There is a unique phenomenon called the ‘overview effect’ which strikes astronauts in space when they look out and see planet Earth, the tiny fragile ball of life.
It is an unexpected and even overwhelming emotion, and an increased sense of connection to other people and the Earth as a whole. It is a cognitive shift, an instant dissatisfaction with the state of the world, of what separates and divides us. When we reach this mindset, we can stop talking about DE&I.
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Imagine looking down from space, flying closer to planet Earth, imagine seeing people in clusters. The first thing you would see is two clusters, male and female with approximately four billion of each. That’s why gender is the most dominant DE&I topic.
The closer you fly in, the more differences we will see. No two individuals are identical; societal structures perpetuate inequalities in countless ways. Consequently, DE&I is an ongoing process of learning, adaptation, and progress, rather than a fixed destination.
The finish line is a moving target
Earlier this year, I attended the Unstereotype Alliance Global Summit convened by UN Women, held at the impressive UN headquarters in New York. I had the opportunity to listen to some of the industry’s leading executives from around the world. I realised that the fight towards equity and inclusion is a moving target.
For two days, we listened to some of the most active executives who are globally renowned experts. Brilliant minds such as Madeline Di Nonno, the CEO and President of the Geena Davis Institute, who has been doing research on female appearance and representation on screen through movies, series, animation and gaming for more than 20 years, as well as Andrew Stephen, Deputy Dean at Said Business School, University of Oxford, who studies the Business Case for Progressive Marketing … and many others who will tell you we are improving slowly but surely with a lot more to be done.
A participant from Africa reminded us how relative this topic is as she explained how her aspirations for African women are by far more basic as women have inadequate access to education and healthcare and limited economic opportunities.
Are we measuring what we want to change?
If we can’t measure it, we won’t change it.
The subtle yet immense power of portrayal in media, advertising, and entertainment begs the question: How are we researching on-screen content?
Cannes Lions collaborated with the Geena Davis Institute ahead of this year’s festival to report and recommend to brands how they can create advertising and content that is more representative and therefore more effective.
The five key recommendations were on:
– Gender – rethinking the roles depicted in advertising.
– Race – challenging the cliches.
– Disability – shifting beyond tokenism.
– Age – depicting dynamism.
– Body type – showing what you see.
I found the recommendations especially relevant for us in our region on gender, age and disability.
Of all the campaigns analysed, the percentage of prominent female characters jumped from 33.9 per cent in 2006 to 43.7 per cent in 2023. A positive trend with room for improvement. In our region, while there is no research done to measure the participation of female vs male, we have a lot more barriers to break, especially with the roles of female vs male depicted and represented.
In the MENA region, more fathers want to be active, engaged parents, equal partners, who respect their tradition and values while balancing the demands of a modern life where the woman is also an active contributor to the household income. Are we portraying those men proportionately in media, entertainment, and advertising?
On disability, a dramatic shift is needed, especially when more than 1.3 billion people fall on the disability spectrum, whether they face physical, cognitive differences or communication barriers. The percentage represented in ads is less than 1.4 per cent in 2023, dropping from 4.3 per cent in 2022.
In age, between 2019 and 2023, people who are 60 years of age and older saw a promising rise from 7 per cent in 2019 to 12.3 per cent in 2023.
However, depicting them in active, dynamic roles is key to debunking ageism stereotypes. More than 10 per cent of the world’s population is above the age of 65, which is double what it was in 1974, and is expected to further double by 2050. How are we including them in the media today and tomorrow?
In our region, too, if we don’t measure it, we can’t change it. Targets, goals, and trackers must be put in place and when the opportunity arises to share results, we should share openly and publicly so we can all learn from each other and improve one another.
One challenge in portraying modern roles is navigating cultural and religious sensitivities. To effectively balance tradition and progress, we must selectively adopt beneficial aspects of the past while embracing contemporary values. Advertising and media can play a crucial role in this process by showcasing how traditions can coexist with modern aspirations.
Let’s measure, learn, and lead the way towards a more equitable world.
By Elda Choucair, CEO, Omnicom Media Group MENA
