Adland heavyweights throw support behind ‘yes’ vote
Marketing industry leaders are declaring their position on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, just a day after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the referendum would be held on October 14.
Francis Coady, who recently left his CMO role at Havas Media Group, after having started the Havas Sports and Entertainment division “with just a laptop and mobile”, is one of a number of industry figures to have publicly thrown support behind the Voice.
On LinkedIn he called the vote “a once in a generation opportunity to be on the correct side of history.”
Referencing new research from insights company Pollinate, which shows that 68 per cent of Australians believe the referendum will be voted down, regardless of how they themselves vote, Coady also wrote: “Just imagine how many First Nations people may feel the morning after, if a ‘no’ vote gets up.
“For them to then see the use of their ancient culture in marketing content to promote and sell Australia to world. Eek!
“Let’s hope everyone can come to their senses and be on the correct side of history for a once in a generation moment.”
Howard Parry-Husbands is the CEO and founder of Pollinate. He described their research as “very clear.”
“Pollinate is at the forefront of complex issues facing society, and this research shows how problems don’t get any more wicked than the policy issues around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recognition, reconciliation and respect,” he wrote.
“This research is very clear: uncertainty and the fears evoked by uncertainty are stoking the fires of rejection. We need conversations between individuals to explore the simple question, ‘What exactly are you saying no to?'”
Ricci Meldrum, managing director at TBWA\Melbourne was also outspoken on the importance of countering any confusion.
“To everyone who asks if we should vote ‘yes’ for something if we don’t know exactly what we are voting for, I ask: What negative impact do you think it might have on you giving 3% of the population a voice on matters that involve them?” she posted to LinkedIn.
“And vice-versa, what negative impact do you think it might have on Indigenous Australians if we don’t ask them about issues that affect them? (something we’ve been doing without much success for the last 250 years).
“So for these reasons, despite the confusion, despite the calls by some for treaty over voice, despite not knowing what this body will look like or how it will be appointed and despite the misinformation being fuelled from both sides of the vote… Come October 14, I’m voting YES.”
Earlier this week, a group of 460 company directors banded together under the umbrella of ‘Directors for the Voice’, launching full-page advertisements in a number of major mastheads.
Ming Long, a director of Telstra and IFM Investors, and the campaign’s co-organiser, noted it was “rare for company directors to put themselves out there, personally, with such unity,” adding that “many individual directors feel deeply about this issue and have wanted an avenue to express their strong support in their personal capacity”
This is seen in the strong support across the broader industry on LinkedIn.
Seán Marsh, creative strategist at Climate 200 has declared that he’ll be voting ‘yes’.
“Because I want to live in a country that recognises 65,000 years of Indigenous culture in our constitution,” he posted to Linkedin.
“Listening to communities through a Voice will mean we can work together to create a better future together.”
Marie Norman, head of product and brand marketing at JCDecaux Australia, was blunter still.
“We have a date! Learn more,” she wrote. “Vote YES.”
We are likely to see more strong public shows of support for the Voice over the coming weeks. Posing the question, ‘Does it really matter what you think about the Voice?’, Sheryl Marjoram, CEO at DDB Group Sydney, wrote succinctly.
“There’s a time for thinking. But let’s stop pretending this is one of those thinking things. Nothing in this nation’s history has ever been more about feeling.
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Nathan Jolly is the Deputy Editor of Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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