Is the IPA right to attack the ad industry for white, male and middle class bias?

The IPA should not squeal at the suggestion of reform

.  Advertising Agencies hang onto words about itself – “Works, creative, accountable, contributing,” - like a comedy trollop wailing “I’m a good girl, I am”

Most importantly of all, there is an insulting dislocation between their interpretation of “Accountability” and the disbelief they load on the rest of us.

There is more than enough information available to be utterly convincing that the days of Advertising are over.

I have to be completely open and say that when I am requested to access evidence of accountability within the IPA Website I am, to say the least, reluctant to do so, why?   Because the evidence is probably as reliable as that rebutted by Professor Robert Shaw recently in the Financial Times!

It would appear that the Americans are more capable of being pragmatic regarding the value of the advertising contribution, and I would sooner listen to what they have to say.

.A majority of US marketers believe that television advertising has become less effective over the past two years, spurring interest in exploring new ad and video commercial formats.

Meanwhile, research by the Henley Centre has shown that while nine out of ten people will trust their spouse or partner and eight out of ten their children, fewer than a third (27%) trust retailers or manufacturers, while just 14% trust either the government or advertisers!

‘Consumers increasingly do not trust marketing messages.' A seven-word statement that could lead to the most fundamental changes yet experienced by advertising agencies world-wide believes Forrester Research.

I recall years ago a research study conducted by one of the leading advertising agencies, the study was on the audience measurement of the commercial break. In a nutshell this study found that of a given audience 50% weren't watching at all, a further 15% went to make a cup of tea, or whatever, 10% went to the bathroom, 10% read or did something else, and there I was paying for the whole 100%!

So much for truth in advertising and BARB!

The Royal Mail in the UK commissioned research that produced a similar picture.    It showed that more that a quarter of the people who had watched an edition of News at Ten had seen none of the commercials. Great news? Not so. Of the remaining 75%, 26% simply hadn’t paid attention, 21% had made a drink, 20% left the room, 11% were preoccupied with other things, 8% switched channel, 6% went to the bathroom and 5% talked to someone!

It is clear from the likes of the above that TV advertising is not seen by many of the audience out there.

And yet, according to the IPA it is totally accountable and effective!

However among consumers a major change is underway best summed up by “We are immune to advertising.  Just forget it”
That was said a few years ago as part of the Cluetrain Manifesto, true then, even truer to day!

Elvis said it best: "We can't go on together with suspicious minds."



 

They've got a nice presentations suite on the top floor in Belgrave Square though

Maybe the IPA could start by addressing the male:female and ethnic mix of their officers, fellows, members and representatives?  All 100% white.  All the officers are male.  Out of all the representatives only 9 are female.  Seems a bit funny to be making grandiose statements about representation when the IPA can't even get its own representatives to be more representative (though probably does reflect the reality of agency make-up).

Photos here: http://www.ipa.co.uk/membership/council.cfm 

Not sure who's name I'm logged in under.  My views, not theirs.

 

Good point well made!

at last you have finally grasped the nettle! 

http://www.ipa.co.uk/news/news_archive/displayitem.cfm?itemid=1556

 

The Advertising Old Guard, best represented by the IPA, is
 miffed that there dare be even the hint of criticism against advertising.

Perhaps this very post represents the duality of thinking that goes on within the IPA, by the very subject they are addressing.

 The very structure of the IPA is practically 100% White, Male and Middle class!

The tone and even the content of so much of the verbiage that emanates from the IPA and its beloved Web site represents the dreams of a white, male and middle class structure!

All this excitement about advertising and its benefits is going to be repaid (if it hasn’t already) in the devalued currency of disappointment.

The IPA certainly cannot do anything about the rejection of advertising by a more sophisticated and savvy population.

Likewise the IPA cannot much longer ignore all the evidence, emerging on almost a daily basis, that the huge amounts of clutter is substantially reducing what little effectiveness advertising may have had.

What the IPA can do however, is to acknowledge that there are far far better ways of communicating with the customer.  Please note the use of the word communicating!

So let me get this straight..it took someone of an ethnic minority (on secondment no less) to write a report about the lack of ethnic minorities in the ad industry? You mean the all powerful, all-knowing IPA didn't see this as a problem before?

oh. the. irony.

 

John: "I heard they were planning to set the next series of Life on Mars in an ad agency in the 80's."Gary: "Really?"John: "But then it was pointed out no one would know the difference."(That's a joke doing the rounds at the moment but says a lot.)

i was once told that if one wants to be a planner in uk an english heritage is a must.

it's partly true because only somebody who has grown up here has truly authentic insight into uk's nation. but as times changed, this nation became more diversified... so now there is a need for indian, chinese, australian and eastern european planners here.

i just dont believe that english planner can plot a successful strategy aimed at e.g. indians or poles...

 

 

Funny how the IPA is attacking the industry for being white , male and middle class yet their council is White, Male and Middle Class.

Should't the IPA start to put their house in order before preaching to others? 

Sarad - I totally agree. If you look at the latest IKEA campaigns, they are ALL about not just decorating in neutral colours to maximise profit.

So the conclusion = the advertising is already doing it but the advertisers aren't.

I do not understand the problem. In Indonesia, 99% of everyone is Indonesian, so Indonesian nationals get most of the jobs. Some positions are filled by expats, generally because they are foisted on the country by an international agency group OR the expat knows more in a specialised topic or has the standing in a country due to experience and/or is accepted more readily by clients. I suppose if it were Ghana, most people would be Ghanians.

If some groups do not want to go into advertising or dentistry or be airline pilots or oncologists for that matter, why must you have exact percentages of that group in everything? Will you have to force some groups into a business? Because there are 0.479% of one legged albino redheaded gay Lebanese in the UK, does that mean you must recruit that exact figure whether they are interested or not? What about white people working in jerk chicken outlets- not many there, are there?

What absolute bollocks.

Why doesn't the IPA do anything useful for a change? Oh, I forgot, it can't, it's in the statutes.

Right on sister!