Stereotypes matter because they stop people from achieving their full potential. For those in the business of creativity and advertising those stereotypes continue to abound.

As 2024 draws to a close, creative agencies continue to launch with all-male, all-white management line-ups. Meanwhile, the most polarising election cycle in living memory has contributed to a myth of backlash culture, which risks brands retreating from prioritising diverse representation with noisy voices.

Yet while DEI has become increasingly politicised, progressive brands and agencies have embraced the truth that diversity drives creativity.

Listening and learning from others is vital for growth and is the ethos that sits behind Voices, BITE’s platform to amplify best practice and thought leadership to drive diversity forward. In a year where that task at times felt like pushing water up a hill, we are immensely grateful to the writers who generously shared their time and expertise.

Here are the top ten most read articles from Voices in 2024. In a year in which many in the business of DEI adopted the mantra ‘survive to 2025’, I hope their words drive change. ‘Thrive for 2025’ is a far better mantra to live by.

1. We need men’s help. To help us all

The insightful Jo Wallace, Global Executive Creative Director at Jellyfish and Founder of Good Girls Eat Dinner, writes passionately about the role of men in driving equality. As she explains: “If we really want change then we must recognise that men have as much to gain from equality as women.”

Wallace believes that we need to speak to - and actively include - men in the conversation about equality. Because despite what the myths and misinformation on the topic would have us believe, men have as much to gain from greater equality as women do.

She writes: “In more equal countries, human beings are generally happier and healthier. There is less crime, more creativity and higher educational attainment. And in hard cash terms, the gender pay gap is estimated to be costing the world economy $7 trillion due to the gender pay gap which is exacerbated by gender biases and inequalities that place women in low-wage occupations.”

Read the full article here.

2. Embracing the Dyslexia advantage

One leader’s ‘attention to detail’ is the death of someone else’s confidence. It might be 2024 but when it comes to dyslexia many companies are still publicly shaming employees for spelling mistakes. Masking dyslexia is not only exhausting and unsustainable but the daily vigilance required arguably stops creative leaders from reaching their full potential.

In such an environment the words of the inspiring Emma Barratt, Global Executive Creative Director at Wolff Olins, are a salve. She generously shares some of the advantages that having dyslexia has brought her.

As she writes: “In recent years, I’ve understood that being dyslexic - like lots of forms of neurodiversity - is simply a different type of intelligence, and it comes with unique strengths and abilities. I’ve begun to understand just what a creative advantage being dyslexic is, not only for myself, but for my clients and my teams around me too. Because when I engage with the world on my terms, everyone gets the best of me and I can fully utilise my curiosity, fearlessness, visual and unexpected thinking, and a directness to take creative leaps.”

Read the full article here

3. Chloe Davies launches It Takes A Village Collective

2024 made it crystal clear that there simply are no limits to what Chloe Davies can achieve. The award winning creative and social impact strategist called on the advertising industry to get behind the wheel and drive meaningful change.

According to the 2022 Major Players Survey, Black women are paid £20,000 less than white men, despite similar educational levels. While there has been a further 0.2% decrease of black female representation within the industry. Last year’s 2023 All In Census showed that over 30% of Black respondents stated they were likely to leave the industry due to a lack of inclusion and/or discrimination.

To change this experience Davies launched  ‘It Takes A Village Collective', a global hub for Black women in advertising, media, marketing and communications.

The collective’s mission is to celebrate and champion Black women, for their talents to be seen, heard and amplified and together shape the collective industries into a space where they can have agency and succeed.

Read the full article here.

4. Why adland needs to hold on to its perimenopausal and menopausal women

There is nothing more generous and inspiring than women sharing the sharp edges of their own experiences to help remove those barriers for the next generation. Lucy Doubleday, Managing Partner at We Are Social, shared her experiences of menopause and the importance of being open in the workplace.

As she wrote: “Sometimes, the pressure of performing at your best, having all the answers, the juggle of carer responsibilities, trying to be a loving and supportive partner and finding some time for ‘me’ while keeping the stress levels in check is quite frankly a joke. It’s often just not possible - I can understand why 23% of Perimenopausal/Menopausal women are considering quitting their jobs* due to their symptoms. An IPA survey states that only 6.25% of the workforce is made up of people aged 50 or older. If 23% of those leave, what happens to all those amazing women and their years of experience?”

