IPG Hosts 11th Inclusion Breakfast at Cannes Lions

IPG hosted its annual Inclusion Breakfast at the 2023 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. With over 300 agency professionals, clients and partners in attendance, the breakfast marked the company’s 11th year focusing on the implications of equality in the workplace, society and media.

This year’s program, “Don’t Whisper, SHOUT,” showcased our efforts to be upstanders, not bystanders, in the inclusion conversation — utilizing visuals, products, language and actions to challenge harmful stereotypes, celebrate diverse personhood and foster a more inclusive world.

Following an introduction from IPG’s Chief Diversity and Social Impact Officer Channing Martin, the breakfast kicked off with a conversation from Designer Fe Noel and The Martin Agency’s Danny Robinson exploring how Fe utilizes fashion as a medium to convey educational narratives. They highlighted their collaboration on the impactful “The Dre$$” campaign for TIAA, which addresses the significant retirement income gap of 30% between women and men.

Dr. Rebecca Swift, VP, Global Head of Creative Insights at Getty Images, then moderated a discussion titled “Marketers on Accessibility” with Richard Dickson, President and Chief Operating Officer of Mattel, Latasha Gillespie, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Amazon Studios, Vania Lacascade, Chief Innovation Officer at L’Oréal, and Christina Mallon, Principal Director of Inclusive Design at Microsoft. Together, panelists delved into the importance of prioritizing accessibility and inclusion as a fundamental aspect of company strategy and approach to innovation.

Following the engaging marketers session, Aline Santos, Chief Brand Officer & Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer at Unilever, and Deputy Vice Chair of the Unstereotype Alliance, debuted “#SayNothingChangeNothing,” a global campaign by the Unstereotype Alliance designed to mobilize public action against stereotypes. Building off Aline’s presentation, Danai Gurira, Actress, Playwright and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, joined Jess Weiner, Founder and CEO of Talk To Jess, to offer invaluable advice on integrating unstereotyping efforts across industries and becoming advocates for meaningful change.

The breakfast ended with closing remarks from IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky.

Watch the replay here…