Sitting in the crowd at the seventh annual 3% Conference, I couldn’t help but think that if this conference had existed when I was 22 years old, it might have changed my life – or at least, my career. Back then, I was a fresh college graduate who aspired to be an ad agency copywriter, and role models for female creative directors were in short supply. This was certainly not the case at this year’s 3% Conference, where inspiring female role models were front and center on stage, along with plenty of male diversity champions, too.
Founded in 2012 by Kat Gordon as the first conference for female creative directors in advertising, the 3% Conference was named to reflect the percentage of women creative leaders at the time, says Gordon. That number has now risen to 29%, she says, and as the percentage has expanded, so has the conference, which has broadened its message to embrace diversity and inclusion of all kinds.
“We’re no longer a women’s conference, we’re a business conference,” says Gordon, who is also the founder and CEO of The 3% Movement, the organization behind the conference, which has the goal of increasing diversity in advertising and related, creative fields. Bring It was the rallying cry of this year’s sold-out event, held at Chicago’s Navy Pier on November 8 and 9. The conference featured leaders (of both genders) from across the agency spectrum, as well as a line-up of entrepreneurs including Sallie Krawcheck, CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, and Emma McIlroy, CEO and co-founder of fashion brand Wildfang, along with executives from companies like Google, Facebook and Apple.
The sessions unflinchingly addressed the myriad dimensions of diversity, with titles like, "How to Fail," "Designing for Inclusivity" and "Mind the Backlash." The speakers and panel discussions were notable for their candor, as one person after another – both on stage and in the audience- shared their thoughts and personal experiences.
During the event, The 3% Movement announced results from its “Parenting in Adland,” survey, in which the vast majority of respondents – 91% of mothers and 82% of fathers – agreed that “the ad industry is a challenging place for parents." While those numbers may not be entirely surprising, the point was that parenting issues do not involve women only – they are inclusive of men, too. The organizers also announced that 17 agencies had signed on as founding members of the 3% Pledge for Pay Equity, an initiative designed to close the wage gap in advertising. (Learn more about the program here.)
In an interview, Lisen Stromberg, partner & COO of The 3% Movement, recalled the tipping point that helped launch the movement: “Talent was leaving, agencies saw a brain drain and brands started to recognize that it’s a business issue because their consumers are 80% female.” On its website, The 3% Movement states that its goal is to put themselves out of business. If this year’s conference was any indication, it may be one step closer.
