Are women still being sidelined in marketing?

What a year 2013 was for women. Sheryl Sandberg encouraged us all to lean in, while the Everyday Sexism project gained critical mass, and a campaign to keep a woman – Jane Austen – on banknotes succeeded. It was a year of much-needed discussion on the rights of women, and we’ve come a long way since Mary Wollstonecraft penned A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792 – but have we come far enough? And in the marketing industry, are women still being sidelined?

The Drum wanted to establish how level the playing field is for women, and as such we have launched an inaugural study on the experiences of women employed in the marketing industries. Despite 75% of marketers being female, only 7% are reaching director level, according to research published in October by recruitment specialist EMR. Not only are twice as many men reaching director level than women, a larger proportion of male marketers received a bonus last year.

The Drum’s research spans all aspects of marketing, and will review women’s overall job satisfaction in terms of salary, work/life balance and opportunities for development in a sector where, in some areas, a “boys club” mentality unfortunately still exists. We’re also calling on agencies to get involved by letting us know their headcount to provide an overview of where the divisions lie. You can find out more about the survey here.

By DMA guest blogger Katie McQuater, Features Editor, The Drum