With Stand Up Awareness week kicking off next week, IAPI is calling on everyone in adland to do something special to support their LGBT+ colleagues and friends next Friday, November 15th.
The call is part of IAPI’s support of the LGBT+ charity BelongTo which involved a collaboration between 16 different agency members of IAPI.
One of the key strategic priorities for IAPI this year was to promote greater diversity in the industry and in February it put a call out for volunteers from member agencies to participate in the initiative. Help was given across all disciplines: planning, account management, creative, digital, social, media and production leading to the creation of a “mini agency” with creative director Damian Hanley of In the Company of Huskies, project director Kieran O’Donovan of Chemistry and a steering committee of IAPI Board members Ray Sheerin and Charley Stoney.
“The communications industry has always been more diverse than most. Having a diverse workforce has been of enormous benefit which is one of the reasons why IAPI has adopted diversity as a key strategic goal and why BeLonG To is such a good fit for our first “Ireland before Agency” project,” says Ray Sheerin.
Research shows that some 50% of LGBTI+ kids are bullied. 56% of them self-harm. 33% attempt suicide (three times the ‘youth’ number). And a shocking 90% struggle with their mental health. This initiative, probably the biggest ever cross-agency, client and production ever in our industry, is aiming to draw attention to bullying of LGBTI+ second level students and to encourage everyone to declare their support for LGBTI+ people.
With IAPI’s backing, the initiative secured the support of RTÉ 2FM a media partner, giving it access to the station’s media mix across radio, digital and social.
Clients who have donated some of their spots include McDonald’s (Mediaworks), Lidl (Mediaworks), Maxol (Mediaworks), Flogas (Mediaworks), An Post (Starcom), CBRE (Mediaworks), Easytrip (Mediaworks), USIT Travel (Mediaworks), Centra (Starcom), SuperValu (Starcom), Ulster Bank (Boys & Girls/Spark Foundry), Audi (Chemistry/PHD), Windsor Motors (Chemistry/Spark Foundry), Irish Examiner (Chemistry/OMD), Vodafone (OMD), Bank of Ireland (Carat), Nissan (Huskies/Spark Foundry), Aer Lingus (Carat).
Staff from the different agencies who gave up their time include the following: Rafael Ferla (JWT Folk), Tiffany Mongey (Javelin), Kate Fulham (Bonfire), Clare O’Hanlon (Publicis), Jane Casey (Pluto), Mark Hughes (Carat), Dylan Newe (TBWA), Udi Ovadia (Boys and Girls), Isabel Harvey (BBDO), Manuel Yoacham (Starcom), Will Egan (Ogilvy), Rachel Hattaway (Core), Hazel Tracey (Rothco) and Aine O’Boyle (Havas).
In addition a wide range of services and time was given, on a pro bono basis, by the following companies: Production: Pull the Trigger. Natasha Waugh (Director), Max Brady, Aoife O’Neill, Grainne Tiernan (Producers), plus all actors, crew and casting agents, particularly Cast Annette. Sound and radio recording: Raygun. Post-production: ScreenScene. Location: Lynne Tracey. Photography: Aidan Oliver / Neil McDougald. Behind the Scenes Filming: Matthieu Chardon (Publicis) Film and Radio Voiceover: Sarah Jane Seymour at Voicebank.
