The Sixty Percent

Kate Bristow, Chief Strategy Officer

One of the most galling things about attending conferences is the lack of diversity usually seen on stage. The people invited to speak are invariably white men, and while that may not seem surprising to half of the audience, I can tell you it is painfully apparent to those of us in the other half.

So how refreshing it was to sit down to watch one of the first sessions at the TED conference last week, and to realize as speaker after speaker stood up that I was witnessing the most diverse line up I have ever encountered at such a high level event. TED Fellows is a program TED initiated a few years ago to find young game-changers from across the planet and provide them mentorship, resources and support to get their ideas out. These Fellows are invited to give a talk at the TED Conference, allowing them another opportunity to be seen and heard by an influential community.

This year’s Fellows include Jedidah Isler, an African-American astrophysicist, Patience Mthunzi, a South African laser physicist, and Trang Tran, a Vietnamese agriculture entrepreneur.

As each got up to speak, the women sitting around me became noticeably more excited and engaged. As the session ended, it was all we could talk about. 

“Did you see how many women there were?” 

“Did you see how diverse that group was?”

Planning For The Future

Huw Griffith, CEO and Partner

A report by Grant Thornton found that women hold only one in five executive leadership positions in companies around the world. Of these top positions, Chief Marketing Officer is one of the most elusive for women to attain—a mere 8 percent of CMOs worldwide are female.

Fast Company reported that 80% of consumer spending is actually controlled by women, yet only 3% of Creative Directors are female.

None of this really adds up.

But against a background like this, it is comforting to know that 60% of our creative department are women. 60% of our Account Management department are women. 50% of our planners, designers and social team are women.

Women are in key decision making roles throughout our company and at every level.

This hiring trend goes back to 1995, when I set up the agency in Singapore. The best account handlers were all women. Many of them have gone on to set up successful companies themselves or lead agencies. I expected no less.

Of course, talent has always been the ultimate deciding factor.

Unfortunately, our business is notoriously slow to change and properly acknowledge this.

We will, however, continue to buck the trend and carry on being successful.

I also want a different future for my two girls. That means running a company, being a CMO or even a Creative Director should be fair game.

Kristen Hellwig, Social Media Strategist, on her International Women's Day inspiration: 

Casey, Finance and Office Manager, on her International Women's Day Inspiration: 

A letter to my 5-year-old niece. 

Alina Karabaich, Copywriter

As you’re working your way towards GirlBoss-Hood, I hope your experiences as a woman are different than mine.

I hope you don’t see toys and games as “for boys” or “for girls.” Everyone deserves the thrill of twirling in a princess dress on a windy day and of chasing a friend with a fire-breathing LEGO dragon.

The same goes for emotions. Guess what? Big girls do cry. So do big boys. And little ones. It’s okay to feel happy or sad or angry. If we didn’t have the bad emotions, we wouldn’t appreciate the good ones. Experiencing emotions does not make you a weak or naive woman. Or man. So, even if it’s not your party, cry if you need to. Or just watch an episode of Parenthood. It’ll do the trick.  

I hope when you see another girl, your first inclination is to compliment her, not judge her. If we want society to empower us, we have to first empower each other. Competition for jobs, sports, or awards is a good motivator. Competition for attention is petty.

I hope you never use “weird” as an insult. In the wise words of America’s Weirdo Sweetheart, Amy Poehler, “No one looks stupid when they’re having fun.” If you’re tempted to throw out a “They’re weird,” replace it with “They’re having fun.” And then go join them.  No sex has a claim on creativity. And no boss can overlook a smart, creative idea. You start out with an active imagination. Don’t lose it along the way. Stay creative. Stay weird. Be nice to other women.

While you’re at it, be nice to men too. Being a strong, independent woman has nothing to do with hating men. If a man is condescending or disrespectful, that speaks to him as an individual, not to the sex as a whole. Be nice to everyone, and then let the ones who are nice back stick around.

Just as you shouldn’t insult others for being different, I hope you don’t insult yourself. Never spend more than thirty seconds in front of a mirror. You don’t have to assume you’re the fairest of them all, but you also don’t need to pick yourself apart. Know that just because it looks good on a hanger, doesn’t mean it looks good on you. Every body type has its advantages. To look and feel your best, you have to dress for yours. And if you happen to have inherited mine, avoid ultra low-rise jeans at all costs.

On that note, I hope you never base your self-worth on a comparison. Just as we all have different body types, we all have different strengths and weaknesses. Don’t ever think you aren’t capable of something because you’re a girl, or because you’re short or tall, athletic, artistic, or any other trait. But you don’t have to be the best at everything. Find people whose strengths are your weaknesses. Instead of being jealous, partner up with them. Just think of Oma and Grandad. She’s short. He’s tall. At the grocery store, there’s no shelf they can’t reach!

