The Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (EI&P) and Business areas of VMLY&R Brasil are launching an unprecedented project in Brazilian advertising to encourage racial equity in the agencies’ service area. Unlike other initiatives, Academia Preta de Negócios (APN) focuses on professionals who work in other segments, but who have the dream of building a career in advertising.
In addition to the participation of VMLY&R leaders, the project will have the presence of Visa, Vivo customers and the support of the Alliance Without Stereotypes, from UN Women, which has an internal working group to promote initiatives that encourage the inclusion of diverse people in different areas of advertising.
The initiative will also feature Egnalda Cortes, from Cortes e Companhia, the first creators black women and men in Latin America, and the Instituto Mestre GP network platform. The selection foresees up to 25 participants and the meetings are expected to take place between July and September 2023.
“One of the areas that have fewer black people in advertising is customer service. Therefore, we want to make this sector black. This pilot project intends to map talents that have aptitude for business and create opportunities for them to get to know our market, in addition to opening up the exchange of experiences and the exchange of knowledge”, comments Valerya Borges (photo, on the right), director of Equity, Inclusion and Belonging of VMLY&R Brasil.
Aimed at people over 18 and with no age limit, the program includes weekly meetings and will consist of topics such as Basic Production, Basic Media, Existence of Planning, Processes, Project Management, Briefing, Customer Service, Digital Platforms and Creative Craft.
“All agencies are working to improve racial equity in their staff, but there is a “steal a lot” dynamic that does not help the market. For example: I just hired my first black female director, but left another agency without her. We want to change this logic, bringing professionals from outside advertising and preparing them to work in Customer Service/Business not only at VMLY&R, but also in other players of the market”, complements Leo Balbi (photo, left), Chief Business Officer of VMLY&R Brasil.
At each meeting, in addition to Léo Balbi, agency executives such as Fernando Taralli (CEO of VMLY&R Brasil), Alejandro Suarez (Chief Financial Officer), Sleyman Khodor (Chief Creativity Officer), Sumara Osório (Chief Strategy Officer), Jaqueline Travaglin ( Chief Operating Officer), Nicole Godoy (Head of Production) and Luiza Valente (Head of Media) will share their learnings and trajectories.
Likewise, each external guest will share content about their areas of expertise. Visa and Vivo are going to promote conversations between the candidates and the companies’ marketing executives, to show the client’s side and discuss good practices of the professional service person. The Alliance without Stereotypes will talk about stigmas and archetypes in advertising. Egnalda, from Cortes e Companhia, will share her vision on entrepreneurship and business, and Instituto MestreGP will help candidates to take the first steps in understanding and applying project management in practice.
Academia Preta’s visual identity was conceived based on a reinterpretation of heraldic graphics, a visual system created in Europe in the 12th century, and inspired by the long African masks, which often resemble shields and were used in various sacred ceremonies. The choice was to replace European references and bring a connection with black iconography to symbolize the representation of the APN.
Participants who do not receive invitations to join the VMLY&R Brasil team will be part of the agency’s talent bank, shared with other companies in the WPP group.
Stay tuned to Adnews on Instagram and LinkedIn! For us, leaving the obvious is as obvious as creating and transforming.
The post VMLY&R Brasil launches Academia Preta de Negócios appeared first on ADNEWS.
