Pressure mounts as Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, Special Australia and more pull the plug on Campaign Brief
More agencies including Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, and Special Australia have terminated their relationships with trade forum Campaign Brief following the fall out of The Work 2024.
The industry erupted following Campaign Brief’s The Work 2024 and what it showed about the issue of lacking diversity in the creative world. The double-page spread did not feature any women, and the recent BestAds ranking lists of Top Creatives, ECDs and CDs featured just one, showcasing the enormous issue of the lack of diversity in creative leadership.
The conversation blew up on LinkedIn, with many taking to share their frustrations online.
While lacking diverse leadership is not a new issue, especially in the advertising industry, to some, it feels like the conversation is only just really getting started.
Pressure is continuing to mount on Campaign Brief and the wider trade publication landscape – including Mumbrella – to better represent the industry it reports on, it continues to mount on agencies to improve their gender balances and diversity in decision makers, and it continues to mount on industry bodies to speak up more and ensure diversity is being championed across the board.
While for many, the conversation is being had behind closed doors, more companies have since pulled the plug on Campaign Brief.
Publicis Groupe’s creative agencies are the latest to terminate their relationships with the publication, including Leo Burnett Australia, Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, and Publicis Worldwide Australia.
Mumbrella understands this includes sending press releases, and submissions to and subscriptions of BestAds and The Work.
A spokesperson for the creative agencies confirmed the decision to Mumbrella, but declined to provide a comment.
Leading independent agency Special Australia has also made the decision to remove support.
The agency confirmed the decision to Mumbrella, but did not provide a comment prior to publication.
A number of smaller indies have also shared their thoughts, including Melbourne-based creative agency, Scooter, and Brisbane-based production house, HAPPY.film.
Scooter’s chief executive officer, Anna Hodgson, took to LinkedIn on Thursday to share an updated version of the double-page spread, championing her almost-entirely female team.
“As a proudly, female-owned and operated agency, we took issue with the lack of representation in Campaign Brief’s rankings for 2024,” Hodgson told Mumbrella.
“We’re most disappointed that the issue wasn’t picked up before going to print, and the message that conveys to female leaders in the industry. We would be happy to send Campaign Brief press releases to showcase the incredible achievements of female-led agencies, and we encourage all other female-led agencies to do the same.”
Scooter’s version of the spread
Similarly, HAPPY.film’s co-founder and EP, Angela Murphy, also shared her disappointment in Campaign Brief and announced the production company’s decision to stop engaging via LinkedIn.
“Yeah, nah. I’m not staying silent on this one,” she wrote. “As the owner of a production company, I know we can do better. Our team represents a diversity of gender, neuro-spiciness, people of colour, and global backgrounds. But I recognise there’s still more work to be done.
“For that reason, we will not be engaging in further business with Campaign Brief.”
The conversation continues from Friday last week, when Clemenger Group – whose advertising agencies include Clemenger BBDO, CHEP Network, and Colenso BBDO, among others – posted its own statement to LinkedIn.
“This is a great industry. But we can all do more to make it inclusive and supportive of the people within it. As part of this, we want to partner with organisations that encourage growth, positivity, and progression.
“For that reason, we’ll be ending our subscription with Campaign Brief and Bestadsontv.com.”
Clemenger BBDO’s CEO, Dani Bassil, shared the post, and simply stated: “A statement from us at Clemenger. It’s time for a new future for all of us.”
Indie creative agency ABEL also announced on Friday last week that it would be removing its investment.
“At ABEL we talk alot about collaboration, about working together to make the work better. And it’s no different when it comes to making our industry better too. When we’re given the chance to say no to toxic culture and yes to more positive voices—we should all, collectively, make the most of it,” the agency said in a statement on LinkedIn.
“This industry should be a force for positivity in the world. It’s not just an opportunity but a responsibility. But if we can’t drive positive change and conversation within it, how can we expect to do the same outside of it?
“So in a commitment to driving more positive change, we are removing our investment in Campaign Brief and BestadsonTV and redirecting this to editorial and conversations which help create the future we want to see.”
The past week has also seen some agencies who previously disengaged with Campaign Brief reinforce their positions.
Innocean Australia posted: “We cancelled our Campaign Brief and Best ads on TV payments in 2023, because funding misogyny and toxicity didn’t align with our mission to make this industry a better place for all.
“To everyone that publicly spoke up and cancelled their support, we applaud you.”
Sydney-based indie, Paper Moose, also held up its stance: “We cancelled our Campaign Brief and Best Ads subscriptions in 2023 after we reached out to them privately about their toxic comment culture with potential constructive solutions and received a response that no action would be taken.”
Mumbrella once again contacted the agencies featured on the double-spread page, many of whom did not respond prior to publication or declined to comment.
However, Thinkerbell and Howatson+Co last week told Mumbrella they would review their relationships, while DDB confirmed it would continued its subscription.
Mumbrella also contacted the Advertising Council of Australia (ACA) and the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) who both declined to comment.
Related Content
SUBSCRIBE
Sign up to our free daily update to get the latest in media and marketing.
The lack of gender diversity on the published list is merely a straw that broke the camel’s back. The creative industry has long resented its toxic relationship with Campaign Brief. Don’t be fooled into thinking these agencies are jumping ship purely because of perceived misogyny. This goes so much deeper than just that.
With Innocean’s CCO leaving to take up the role at 72&Sunny, it raises two questions. Did 72 consider one of the many talented female creative leads for that role? In no way is this meant to undermine the credentials of their incoming very talented CCO. But given the dialogue the CB rankings have created around female creative representation, this seems somewhat controversial. Secondly, will we see Innocean leadership opt for a female CCO this time around? Given their leadership in the conversation around equality, it was surprising they appointed a male CCO first opportunity they had four years ago. It will be interesting to see whether their championing of female creativity applies to their own agency this time around. I hope it’s finally a yes.
Would be more helpful if there companies actually developed female talent, rather than cutting ties with a media company that mirrors their bias..
Interesting in the light of this uproar that 72 and Sunny spurned the opportunity to appoint a female creative lead. Let’s see if Innocean, especially outspoken around creative equality, now appoint a female CCO having overlooked every female lead four years ago.
Are agencies so self-indulgent that they’re unable to grasp the real problem lies with them?