Tackling Adland’s Visual Stereotypes
In this guest post, Petra O’Halloran (pictured below), Getty Images’ creative research project manager argues that many of the images we see in adland also need to be addressed if we truly want to tackle diversity and inclusion…
B&T’s next foray into promoting industry inclusion and diversity is Women In Media on August 23rd.
It’s been a few weeks since the buzz of B&T’s Changing the Ratio event has died down, but much of the dialogue and insights are still reverberating today. What was very clear is that equality, inclusivity and diversity aren’t just buzzwords anymore, they’re business imperatives.
But we are still a far cry from authentically representing the diversity of Australia. This matters because how we are represented is intrinsic to how we feel, how other people treat us and what we believe we’re capable of.
At Getty Images we believe that creativity can drive positive societal change by eradicating harmful stereotypes. That’s why we launched #ShowUs – a collection of images featuring and taken by women – in partnership with Dove. This collection puts authentic images of women in the frame and women behind the camera.
It was also the focus of the panel I was part of at Changing the Ratio that also featured Dove ANZ assistant brand manager Carmen Younis and Edelman Australia managing director, Fern Canning-Brook.
After the panel, DDB’s CCO Ben Welsh wrote an op-ed expressing his concern that the #ShowUs collection doesn’t go far enough. I agree – there is more to do. It’s just one small step towards addressing much larger and more complicated issues around the representation of men and women. Both must be addressed at the same time because they affect each other.
Tackling visual stereotypes
Getty Images has been working hard to undo stereotypes of all kinds. The #ShowUs collection follows on from our Lean In Collection five years ago. What started as a collection aiming to change the visual narrative around what it means to be a woman, turned into a library containing thousands of images devoted to the powerful depiction of women and girls and families of all kinds, with men as caretakers as well as earners.
Before #ShowUs, our visual trend of 2018 was Masculinity Undone. We uncovered this trend via data insights pulled from our website’s search engine, which revealed a significant increase in demand for more multidimensional, sensitive, emotional and caring representations of men. With the world’s most robust data on what images people are searching for, we saw particular terms surging in popularity.
One of the noticeable trends was in searches for ‘man crying’, which rose by 75 per cent. ‘Man meditating’ saw a 126 per cent rise while ‘single father’ shot up by 60 per cent. The data behind Masculinity Undone provides agencies and brands with the commercial justification to use more authentic images that support an expanded definition of masculinity.
While presenting this trend in 2018, I discovered that it really resonated with both men and women in Australia. For many men, this was the first time they had seen an effort to address the issue of male representation. While female representation may have seemed like the obvious place to start – due to women more often being shown in a sexualised or weaker position – there was clear recognition that the stereotyped male could also be damaging to men’s psyches.
Getty Images’ data shows that things are slowly changing. Take images of fatherhood as an example. In 2007, the most popularly downloaded Getty Images’ image of a ‘father’ was a rough and tumble dad in the grass playing footie with his son. By 2018 it was a dad lovingly embracing his daughter. But as Ben’s op-ed highlights, there’s still a long way to go.
Unlocking new audiences
With recent research from Dove showing that, for example, 75 per cent of women don’t recognise themselves in advertising, more companies are realising that authentic representation is the right thing to do. We all deserve authentic representation that reflects our uniqueness and variety as opposed to the stereotypes the industry has continued to force on us. This goes for men, women and people of all ethnicities, disabilities, genders, religions and sexuality.
The good news is that there’s increasing evidence that doing good on diversity works. It’s essential to reach people who currently don’t feel engaged by, or connected with, existing advertising.The brands sticking their heads above the parapet on this trend are being rewarded with attention. Sometimes positive, sometimes more controversial, like when Gilette was berated by some for taking a stand on toxic masculinity. Whichever the outcome, we believe it pays to do something that feels different, represents audience diversity and starts a conversation on the critically important topic of representation.
As a man working in the industry, Ben has a front-row view of how masculine stereotypes have been perpetuated. As a chief creative officer, he has more power than most to affect change by creating and distributing content that shifts the ratio on this and other forms of stereotyping. At Getty Images, we want to continue supporting Ben and people like him to be part of the change they wish to see.
The gap between what we see and what we know will only be closed through a concerted effort aimed at addressing all kinds of stereotypes. We encourage more creative officers, brands and consumers to speak up and take action that promotes greater diversity and authenticity.
So, how will you step up and make the change that is needed across the industry?
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.