Breaking the Mold From Within: Camilla Kemp, M&C Saatchi London

出自 Carol Mason , AdForum (NYC)

M&C Saatchi Group
广告/全方位服务/整合传播
Global
See Profile
 

Camilla Kemp
CEO M&C Saatchi London
 

According to an a survey issued by She Runs It in December 2021, the percentage of women in advertising fell by 10% last year, the first decline in four years. We chatted with Camilla Kemp, M&C Saatchi London's CEO, about why that is and what barriers women still face in the industry.

 

What barriers do women still face in our industry and why are they still there?

It’s funny because there’s data out there that also shows women are pretty well represented in our industry and the gender balance is fairly equal. BUT before we congratulate ourselves, of course that data is hugely misleading without putting the gender pay gap data in the spotlight and seeing the stark reality that there is still a significant lack of women in senior leadership roles. Whilst I’m happy to report that at M&C Saatchi London, 73% of our senior leaders are female, we do still have a long way to go as an industry and the barriers are certainly there. And one question we need to ask ourselves, is not just where is this female talent going but WHY?

Perhaps the last two years have brought some of the barriers that have existed for some time to even sharper focus. I’m going to pick three factors:

1)     The intense new normal. While there is a lot of noise from agencies about the importance of flexible working and the need to make work and family life more balanced (obviously a potential positive side effect of the pandemic), the reality is that there has never been more pressure on agencies to deliver more, for less, with marketing heads/CCOs/CMOs of course needing to demonstrate value and return to their board/shareholders. We learnt a whole new way of being during the pandemic which in many ways was a triumph because together with our clients we did some truly amazing things, but why are we still operating in this crisis mode? An unintended consequence of the heroic brilliance of marketing teams and agencies who worked together to do extraordinary things, responding to cataclysmic events, is that agencies are now feeling the pressure to be “always on”, always, whatever, whenever, wherever needed. And it’s not sustainable.

2)     Cognitive load. The first point leads me to my next – which is the weight of brainpower/emotional energy that all parents have thinking about/worrying about organizing their family. A reality that feels uncomfortable, but is true, is that so many women continue to experience the weight of this cognitive load more acutely because, despite the progress that has been made, there are many factors from societal beliefs to employer policies which mean women still tend to bear the burden (and joy!) of child rearing responsibilities.

3)     Invisible voices. On top of this, women often feel undervalued or even invisible in the workplace. And if you read “Invisible Women” it explains why this is so. As Channel 4 recently highlighted with their “Let her finish” campaign, men are 33% more likely to cut a woman off in conversation than another man. But fundamentally, believing that your voice is important and that you’re just as valid, if not more so, as the next person is a key factor in success, and if you’re outnumbered by men in a senior setting, a sense of imposter syndrome is heightened.

 

How should we tackle an issue such as equal opportunity, not solely for women’s equality but across the entire DE&I spectrum?

At M&C Saatchi Group, we have developed a DE&I strategy and comprehensive roadmap of targeted initiatives that support a broad number of under-represented groups who have historically faced systemic barriers to equal opportunities and career progression. These relate not only to women’s equality, but also to race, sexual orientation, disability and age.

We have immersed our senior leadership team in a four-month training program to ensure change can be driven by leaders with understanding, and personal motivation leading to commitment to drive change. By starting at the top of our organization, we can make the most meaningful impact.

Another area we’re focusing on is to better understand how intersectionality and the coming together of several aspects of someone’s identity can create an even greater lived experience of inequality. Through our Employee Led Networks, we are working to support colleagues, including women, who feel a greater sense of disadvantage due to the overlapping of more than one part of their identity that goes beyond gender.

Ultimately, a DE&I strategy is only valuable when it actually makes a difference. I became co-chair of our Family Network because I wanted to make tangible change, recognizing from my lived experience that we can come up with ideas and action that are going to help me, as a working mother with two small children, those ideas and actions will hopefully be tangible ways to help and support other parents in our business.

 

How would brands react if their ad strategy was created and produced by a majority male team?

I think it’s really important that this debate shouldn’t be about making anyone feel excluded or like the “bad guys”, including men! But of course, it makes sense that the when the team behind a strategy or campaign is made up of people from the same background, you’re going to come up with a narrower pool of ideas. And when we miss out on diverse perspectives inputting into the work, creating it, challenging it, we’re developing ideas that are missing out on the enriching magic that comes with input from different views. And even worse than that, they simply don’t reflect or connect with the audiences that brands need to engage with. I recently saw Sophie Morgan, the brilliant broadcaster, campaigner, artist and author do a talk about the future of inclusion and her reminder to all of us was simple: ask yourself “who isn’t in the room” and find a way to bring them in. A simple and smart piece of advice (thank you Sophie!)

 

What experiences did you have joining the industry?

I feel fortunate, and I’m not sure I can articulate precisely why, I have personally never felt that being a woman has been a barrier to me joining or succeeding in the industry. My career trajectory hasn’t been hindered either by being a woman or by taking time out to have children, but I do recognize that’s not everyone’s experience, and it doesn’t mean that it hasn’t required extra energy and commitment.

Twenty years ago, the industry was a very different place and day to day everyday sexism was commonplace. But perhaps, having grown up with two brothers who regularly teased and baited me, (oh the joys of being a little sister!) and having attended a predominantly male school in my early years, I think in some odd way it prepared me for being comfortable being in the minority, and able to stand my ground against “the boys” meaning any negative behaviors or experiences didn’t dent my confidence.

 

Who inspires you the most and why?

Throughout my career, I’ve been lucky to work with many inspiring brilliant, kind and supportive women. Three in particular stand out. They were all brilliant at their jobs but also committed, proud and (when asked about their kids) obviously loving and brilliant mothers too, showing it’s possible (and even positive) to do both: Claire Pooley, my first big boss at JWT, Sarah Golding at The & Partnership, and Lisa Thomas at M&C Saatchi. They all taught me different things, but above all, they showed me that if you believe in yourself, you can do anything.