‘There’s only one thing holding women back, and it’s insecure men’: Cindy Gallop weighs in on adland’s diversity problem
Men in the Australian advertising industry aren’t doing enough to support the women around them because of insecurity and a lacking sense of justice, according to industry leader Cindy Gallop.
Gallop appears on the latest episode of Hotwire’s Flip The Focus podcast, hosted by Hotwire Australia’s creative director, Jen Dobbie.
Discussing her appearance on Flip The Focus in a new episode of the Mumbrellacast, the MakeLoveNotPorn founder shared the importance of ‘communication through demonstration’ and how the future of adtech is female – but not in the way the majority of people would think.
She also reflected on her Mumbrella360 keynote speech from 2016, where she fired warnings to ‘all-white male’ executive teams and spoke about the importance of diversity – or humanity – in advertising, and said nearly a decade later, she has seen no progress.
“Nothing’s changed at all,” Gallop said. “There’s a fundamental truth… when you are used to privilege, equality feels like oppression.
“As you will know, I’m a big fan of radical cynicism, I like to keep things very simple. There is only one thing holding women back in the Australian ad industry, tech industry, any industry, and it’s insecure men.”
Gallop at Mumbrella360 in 2016
She said women looking to get into the creative industry who want a happy working life and a good quality of life should actively judge where they want to work based on how much of the leadership team is female.
“Go and work for a female-founded agency,” she said. “…seek out the women-founded, women-owned, new cutting edge agencies.
“The thought and care they put into creating the kind of workplace culture in which all of us will thrive, they way they think about their business, is fantastic.”
Gallop also shared advice for men in the industry, on how they can better support the women around them.
“The male leaders who absolutely believe in promoting, valuing, championing women are all united by the fact they all have a very strong sense of justice and fair play. Insecure men do not have a sense of justice and fair play, because they’re only out for themselves,” Gallop continued.
“My call to the men of the Australian ad industry is, men with a strong sense of justice and fair play, we need you to step up for us.”
Listen to the full Flip The Focus here and the full Mumbrellacast here.
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Twenty years in Ad Land and I am yet to find that male. The boys club pull is too strong.