WACL is announcing a new industry-wide RepresentMe pledge at Cannes Lions today, which sets out a new set of metrics encouraging the creative industries to take a stand when it comes to representing women in advertising.
It comes as data shows that despite the industry striving to better represent women, many still do not see advertising that represents them, or people like them.
The RepresentMe pledge calls for more ad testing and reporting of how the best positive female role models reflect a modern and progressive society and challenge gender stereotypes.
The pledge includes agreeing to represent men and women in a real and representative way and to test campaigns using WACL’s Gender Unstereotype and Progressive Unstereotype metrics, as well as using communications to present a modern and progressive society.
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WACL’s metrics have been designed to remind the industry of the commercial benefit that comes not just from measuring the presence of women but the progress of their representation.
They include a set of attitudinal statements like “the media in my country typically present a positive image of females that set a good example for others”, “the media in my country challenges existing stereotypes to bring about positive change in society”.
“If we don’t measure what we’re doing as an industry, we can’t track progress. We want, and need, advertising to represent the full diversity of women’s experience and lives,” said WACL President Nishma Patel Robb.
“This Pledge isn’t a tick box exercises It’s about kick starting progressive change. Because what gets measured gets done,” she cotinued.
“The launch of the RepresentMe Pledge at Cannes Lions 2024 holds everyone to account on the most visible stage, calling on the industry to regroup this time next year, to hold ourselves, and others, to account,” she added.
Featured image: WACL’s recent panellists from RepresentMe work with Snap and Pinterest
