Business
There's a problem out there in idealand. It's a social problem, a political problem, and a gender problem. But more importantly it's an idea problem. Only 3% of all creative directors in the United States are women. 3%. Where are all the Donna Drapers? Today we are talking with the founder of an organization that aims to change that percentage, Kat Gordon. The organization is called the 3% Conference, and we got some time with Kat to discuss this important issue. SHOW NOTES: We begin with Kat explaining what the "3% problem" is, exactly, and what her "3% Conference" is doing about it. Kat describes a moment in time during a pitch at the agency she was working where the light bulb went off. She never forgot that moment. And it all led up to this movement she's started. Kat has a great way of convincing men why her movement matters. It's called the "Birthday Gift Test," and she explains that test in detail. We then get into specifics as to how the "3% problem" affects advertising agencies' work. She even gives a great example of work that was insightful, but executionally a disaster for women. Kat then helps us understand how we got here. Was it creative women having babies? Was it the good ole boy networks that can dominate agency life? Was it inertia? We wrap up by discussing ways we can all help fix this problem. From small things to big things, including details on the next 3% Conference coming up in San Francisco this October (2013). BIO: Kat Gordon is the founder and creative director of Maternal Instinct, an agency of creative problem solvers for marketing to moms. Kat is also the creator of a content/community startup called The 3% Conference. Started as a passion project to spotlight a huge business opportunity in advertising -- the lack of female creative leadership and its impact on connecting with an overwhelmingly female marketplace -- the 3% Conference has grown exponentially since its 2012 launch. Prior to that she was a writer at agency, Hal Riney and Anderson Lembke.