes
Try as they might to enlighten them, we suspect Trump supporters will continue to watch and believe Fox News.
The PR Group Appoints TechCrunch Senior Reporter Catherine Shu As Director Of Content & Media
Catherine Shu makes the bold leap from journalism to PR. Says inevitable pay bump was "unrelated".
HERO Nabs Ebony Santin From AMPR
Rumours Santin cleared out the stationery cupboard before departing are as yet unconfirmed.
Karena Noble Checks Out Of EVT Hotels & Resorts To Launch Comms Consultancy
Noble still managed to squeezed in a continental breakfast before departing.
Canva Acquires Design Platform Affinity To Bring Professional Design Tools To Every Organisation
Canva & Adobe face off continues. We're not picking sides but keenly aware that Canva's office is next door to ours.
“Lean On Our Team To Help You Find An Audience”: Why Understanding Audience Engagement Is Essential In Journalism
Engaging the audience is critical to journos, apparently. We'd thought self-loathing & alcoholism were key.
Adobe Summit: Major Gen AI Developments, Data Concessions & Partnerships
What happens in Vegas stays there. Unless it's the Adobe Summit and then you get to read about in B&T.