Innovation

Gabbie McDyer an Employee of iProspect and Carat as well as an SJU alumni was kind enough to be our interviewee. Gabbie has a vast background in media/ social media strategy and has worked for many different companies such as Source Media, Walt Disney Companies, & Viacom. Her passion for corporate social responsibility and women’s equality was a key part of her job search after graduation. About six months ago she accepted a position on the display & social media strategy team working on the microsoft account which means she is employed by both iProspect and Carat. This is a unique situation in that most of the time ad agencies do not collaborate with their sister agencies, but Dentsu Aegis Network (the parent company of these two agencies) thrives on the collaboration of their agencies. Their connectivity between agencies and their passion for equality and diversity were two big driving factors to Gabbie accepting the position.

The business innovation that has sets Carat and iProspect apart from their competitors is their collaboration with other agencies within the Dentsu Aegis Network through advocacy of diversity, gender, and LGBTQ equality. In traditional agencies competition is steep for client acquisition and many agencies even if they are under the same parent company are forced to compete against each other. The encouragement of collaboration on a local and global scale among the company promotes cultural understanding, and exposes the employees to all kinds of ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations. Gabbie makes a key point in her interview when she says that the Dentsu Aegis Network does more than preach diversity they practice it in all aspects of their business. Having forums and panels about the pressing issues in society that can be talked about openly among colleagues and clients ensures that their equality standards are being met and that their employees are being educated about people that are different than them.

Inspiration

What makes this innovation so inspirational is that when people feel included and understood they become comfortable with where they work and who they are. One major problem with people not being kind to those that are different than them is that they simply don’t understand them. Closing that gap can make a tremendous difference in someone’s view of another human being. It all starts with understanding.

These innovation and inclusion panels make conversations about differences more accessible. One thing that's clear is that as people become more familiar with discussing topics they don't understand they are more inclined to be sympathetic to other cultures that are different than their own. Simple innovations like these can close the gap between cultures and lead to peace in the workplace.

Overall impact

This innovation is scalable to become and industry standard. Having these types of development programs for employees and placing an emphasis on the need for these innovations in the ad/media industry will keep people learning and understanding about different cultures, races, genders, and sexual orientations. Companies around the world have the potential and the want from their employees to learn about others.

The vast majority of people outside of the iProspect and Carat family want to work for an inclusive company. Especially in an industry like advertising. These Men and Women are the creative minds of our generation and they deserve to be heard and learned about. The example that Gabbie gives about the panel on hair types and how they want to approach brands that they believe follow their same inclusive values shows that there is more than a bottom line that needs to be met. There is a goal of course like with any for profit company but there is a standard of respect that is expected from not only themselves as an internal company but from the clients they approach and take on.

Business benefit

A big part of many Millennials entering the workforce is their need to help others and understand others. Companies like iProspect and Carat are working towards creating a workplace for everyone. Regardless of political affiliation, religion. Race, gender, and, sexual orientation workers can be celebrated on their career achievements instead of put down for being who they are. Educating your employees is the first step in obtaining equality in the workplace.

Social and environmental benefit

The social benefit that Carat and iProspect offer are related directly to the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 10. Goal 5 being gender equality and Goal 10 being reducing inequalities. Both companies realize the importance of equality and try their best to help put an end to inequality, using their platform as a stepping stone. One innovative factor of the organization is doing a great job of integrating their subgroups, which includes woman of carat, which is focused on empowering women. They also have subgroups for the LGBT community, and diversity and inclusion, showing the importance they place on creating equality. They hold meetings where everyone in the office will come together and focus on an inequality they wish to reduce and advocate against for that week. In addition, they touch upon diversity in the workplace by working with and mentoring minorities that otherwise would not get a chance to experience the world of digital performance marketing. The awareness they raise against the inequality of women and minorities and their focus on diversifying the workplace show the great social benefit Carat and iProspect give to the world.

Interview

Gabbie McDyer, Digital, Social & Display Marketing

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