Adland professionals launch new collective #OnlyOneInTheRoom to tackle diversity
While Australia is the most diverse country in the world, with 30% of people born overseas, this is not reflected in the advertising industry. Only 16% of people in advertising are culturally diverse and often, they are the only one in the room.
A collective of professionals from across the industry, representing more than 20 cultural backgrounds, have joined forces to launch #onlyoneintheroom – a platform designed to create a more diverse advertising community.
The collective launches with a fashion parody film featuring real diverse industry talent modelling a line of merch branded #onlyoneintheroom. The aim is to highlight the homogeneity of the ad industry and rally industry professionals, advertising and media agencies, industry bodies, as well as brands and clients to partner on initiatives to tackle the diversity issue, with the aim of making it ‘the trend we want to end’.
Says Ant Melder, creative partner and founder, Cocoa Coffee Gunpowder and #onlyoneintheroom co-founder: “Our industry can’t correct imbalances overnight, but changemakers are emerging. This is a rally-cry for those who want to act.”
Says Avish Gordhan, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi and #onlyoneintheroom co-founder: “Whether it’s by offering a voice, recognising the diverse people that are already in the industry, collectively bringing more young diverse talent in, or even working on eliminating biases that can hold diverse people back, we’re looking to partner with like-minded professionals and brands seeking tangible action.”
#onlyoneintheroom has already garnered support and secured two partnerships.
With TrinityP3, the collective is developing a DE&I Index, designed to give agencies an indication of their own equity and inclusion practices by benchmarking against the general population. Drawing on expertise and knowledge from industry and academia, the index will help organisations focus on initiatives and programs to improve their results.
Additionally, the collective is collaborating with industry publication B&T to launch the Award for Diversity at this year’s B&T Awards. An Australian advertising industry first, this will celebrate and recognise both the people and work changing the story for multicultural and under-represented communities.
Says Pia Chaudhuri, group creative director, BMF and #onlyoneintheroom co-founder: “This is just a start, but with the support of other like-minded folk, we’re hopeful there will be real change in the near future. Ultimately, a truly representative advertising community can only enrich our work and workplaces, and speak more effectively to a diverse Australian audience.”
The film directs to onlyoneintheroom.co, where people can join the movement, find out more about current initiatives, and buy the merch, with all proceeds going towards funding future projects.
Find out more at onlyoneintheroom.co or follow the collective’s work on Instagram @only_one_in_the_room.
Creative Directors: Ant Melder, Pia Chaudhuri and Avish Gordhan
Creative Team: Nadia Ahmad and Ellie Jones
Senior Account Director: Bryan Bryant-Steeds
Producer: Esta Lau
Production Company: Vs. Studio
Director: VERSUS – Jason Sukadana and Tanya Babic
Post Production: Vs. Studio
Sound Production: Otis Studios
Composition: Lukas Farry
Music Supervision: Camille Yaptinchay
Photographer: Elaine Li
PR: Lu Borges
Talent: Agnes Soliven, Am Lall, Basir Salleh, Bryan Bryant-Steeds, Dana Al Habel, Diane Villavieja, Joelle Dulaurens, Rachel Tse, Sid De and Vanessa Akem
14 Comments
Looking hot, Bas
Well done to all involved and I love that it’s been created by multiple agencies, and ones who walk the talk with diversity within. In my career I’ve worked at quite a few agencies where I’ve been the only POC in the department, but great to see it change, albeit a bit slowly.
This is beautiful and congrats to all the team involved to keep the conversation going.
Unfortunately at the same time there’s been a lot more talking than action for far too long in this part of the world. And it hasn’t changed much. I think everyone wants to and hopefully projects like this make a difference.
I speak for myself. I’ve been in so many interviews in the past couple of years after coming back home from overseas. Yes I’ve won local pitches and international awards. People lean in and I give credit to that. But you can really see the allergy to change.
Once again well done to the team to keep the conversation of diversity going. In a powerful and beautiful way!
Nice one Eli & Nads – looking sxc Sid, Bas & Co.
At least some people here is acknowledging the total lack of diversity in our industry. Let’s also not take this as just “hire POCs in only non-creative roles” and wave our flag saying oh look at us.
Time to walk the walk Australia Whitevertising.
Im for diversity.
What about Australia’s first people? That line in itself has a very narrow lens on it.
Lets get true diversity – not just 30 %
https://www.onlyoneintheroom.co/first
As a cousin / uncle, I identify with the sentiment. However as a highly experienced advertising professional, once you start focusing on who is making your ad vs who your ad is for / what it’s about? That has always been a recipe for disaster. I’ve been around the traps over 40 years. Honestly, diversity was much more prevalent back then before we started forcing it due to client mandates.
That’s exactly where diversity plays the biggest role. In producing better work with ideas from more diverse POVs that actually stick with “who your ad is for”. It’s not a difficult thing to comprehend. I can’t possibly strive to make work that speaks to anyone but white Australia if the entire agency only understands white Australia’s POV. Just like how you wouldn’t and shouldn’t put an all male team to work on a brief targeted at women. You need people who’ve lived it to actually get it and be able to communicate effectively.
Never have I commanded an Oil Tanker? Answer:No. I have not. Yet I managed to successfully create campaigns to sell second hand oil tankers world-wide. Strictly female selling to a 99% male market.
So must politely move on the statement “… shouldn’t put all male team to work on a brief targeted to women.” This destroys creativity full stop if you introduce this mandate. Good advertising does not require gender specific. It requires talent – plus this boring old chestnut – the best person or people for the job. Be it all male, mixed, all female. I’m yet to see a different story. I’m years in and still can’t see any change in talent versus gender. Don’t get too woke. Advertising is a tough beast to wrangle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeixtYS-P3s
Exactly what our industry needs. Amazing work Nads, Ellie and whole team. Nice to see the industry collaborating on something like this.
…misleading statistic.
Born overseas doesn’t mean diversity as Brits and Kiwis make up a whopping percentage of this (and there sure are a lot of them in the industry!) but are they considered in the 16% figure?
Besides that, some better representation and also forcing brands to reflect this in their choices is much needed. Kudos.
hhoonnnneeeeeeyy – looking good bas. You too sid