There are so few senior-level women working in advertising because they are “crap”, according to a prominent advertising executive.
Neil French, a creative consultant at WPP group, the world’s second largest advertising company, allegedly told delegates at an industry dinner in Toronto that women rarely made it to the top because they simply are not good enough.
French’s comments have, unsurprisingly, caused great controversy at WPP and the advertising guru is said to have voluntarily resigned as a result.
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The advertising industry is notoriously male-dominated. Nancy Vonk, a creative officer at Ogilvy & Mather where French was previously creative director, claimed her biggest concern was that French was “voicing the inner thoughts of legions of men in the senior ranks of our business”.
It has not been confirmed whether his resignation has yet been accepted.