AdNews asked industry figures for their assessment of 2022 and outlook for next year
Jen Sharpe, Founder and Managing Director Think HQ
They reckon there’s a lesson in every crisis. So, no surprises that COVID-19, the most disruptive force in living memory, taught us all a thing or two.
The rolling lockdowns, restrictions and disruptions kept most of us apart through the year. For those of us working and living in Melbourne, this was even more pronounced.
2023 is time for us all to come back together.
The back half of 2022 has been about reorientating ourselves to the new normal COVID left behind. For many of us in the creative and communications industry, COVID became the subject of much of our work on top of everything else, so coming back from that is a big change across the board.
It’s been a time for people to return home and reconnect with their families, to give and get some hugs and get back to what we’ve missed. After the upheaval of fully remote work, it’s been an opportunity for agencies to come together physically. To have brainstorms in person again and even visit the odd client in person. Imagine!
Internally we’ve been investing heavily in our HR and human connection functions. This business, and this industry, is driven by people coming together to build things greater than the sum of our parts. Whether that’s in person or online, it’s our responsibility to create the inclusive and safe environments that enable people to thrive.
Importantly, this is not a snapback. No-one is ‘returning to normal’. We’re building a new method of working and creating positive change. There’s excitement in that, in the possibility of building our best future together, but it’s also bloody hard work.
The idea of ‘uniting people’ is bigger than businesses and boardrooms. With 51.5% of Australians either born overseas or having a parent who was born overseas, the impetus is on the creative sector to include everyone.
At Think HQ, our commitment to inclusive communications continues to underpin everything we do. This year, we delivered capacity building webinars for engaging both CALD and First Nations audiences. Plus, we are about to roll out our second FAIR survey that looks at the cultural diversity within the communications sector. We are also actively delivering on our commitments in our Reconciliation Action Plan.
There is, of course, a strong social justice issue here, in that all Australians deserve access to information and resources. There’s also a strong business driver, in that missing out on diverse audiences is ignoring a staggeringly high percentage of the market. These benefits to creating inclusive strategies and campaigns for clients and communities go hand-in-hand. It’s a win-win.
In 2023, there will be increasing scrutiny on who works with which clients and why. The push around ESG and values-led business will further put the microscope on agencies and the impact their work is having on the world.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
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