Oh how the diversity gods shall rejoice! The 3% Conference is more like the 10% Conference now. And the days of metrosexual bros telling dick jokes and sexualizing every last thing about their female
co-workers' habits and fashion choices are diminishing.
What just happened?
The Atlanta office of the agency has hired BBDO's first US-based female Chief Creative Director. Former
CP+B VP/ECD Robin Fitzgerald has taken the position. While the agency has had several females in top creative spots, the CCO position has always been squarely a boys club spot. Fitzgerald just changed
that.
The move follows past promises from Omnicom CEO John Wren who, in April, said he would double the number of women in top creative spots over the next 12 months. Fitzgerald, who will take
the CCO reigns September 12, will fill the shoes of outgoing CCO Wil Boudreau who, after 25 years, is leaving the agency to become CCO at The&Partnershio, a WPP shop.
Of the hire, BBDO
Worldwide CCO David Lubars said: “Not only is Robin fantastically talented, but she also understands the always-on world in which today’s clients operate, embraces technology and analytics
and, generally, is someone who can lead the way forward. Plus she’s a good soul. I am excited and flattered that Robin has agreed to join BBDO Atlanta and work with Drew to help make that agency
something truly special.”
While at CP+B, Fitzgerald helped craft work for Grey Poupon, Netflix, Old Navy, PayPal and VitaminWater. She also spent time at
TBWA\Chiat\Day working on Gatorade, Energizer and Nissan.
On joining BBDO Atlanta, Fitzgerald said: "I love places that love making
great work and am looking forward to making a lot of it with the team in Atlanta."
And while we all loved watching Mad Men and its
decidedly bro-heavy culture, times have changed. Or at least they are beginning to. And when you think about it, it's just plain old common sense. After all half (more, actually) of all consumers are
female. Yes, men can infer how women think and women can infer how men think but why do that when you can insight from a person who's more directly tied to the audience you are trying to reach?
But it's not just that. There are so many subtle nuances that go into advertising communication and communication between humans in
general. Why limit that communication to the control of one viewpoint when you can have many? It's like the difference between a Michael Bay movie and a well-crafted character development piece. Sure
it's fun to watch shit blow up every once in a while but there's so much more to be explored and celebrated when a subject is explored from various angles than with 50,000 pounds of TNT.
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