In the Middle East advertising landscape, the portrayal and participation of men and women are not just reflections of cultural norms, they have become catalysts for change. Just as the saying goes, “Culture is to humans as water is to fish”, we often swim in strong currents of societal norms without realising their pull. It’s only when someone spots a shark in the water that we start to identify the implicit bias or stereotypes that have gone unattended.
Today, the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) narrative has created many such eye-opening conversations within the industry. In the coming days, we welcome you to delve into the insights of industry leaders, who call a spade a spade. They have come to a consensus that while significant strides have been made, there’s still a long way to go. The industry faces the challenge of not just acknowledging the gaps but actively addressing them. The hope is to herald a future where DE&I is so ingrained in our culture that the changes we request today are foregone conclusions.
The needle has definitely moved, but a sense of equity and normalcy hasn’t quite settled in. Read what the leaders had to say:
Asiya Ali, Founder and MD, MKV Digital
How has diversity and inclusion improved on the ground within the industry?
I am tired of seeing DE&I being misrepresented. We miss the equality factor in the acronym far too often. In our region, women make up a large percentage of the industry and more often than not, I see men out of work struggling to get offered even one job.
For a long time, women have been brainwashed into wanting a senior role in companies and having a family and the notion of having it all at the same time. I want women to hear this statement – give yourself permission to slow down — career succession does not always equate to happiness. We are living in a painful time when women are facing more health issues because we are juggling so many roles at the cost of the things that matter to us the most. Women need to get in touch with their femininity and balance out the yin and yang.
What steps would you advise to prevent “DE&I washing” within the industry?
There are far too many labels being thrown around here. DE&I started from a place to support people who are facing injustice, but in our industry and our region specifically it begs the question — are we creating problems that don’t exist? Are you choosing to look at life from jade-tinted glasses? We are refracting from issues that do need our support. There’s no DE&I if there’s no humanity left in us. While people are facing the worst humanitarian crisis today, we should be educating clients on campaigns that can truly make a difference.
What would an ideal world in the coming years look like?
The world is craving for a minimal and more simple way of living. We are inundated with content, news and a hedonistic lifestyle that’s truly not giving us the peace of mind we crave. This is also being seen with consumers and influencers. We have to ask ourselves truly — how are we connecting on a human level? In my ideal world, the industry is helping build that future to slow down, find peace.
Can you share some personal habits or routines that have helped you embrace your authenticity and express yourself?
- Instead of pushing for hybrid hours, learn the art of signing out and setting boundaries for no access after 6 pm. Work should start at 9 am and end at 6 pm, and you should have the freedom to do whatever you want after 6 pm.
- Connect spiritually so you have more control over your emotions and life – rather than depending on your employer to sign you up on a mental health app which you will never probably use
- Sleep early – it’s the best recovery
- Have a hobby outside of work – loving your job is great, but find a passion that fuels you outside of work that is only yours. For me, that’s horse riding.
Can you share a particularly memorable campaign or project that you’ve worked on and its impact on the brand?
We were working on an iron deficiency campaign targeted at women and were tasked with surveying influencers on the condition. Lo and behold, all the women we spoke to had iron deficiency. It gave me a pause to realise that there has to be more to life, and we have to adjust what we are prioritising.
Do you think the advertising industry needs newer, more relatable mentors? Why?
Today, I feel like everyone is trying to become a mentor and create a celebrity status on LinkedIn as an activity to stroke their ego. We don’t need newer corporate mentors, we need more to work on trusting our gut as women, have more positivity and get comfortable with not knowing what the future holds.
What allyship message would you share with your colleagues in the industry?
There is more pressure on women now than ever before to be visible, network (outside their comfort zone) and do more to be as successful. We need to drop this archetype fast.
We are currently creating an industry that will lack diversity of opinions and thoughts if we keep pushing the notion that there is only one linear way to succeed. We also need to stop equating speedy career progression and top 30 lists as a measure of happiness.
If there’s one barrier you would break down, what would it be and why?
I have two. Women must set boundaries. Stop fawning, say no and draw the line.
We talk about not having a chair at the table, but we must be assertive and start bringing a chair to the table. Take more risks and don’t take everything so personally. If the table seems full, find a new table or make your own table and let people come to you.
