Greggs, L’Oréal, gender stereotyping: 5 things that mattered this week and why

Catch up on all the week’s big marketing news including the crackdown on gender stereotyping in advertising, the latest IPA Bellwether report and Greggs’ plans for home delivery.

gender stereotypes

A crackdown on gender stereotyping in advertising is on its way

Say goodbye to ads showing men struggling to work a hoover or women cleaning up after everybody else – the ASA is cracking down on gender stereotyping. It released a report earlier this week claiming it needed to “do more” to protect people from potentially harmful stereotypes.

All the industry bodies reacted positively to the news, but did seem concerned about how future ads might be judged. And this seems fair considering stereotyping is very subjective.

It is great the industry is recognising it needs to change it stereotyping ways. But new ad rules on their own are not enough to tackle the problem. Alongside these, we also need to see marketers and agencies look at the make-up of their teams. After all, the more diverse the people in the team the more likely they are to spot something sexist before it sees the light of day.

Diverse teams are also integral to tackle the ASA’s next focus, which is how people of ethnic minorities and the LGBT+ community are represented on screen. So while it’s a good start, it will take more than new ad rules to change the industry for the better.

READ MORE: Tackling gender stereotypes: Are new ad rules the answer?

L’Oréal offers top marketer a sabbatical

L’Oréal’s top marketer Hugh Pile in Western Europe is going on sabbatical for a year, taking time out to help accelerate marketing and branding operations at his family business, Blue Skies Holdings. Being offered a sabbatical is still relatively rare, so it’s great to see L’Oréal leading the way here. The company says it is “very happy to support him” and has promised him a new rule on his return.

He also won’t be coming back cold. Pile will be in touch with L’Oréal throughout his year off, working on specific projects three or four days a month. That will ensure he stays up-to-date with the latest developments at the company while also meaning L’Oréal gets to benefit from his expertise. Let’s hope we see more employers following L’Oréal’s example.

READ MORE: L’Oréal’s Hugh Pile takes sabbatical to help run family business

Greggs looks to convenience in digital focus

gregg's

Digital is transforming the food industry, with the likes of McDonald’s and Starbucks focused on technology to keep them ahead of the market. And now Greggs is turning its attention to this lucrative space.

In an exclusive interview with Marketing Week, its CEO Roger Whiteside said mobile ordering and click-and-collect services are firmly in its plans. But, perhaps most excitingly for sausage roll fans everywhere, he also hinted a plans for home delivery, if it can make the economics work.

READ MORE: Greggs wants a slice of the home delivery pie

Digital ad budgets are on the rise, but is short-termism too?

The latest IPA Bellwether paints a rosy picture for digital advertising despite criticism over brand safety, measurement and transparency that have dogged the industry in the past few months. A net balance of 22.7% of marketers say they will be increasing their digital budget, up from 16.9% in the first quarter and the highest level since the third quarter of 2007. And that is helping drive overall budgets up.

But according to the IPA that isn’t necessarily good news for the industry. Its director general Paul Bainsfair says the figures suggest marketers are seeking out “more activation-driven marketing” despite the fact that its studies have shown that a ration of 60:40 brand building to sales activation is the most effective. But does a shift to digital really mean the rise of short-termism or are marketers using digital to brand build as well?

READ MORE: Digital ad budgets see biggest rise in almost 10 years

Did you make the Masters of Marketing shortlist?

masters of marketing

The shortlist for our Masters of Marketing awards was announced this week as we look to celebrate the best and the brightest in the marketing industry. Brands including Aldi, Maltesers, Nissan and Unilever came up top in terms of nominations.

A special shout out to those shortlisted in the ‘special categories’, including everyone up for Visionary Marketer of the Year, Brand of the Year and Agency of the Year. The winners will be unveiled at a glittering ceremony at Tobacco Dock on 3 October. For more information on the shortlist and to book tickets for the event head here www.festivalofmarketing.com/awards

READ MORE: The full Masters of Marketing shortlist revealed

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