Three months ago in the US, nearly 200 female agency CEOs, ECDs and MDs announced ‘Time’s Up Advertising’.
Now, a number of senior female leaders in Australian agencies have got together to have the same conversation here and find out what is needed in Australia.
Participants so far include Incoming McCann CEO Nicole Taylor, managing director of Clemenger BBDO Sydney Emily Perrett, Leo Burnett head of talent management Sarah Palmer and Hogarth’s Lee Leggett.
“We’ve been watching both groups with interest and feel that there is a case for Australia to join this movement against sexual harassment and discrimination," Taylor says. "But before the agenda is set or any committees start operating, we want involvement and input from people in the agency community."
The group is launching a short survey, which you can find here, to get feedback to help shape the course of action.
It’ll be live from until Friday 8 June.
“We were impressed and inspired by our sisters in the US and now we want to show that the Australian advertising community feels the same and bring the same movement here," Taylor says.
“We’re not announcing a fully formed movement, or presenting all the answers, but offering a commitment from myself and a group of other female agency leaders.
“We want to know what the agency community wants from us. What are the priorities and where are the areas that need most attention?”
Time’s Up Advertising was the creative industry’s response to the global Time’s Up movement that grew out of Hollywood’s #MeToo moment.
In Hollywood and around the world, 2017 was a watershed year. Decades of rumours and about Harvey Weinstein and accusations of sexual harassment hit the headlines. Brave women like Rose McGowan and Ashely Judd stood up and told their stories. Weinstein, and the film industry, was held to account.
There was a ripple effect across every single industry and the US advertising industry became the first industry to launch its own pledge, tied to the Time’s Up movement.
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