#timeTo: Industry comes together at Cannes to tackle sexual harassment

The latest iteration of the ‘Where Do You Draw The Line’ ad campaign created especially for Cannes Lions 2019 was recently released to large support from across advertising. Created by Lucky Generals alongside partners from across industry, NABS, the Advertising Association and WACL, the movement is calling on industry to come together to tackle sexual harassment in advertising. At an event on the Wednesday of Cannes Lions, the campaign’s leaders took a look at the impact the campaign is having on the industry. Hannah Ohm Thomas of Newsworks reports the key moments from the session. 

Research from advertising’s think tank Credos found that 26% of respondents had experienced some form of sexual harassment while working in the advertising and marketing industries. With over 80% of people not reporting such incidents, the imeTo campaign and Code of Conduct provides people with clear guidance of what sexual harassment is and how to take action.

The industry-wide campaign has been a huge success and now 225 advertising businesses have signed up to the Code of Conduct. Speaking at a panel at the Clear Channel garden were the companies behind the initiative, which included Lucky Generals CEO Katie Lee, RAPP copywriter Oliver Easthope and Head of Communications for IPG Mediabrands EMEA Alice Archer.

Discussions on the campaign centred mainly on the immediate need for an industry-wide initiative like this. Lee commented that the problem with sexual harassment is that it is a grey area and that research shows that not many people understand what it actually is. In response to this insight, the campaign gets people talking and the multi-platform nature of the campaign has provided visibility throughout people’s Cannes Lions’ experiences – from ad space at Heathrow Airport; to the handing out of sun cream along the Croisette; and through the highly impactful campaign advert.

On getting companies involved in the campaign, RAPP’s Easthope and IPG Mediabrands’ Archer talked about how they brought their teams together to discuss whether to sign up; what the Code of Conduct would mean to their businesses; and how it provides an opportunity to look at the balance of power that exists across the industry – Easthope clearly pointed out that this is an industry wide problem and not just an agency problem.

Concluding the conversations, Archers commented that as an industry “we have a role in society” to communicate messages. And this campaign is an example of how the advertising industry is using its platform to communicate for good.

The campaign is a result of pro-bono support from Lucky Generals, in addition to support from industry media and event organisers.

If you want to sign up, find out more here.