Marketing Barriers Faced by the Leading Five Women
Empowering Women Marketers: Insights from Industry Leaders
In a recent video series installment, five marketing industry executives shared their insights and career advice for women marketers, particularly addressing the challenges faced by women and women of color in the advertising industry.
God-is Rivera, global director of culture and community at Twitter, emphasized the importance of owning your narrative and being unapologetic about your identity and contributions. She encouraged women of color to lean into their unique perspectives as strengths rather than trying to fit into existing norms. Building strong networks and seeking out mentors who understand the nuances of navigating the industry as a woman of color was also emphasized.
Nancy Reyes, CEO of TBWA\Chiat\Day New York, highlighted the challenge of underrepresentation and urged women marketers to actively advocate for themselves and their work. She recommended continuously upskilling and staying adaptable to stand out in the competitive advertising landscape. Reyes also suggested creating spaces for honest dialogue about diversity and inclusion within teams and companies.
Cindy Gallop, advertising veteran and founder and CEO of Make Love, Not Porn, stressed the power of boldness and confidence. She encouraged women to speak up and challenge the status quo, advising them to reject limiting beliefs and societal expectations that can hold women back in leadership roles. Gallop also encouraged women to be their own advocates and disruptors, pushing for systemic change in the industry.
Kenya Brock, head of marketing and communications at We Are Rosie, focused on the importance of mentorship and sponsorship. She encouraged women to both seek out and serve as mentors to others, pointing out the need to build resilience in the face of microaggressions and biases common in advertising. Brock recommended sharing stories of success and failure openly to foster community and learning.
E.T (presumed to be a marketing professional or thought leader) advocated for authenticity and creativity as tools to break through biases and stereotypes. He highlighted the necessity for women marketers to claim space confidently and demonstrate their value consistently. E.T also encouraged leveraging the diversity of experience to bring fresh, innovative ideas that can reshape the industry’s approach to representation.
The overall themes discussed included owning your identity and unique perspective, building and relying on a strong network and mentorship, speaking up boldly to challenge norms and advocate for inclusion, staying resilient and adaptable amid industry challenges, and using authenticity and creativity as tools for leadership and disruption.
This discussion is part of a broader conversation about the challenges and opportunities for women in the marketing industry, with Adweek interviewing these five executives for Women's History Month to discuss career advice for women marketers. The video series installment underscores the need for change in the marketing industry to create a more inclusive and equitable environment for women, particularly women of color.
- In collaboration with the marketing industry, women should pursue science and health-and-wellness, women's health, and business career paths, employing the discussed themes of owning their unique perspectives, seeking mentorship, challenging norms, staying adaptable, and using creativity to reshape these industries and create a more inclusive environment for women, particularly women of color.
- To advance in finance careers and attain leadership roles, women marketers can draw inspiration from the insights shared by industry leaders, embracing boldness and confidence, actively advocating for themselves and their work, and leveraging their diverse experiences to bring innovative ideas that can break through biases and stereotypes.
- With an increased focus on diversity and inclusion, women marketers can foster a sense of community and learn from one another by sharing their stories of success and failures in the realm of health-and-wellness, womens-health, finance, and business, ultimately creating a supportive network that will enable them to overcome challenges and thrive in their chosen career paths.
