2018 Leories Awards: Experts Proffer Solutions To Challenges Faced By Women In Marketing

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Tunji Faleye reporting from Durban, South Africa

Agencies, brands and media organisations have been advised to democratize marketing profession to enable women to perform their duties adequately well in today’s marketing business.

Speaking at the Women in Marketing Africa, one of the masterclasses at the ongoing Loeries Creative Week in Durban, South Africa, female experts in marketing said that there should be a concerted effort to stop gender inequality- unequal pay and other vices that are discriminating again women in their marketing profession.

According to Zumi Njongwe, Marketing & Innovation Director, Diageo, South Africa, women themselves should start using well-dressed ladies like their men counterparts in campaigns and other ads materials and be in the vanguard of ending discrimination against women. She said, “Women should also be included to take other active roles in campaign – get women behind the camera and get them to check approach.”

She added that gender portrayal varies by categories and what it requires is for women to be part of the solution to stop discrimination women face in their places of work.

Similarly, Nunu Ntshingila, Regional Director, Facebook Africa said with the democratization of marketing more women will be empowered. She said that a report conducted by Facebook has shown that in the next five years and with democratizing marketing small and medium scale enterprises will pump 75 billion rand into the South African economy.

“What we are seeing nowadays is that women are involved in digital marketing to reach their customers, in Facebook we believe when women do better economy does better and with this it is imperative to look beyond the multinational and other big companies and pay attention to small and medium scale enterprises,” she said.

Women In Marketing Africa focuses not only on women in the marketing and associated profession but how women are portrayed in advertising and the media, and the often negative impact this has on the society’s view of women. The media industry, including brand organisations, are extremely powerful and have a huge role and responsibility to play to move the dial on the issue.

A study has shown that globally only 3 per cent of creative directors are female and out of the top 50 most influential Chief Marketing Officers, only 18 are women by 2017.

Women In Marketing Africa is a branch of Women In Marketing (WiM) Community Interest Company. A global network of senior managers and C Suit professional create to educate, inspire, connect, and recognize women in the marketing and associated professions through the cycle of their lives. WiM takes a holistic approach to the education and wellbeing of women through collaborations and partnership with organizations that complement their work.

WiM Africa, a non-for- profit Community Interest Company represents and provides a source and voice for women in the marketing, advertising and communications fields across the region. Through events, programmes, strategic partnerships and soon to be launched membership, WiM Africa will seek to holistically address the challenges faced by women in the industry across the continent.

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