Learned in Texas, delivered in Bristol. TMW Unlimited are hosting a free event at Origin Workspace to round up the most interesting bits from the world’s biggest knowledge-sharing festival, South by Southwest.
Liv Wedderburn (Social & Influence Director) and Paul Dazeley (Strategy Director) have returned from from Austin brimming with ideas and topics to discuss.
When they last returned from the last SXSW all the way back in 2019, they were most struck by how the conversation had shifted from revering tech to fearing it, with big corporations coming under mounting pressure over their ethical practices.
In the 3 years since, there’s been a pandemic, a new President, a Facebook rebrand and a whole new web has developed – so to say there’s a lot of new ground to cover is probably an understatement.
Besides a hefty dose of jet lag, the biggest issue in preparation so far has been trying to filter down the colossal amounts of information and choosing the most important things to share.
Liv and Paul will be diving into unknown realm that is our future: from the climate crisis, to demystifying the hype around the metaverse and Web 3.0, all the way to weird and wonderful conversations on space, sex tech, synthetic biology and much, much more.
To attend, register here. Free ticket includes drink, canapes and fun for all.
Date and time:
Thursday 31 March 2022 18:45 – 20:30
Location:
Origin Workspace, 40 Berkeley Square, Bristol BS8 1HP
Last week, the Bristol team of TMW Unlimited moved into our new home, Origin Workspace in Berkeley Square. We’re very excited to have found somewhere in the heart of Bristol that allows us to fully embrace a culture of truly flexible working.
When we began our search, we were looking for a versatile working space that our team would be genuinely excited to visit and that was deliberately set up for the requirements of the modern working world. In Origin, we’ve found that and more.
Not only do we have everything we need in terms of formal and informal working areas, and the ability to host events; we also have the facilities to look after our employees’ wellbeing (such as a lovely gym) and fantastic social spaces (including two incredible roof terraces).
After surveying the company multiple times over the last 12 months, it became clear that most people don’t want to be in the office 5 days a week, nor do they want to always be at home – they’re were clearly seeking a hybrid solution. The specific amount of days people want to spend in the office differs from person to person, but almost everyone is looking for the flexibility and work-life balance that being able to work from home brings, and they also a wish to be part of a fun, vibrant agency.
Based on the evidence we’ve seen, the fears that some companies had about reduced productivity with people working from home are unfounded. Not only do our team members tell us they are able to get more done whilst also being able to handle the responsibilities of home, the proof is in the pudding. The business is thriving, we’re creating fantastic work and our clients are happy, and that’s without people being consistently in the office.
That’s why we’re implementing a system of working that’s based on trust. We have enough confidence in our team that we don’t feel the need to dictate or micromanage where they work. It’s up to individuals and teams to do what they feel is right for them. If it works for them, then it works for us too.
Another thing we’ve learned is that working from home has not only changed how often our people expect to be in the office, but also what the experience is like when they’re there.
This has created a stronger focus on maintaining and enhancing our culture and team spirit, and to give people the opportunity to form meaningful professional and social relationships with people within the agency. Many team members also highlighted how they wanted somewhere that could support their well-being, rather than act as a hindrance on it.
That’s why well-being and social spaces were at the forefront of our mind when we chose Origin. Having a place of work with a fully equipped gym and yoga studio, as a culture of wellness embedded into it means we can now look after our physical and mental health, whilst the location and rooftop terraces are perfect to help ensure TMW is a destination that our employees want to use and enjoy, not just a place where they are expected to turn up every day of the working week.
We’re all very excited about becoming part of an already thriving community in Origin, and what the future holds for TMW.
Written by Alex Burley, Managing Director, TMW Unlimited.
During a recent panel discussion, TMW CEO Chris Mellish made this statement on gender balance in leadership: “We shouldn’t just be talking about this on International Women’s Day, it needs regular dialogue.”
Yep, I went there – I opened with a quote from a man. But it may well take male support, particularly from those in leadership, to help push the agenda for women – and get all genders on board with it. According to leading scholar and anti-sexism educator Jackson Katz, the mere mention of the phrase ‘gender issues’ can lead men to switch off as they often see gender-related conversations as ‘women’s issues’, rather than anything to do with men. But genders don’t operate in isolation.
“We shouldn’t just be talking about this on International Women’s Day, it needs regular dialogue.”
– Chris Mellish
Put simply, because it makes businesses more effective. In 2019, Credit Suisse researched 3,000 companies across 56 countries to find that shares of companies with more women managers delivered higher returns, while a greater number of women executives also correlated with stronger revenue growth and higher profit margins. This was echoed by a report from consultancy The Pipeline:
“Companies on the FTSE 350 index would generate 195 billion pounds ($250 billion) of additional pre-tax profit if their margins matched that of the firms with greater female representation.”
But aren’t women hardwired to be the primary caregiver in the home? Cognitive neuroscientist Gina Rippon analysed the data on ‘differences by sex’ in the brain – and found there to be none. If gender alone has no impact on brain functionality, Rippon concluded that what we deem as typical male or female traits are, as she describes, the result of a “gendered world” – so nurture, rather than nature.
