Can Kevin Roberts’ comments lead adland into a Renaissance?
Suspended Saatchi & Saatchi boss Kevin Roberts can come back from his comments about women not wanting top management roles by owning his error publicly, argues Bec Brideson.
Last week Kevin Roberts shoved his foot in his mouth when he proclaimed that the gender debate was over in the ad industry. His contention continued that Cindy Gallop was somehow using the subject to create attention for herself rather than altruistically champion its relevance in our future.
I wonder, does he think that the communications industry is impervious to the global gender studies from Catalyst, EY and McKinsey?
At Gallop’s behest, yet another social media furore unfolded as women and men, set about tweeting him thoughts about the archaic views of this dinosaur. This online outrage is becoming a preferred method of publicly highlighting unacceptable issues.
And though I participated with my own sense of first-hand frustration, it dawned on me that these mistakes made public are actually the way we adjust, refine and remodel our future.
Maurice Levy has gone into crisis mode placing the great Saatchi’s guru, Roberts, on indefinite leave. He has now become our latest patsy for the evolving conversation regarding gender inequality.
His ignorance is now another woman’s opportunity to prove why we must continue the conversation. And this is real progress.
The knock-on effect is that Kat Gordon will have her 3% Conference work globally acknowledged. It places female champions such as Wendy Clarke, Lauren Connolly and champions of change such a Brad Jakeman in a place of further prominence.
The winds of change are exhilarating.
As a consultant teaching the economic upside of women, I see an enormous amount of industries and businesses recognise that new attitudes and methodology must prevail. It is heartening to see that progressive management teams seek counsel in the way in which we approach gender on many different levels.
Eddie Mcguire, Steve Price and recently the Brighton Grammar Instagram boys have become the Trojan horses that have allowed us to penetrate the walls of “white male privilege” and move this conversation into a place of true enlightenment.
The way Holden handled the sponsorship of Collingwood after the ill-conceived commentary on Caroline Wilson shows visionary brilliance. Rather than use it, prima facie, to deprive the club through public humiliation, the brand behaved in a way we can all learn from. They used it as an opportunity to grow and redress the lack of parity between gender, with affirmative action.
Similarly, Karl Stefanovic showed grace under fire last week. His sincere and humble apology after his misuse of old but insulting terminology and attitudes toward the LGBTQI community set a new standard for “owning ignorance”. His self-reflection and insight have inched us ever forward to a better understanding of the progress we are making with diversity and tolerance.
As we evolve from past constructs, with origins developed by a largely masculine workforce, it is inevitable that we encounter more and more outdated attitudes bred in a different era. It’s time we reframe the foolishness of the uninitiated as occasions to learn.
Will this be Kevin Roberts’ legacy? Will we remember these remarks he made about women and not his service to industry through his ‘Lovemarks’? I would hope that over the coming days, Roberts chooses to show us his willingness to become a role model through change.
Should he choose to use this perfect storm he will transform his brand from pale, stale and male to enlightened, awareness-heightened and not-frightened.
We are truly in a time of a new Renaissance.
Bec Brideson is a marketing-to-women pioneer helping brands and business leverage the growing female economy with more than 20 years advertising experience and insight. Bec is head of her own agency and was one of only 3% of females to attain the title of creative director
You’re forgetting one thing; women in Western democratic societies are living in the most free time. We have the freedom to choose what profession we wish to go into. Kevin Roberts wasn’t referring to discrimination here, he is reflecting on the fact that women make different life choices (for example, having children), and their priorities change once they have children. This means they do not want to go into senior roles as much as men do. There is no ‘ignorance’ from this ‘dinosaur’ here, he is perfectly entitled to speak his mind and, in fact, it is this article that is authoritarian and ignorant.
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A great example of how feminism has become an industry.
You bully companies into affirmative action (discrimination against men, i.e. sexist) and publicly shame and humiliate men who say things you don’t like.
Aren’t you heroic?
