D(Diversity)E(Equity)I(Inclusion) is a fundamental requirement for sustainable success, not an optional extra. Our agency is dedicated to promoting women in leadership roles because we recognize that diverse teams deliver superior results. The female perspective, along with the unique experiences and skills it brings, is essential to our creative work and overall success.
Anyone who seeks equal treatment in all aspects of life should also have the opportunity to shape their professional environment on an equal basis. However, achieving gender equality remains a challenge in many areas. Prejudices and stereotypes, structural barriers, difficulties in balancing family and career, and unequal pay are just a few of the many contributing factors. A significant issue is the underrepresentation of women in management positions. Female career advancement into leadership roles is still not fully realized in the business world.
"In 2024, Austrian companies are still far from achieving gender equality in corporate leadership," summarizes the Arbeiterkammer Wien in its "Frauen.Management.Report.2024." Despite a slow increase in the proportion of women on supervisory boards, "in the 200 largest companies in the country by revenue, 531 out of 605 executive positions are held by men (87.8%) as of early January 2024. The underrepresentation of women on the boards of publicly listed companies is even more pronounced: only 26 out of 223 board positions (11.7%) are held by women."
According to GWA, the Association of Leading Communication Agencies in Germany, the proportion of women in leadership positions in agencies has significantly increased in recent years. The results of its Diversity Studie 2023 show that last year, 44 percent of leadership positions in management were held by women. This positive development indicates that diversity, equality, and inclusion have at least taken root in agencies.
"The diversity of characters and perspectives brings a variety of ideas—precisely what successful companies need, to ensure everyone feels comfortable and heard."
This is definitely a growing trend! Female career development in leadership positions goes beyond breaking stereotypes. It is essential for establishing new frameworks and fostering a strong sense of self-confidence, which underpins self-efficacy. Role models can inspire other women to pursue their own paths. Our CEO, Tamara Grünzweil, understands the importance of self-belief and confidence in one’s abilities. When equality becomes a collective concern, inclusive of everyone, we can address challenges with confidence and drive positive change.
"When I started here almost 15 years ago, many women were already working in the company and in marketing on the client side. However, leadership positions were almost exclusively held by men. Apart from a creative director, I was the second woman in a leadership role, and I rose from apprentice to managing director and owner of our agency. Much has changed since then. comprises four men and four women. This diversity of characters and perspectives brings a variety of ideas—precisely what successful companies need, to ensure everyone feels comfortable and heard."
Equality in the workplace positively impacts corporate culture, as Spiegel bestselling author Sabine Hockling confirms in her book chapter "Echte Diversität als Geschäftsgrundlage" (published in „Faszination New Work: 50 Impulse für die neue Arbeitswelt“): "Diversified teams make better decisions, solve problems more easily, and are more creative, innovative, and flexible. This is a fact because it is measurable." Economists Jan Riepe and Philip Yang from the University of Tübingen, in their empirical studies on gender diverse boards, even conclude that companies with a high proportion of female leaders can better reduce their risks and achieve sustainable success.
To ultimately change economic indicators, however, the framework conditions must be right; an imposed quota alone brings little. It requires a shift in thinking and a transformation in corporate culture.
The diverse experiences and perspectives of women enhance decision-making, shape corporate values and norms, and foster innovative solutions that drive long-term success. This is why supporting women’s career development is impactful. Additionally, their social and communication skills strengthen teamwork and collaboration. In our agency, the areas of HR, training, employee benefits, and internal communication have particularly benefited. We are also currently working on a Code of Conduct that defines a unified understanding of unacceptable behavior.
Despite some progress, female leadership and women’s career development remain unfamiliar concepts in many areas, including the communications industry. Tamara often attends networking events, where the majority of attendees are men. Recently, at one of these traditional industry meetings, she met Sunil Jindal (Yellow Pebble CEO), a keynote speaker on diversity and inclusion. Sunil, an experienced expert in business transformation, helps companies create diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces. At the meeting, with only two women among 33 attendees, Sunil asked Tamara in astonishment just before his presentation, "Where are the women here?"
An advertising campaign poster they looked at quickly made it clear that sexism and discrimination in marketing are still present and unfortunately remain part of our daily lives: a fitness app was being promoted, with the focus on a woman's toned backside during a workout. "Long accustomed to such messages, it was only through my exchange with Sunil that I realized how often I fall into marketing traps and do not actively pay enough attention to what is really being shown around me," Tamara admits. In the subsequent talk, which was very moving, Sunil presented several interesting marketing examples of how women were depicted in advertising in the past and how they are portrayed today.
"The diverse advert from Virgin was criticized as being completely exaggerated because it didn't feature 'normal' people. This made me question: why isn't that normal? What exactly makes those people abnormal? As a manager, it's my duty to foster a diverse team where everyone feels included and respected. Additionally, as an advertising designer, it's my job to make sure that diversity is recognized as the norm. Because women enrich – and bring decisive added value!"
Stereotypical gender roles may attract attention and sell products, but they also promote inequality and harmful perceptions by marginalizing and belittling people. When companies lack the sensitivity and awareness to develop more inclusive and respectful advertising strategies, we marketers have a crucial role to play. We create new realities and shape opinions through the messages and images we craft, which influence societal understandings and values. It is essential that we promote diversity and inclusion in these opinions and images!
"Because women enrich – and bring decisive added value!"
Women play an important role here, especially in articulating and communicating problems that men simply cannot fully comprehend from their own lived experience. This includes addressing various forms of sexism in advertising and interpersonal relationships, as well as influencing the development and evolution of cultural norms and behaviors.
Put an end to stagnation! Women must not only be heard, they must be firmly anchored at the decision-making tables of this world. We are proud to be dedicated to advancing female career development within our agency. Our experience shows that when women lead, new perspectives, bold decisions, and groundbreaking ideas flourish. We are fighting for a world in which female leadership is not a buzzword, but a lived reality. Because we know that true equality is non-negotiable – it is the basis for everything we want to achieve!
