As the Future is Female Awards makes its European debut this year, Advertising Week Europe 2020 is set to be a real celebration of female talent. With hot topics taking centre stage such as flexible working, parenting, health and their impact on women’s progression within the industry, now is the time to push women to the top of the game. Here’s our pick of the most inspiring and thought provoking female speakers to catch.
Dubbed “the most powerful British woman in the tech industry,” Mendelsohn rose up the ranks from trainee at Bartle Bogle Hegarty to taking Facebook’s most senior position outside the US in 2013. She is an advocate of flexible working, known for doing a four-day week. In 2018, she revealed she was living with incurable blood cancer, and has been working to drive support for the disease.
Evans’ appearance at AW comes after the launch of the “Mouldy Whopper” campaign, which has divided the public and pundits for its stomach-churning content and the brand’s tendency to ruffle its largest competitor’s feathers. The video, showing a burger decomposing over four weeks, is part of the chain’s bid to remove artificial additives from its food by the end of this year. The campaign follows its commitment to stop giving away toys with kids’ meals, as well as melt down old plastic meal toys - saving 320 tonnes of landfill.
Founded by data pioneer and entrepreneur Edwina Dunn, “The Female Lead” puts a spotlight on female achievement, via a book, online presence and school outreach programme for girls. Dunn is the co-founder of data science company dunnhumby, which launched Tesco Clubcard. At AWEurope, Dunn will share her research exploring the impact of social media on mental health, especially for girls.
Once Time Inc’s most senior female executive, Wong took on the role of Reddit COO in 2018 to oversee business strategy, strengthen diversity and inclusion, as well as build out its advertising platform, with the goal of reaching one billion monthly community users. At AWEurope, Wong will share insights on consumer behaviour online and the opportunities for brands.
Award-winning business coach, TV presenter and speaker Lydia Amoah has worked with the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, the Financial Times, the Daily Telegraph, the University of Salford and the University of Plymouth. Lydia has released unique research into the spending power of the black, Asian and minority ethnic population in the UK. Her work highlights how their spending power has been underrated, and how UK brands are failing to represent and target them appropriately.
Cutting edge, or controversial? Either way, AI-generated humans – ‘synthetic characters’ - are offering brands a faster, cheaper way to create video content. Founded in February 2019 by AI industry veterans, Hour One, the world’s first synthetic video platform, plans to transform content creation and customer engagement across a range of verticals. Natalie Monbiot leads business efforts from New York, with a brief to effectively yet mindfully establish this disruptive new technology.
Provenance began out of founder and CEO Jessi Baker’s frustration for how little we know about the things we buy. With Provenance’s software, businesses can gather and present information about products and supply chains, allowing consumers to discover their origin and impact. Baker founded Provenance in 2014 while studying for her PhD, which she put on hold as the business took off. At AWEurope, Baker will celebrate the brands taking action on transparency, while calling out those complicit in today’s social and environmental crises.
Menopause has to be one of the workplace’s great taboos, but Meg Mathews (the same Meg Mathews who was married to Noel Gallagher) has decided enough’s enough. She launched the MegsMenopause platform in 2017 to highlight the lack of support and understanding shown to women during this time. Mathews has spoken at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, BBC, John Lewis and Partners and Superdrug on how to deal with menopause in the workplace. In 2018, Mathews was named Inspiring Public Figure of the Year by the Inspirational Leadership Trust.
Feeling sluggish after too many takeaways? Well, it’s time to gain more from Deliveroo than some pounds. After four years at one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies, Alice Ter Haar will share what you can learn about your own growth from one of the world’s most exciting businesses. Ter Haar describes one of the greatest privileges of her career as joining Deliveroo at it closed its Series D round of fundraising, as well as working within an organisation that supports her “side hustle” - her Badass Unicorn consultancy. She aims to inspire others to fulfil their potential by taking lessons on hyper-personal growth from billion-dollar “unicorn” scale-ups.
Advertising Week Europe 2020 takes place at Picturehouse Central, London, from March 16th to 19th. The full schedule is available here. Tickets are available here.
Evans’ appearance at AW comes after the launch of the “Mouldy Whopper” campaign, which has divided the public and pundits for its stomach-churning content and the brand’s tendency to ruffle its largest competitor’s feathers. The video, showing a burger decomposing over four weeks, is part of the chain’s bid to remove artificial additives from its food by the end of this year. The campaign follows its commitment to stop giving away toys with kids’ meals, as well as melt down old plastic meal toys - saving 320 tonnes of landfill.
Founded by data pioneer and entrepreneur Edwina Dunn, “The Female Lead” puts a spotlight on female achievement, via a book, online presence and school outreach programme for girls. Dunn is the co-founder of data science company dunnhumby, which launched Tesco Clubcard. At AWEurope, Dunn will share her research exploring the impact of social media on mental health, especially for girls.
Once Time Inc’s most senior female executive, Wong took on the role of Reddit COO in 2018 to oversee business strategy, strengthen diversity and inclusion, as well as build out its advertising platform, with the goal of reaching one billion monthly community users. At AWEurope, Wong will share insights on consumer behaviour online and the opportunities for brands.
Award-winning business coach, TV presenter and speaker Lydia Amoah has worked with the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, the Financial Times, the Daily Telegraph, the University of Salford and the University of Plymouth. Lydia has released unique research into the spending power of the black, Asian and minority ethnic population in the UK. Her work highlights how their spending power has been underrated, and how UK brands are failing to represent and target them appropriately.
Cutting edge, or controversial? Either way, AI-generated humans – ‘synthetic characters’ - are offering brands a faster, cheaper way to create video content. Founded in February 2019 by AI industry veterans, Hour One, the world’s first synthetic video platform, plans to transform content creation and customer engagement across a range of verticals. Natalie Monbiot leads business efforts from New York, with a brief to effectively yet mindfully establish this disruptive new technology.
Provenance began out of founder and CEO Jessi Baker’s frustration for how little we know about the things we buy. With Provenance’s software, businesses can gather and present information about products and supply chains, allowing consumers to discover their origin and impact. Baker founded Provenance in 2014 while studying for her PhD, which she put on hold as the business took off. At AWEurope, Baker will celebrate the brands taking action on transparency, while calling out those complicit in today’s social and environmental crises.
Menopause has to be one of the workplace’s great taboos, but Meg Mathews (the same Meg Mathews who was married to Noel Gallagher) has decided enough’s enough. She launched the MegsMenopause platform in 2017 to highlight the lack of support and understanding shown to women during this time. Mathews has spoken at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, BBC, John Lewis and Partners and Superdrug on how to deal with menopause in the workplace. In 2018, Mathews was named Inspiring Public Figure of the Year by the Inspirational Leadership Trust.
Feeling sluggish after too many takeaways? Well, it’s time to gain more from Deliveroo than some pounds. After four years at one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies, Alice Ter Haar will share what you can learn about your own growth from one of the world’s most exciting businesses. Ter Haar describes one of the greatest privileges of her career as joining Deliveroo at it closed its Series D round of fundraising, as well as working within an organisation that supports her “side hustle” - her Badass Unicorn consultancy. She aims to inspire others to fulfil their potential by taking lessons on hyper-personal growth from billion-dollar “unicorn” scale-ups.
Advertising Week Europe 2020 takes place at Picturehouse Central, London, from March 16th to 19th. The full schedule is available here. Tickets are available here.