Sharing the details of We Are Social’s menopause policy, she explained how the agency is supporting women whose symptoms are impacting their ability to do their jobs. These policies include more flexibility around start times for those experiencing problems sleeping, or the ability to take time off without the fear of being judged. As Doubleday writes: “By having a policy we’re recognising a group of employees who often feel isolated and alone in dealing with their symptoms, and hopefully, we can retain these exceptionally talented and valued women in our agency and the industry.”

Read the full article here.

5. The 'I' word: why inclusion is more than just a trend

The industry must focus its efforts on inclusion to attract and retain diverse talent, writes industry powerhouse Adele Lewis Bridgeman, Media Recruiter at The Responsible Resourcing Agency (RRA).

As she explains: “Diversity, equity and inclusion is no longer optional and within our industry, we have the power to help drive change systemically.”

Read the full article here.

6. Working-class creatives can be rich in experience

There is nothing more mind-expanding than seeing the world through a lens other than your own. In this powerful article, Anton Trofimchuk, Account Manager and Communications Officer at Uncommon Creative Studio and Ukrainian Institute London, lifts the lid on his experience of working in the midst of war.

As he explains: ‘Working no matter what’ became my mantra. I always knew how to work hard, but war took that to a new level. Mornings started with air raid sirens, nights spent sleeping in the hallway (“rule of two walls”, means to find a corridor when there isn't enough time to reach shelter before a bombardment), then back to work, hearing the news that a friend at the frontline was killed, back to the office, another air raid, back to the bomb shelter. In the evening, a pint with friends – we had to keep the economy going, support local businesses, and keep ourselves sane. Cheers.”

I challenge you to read this without feeling both huge respect for the author and a renewed ambition to do things differently.

Read the full article here.

7. Where have all the mothers gone?

Now is the time to close advertising’s empathy gap and create an industry where mothers can thrive. Hollie Fraser, Creative Director and Founder of We Are Shelance, urges the industry to ask the question the advertising industry has ignored for decades: where have all the mothers gone?

She writes: ‘Take a look around your creative agency. Then take a look in the creative department. And if you’re really feeling brave, take a long, hard look at creative leadership. Chances are you won’t find many. Mothers, that is.

We already know that only 12.6% of Creative Directors are women. Add motherhood into the mix, and the numbers drop even further. While there doesn’t seem to be any data published on the subject a steady stream of mothers are being squeezed out of the industry.”

As Fraser explains in this must read article: ‘As an industry, we’ve presented many mothers with a stark choice;  either be a creative leader, or be a mother.’

Read the full article here.

8. Are you leaving £4.5 billion on the table? What every CMO needs to know about the diversity gap

In a year where DEI was under fire industry leaders must be credited for their consistency. The business case for diversity is well made, yet needs consistent amplification in a hostile market. In this article, Nick Myers, Chair of the Black Marketer’s Council at the DMA, underlines the marketing cost of not taking inclusion seriously. As he writes: “Lumping people into simplistic categories (White, Black, Asian) ignores the rich tapestry of lived experiences, heritage, and crucially, needs within those groups. A Nigerian-born woman living in Sussex will respond to marketing messages very differently than a young Muslim man in Wales. A middle-class Londoner may struggle to connect with a working-class single mum in Newcastle. These nuances matter.”

Read the full article here.

9. Closing the confidence gap

2024 was a year where it was more important than ever to not gloss over the reality of the challenges facing diverse talent.

In an industry in which women simply aren’t advancing at the same rate as their male colleagues, lifting the lid on what is really holding them back is vital.

In this article Wacl’s Karen Stacey and Claire Sadler share their vision on promoting for potential, why kindness is a competitive advantage and busting the gravitas myth. A reminder that if we want a different result, we must commit to doing things differently.

Read the full article here.

10. AnalogFolk changes the face of creative leadership

For Charlotte Saatchi, everything was impossible.

Would Davina Droga ever get her name above the door?

Would Jane Hegarty have been allowed to zag?

These are three of the hard-hitting taglines from a new campaign designed to change the face of creative leadership from AnalogFolk.

The campaign, which was one of the most read articles of the year, underlines the importance of utilising creativity to drive equality in creative leadership roles.

Read the full article here.

2024 might be drawing to a close but for those in the business of driving equality, the real work is only just getting started.