And yet LinkedIn research suggests a staggering 60% of female marketers have left or considered leaving the profession because of Covid-19. That’s more than any other industry. In heterosexual partnerships, women have taken on more duties in terms of caring and homeschooling, in addition to their careers, and are left feeling overwhelmed.
“60% of female marketers have left or considered leaving the profession because of Covid-19.”
There are signs of change with studies worldwide reflecting a shift in the balance of housework and caregiving from pre-pandemic times. But mothers still spend about twice as much time on caregiving and household labour, even as they’ve rapidly increased the number of hours they work outside the home – and even when they’re the primary breadwinner.
For International Women’s Day, Unlimited ran a panel discussion with women in leadership roles from across our group, joined by our male representative, CEO Chris Mellish. The panellists shared personal experiences of difficulties faced in getting to their position. Yet on the point of children, the panel questioned their own choices on who in their family took the role of primary caregiver. Some voiced concerns of being left behind during maternity, and recounted being judged as “not ambitious enough” for wanting children – or being seen as “too ambitious” for not having them at all, as if the two options were mutually exclusive.
“The panel shared . . . the general expectation that women must be better, sparkier, more articulate – and work harder than their male colleagues.”
But motherhood is not all that impacts a woman’s capacity to succeed in the workplace. The panel shared experiences of their confidence being damaged in all-male environments, having to use humour to ‘handle’ comments on their appearance, being asked to consider how men would feel if women were promoted over them, and the general expectation that women must be better, sparkier, more articulate – and work harder than their male colleagues.
These experiences are not new, and many echoed a 2019 report from the Government and Equalities Office. The report cited barriers to gender balance as lack of transparency in pay and promotion supporting biases that disadvantage women. Hostile or isolating organisational cultures, and a conflict between external responsibilities and current models of working – compacted by unpredictable work demands and alternative ways of working do not always offering parity of opportunity. Many women reading this post will be able to relate to each one of these.
The Unlimited panel covered a range of ways we can start to shift the dial and work towards gender balance in leadership. There are practical considerations around flexible working, recruitment processes, and transparency on pay and promotions, allowing more unbiased access to a seat at the table. Mentorship, coaching and workshops can serve to build confidence and address what holds women back.
“There are practical considerations around flexible working, recruitment processes, and transparency on pay and promotions, allowing more unbiased access to a seat at the table.”
But a theme that came out strongly from the panel is, as Chris said himself, to keep talking. That is the ambition we must work towards as an agency – for all genders to play their part. We want to create space for getting into the awkward stuff we don’t like to talk about. The often-cited reaction to the Me Too movement from men is fear, being nervous of saying the “wrong thing”, but this doesn’t serve any of us. I’m often struck by how even my most supportive male friends are simply unaware of the challenges of walking in my shoes as a woman. One positive that may come out of the tragic events surrounding Sarah Everard’s death, is the heightened awareness of the daily challenges women face. We can’t afford to maintain inertia. We deserve better for ourselves and future generations of women in the workplace and beyond it. And this is the challenge we have set ourselves – to continue the conversation, and back it up with action.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
Yes, another man – but what a man.
Written by: Emma Woodrow, Group Account Director
Illustrations by: Paloma Kaluzinska, Junior Designer
Simple have launched a new campaign, partnering with Little Mix for the third year in a row. Working alongside international youth charity Ditch the Label, the campaign which runs across Social, VOD, and Retail, aims to get people pledging to be kinder.
The #SimpleChooseKindness campaign sees each of the Little Mix members – Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, and Jesy Nelson – encouraging everyone to join in with their mission of spreading kindness. This year, the brand’s message of choosing kindness is all about taking action, whether that means tagging someone with a kind pic, or sharing a pledge to be kinder. Little Mix are kicking off the campaign by each sharing a pledge that’s personal to them, reflecting the causes they care about.
“I think we all do small acts of kindness every day, whether that’s complimenting someone or being nice on social media. But, right now, kindness needs to stretch out far wider, standing up for people who need it, raising your voice, and making more of a difference in the world”, says Jade Thirlwall.
Additional content on Snapchat builds on the campaign message of positivity and self-confidence, featuring Jade – a Ditch the Label ambassador who knows just how important kindness is – in conversation with Little Mix. Jade reveals how bullying affected her, and how, with help from others, she managed to overcome it and is now working with the charity to ensure young people have the support they need.
It seems there’s never been a more relevant time than now to spread the message of kindness – due to the coronavirus pandemic, the charity reports that between the lockdown period of March to May, support requests for Ditch the Label increased by 158 percent.
The #SimpleChooseKindness campaign shows off Simple’s new limited-edition range (that has a cool new metallic look, inspired by Little Mix) as well as directing people to Ditch the Label’s various helplines and supportive tools.
For Tom Harman, creative director at TMW UNLIMITED, this third year of the Simple x Little Mix partnership represents an evolution in the brand’s purpose-led campaign, “We wanted ‘Choose Kindness’ to feel more like an everyday action, and not just another tagline. So, through the individual Little Mix pledges, we’re hoping to inspire our audience to pledge how they could be kinder in a way that’s personal to them.”
TMW UNLIMITED recently increased its presence in the South West, after merging with Bristol-based agency Prophecy UNLIMITED to expand its integrated creative offering.
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