Sparks’ Post

With Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in full swing, check-out my latest PRWeek op-ed on why we need to continue to double down on the importance of #DEI at a time when diversity initiatives are losing steam across our industry. The Sway Effect #SwayEffectCannes #CannesLions2024

Bader Rutter President David Jordan 🏳️🌈 also had some interesting thoughts to contribute to AdForum's topic of why the DE&I discussion is slowing, and what could be done to change it. “It’s all about risk mitigation during this polarized political cycle; brands tend to avoid controversy. Rightly so. But smart, forward-looking companies still practice inclusion; there’s just more action and less talk. Hiring practices continue evolving, and I’m seeing more diverse employee teams than ever. At Bader Rutter, we know that bringing your whole self to work makes our product better. Set goals, create accountability, share impact — that’s the road map. Adding diverse talent while building a welcoming environment helps fulfill our employee promise: “To be the place where you can be the person you’re destined to be.” Check out David’s thoughts, and other industry leaders in the full story here: https://bit.ly/3VVYv9c

It's so important in place marketing to take the time to involve your stakeholders and to bring the community along. Too often do we see people wanting to launch a brand, a website, a campaign quickly with limited research and feedback....and almost always when they do that, something comes back to bite them. This is also coming from someone who likes to activate, so I get the need for speed, but sometimes slowing down reaps larger rewards (which is probably a good motto for not just place marketing, but life in general;). #econdev #economicdevelopment

It was a huge privilege to have a platform on stage at the UK Creative Festival last week. I had the best time moderating a three-hour session on how to “Empower Our Future” with Dina Green Alice Heggie Brad Levy Natalie Reuter and Rama Gheerawo. The session brought together key institutional stakeholders and influential leaders to map out and plan future initiatives to support education, training and employment opportunities, to help ensure jobs requiring innovation and creativity are accessible to local young people as they grow and develop within the creative clusters regonally in Kent and Essex, but also all across the UK. The topic of creative leadership was explored further across the Festival in fantastically led design workshops with Madelaine Dowd and in sessions like “Culture as a Superpower” with MR LEE© Tamara Barton-Campbell Ben Cross and Yaz Keil. MR LEE spoke so candidly and movingly about the values his family committed to across generations. Rory Sutherland Christoff Taylor Laura Jordan Bambach Jonathan Reid and Charlene Chandrasekaran held their audience captive. In order to “Supercharge the Industry”, speakers discussed the importance of fostering creativity and diversity in the workplace, emphasizing the need for a culture that encourages vulnerability, collaboration, and empathy. They highlighted the value of making space for diverse voices and unfinished ideas, and stressed the importance of managing reverse life. The speakers also emphasized the interconnectedness of creativity, empathy, and resilience in navigating life's challenges. They emphasized the need to break down traditional education systems and prioritize collaboration and creativity in leadership, and suggested embracing failure as a way to foster growth and learning. If we really want to build a more equitable, dynamic, sustainable, effective creative sector, we have to focus on culture. And guess who is focusing on unearthing and empowering leaders in that kind of cultural transformation? ➡️ The WayFinders Group. 🎤 Happy Friday all. Until next week! Ogilvy Young Creators UK Jeremy Green Dina Green Sara Maddocks Michael DaCosta B. The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design Creative Estuary Creative Circle Awards #founderledbusiness #TheWayFindersGroup #transformation #creativity #leadership #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #changemanagement #mission #culture #courage #conviction #education #change

Cultural intelligence — understanding consumers and how to genuinely tap into culture — is not only transforming marketing strategies, it’s driving business growth. That is why the ‘Business of Culture’ is more than a content track at POSSIBLE. It’s a priority for the 3,000+ C-suite marketers, brand leaders and innovators who are joining us in Miami Beach in 3 weeks. And it’s a priority throughout our entire event ecosystem. And for me and my team! Here are some the ways the ‘Business of Culture’ is coming to life at #POSSIBLE2024: ➡️ Google, our premiere partner, will be unveiling their new Human:Human experience at POSSIBLE, during a special addition to our immersive event on Thursday, April 18. This initiative will set the stage for the future of DEIB in the marketing industry. More info and to RSVP: https://lnkd.in/geA-Vn5X ➡️ Through our various partnerships that are as diverse as the stories they tell. Group Black, TelevisaUnivision, She Runs It, digilearning, and The Female Quotient are some of the most important and inclusive marketing pioneers that will be at the forefront of our event. ➡️ In our programming – the keynotes, sessions, masterclasses and more – that will dive into the changing social, economic and demographic trends that are impacting the future of marketing. Our evolving agenda is available here: https://lnkd.in/gcyq-kQP Culture is about inclusion and diversity, representation in media and marketing, sustainability, consumer behaviors, and more. It’s not one size fits all. We’ve designed a dynamic, comprehensive event that takes all of these complexities into account. POSSIBLE is April 15-17 at the landmark Fontainebleau Miami Beach. If you haven’t already, NOW is the time to register, before it’s too late. GO TO 👉 https://lnkd.in/gVH3RcXQ #POSSIBLE2024 #FutureOfMarketing #DEI #Culture #BusinessOfCulture Steven Wolfe Pereira ⚡️, Donna Speciale, Bonin Bough, Travis Montaque, Shelley Zalis, Talia Bender Small, Lisa💫 Goodchild, Cheri Carpenter

