Advertising Age published a perspective pushing for diverse creative leadership in White advertising agencies throughout the UK.
As routinely noted by this blog, the UK and US have key similarities involving DEIBA+ in Adland; that is, despite vehement denials, both countries are strong supporters of systemic racism. From a creative angle, it could be argued the two were original inventors of White exclusivity and racial-ethnic discrimination.
The opinion piece even mimics the contrived and clichéd “solutions” that are proven failures, including:
• Recruit embryos from underserved communities
• Rejigger culturally clueless hiring practices for inclusivity
• Remodel workplaces to reduce White space and White noise
• Regurgitate performative PR and reconstruct heat shields
The headline reads: Why agencies should open new paths to creative leadership.
Yet the suggestions lead to a familiar and well-trodden path of privilege.
Why agencies should open new paths to creative leadership
By Nathan Gainford
Creative leadership still follows a narrow path. Most agency leaders share similar backgrounds, education and networks, but when the same types of people dominate creative management, the output suffers. It starts to look the same, miss the mark, or, worse, cause damage.
Just 16% of people working full-time in the U.K.’s creative industries come from working-class backgrounds, according to the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre. Despite efforts to widen access, the industry still privileges linear careers: university to junior role to creative lead. But not everyone gets early exposure to these opportunities, especially those from working-class or non-traditional backgrounds.
We need more creative leaders who’ve come through different doors and bring fresh thinking with them. If everyone’s had the same education, same work experience, same worldview, you get sameness.
This isn’t just a diversity issue, but a creativity issue. You miss out on the punch and originality that comes when people see things differently. They’re in the minority, but many of the best creative leaders I’ve worked with didn’t follow that route. They may have entered later or come from outside the usual networks, but that perspective is what made them great.
So, how do today’s creative leaders unlock more of that talent?
Start early and build the pipeline
Creative industry leaders need to build long-term relationships with schools in less privileged areas to show young people what these jobs actually look like. Great examples include the organization We Rise in South London, which builds real pathways into creative careers through mentoring and paid internships, and Common People, whose new school tour will send working-class creatives into 100 schools across the U.K. to talk honestly about how they got in and what’s possible.
Creative leaders need to seek out these types of initiatives and collaborate with them, or even start them. It’s our responsibility, but also for our own benefit.
Rethink how you hire and promote
Traditional interviews and degree requirements shut out a lot of great people, and automated CV scans don’t pick up potential; they just reinforce what’s already there. Some agencies have had success running open-intake programs where candidates experience different roles, respond to real briefs and show what they can do in a more practical, inclusive setting. These programs often surface talent that would be overlooked by traditional hiring.
Stop confusing confidence with capability
Agencies tend to hire and promote based on confidence—people who speak well in interviews, who assert themselves in meetings. But it’s not the same as capability. Confidence is often taught, especially in private education, while others may have great insight and ideas but not the same learned presentation style.
That doesn’t mean they can’t lead. Leaders need to create cultures that give space for different voices to be heard and nurture all talent to rise through the ranks.
Promote for perspective
Leadership shouldn’t be reserved for those who started in the industry young or followed a traditional path. Many discover their creative instinct later in their careers, but that doesn’t make them any less capable. Leadership skills can come from many places, and a non-linear CV doesn’t mean a lack of talent or passion. They bring their instincts, broader perspectives and the kinds of qualities we should be rewarding.
Build inclusive cultures
It’s not enough to hire people from different backgrounds; they need to feel safe and encouraged to contribute. If only the most senior people speak, or if junior staff are never invited to offer a point of view, you’ll miss out on new thinking. Time pressure can make it tempting to default to the loudest or most familiar ideas.
But the best creative work often comes from unlikely places, when someone sees a problem differently or asks a question no one else has thought to ask. Leaders need to make space for these. Show people empathy, and they will feel like they can open up and share their ideas.
Push for sector-wide change
Individual agencies can make changes, but broader progress requires sector-wide action. Industry bodies should play a more active role, through sharing data, setting standards and supporting outreach. Leaders can and should lobby for change.
This isn’t about criticizing privilege. It’s about opening things up for everyone. It’s about moving away from hiring for “cultural fit” and towards “cultural add.” What new way of thinking does this person bring? What blind spot might they help us see?
Creative leadership shouldn’t be defined by who got here quickest or by the most traditional route, but by perspective, empathy, curiosity and the ability to build work that speaks to different and diverse audiences. Different perspectives are what keep our industry relevant. And ultimately, they’re what help us reflect and persuade the world around us.
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