The renaissance took place decades ago. Now there’s equality of opportunity. Anything else (e.g. parity) leads to policies that take us down a slippery slope to loss of all the freedoms we love.
Celebrate what feminism has achieved (deservedly so) and stop telling us what to say and think and feel.
Watch this for a different perspective: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iWa-5zWJgU
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Except for the fact that you’re the one coming off laughably authoritarian and wrong – when did you become the ‘spokesperson’ for all women? I’m a woman, and I know plenty of women who want and would happily move into senior roles if they could. Except that’s not how it works for us and that’s what we’re trying to change, to give women more choices and an equal playing field with men.
What’s next? Are you going to tell black women that they’re not being discriminated against at all because they’re happy about it? I’m sorry that you’re still so blind, Jess.
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Did you even read the article?
Typical.
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Great article, but as per usual there’s already men AND sadly women already defending Robert’s obviously discriminatory and ignorant rhetoric on here when Bec is only praising that change is happening to level the playing field that will only help commenters like JESS propel her career forward and upward.
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I’m a man, and I know plenty of men who want and would happily move into senior roles if they could.
You’re trying to change it all right. Not by working hard and earning it, but by forcing your way in with discriminating affirmative actions. Stop blaming everybody else for your failings.
We live in a meritocracy (for now). Some people succeed, others don’t. It’s not a human right to become a CEO! Marketing is a competitive industry. It’s hard for all of us.
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Annabelle, isn’t it more to the point that Jess doesn’t share your views? And that’s why she’s “wrong”? The only one that seems to be speaking for other people is you.
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So, it’s only women that make the choice to have children is it? The men don’t want families? Or, is it that it’s still expected that women pick up the majority of the work involved in ‘having children’. Why don’t fathers’ priorities change once they have children? Can’t you see that this attitude perpetuates the idea that only men can run the world?
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Bec
I remember a time when you were such a loyal and vocal fan of KR and his lovemarks. What happened?
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The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you know nothing about. Simply put, you don’t have a vagina, and so you don’t get it.
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Dear Missloyal (or should I say anonymous white male)
Kevin Roberts “Lovemarks” are founded on brands valuing ideals such as respect, empathy and passion. How very wise he was.
And what a great platform for him to now make himself into a character of redemption, rather than resign in disgrace.
He could have led the way for the unenlightened and championed the turning point for this industry. Exciting times await us as we realise all of the upside of diversity – profits, happy people and influencing cultures with intelligence.
The future is bright for those businesses who are willing to “follow the money” and change the male lens in order to see what more diversity can bring them.
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Bec,
Maybe he doesn’t feel like coming crawling back to kiss the feet of you and the rest of the self-righteous PC brigade. Just a thought.
Do you have any evidence for diversity leading to profit? And does diversity, in your professional opinion, only refer to skin deep criteria such as gender and colour, or also more substantial ones, such as opinion, politics, values and class?
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@ Bec, am I missing something? How do you know the gender and ethnicity of Missloyal? Also , perhaps in future you should declare a vested commercial interest in your regular opinion pieces on industry gender equality issues as your business is based on the proposition that communication to a particular gender is best carried out by people of same gender. (Race and gender withheld)
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Would it further the cause for gender equality if mumbrella were to run an article showcasing recent work that bec & michelle helped create?
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I hire people every week. I choose staff based on whether they can turn a profit for me.
Vagina does not = profit
Penis does not = profit
Talent does = profit
Profit = existence
So simply put if you hire based on penis or vagina you WON’T have a business.
So don’t worry about affirmative action. The best person WILL get the job.
So stop worrying about your penis or your vagina, they’re not relevant. Concentrate on being the best and the ratio will resolve itself.
The economic reality dictates this. It’s simply a fact.
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“Pale, stale and male’ is sexist, racist and offensive. Resorting to it is as low as you can go in the sexism discussion. If Bec Brideson worked for a large agency she would be in Kevin Roberts position, and rightly so.
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Remember the time a male in the office got asked to ‘prep the meeting room’ or ‘organise catering’ ?!
Me neither.
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