February 27th 2025

Three Things on a Thursday: Reflection, responsibility and double standards

BITE’s weekly series rounds up the must-read articles of the week.

Georgie Moreton

Deputy Editor, BITE Creativebrief

Without being honest with ourselves, facing our flaws and listening to the lived experiences of others we can never strive for better.

In an industry where talent is our most important and precious resource, initiatives like the IPA’s People First Promise underline that without looking after the well-being of their people, companies cannot create great work. In order to create an environment where people can truly thrive, we must embrace active listening and face up to areas where we can improve.

Rapid advancements in AI show that we are living in a time when technology is evolving faster than many of us can keep up. With the rise of misinformation, a lack of formal regulation and the proliferation of younger and younger audiences across platforms, we may not get things right first time. Holding platforms, organisations and ourselves to account is vital for the mental health of generations to come.

Challenges such as mental health, marginalisation, misinformation and better wellbeing cannot be solved overnight. Yet some of the industry’s most impactful work proves that facing hard truths head-on, shattering stereotypes and breaking free from the mould elevates the boundaries of excellence the most.

Will Black women ever succeed working in the advertising industry in the UK?

At a time when searching for stories about Black female experiences in adland garners few results, Creative Leader, Krystal Ude shares her story while issuing a call to action for the industry to do better.

Overlooked, overwhelmed and misunderstood, Ude shares: “I’ve always been given the bottom of the barrel tasks and never offered any help or training, just harsh criticism about how my face doesn’t fit.” Her story is one that others will be able to relate to, and one that the industry must work to rectify as Ude adds: “The impact of this is severe and now I understand why there are very few black faces in these all-white advertising spaces.” Stories like Ude’s are vital. Changes are needed or else talent will be lost.

In a deeply personal as well as practical article, Ude shares her story and gives actionable ways that organisations can make changes to better accommodate their Black female talent.

Krystal Ude:: Read the article here

Social media is this generation’s smoking

Generation Alpha is the first truly digital native generation, yet with regulation still in its infancy, the proliferation of platforms and misinformation on the rise, protecting children’s mental health online is fast becoming one of the biggest challenges we face.

It is a challenge that is even more important given how much we now know that the mental health impact social media can have is severe. From toxic masculinity to promoting unrealistic body images, young people are being bombarded with negative messages they are too young to process. The line between fact and fiction is increasingly blurred.

Trusted brands have a crucial role to play in sparking vital conversations between parents and children and providing the education and tools to ensure a safer online experience. In this article, industry leaders consider whether the industry is guilty of ignoring the toxic impact of social media on children’s mental health and question how we can change that.

Creativebrief:: Read the article here

Nike highlights double standards in epic spot

In a campaign that exemplifies how great work can be born out of breaking stereotypes, Nike enlists Doechii to voice over a powerful film highlighting double standards in sports.

‘So Win’ from Wieden+Kennedy capitalises on the cultural firepower of women's sports to celebrate the continued rise of women athletes. Spotlighting the likes of Jordan Chiles, Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, Sha’Carri Richardson, A’ja Wilson and Sophia Wilson to show the standard in elite levels, the campaign urges women to continue to win, lead and dominate, despite being told how they should act and what they cannot do.

The spot unabashedly celebrates the record-breaking viewership, sold-out stadiums, emotion and excellence in women’s sport. Nike takes double standards and negative stereotypes and uses them as fuel for creative fire and strive for better.