Everyone at Cannes Should Be Talking Inclusion. Will They?

Last month marked the two-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder, which sent ripples throughout society, culture and business. In the ad industry, Floyd’s death and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests prompted a wave of soul-searching and pledges to address a long-standing lack of diversity. But more than two years later, as creative professionals prepare for the first in-person Cannes Lions festival since Floyd's murder by police on May 25, 2020, the industry’s slow progress might be best encapsulated by these words from Chloe Davies, a Black woman who leads social impact at U.K. agency Lucky Generals: “You don’t expect to see people who look like me at Cannes." Davies and others believe many of the industry’s doors remain closed to talent from communities that have been historically discriminated against. And while the makeup of the audience at Cannes Lions might put that lack of diversity on full display, inclusion advocates say it's the ideal time to initiate hard conversations around representation. Taking responsibility and making space Simon Usifo, president of 72andSunny Amsterdam, said one barrier to progress is that DEI has not yet been placed “at the center of corporate strategy and culture” at many businesses. Inclusion must become a priority of not only the diversity chief—a role many agencies created in recent years—but also of top executives. “I would hope the conversation is about how to move away from checking boxes to how diversity, equity and inclusion become part of a much wider change in leadership,” Usifo said. “CEOs must become the No. 1 diversity advocates. It must be woven into the fabric of our cultures and expressed in everything we do.” I would hope the conversation is about how to move away from checking boxes to how diversity, equity and inclusion become part of a much wider change in leadership.Simon Usifo, president, 72andSunny Amsterdam Davies cautioned businesses against putting the burden of rectifying systemic inequalities on one person or team, or seeking a one-size-fits-all approach to inclusion. Many business leaders are still speaking on behalf of diverse and underrepresented talent, rather than “giving up space” and including them in the “uncomfortable conversations” required for lasting change, she said. "Let’s have a real, honest conversation about what this work is going to take, because it’s not easy," she said. "It’s going to push everything you think you know and knock the foundations.” Advocates will speak, but how many will hear? Another way to gauge how seriously diversity is being taken at an event like Cannes Lions is to look at the size of the crowds that show up to learn about it. VMLY&R chief experience design officer Walter Geer III—who is speaking at Cannes on "Inclusivity: the Blueprint for Creativity in Health"—has seen conference crowds dwindle quickly when DEI conversations take the stage. “We need to make sure that we're creating spaces where these conversations are heard, because it's like preaching to the choir,” Geer said. “You can't talk about change to people that already want change. They’re already trying to push for change. It's important that you see these conversations happen on a grand scale, in front of all these individuals in larger spaces.” Representation is regional Because Cannes Lions is a global event, it's also an important place to recognize and discuss how the need for inclusion can take different forms in different regions. The festival recently came under fire for inviting 24 jurors from Brazil but selecting only one Black representative from a country where more than half of all citizens identify as Black. An open letter addressed to Cannes Lions CEO Simon Cook quickly led Cannes to invite five more Black Brazilian creatives to join its juries. Andres Chaves, founder of Papel & Caneta, the nonprofit collective that initiated the letter, hopes festivals like Cannes Lions will become more proactive about including independent agencies and creatives who lack the influence of major networks. “In recent years, I have seen so many collectives and professionals developing incredible projects across Brazil and Latin America,” Chaves said. “Only giving visibility to the top agencies is a mistake that cannot continue to be repeated.” When award shows set clear goals for representation on juries, it "moves the entire industry, bringing new perspectives and new views for the assessment of work,” said Keka Morelle, creative chief of Wunderman Thompson Brazil. Similarly, agencies must set—and invest in—their own ambitious goals for inclusion. After achieving a "20/20" goal of bringing Black employee representation up to 20% by 2020, her agency is now working toward a goal of 56% Black employees—including at least 30% of leadership—by 2025. The agency created a Black Leadership Acceleration Program to help make that happen. The emphasis on representation has shown results beyond the racial makeup of the agency, too. Women are now the majority in all eight hierarchical levels of Wunderman Thompson Brazil, Morelle said, with pay parity at all levels. In 2021, the agency hired more women (59.5%) than men, and about 20% of its employees identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Cannes Lions

Why Everyone at Cannes, Not Just DEI Speakers, Should Be Talking About Inclusion

The festival could help solve the industry's shortcomings—if executives offer more than empty words

Rafael Canton

Brittaney Kiefer

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Rafael Canton

Brittaney Kiefer