In twenty years, I hope this letter feels archaic. I hope sexism is never a part of your life. That no one tells you that you can’t succeed because you’re a woman, because you want a family, because you’re not as smart, strong, or powerful as a man. But if anyone does, I hope you use it as ammo. Then, one day, when you’ve got your feet propped up in your corner office, with a baby on your lap and an award in your hand, you invite them over and ask, “What exactly is it that I can’t do?”

When you’re my age, I hope someone asks your office how many women work there, and they don’t know because they don’t care. That you learn from our mistakes, so your generation can close the gap and find better things to talk about than the differences between girls and boys.

Above all, I hope that if you ever need a boost of girl power, you know there’s always one person you can turn to: Beyoncé.

I love you.

The Male Perspective

Elroy, Chief Creative Canine 

I work in advertising.

I am a male.

My officemates are two women. I’m lucky to get to come to work and listen in on their ideas. They always impress me. Coming to work is such a joy. Working alongside women is a daily inspiration.

I get to work with many women at my agency. I feel lucky in that way.

The job gets stressful at times. There are days I don’t even get to see the sun outside. Sad, but it’s the job.

But, the women know how to encourage me when those days come. And they give the best compliments. And the best treats.

My name is Elroy. I am a dog.

Kate Bristow, Chief Strategy Officer, on her International Women's Day Inspiration: 

Ashley Owen, Community Manager, on her International Women's Day Inspiration: 

Emily Ozan, Copywriter

In 2010, the 3% Conference was started to increase the number of female creative directors in the business, because at the time, only 3% of CDs were women.

As a copywriter at M&C Saatchi LA, I’m proud to say that a third of our creative directors and 60% of the overall creative department are women. I believe that’s what Congress calls a majority.

That means that in any given creative meeting, there is 20% more estrogen than testosterone. That means that our opinions matter. A lot. And that means we are downright badass.

Working in a side of the business that has always been predominantly men, this is inspiring. Everyday, I get to collaborate with intelligent, innovative and hilarious women. I’m told that being a woman is a strength, instead of a weakness. And most importantly, I’m able to get an unobstructed view of my future as a creative director.

This is the first place I’ve worked like this, where finding another female creative to look up to or work with, isn’t like finding a needle in a haystack.

Are there still hurdles to get over? Of course. Sometimes, we’re called “girls.” And that’s not okay. Now and then, remnants of the “guys club” vibe try and creep up. As an industry, advertising has big strides to make. But no matter what, us women (not girls) are all standing here, strong, powerful and ready to make our mark.

I hope that in the near future, I can attend the 3% Conference myself. To show that things have changed here, and see how they’re changing elsewhere. To show that the creative ladies of M&C Saatchi LA really rock. And, once every last one of us gets promoted to Creative Director, we’ll be able to change the name of the conference altogether.

Maria Salvador Smith, Associate Creative Director

Two weeks ago today, I was on my way to Las Vegas with some of my female coworkers. Not just two or three of them, and not just copywriters like me, but 13 different women from across almost every department of the ad agency where I work. We weren’t going there for a business conference or convention. In fact, we weren’t going there to do work of any kind. We were writers and art directors, office managers and executive assistants, planners and strategists, account directors and supervisors and executives. We were ready to get away for a weekend. And we were going to Vegas.

Many of us had never spent time together outside of work-related functions. None of us knew quite what to expect. And all of us wondered if we could really make it happen. For me, it was in many ways a big leap of faith. Vegas? With my co-workers? Really? But this was one leap I knew I wasn’t making alone. I had 13 other women making the same jump alongside me. And you know what? It was nothing short of brilliant.

Every day in the office, we work hard together. That weekend in Vegas, we played hard together too. There were no showdowns, no arguments, no dramatic displays. Gather so many strong personalities together in a place as notorious as Sin City, and you might think you’d have to brace yourself for the worst. The funny thing is, we all just knew from the moment that we got there that this was the best. Choosing to make that leap together was the best decision ever.

So what did happen in Vegas? (And, yes, I know I am breaking a cardinal rule here by telling you.) We shared living space. We shared breathing space. We shared meals. We shared a crazy ride back to our hotel after an epic night out. We danced. We sang. We drank. A lot. We spent a glorious day relaxing poolside under the warm desert sun. We talked openly, honestly and freely. We laughed. A lot. And we reminded ourselves how lucky we were to have this— a remarkable group of women whom we could turn to for encouragement, inspiration and support.

The Heroine's Quest

Erin Wang, Account Director