Agencies need to invest more in Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) to increase the number of people from the Indigenous community working in advertising, experts say.
Across the advertising industry two businesses, Omnicom Media Group (OMG) and BWM Dentsu Group, have implemented plans to better engage with and employ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
OMG, which led with its RAP in 2017, has increased cultural awareness by celebrating NAIDOC Week across all its offices and using Indigenous-owned businesses for its supplies, such as water bottles, has struggled to make hires.
In the more than two years since announcing its RAP, the holding group, which has agencies such as OMD and CHE Proximity in its network, made just one full-time hire.
“It’s a challenge for every company out there, not just in the media and advertising industry,” OMD’s people and development director Martin Cowie says.
“It's relatively quite competitive to get Indigenous people into companies now because RAPs are becoming more popular, which is a great thing.”
However, head of Pluto Media Peter Kirk, who has worked closely with RAPs and Indigenous communities in advertising, says it is “defeatist” to suggest there isn’t enough Indigenous talent available.
“It’s a massive myth that it’s too competitive to attract Indigenous talent,” Kirk says.
“Other industries have developed their own pathways and once the communications industry does this you will find no shortage of Indigenous people wanting to working in the creative field.”
Kirk says RAPs shouldn’t be viewed as an end result but as a learning process.
“The best thing you can do is develop your own strategies, partnerships and pathways internally to connect with the indigenous population. Some agencies have been leading the way here, they understand the importance of a tailored, bespoke program” he says.
“And to say there's not many Indigenous kids out there who want to work in advertising is absolutely not true. There are more Indigenous kids going to university in Australia now than ever before.
“We’re some of the oldest storytellers on the planet, creativity and storytelling is something that's held in high regard in the Indigenous community.”
Dr Dean Jarrett at the University of Technology Sydney’s Business School also dismissed the notion that it’s too competitive to attract Indigenous talent.
“Organisations need to look at their systems and see if there is a need for real cultural change to ensure it's inclusive for Indigenous people,” Dr Jarrett says.
“There's always the tendency to push the blame onto external factors when actually it’s their internal factors that really need to change but aren't adaptive enough to cope. Blaming external factors only, I believe, is a cop-out.
“So, organisations need to have a genuine commitment to changing their processes and systems so they can be more appealing to potential Indigenous talent.”
Dr Jarrett, who has worked on RAPs at various businesses outside of advertising says he often hears this idea that there isn’t enough Indigenous talent.
“There is enough talent out there,” he says. “The ad industry needs to broaden its scope in terms of the way in which it builds and maintains relationships with the Indigenous communities. They need to reset the way they recruit and induct Indigenous people. A retention plan is critical along with professional development which can move Indigenous employees up and across the company.”
OMG has reached out to external organisations and created scholarships with Charles Sturt University and Macquarie University for Indigenous students. However, after “incredibly low” entries, the one student offered a placement pulled out.
BWM, which announced its RAP in 2018, has also engaged Swinburne University, with one student completing a paid internship at its agency in Melbourne.
Dr Jarrett acknowledges the progress of each agency differs, but for change to happen, those on RAP working groups need to be “proactive”.
“RAPs are a great tool, but their success really depends on the resourcing and the will of senior leadership,” he says.
“The organisation should set priorities that demonstrate how serious they really are about engaging with Indigenous communities through the reconciliation process.
“A lot of organisations are very committed and achieving wonderful things, however some of them are tokenistic and just want to have a RAP because it's a feel good for the business. Others are sort of in the middle - they have a commitment but just not sure how to get started or what to do. There are many Indigenous businesses out there that can help out with that process.”
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
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.