What Happened in The FQ Lounge @ Advertising Week: Day 2

What Happened in The FQ Lounge @ Advertising Week: Day 2

Breaking gender stereotypes in media, harnessing the power of the pack, and what brands need to know when talking to women today. Day 2 in The FQ Lounge @ Advertising Week saw more leaders sharing actionable ideas to affect real change for all women. Here are some of the day’s highlights.

“I believe very passionately that each individual action counts. Making women and girls equal in our society may seem like an unclimbable mountain. But we can surmount it by putting one foot in front of the other.”
—Fiona Carter, Chief Brand Officer, AT&T
“It’s not about who you are once you’ve reached your destination— it’s who you become along the way. We’re all here on this earth together. It’s going to take each and every one of us to affect the change we want to see in the world.”
—Stephanie McMahon, Chief Brand Officer, WWE
“When we talk about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, we have to stop thinking of them as issues and start seeing them as opportunities for all of us to take part in helping solve.”
—Suzy Deering, Chief Marketing Officer, eBay
“Women are not all just ‘pink.’ Thanks to technology, we, as an industry, have the ability to support women who have very different ways of living their lives. Celebrating the multiplicity of women is where we have to go next. That is the next phase of this conversation around diversity and inclusion.”
—Abigail Posner, Director of Strategy, Content and Production, Google’s Brand Unit
“There shouldn’t be an ‘us versus them’ mentality when we talk about diversity and inclusion. We should all be inclusive so that we aren’t in a bubble of bias. At the end of the day, diversity of thought is so powerful. That’s why I always say that great minds actually think unalike. Those different perspectives will get you to where you want to go.” 
—Tracey Santilli, Chief Growth Officer, Tierney
“As a leader, putting humanity on display is important for galvanizing your team. In my life, I show my humanity to people at work by opening up about my own shortcomings and failures. 
—Julia Hammond, Managing Director, HEAT/Deloitte
“If we stand on the sidelines, we’ll just be the water girl. We have to get in the game in order to play so let’s stop complaining about it. Let’s do something about it— and bring our sisters along with us.”
—Michele Ghee, EVP, Business Development, Endeavor Global Marketing
“Sometimes we see things in each other that we don’t always see in ourselves. Not only was [Janet Foutty, Chair of the Board, Deloitte] bold and brave, but she also pushed me. At times, she believed in me more than I believed in myself. When I fell — which we all inevitably do — she was there to guide me and lift me up off the ground. As a woman, you need more than an official mentor — you need table-pounders. These are the people who are willing to put themselves at risk to advance your career. As leaders, it’s up to us to help people — not only by pushing them but also by being there to support them when they need it.”
—Angel Vaccaro, Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP
“I spent much of my twenties trying to fit in physically and emotionally. Now, I lean into what makes me different. You’d be surprised how empowering it can be to the people around you.”
—Hend Baghdady, EVP of Development and Production, SideCar / FOX Entertainment
“I once had a boss who would always remind me and my team to be more ‘thoughtful.’ What he meant by ‘thoughtful’ was to consider the words that we use and how we interact with others. If you just stop and take that extra moment to think, you won’t perpetuate negative stereotypes.”
—Suzanne Sullivan, EVP Entertainment Advertising Sales, FOX
“Gen-Z is fearless, they know what they want, what’s important to them, and they’re not afraid to back down from making it a reality. We’re seeing purposeful usage of social, a desire to take a stand against brands they don’t agree with, and a sense of responsibility to take on larger issues that adults are not solving. For them, social media is more than just a social platform—it’s a place for social action, building intrigue around important matters, and taking the conversation beyond the digital space. As marketers, it’s important for us not to underestimate the power of Gen-Z.”
—Victoria Temena-Husemann, Strategist, Hill Holliday
“We’re past the point of no return when it comes to advancing gender equality in the workplace. Companies know that, if they want to succeed in the long-term, they need to give women the tools they need to be successful. There still aren’t as many women in the corner office as there should be, but we’re on the right track. We just need to bite the bullet.” 
—Maria Bartiromo, Anchor and Global Markets Editor, Fox Business Network and Fox News Channel
“Soon, we’re going to mentally shift as a society. We’re seeing more and more women as the ones who are controlling money and the ones who are investing. More and more women are the ones who are talking to their sons and daughters about money. Equal economic power for women is going to become the norm and it will be better for everyone.”
—Rebecca Stern, Chief Marketing Officer, Intelligent Digital Solutions, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
“If you’re a vulnerable leader, you can create an environment where feedback is welcome. On my own team, we celebrate our wins, but we also celebrate our failures.”
—Marta Martinez, Director, Agency Platforms, Google
“Create a culture of ‘pay it forward.’ Look around. If you don’t have that culture, start building it. You’re only as good as the woman who follows you. I know my success depends on other women being successful, which is why I tell other women, ‘Here’s how I got to where I am and here’s what you can do, too.’” 
—Karen Phillips, EVP Ad Solutions, Viacom
Stay tuned for more equality news from The FQ Lounge and watch full discussions here.
For more on the state of gender equality in advertising and media, don’t miss:
What Happened in The FQ Lounge @ Advertising Week: Day 1
We All Have Bias: Here Is How to Bust It
#SeeHer 2020: GEM’s Global Influence on Increasing Gender Equality in Meda