👀 What does creative leadership mean to you? 🥳 Does the creative leadership in your organisation celebrate potential? 💡Are you able to foster and harness creative leadership in your business? ⚡️Is culture the starting point for your theory of capital? If not, why not? 🫣Is there a gap between your workforce’s skills and your leaders’ ability to model the creative skills they want the workforce to develop? These are some of the questions Leah Brown FRSA MSoM helped participants explore at the UK Creative Festival last week. At The WayFinders Group we are passionate about educating the next generation of leaders with skills to unearth potential and empower them succeed to in a complex world, because culture matters. When culture is viewed through a narrow lens without flexibility for people’s unique experiences and personalities, challenges, silos, and dysfunctions are inevitable. Our sub-brand ClearPaths has a focus on training individuals, organisations and communities so they can communicate effectively, learn together, build organisational resilience, and work collaboratively to chart an uncharted path, make a difference, and achieve their mission. More can be found on our website: www.charttheuncharted.com. Do take a look! Kallure HostHelp Leah Talks Ltd Social Enterprise Kent Kent & Medway Local Skills Improvement Plan EKC Group Social Enterprise UK Saeed Olayiwola Andrew Wallis OBE #WayFinders #TheWayFindersGroup #leadership #development #training #problemsolving #creativity #innovation #training #facilitation #coaching #organisationalresilience

In 2024, Efficacy Media is not just talking the talk; we're actively walking the walk in our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I). 🚶💬 DE&I is not a mere checkbox for us – it's the very essence of meaningful PR. We seamlessly integrate DE&I into every facet of our operations, understanding that diverse perspectives are the catalysts for innovation and excellence. 🌐  To all partners who share our passion for making a tangible impact, let's unite! Collaborate with us to cultivate an inclusive environment where every voice is valued and empowered. 💪🌈 Together, let's rewrite the narrative. #EfficacyMedia #WalkTheWalk #InclusivePR  #PRandMarketingCollaboration

e.l.f. stands for every eye, lip, and face, even in America’s corporate boardrooms. E.L.F. BEAUTY is only one of four companies who have a board of directors that is two-thirds women and one-third diverse. We think it’s about e.l.f.ing time to “Change the Board Game.” A diverse board not only ensures companies reflect the diverse communities they serve, but it’s also a proven metric to increase the bottom line. And what company doesn’t want more profit? We are taking action to “Change the Board Game,” and helping women and diverse candidates take a rightful seat at the table. We’re kicking things off teaming up with the NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors) and sponsoring 20 brilliantly talented and diverse candidates to enter their “Accelerate Program,” designed to give board-ready candidates the connections, networks, know-how and opportunity they need to join corporate boards across the country. And we’re not stopping there. Stay tuned for big things to come. Tag someone you think is board-ready in the comments (tag yourself if that “someone” is you!), and let’s change the board game together.

First public talk on #Neurodiversity and #NeuroInclusion, wish me luck!

Summer of transformation (1/2) 🌳 Guess who can now sing "and when I'm back in Chicago" and actually mean it ;) I love LA, but spending ten days in a city that feels so "city" made me feel alive! This May, I was selected to join a distinguished cohort of students from USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism for the Chicago Maymester, an immersive professional experience in the Windy City. From speed walking in the Loop and morning lobby debriefs to family-style pizza and group manifestations, this trip ranged from stimulating to wholesome. What kind of strategist would I be if I didn't summarize the key learnings? 🔑 How to learn multi-dimensionally: Exploring a breadth of industries including music, sports, news, radio, and PR in a short span can seem overwhelming. We often gravitate towards our core interests and limit our attention elsewhere. I made a conscious effort to give equal attention to every area, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much each one enriched my perspective on my core passions of advertising and entertainment. 🔑 How to ask good questions: I am certain the formula for good questions is being prepared with context + active listening + predicting white spaces that everyone might benefit from + my own POV + succinct articulation + confidence! 🔑 How to take up space: Imagine speed-dating, but instead, you're visiting companies, learning about them, listening, and networking! This experience pushed me to make myself be seen and heard in professional settings and realize that space isn't scarce. There is enough room for my colleagues and me to gain value! I'm grateful to the teams at all our company visits at FCB Chicago, Golin, Weber Shandwick, NewsNation, Grubhub, Wasserman, Big Ten Network, Kevin Pang, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Blackhawks, Octagon, Flowers Communications Group, McDonald's, WBEZ Chicago and the Obama Foundation for creating such enriching learning interactions. A big thank you to Fred Cook, Melanie Scherenzel-Cherry, Mike Ploszek, and Katy Kelly for organizing a wealth of insightful company visits. And finally, a big shoutout to the whole group for being superstars—you all shine so bright ⭐ #chicago #uscannenberg #networking #fighton