Wieden + Kennedy global co-chief creative officer Susan Hoffman has called for more diversity within Australian ad agencies after the majority of awards were accepted by men at The Communication Council's AWARD Awards.
Awarding her 'Chair's Choice' award at the ceremony on Friday night, Hoffman said there needed to be more "women and diversity on stage".
"Our agency needs to reflect who we are talking to. You have to keep that in mind, you need the balance and you need the balance in the higher up positions to," she said.
Hoffman awarded her Chair's Choice honour to Cummins&Partners for its 'Stop the Horror' campaign, which picked up a number of awards during the ceremony.
Host/Havas was named Agency of the Year and scored seven gold pencils for its humanitarian focused campaigns Palau Pledge and The Bottom 100.
Hoffman has been a champion for diversity in the US ad industry, with her career spanning more than 30 years at Wieden + Kennedy, leading accounts such as Nike and Old Spice.
She has previously spoken out about the challenges as a female art director trying to make it in a male-dominated business and later as an executive working to increase diversity at one of the world's most celebrated agencies.
Two years ago 15 agencies across Australia asked every employee on the books to complete a survey about their experience in the workplace when it comes to diversity, and perceptions of diversity. It was part of The Agency Circle, which launched in 2016 in response to increasing frustrations around diversity, or the lack of it, in creative agencies.
For more on The Agency Circle see:
True state of agencies revealed: The Agency Circle results are in
Sexual harassment drops, but discrimination rises: The Agency Circle results
Aussie agencies launch independent diversity charter to drive change
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