Annual Review 2020: A landmark year for our industry

While there are limits to what the advertising industry itself can control, there is a clear need for advertisers and their partners to embrace inclusion and trust.

Over the past few decades, trust in advertising has declined, an issue the Advertising Association continues to tackle. The coronavirus outbreak provides an opportunity for the advertising industry to rebuild declining public trust, advance the issue of responsible advertising, and fulfil its duty to people, society, businesses and the economy – as reflected in our new mission statement. We must continue to build on this and keep momentum going as we demonstrate the crucial social contribution that advertising makes.

But it’s not just public trust in advertising that has been pushed into the spotlight. Advertisers need to put greater emphasis on diversity and inclusion, and the welfare of their teams.

In times of isolation, the diversification and wellbeing of our teams must be at the forefront of our priorities. A commitment is needed from advertisers to listen, support and evolve to meet the needs of a modern workforce. During heightened moments of uncertainty like this, advertisers must show empathy and reflect the diverse realities of the world.

That is one reason why we created the industry’s ‘UK Advertising Needs You’ hub, showcasing the many diversity and inclusion initiatives in our industry. The hub supports employers seeking to create a more inclusive workplace, whether that’s within our industry or outside of it.

As we brace ourselves for another year that is likely to bring profound change for our industry, we must be bold in our thinking, make the leap in creativity and unite in our determination to see a strong, sustainable future for advertising.