Plenty of people complain about the problems in the advertising industry, but now is the time to look at the positives. Our industry not only moves culture and produces daily bits of entertainment, it is also a great source of fun and enjoyment, not to mention gainful employment.
The Thanksgiving holiday should be a time when we think about all we’re thankful for in the industry and how we fit into its many layers. Adweek talked with a batch of advertising professionals to find out what they are grateful for. Some thanked their co-workers and family, while others looked at the industry through an optimistic lens, focusing on how advertising and marketing can make a difference for consumers, society and the world.
Thankful for positive changes
As the holidays approach, leaders use this time of the year to remember the positive impact the industry can have on the world in myriad ways, including representation internally and externally.
“We have the power to build a diverse workforce that produces inclusive work that ultimately consumers and customers get to experience,” said Gabriela Neves, partner, Factory360.
Diego Barragan, design director at The Working Assembly, has lived that experience firsthand. “As someone who started out working in the industry in a time without much access or a network, it’s been inspiring to see the role that creatives can continue to play in making a bigger impact on larger cultural conversations and opening doors for others,” he told Adweek.
Even as progress in DEI has been slower than advocates would like, the industry is filled with people who never give up in the eyes of Courtney Cotrupe, CEO at Partners + Napier. “It’s an industry of believers—people who believe in the power of people and the power of brands to create change,” said Cotrupe, adding, “We’re also an industry that brings hope to clients—for a better way, and for the change they’re looking for.”
The industry has given those who want to dedicate their talents for change an actual platform to do so, said Keisha Townsend Taitt, chief inclusion officer at GSD&M. Her agency helped bring awareness to and ultimately end the tampon tax in Texas with its “Bloody Mary Misogyny” campaign. “I’m grateful to be a part of an agency that stands for more than just making good ads,” said Taitt.
The president at agency Elephant, Cara DiNorcia, is grateful for a team that inspires her daily, but also for being a part of an industry that prides itself on facing complex challenges through reinvention.