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Chapter 39 - Advertising Creative and the Pink Ghetto

Jean Grow

Synopsis

This story follows Janet Murphy’s journey from unhappy finance major to advertising grad on her way to a highly competitive portfolio school to hone her skills as a copywriter. Janet’s journey takes her from one of New York’s hottest advertising agencies to another even hotter digital shop. We leave Janet as she heads off to the west coast for yet another adventure in the creative boys’ club. In the advertising industry women are abundant in every department, except the creative department. Creative departments are competitive rat’s nests with every creative vying for recognition and there are few women among them. Today, women comprise just 20 percent of creative teams worldwide and there are even fewer women Creative Directors. While Janet Murphy stands tall, her journey tells a familiar story. It is the story of women having to work harder and smarter to make it in the creative boys’ club.

Keywords: advertising, creative, discrimination, leadership, women

Key Takeaways and Take a Stand Form

Key Takeaways

  1. Portfolio schools, like creative departments, are rat’s nests of creative competition; a career in advertising creative is not for the faint of heart.
  2. Women make the majority of consumption decisions, yet they make up just 20% or all creatives worldwide.
  3. Many advertising creative departments are gender biased, “boys’ clubs.”
  4. Women face significantly greater hurtles when it comes to success in advertising creative and few make it to Creative Director.
  5. Female creatives often find themselves landlocked in the “pink ghetto,” a sea of feminine products and services, which rarely win accolades or awards.

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