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NEWS
TUESDAY / JUNE 18 / 2019 LIONS DAILY NEWS
that men should be paid more than women for doing the same job, one in four male respondents said that they believe it’s OK to hit a spouse or partner, and one in four of all respondents still believe that a woman in a relationship should not
“The prevelance of discriminatory attitudes and gendered roles is still strong ”
DANIEL SEYMOUR (MIDDLE RIGHT) WITH SOME OF THE UNSTEREOTYPE ALLIANCE’S PARTNERS ON THE RED CARPET
Unstereotype survey yields mixed findings on equality THE UNSTEREOTYPE Alliance held a networking gettogether for its major partners yesterday on the Palais des Festivals’ legendary red carpet. The Alliance, which is supported by Diageo, Unilever, P&G, Johnson & Johnson, Cannes Lions,
WPP and IPG, as well as leading social media players, is here to publicise its Gender Equality Attitudes (GEA) Survey. The 10-country survey has identified critical gaps in gender equality attitudes, and the Alliance hopes this insight
will spark meaningful change. “We commissioned the survey to see if we have managed to move the needle, and indeed in some areas it was very positive, such as the fact that 80% of respondents said that they want to see a gender-equal
world,” Daniel Seymour, acting director, strategic partnerships division, Unstereotype Alliance, said. “But the prevalence of discriminatory attitudes and gendered roles is still strong. For example, one in three respondents think
Barua warns of data dependency HAVAS Group India’s new CEO, Rana Barua, admits that creativity is taking a battering at the moment. “I love data but it’s spoiling the party a bit,” he said. “Data enables us to measure in advance what creative is going to work and what isn’t, which is making everybody very cautious. Clients used to take creative decisions based on experience and gut — now it’s all about what the data says.” But much of the work being honoured this week in Cannes would have been dumped in research if data were the only criteria, Barua said. Awardwinning creative is still about “fabulous ideas supported by big, brave clients” — clients who are courageous enough
to look at the data, ignore it and trust their instinct. “That’s the sort of work that gives me a reason to continue in this profession every year,” he added. Barua took the helm of Havas
“Clients used to take creative decisions based on experience and gut” India in October last year, charged with guiding the Vivendi-owned company into its next phase of growth. Central to this is the ‘Havas Village’ model of collaboration and integration, which draws on the strengths of both the
be able to refuse sex. So clearly there is still a lot of work to do, and we were delighted when Cannes Lions announced that they will include Unstereotype criteria as part of the jury briefing for Cannes awards for 2019 and beyond.” Seymour also added that a presence in Cannes was an essential part of growing awareness of the Alliance’s quest: “Cannes Lions represents the single biggest concentration of people who can change minds and we want to show them that we are about so much more than good intentions.” Havas Group and other Vivendi companies, notably Universal Music, GameLoft and Dailymotion. In May, Havas made its first acquisition in the shape of Indian user-experience agency Think Design, signalling its ambition to triple is presence and operations in the region. “We’re got a new board strategy, a new bunch of people and we’re acquiring agencies and expertise,” Barua said. “Suddenly we’re seen as a contender in India and it’s a great feeling.” There are challenges, of course — chief among which are attracting the right clients and talent. “To get the sharpest talent, you have to offer more than money,” Barua said. “People have got to want to work for Havas because it’s the best.”