"Scarcely 1% of Advertising Agencies are in the hands of women entrepreneurs, and these trailblazing female founders offer advice on setting up your own agency"
In a significant stride towards promoting diversity and inclusivity in the advertising industry, Jean Freeman and Christy Hiler, industry leaders, have launched OWN IT - a groundbreaking initiative designed to increase visibility and support for women-owned advertising agencies.
The current state of women-owned advertising agencies in North America, as reflected in recent discussions and profiles by industry luminaries, shows progress but also persistent challenges. However, the emergence of OWN IT offers a beacon of hope for change.
Women-owned agencies like the Richardson Media Group, known for their strong leadership in media planning and buying, are making waves with their transparent, impact-focused approaches. Serving clients in education, non-profit, and technology sectors, they utilise a wide range of digital and offline media channels, reinforcing their commitment to ethical business practices and effective campaign outcomes, as evidenced by their B Corp certification and high impact scores.
Leaders like Lisa from OBERLAND in New York embody the creative excellence and mentorship women bring to agency leadership roles. Her recognition among the most creative women in advertising and her influence mentoring others indicate a growing female presence and influence in agency leadership.
Fiona Gordon of Ogilvy, while not from a women-owned agency, exemplifies female leadership at the highest levels in global advertising. Her achievements in leading the agency to top creative rankings and securing important clients highlight the capacity and impact of women executives in the industry.
Despite these successes, women-owned agencies often face challenges related to visibility, scale, and equity in a historically male-dominated industry. Access to larger clients and budgets can be harder due to entrenched networks and biases. Mentorship and sponsorship remain critical, as leaders like Lisa emphasise their role in nurturing the next generation of women in advertising, suggesting that pipeline and retention are ongoing issues.
Industry-wide efforts, including networks and advisory roles such as WPP's women's network Stella and the IPA Council, indicate active attempts to address gender equity but also acknowledge that systemic change is gradual.
In response to these challenges, OWN IT has been created as a database to help empower women and non-binary individuals to start their own advertising agencies. With approximately 14,000 ad agencies in North America, the need for a platform like OWN IT is evident.
The guests on the OWN IT podcast are expected to share their experiences and insights to help inspire and empower other women and non-binary individuals in the advertising industry. Women who own advertising agencies have shared their experiences with Adweek, including the obstacles they faced while founding and running their shops.
The podcast's aim is to provide inspiration and resources for women and non-binary individuals who wish to found their own advertising agencies. Jean Freeman and Christy Hiler, founders of Zambezi and Cornett respectively, launched OWN IT to address the underrepresentation of women-owned agencies in the advertising industry, where less than 1% of agencies are owned by women.
OWN IT also features a podcast where guests are women and non-binary ad agency owners sharing their stories. By providing a platform for these voices, OWN IT is not just a database but a community that aims to foster growth, empowerment, and change in the advertising industry.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, understanding human behavior and physiological responses is crucial for product development and marketing, making science a vital component.
- To ensure sustainable growth for their women-owned advertising agencies, financial management becomes an essential skill for entrepreneurs in the business world.
- By showcasing the achievements of trailblazing women in advertising leadership roles, such as Lisa from OBERLAND and Fiona Gordon of Ogilvy, it promotes entrepreneurship as a viable path for women in health-and-wellness and finance industries.
