The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) is launching the world’s first-ever worldwide census of the marketing and advertising sector, which will give factual statistics on those who work in the business.
The poll will determine where the worldwide advertising and marketing sector is in terms of diversity, equality, and inclusion by looking into workforce composition as well as people’s perceptions of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, such as their sense of belonging and advancement.
The objective is to develop the broadest and most representative sample possible, working with Campaign, Kantar, the European Organization of Communications Agencies (EACA), and the new global agencies association VoxComm, as well as national advertiser organisations and their agency equivalents. The World Federation of Associations and its Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce believe that the pandemic’s strains and pressures have made it more difficult for many organisations to prioritise diversity and inclusion efforts, and that many women, in particular, have considered leaving the profession.
The initiative builds on work already done in the UK as part of the highly successful All In Census – as well as numerous efforts led by ANA and 4As in the US and other markets – with the goal of establishing a tangible baseline for the global industry, which will help inform WFA’s taskforce’s improvement plan. Participation in the census has been verified by national advertising organisations and their agency association equivalents from a wide range of nations and territories.
While national associations and their agency counterparts will drive the samples locally with the help of Haymarket’s Campaign magazine in relevant markets, corporate members of the WFA and agencies involved in the WFA Diversity and Inclusion Task Force will drive the initiative top-down through their own employees, clients, partners, and marketing supply chains. Brand Advance, Diageo, Ferrero, Grupo Bimbo, GSK, Havas, Mars, Mondelez, m/SIX, and Reckitt Benckiser are among the sponsors.
Between June 21 and July 2, the survey will be available online. Kantar will collate and analyse the data, with the important findings published later in the year through Campaign’s worldwide network of editions and presented at prominent industry events in October 2021.
“This is a historic occasion for our industry. Despite the rhetoric that “we are all in this together,” the epidemic has demonstrated that this is simply not the case. Recent setbacks have worsened inequalities. According to anecdotal evidence, the sector is regressing in terms of diversity and inclusion”, WFA CEO Stephan Loerke, remarked.
“Agencies and agency associations already have their own census in place to monitor and drive change. “But complementing this existing research will provide us with a wider, cross-cultural view on diversity, equity, and inclusion- enabling us to continue bridging the gaps in our industry” said, Tamara Daltroff, Director General, EACA and President, VoxComm.
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