"LIFE'S A PITCH!", IPA TELLS ASIAN STUDENTS
(22 September 2003)

Ethnic minorities in the UK are under-represented in the marketing communications industry states a new IPA report published today. With only 4% of the industry workforce from ethnic minority backgrounds - and of those more than two thirds are in IT and Finance - the online report contains new research into issues of representation and perceived barriers to entry, as well as providing employment guidelines.

The 'Ethnic Diversity' report in particular highlights:

• That IPA Census figures show only 4% of the marketing communications industry's staff come from ethnic minorities, of which 70% are in support disciplines such as IT and Finance.
• A sense amongst existing employees within the industry that race has played a role in their experience of work.
• A perceived lack of ethnic minority role models and a perceived lack of awareness and understanding of advertising as a career in ethnic minority communities.

The guide contains employment guidelines and a number of testimonials from existing ethnic minority representatives including Ray Barrett (Creative Director of Barrett Cernis) and Jonathan Mildenhall (Managing Director of TBWA), both of whom are involved in the IPA Ethnic Diversity Group.

Advice is broken down into sections for Agencies, Recruitment Consultancies and new candidates themselves. Agencies are advised to avoid indirect racial discrimination by devising selection criteria, allowing staff time off for religious reasons and for obligatory prayers and by placing recruitment advertising in a wider pool of ethnic and mainstream media.

Individuals candidates are advised, unsurprisingly, to use the IPA website to assist in their job search, be themselves and not to give up if they really want a job in the industry!

Said Kate Morris, HR Director at Saatchi & Saatchi and a member of the Ethnic Diversity Project: "We are already an equal opportunities employer but our research tells us that we need to do more to raise awareness of advertising as a career prospect for ethnic minorities. So, as well as this new online guide and our ongoing careers initiatives, we are profiling our top people who have an ethnic minority background in a special exhibition called 'Works of Colour'. We are a young, creative industry and we've got to make sure that we're always attracting the right people - as this is what we offer clients - access to exceptionally bright people, who deliver competitive advantage through creative strategic thinking and execution. "

Click here to the IPA Ethnic Diversity online guide.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

Read about other related stories:

1. The Asianisation of British Advertising (June 2003)

2. Reaching the Ethnic Consumer: A Challenge for Marketers by David Fletcher, head of Medialab, Mediaedge:cia UK (March 2003).

3. 'Play it right - Asian Creative Industries in London' (February 2003). Published by the Greater London Authority.

4. Multicultural Broadcasting: Concept or Reality? (November 2002)

5. Race for Opportunity Benchmarking Report (July 2002).

6. 'Jewels in the Crown' Report by the University Swansea (March 2001).

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