May 8, 2024
Fanatic is thrilled to sponsor the exhibition ‘Towards Change! Rethinking Representation in Advertising’, a project launched to challenge stereotypes and promote diversity in advertisements through civic engagement. This initiative seeks to foster meaningful change by creating practical, alternative ideas. A series of workshops were conducted, during which community members analysed and reimagined problematic advertisements.
The project will culminate in an exhibition showcasing alternative ads, reimagined by participants, to replace those banned by the ASA for perpetuating stereotypes or inappropriate representations of gender.
Date: Friday, 10th May 2024
Time: 10:00- 20:00
Location: Watershed in Bristol, UK
To get more insights, we interviewed Rika Holden, the founder of the Towards Change project.
1) What motivated you to start the Towards Change project?
While working as an ad consultant, I wrote an academic paper on advertising ethics and realised the key to inclusive advertising is civic participation in the ad-creation process. This formed the foundational steps for launching “Towards Change.”
I admire the UK advertising industry, which has a progressive stance to have the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) on gender consciousness and advertising regulations. This progressive stance inspired me to connect with industry professionals in the UK during my studies and to transfer this knowledge back to Japan.
However, merely banning controversial ads by the ASA isn’t a comprehensive solution. A common criticism I hear in the UK is that of ‘political correctness gone mad’, which often signifies frustration over not addressing social issues deeply. My project, ‘Towards Change’, is designed to foster deeper dialogue and share diverse thoughts to develop genuine solutions, moving beyond mere political correctness to substantive change. Then, I started workshops with civics as a first step.
There is a ‘Do not speak without a solution’ philosophy in my culture, just like the British saying ‘Never Complain, Never Explain’, and every time an advertisement was criticised, I wondered what was wrong with it, and then what I should do instead, So to reimagine better idea to regulated advertising, like Towards Change does, was a natural for me, and even for consumers who think that advertising is bad, thinking of alternatives is good because it gives them ‘the experience of thinking deeply about things’. We offered the ‘Thinking about alternatives’ workshop to two UK social groups, and the participants were very happy with the new experience and the value of the workshop.
2) What kind of interest and collaboration have you had with the wider advertising community?
As civic participation and collaboration are the core of this project, I prepared a variety of collaborating ways for advertising industries, as the process after the open workshop to civics to reimagine problematic advertisements.
First, I have offered advertising experts to be commentators to give critique on our reimagined adverts.
Secondly, I organised the speaker session bringing together a diverse range of industry leaders to realise the open discussion space for advertising,
Third, I have asked for sponsorship to make the exhibition happen. The advertiser’s help is essential. Thanks to the support of sponsors such as Fanatic, we are able to hold an open exhibition.
There are so many social movements that update the advertising industry and the business, but it is the movement that can bring change to the system and allow each different party to provide knowledge or strength. I have contacted over 150 advertising-related experts for realising the last 4 months and the advertising community, has been supportive, recognising the value of engaging with the broader community to enhance advertising quality and inclusivity.
3) What can visitors expect at the exhibition on 10th May?
I would be happy if this exhibition provided an opportunity for each visitor to think deeply and form an opinion.
The exhibition is part of an activist movement that aims to solve the problem of controversial advertising. However, this doesn’t mean the project or citizen-created ads are perfect. We’ve organised speaker sessions and displayed critiques to show our openness to different perspectives and encourage ongoing dialogue. By engaging with experts from business, advertising, academia, and philanthropy, we aim to promote continued evolution towards more responsible and inclusive advertising.
4) What are your hopes and fears for the future of the advertising industry?
My hope is that the advertising industry will continue evolving into a platform for sharing and implementing diverse thoughts and ideas, especially in addressing societal issues like stereotyping and inclusivity. However, I fear that without adequate engagement and dialogue, the industry may not fully capitalise on its potential to foster societal change. I believe in proactive engagement to push the industry towards more responsible and inclusive practices.
Yet, contentious advertising practices are rarely examined by industry professionals due to fear of scrutiny and other industry anxieties. This is my fear: it has resulted in slow reforms to poor advertising practices and a continuation of the cycle of flawed adverts being created and banned. Changing this is what Towards Change can do as we are outside of the industry.
5) What meaningful steps should brands take for a positive future in advertising?
Brands should listen to stakeholders to achieve business impact and diversity. This can be through sponsoring social projects like Towards Change, investing in research, and focus groups, and hiring diverse talents to ensure a positive future for the advertising industry. Such steps are crucial for creating a more inclusive advertising landscape as well as their business profit.
For more information or to get involved, please visit the Towards Change website or join the events page on LinkedIn. Alternatively, you can contact the project team at towardschangead@gmail.com.