Phil Smith’s Post

P&G's Taide Guajardo and ISBA's Phil Smith Aim to Ensure All Ads Are Accessible to People with Hearing or Vision Loss... I recently had a chance to speak with both Taide and Phil about an impressive initiative. But let me start with a few facts: 1. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that one out of every thirteen people have enough hearing or vision impairment to depend on captioning and descriptive audio for their media use.  2. By 2050, WHO also anticipates that 2.5 billion people will be living with some degree of hearing loss. While these statistics may seem overwhelming, the Ad Access Alliance, a group led by ISBA and Union des Marques, under the aegis of the WFA, with founding member Procter & Gamble, is joining forces with others in the advertising ecosystem to ensure all ads are accessible to people with hearing or visual impairments. In addition to P&G, Diageo, Mars, Mastercard, L’Oréal, and Unilever have now joined the Alliance. You can view the interview: https://lnkd.in/eMv8cdwM Or listen to the podcast: https://lnkd.in/eFqKwrjx The article is here: https://conta.cc/4cCLiHM

Recently, I had the privilege of participating in a roundtable discussion focused on ethnic diversity within the advertising industry. As a passionate leader and advocate, it was truly an honour to come together with Naren Patel Maria McDowell Asad Dhunna FRSA and Chloe Davies and exchange our experiences, insights, and thoughts on our progress and the path forward. First and foremost, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Charlotte Rawlings for featuring our discussion in their latest autumn edition. It is truly remarkable to see publications like Campaign Magazine UK spotlight such a significant topic. During our discussion, we touched upon several key points that I believe are important to share with all of you: ✅ We acknowledged the positive strides in increasing visibility for Black and Brown professionals within the industry, as well as the growing conversations surrounding the challenges they face. However, we emphasised the need for tangible actions. ✅ The events of 2020, including the heartbreaking murder of George Floyd, sparked a renewed and conscientious effort by advertising agencies to address diversity and inclusion. ✅ We highlighted the obstacles individuals face in the industry, such as the pressure to conform to a specific mould and the slow pace of change. We all categorically stressed that creating safe and supportive environments is paramount. ✅ Achieving long-term change requires a cultural shift and a reevaluation of business models. Brands and agencies must lead in driving cultural change, and embracing diversity can lead to more innovative and profitable outcomes. ✅ Clients are crucial in driving change by demanding diversity, including inquiring about ethnic representation and pay disparities. Transparency in reporting ethnic pay gaps and salary ranges is vital, along with commitments from senior leaders to actively support and retain diverse talent. ✅ We explored the potential of affirmative action and Government involvement as catalysts for change. Collaboration, fair distribution of resources, and holding companies accountable for their diversity efforts are pivotal. ✅ Our vision for the future includes normalising diversity in leadership positions, campaigns that authentically reflect real life, and language narrative that celebrates diversity. Ongoing conversations and inspired change are essential for creating a positive and lasting impact. I would love to personally unite and work together to shape an inclusive advertising industry that embraces diversity and inclusion for everyone! 🌟 Together, we have the power to make a meaningful difference! #DiversityAndInclusion #AdvertisingIndustry #FutureOfWork.

🔊 Revolutionize Your Hearing Aid Marketing Strategy! 👂 Swipe through to discover how Manna's empathetic approach can transform your business in 2024! From building trust to leveraging digital platforms, get ready to connect with your audience on a deeply personal level and drive lasting success 🚀 📈 Want to know more? Reach out to us at sales@wearemanna.io for expert guidance tailored to elevate your hearing aid business growth! #WeAreManna #PerformanceMarketing #PerformanceBased #hearingaid

Hi Barbie! If you are a fan of either #Barbie or Collage Group, you'll want to check out an interesting and unique article by Audrey Hutabarat that delves into why the Barbie movie was such a success from a marketing standpoint. Featuring great contributions from our Director of Multicultural Insights, Sudipti Gupta Kumar, and our Director of Generational Insights, Natalie Griffith, the piece also shares impactful multicultural and generational consumer insights right from our world-class Cultural Intelligence Platform. Read more in the link below. Great work Audrey, Sudipti Gupta Kumar, and Natalie Griffith! #diversity #inclusion #diversityandinclusion #marketing #marketresearch #marketingandadvertising #mrx

Real Diversity: Authenticity in Marketing Diversity is often celebrated as a cornerstone of values for businesses worldwide. Yet, the question remains: do these values truly materialize authentically, especially within brand communication? In the latest season of New Amsterdam, a male therapist grapples with body image issues stemming from childhood pressures. His journey to self-acceptance, depicted openly in the series, resonated deeply with me. As someone acutely aware of body image complexities due to my own past struggles, a connection was formed—I previously shared when discussing my approach to Barbie in a previous post, link below. I loved the struggle coming from a male therapist like a reverse corner example. Storytelling, has the capacity to spark conversations, particularly crucial for teenagers. It triggers empathy and understanding, makes issues “normal” and “talkable” serving as a catalyst for profound change. In the dynamic realm of marketing, authenticity reigns supreme. I recall an absurd moment when my VP suggested altering a female cast member's nose to trim off the nasal hump in post-production—a proposal that seemingly contradicted the film's intended naturalness. Any examples you recall? Consider brands that genuinely champion diversity. Reflect on those that stand out as beacons of inclusion. 🌟 #DiversityInMarketing #AuthenticityMatters #NewAmsterdam #Storytelling My Post on Barbie here ->https://lnkd.in/d8FTbPCy

