Do you enjoy being here in Cannes?
‘How can you not? It's a terrific opportunity for the industry to come together. The power of collaboration, new insights, and learning in person is amazing.’
Reckitt claims to be on a journey to positively impact communities everywhere for a healthier planet and a fairer society…
‘We exist to heal, protect, and nurture the world. We have very purpose-driven brands and they're tied to global sustainable and D&I commitments (diversity and inclusion, ed.). Beyond just the product efficacy, we're very much believers in our role in society to do some good.’
You were part of the World Federation of Advertisers panel here in Cannes. Please share some key findings of that panel.
‘The WFA does a terrific job in terms of diversity charter and initiative. We talked about the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion globally. And, from a societal standpoint, the impact the industry can have. The WFA recently published information on the progress that needs to be made within the overarching marketing advertising media industry. The turnover is real and diverse people in general have a tougher time in the industry. It’s important that we’re on a continued journey to actually do some things.’
Which initiatives are you really fond of?
‘About eight years ago I led Honey Maid, which is a wholesome after school snacking brand for kids in the U.S.. I led a diverse inclusion multi-cultural campaign which was all about 'this is wholesome.' It ran for several years and centered around the real authentic representation of the diverse families in America; from LGBT, to biracial, to Hispanic immigrants, to disabled families. Real people told their stories, we didn't use actors. In the industry, I helped set a bar for actually doing inclusive advertising. Fast-forward to Reckitt today, and tying back to the purpose of protect, heal, and nurture the world; with a large disinfectant like Lysol we’re on a mission to keep your loved ones illness-free. You can stay in that product role and layer in a D&I commitment to tell real stories. Our team in Turkey just won a bronze Lion for Finish auto dish detergent. It focused on a campaign around saving water, but it's also recognized because it's building the business, which is terrific.’