2024 kicked off with the Consumer Electronic Show (CES), which dominated most of our media placements in January. We represent dozens of tech brands on and off the CES show floor and all of them are “media darlings,” someone journalists can count on and consumers can’t get enough of. That’s because we give media news they can use in a format that they want it in. It’s not what you say, it’s what people can hear and it takes 7 to 11 times for them to hear it. We were pitching 2024 CES media appointments and trends back in November 2023, lining up press interviews, sending samples, creating experiences and organizing prototype demos long before our clients arrived on the show floor. This resulted in millions of media impression per brand including placements on national news such as TODAY Show, Wall Street Journal, Daily Mail and more. January wasn’t all tech though. In addition to “New Year, New You” themed press, winter is also what we refer to as “red carpet” season as celebrities shape up for photos that will last their lifetimes at The Golden Globes, The Emmy’s, The Grammy’s, SAG Awards and Oscars. We were pitching the skincare and fitness trends and treatments through the holidays to secure what we got. Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, Super Bowl, and Heart Health are all timely and relevant topics that we pitch in advance. No need to have FOMO on any press opportunities. Our team of motivated and seasoned publicists will catch them for you and convince media to care about and cover your story. Talk to us today about how to line up press for tomorrow. #health #wellness #pr #media #publicity #trends #tech #redcarpet #awardsseason #news #publicists #press #skincare #fitness #hearthealth #celebs

September is Eye Awareness Month, and we're celebrating by putting your visual perception to the test! Can you guess what this everyday object is from a detailed close-up image? Comment below and let us know what you think this object could be. #EyeCareAwareness #VisionWellness #CureDayEyes #FocusOnSight #OptimalVision #EyeCareAtCure #CureVision #CaringForEyes #EyeWellness

Gen Z values authenticity and truth, seeking genuine connections with brands. Engaging these younger fans requires transparent communication and focusing on real issues. Learn more in our recent blog: https://avydn.co/3I55xAW

2024 kicked off with the Consumer Electronic Show (CES), which dominated most of our media placements in January. We represent dozens of tech brands on and off the CES show floor and all of them are “media darlings,” someone journalists can count on and consumers can’t get enough of. That’s because we give media news they can use in a format that they want it in. It’s not what you say, it’s what people can hear and it takes 7 to 11 times for them to hear it. We were pitching 2024 CES media appointments and trends back in November 2023, lining up press interviews, sending samples, creating experiences and organizing prototype demos long before our clients arrived on the show floor. This resulted in millions of media impression per brand including placements on national news such as TODAY Show, Wall Street Journal, Daily Mail and more. January wasn’t all tech though. In addition to “New Year, New You” themed press, winter is also what we refer to as “red carpet” season as celebrities shape up for photos that will last their lifetimes at The Golden Globes, The Emmy’s, The Grammy’s, SAG Awards and Oscars. We were pitching the skincare and fitness trends and treatments through the holidays to secure what we got. Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, Super Bowl, and Heart Health are all timely and relevant topics that we pitch in advance. No need to have FOMO on any press opportunities. Our team of motivated and seasoned publicists will catch them for you and convince media to care about and cover your story. Talk to us today about how to line up press for tomorrow. #health #wellness #pr #media #publicity #trends #tech #redcarpet #awardsseason #news #publicists #press #skincare #fitness #hearthealth #celebs

Many people have asked me why I'm traveling so much lately. I've even been asked at my booth "you're a Lighthouse...why are you here?" While this story isn't the exact reason, it's an example of the ultimate goal. I want to put East Texas Lighthouse for The Blind on the map, and even more importantly, in the conversation. Because we showed up, we were able to be a connector. I met Nicko Sahlas at the CSUN conference in California two years ago. We were exhibitors, sharing our training services for those who are blind. He was looking for native users of assistive technology to help improve the accessibility of Ulta overall. I knew I wasn't the answer, but rather I had the answer. I was able to not only tell those like Nicko and Ulta Beauty who we were as a National Industries for the Blind affiliated agency but was also able to share the work of known partners like Ablr 360. Fast forward 2 years. John Samuel made good on my promises and served Ulta and Nicko with their accessibility program. Success! Was this a financial ROI for me? Nope. But was it an impact ROI? You betcha. This connection will ultimately have a positive effect on those who are blind in a much larger scale than we could ever provide directly. Moral of my story? Show up. Even if you aren't the biggest player on the field, show up. If you believe in your work, your products, your mission, and yourself, show up. You never know who's listening.