Dive Brief:
- Nancy Mucciarone, a former associate director at Initiative, an Interpublic Group of Companies-owned media-buying agency, filed a lawsuit claiming she was sexually assaulted by Justin Whitehead, a media manager at Dr Pepper Snapple Group, one of Initiative’s largest clients, according to The Wall Street Journal. Other Initiative clients include Amazon, Merck and Lego.
- In the suit, Mucciarone says she was repeatedly sexually propositioned and forcibly kissed and groped by Whitehead, and that her company's superiors reacted to the accusations by trying to remove her from the account. Mucciarone quit her job after she claims her work environment became hostile when Initiative executives learned she was taking legal action. She is seeking damages for lost wages and benefits, medical expenses and emotional distress. Dr Pepper has terminated Whitehead, the Journal said.
- Last month, another IPG-owned agency faced a sexual misconduct situation where an executive left creative firm Martin Agency after some of the agency's employees were upset with how superiors handled the situation.
Dive Insight:
The TV series “Mad Men” brought the issue of sexual harassment and abuse in the advertising and marketing industries to a broader audience. While the show was set in the 1950s and '60s, industry insiders know the problem persists. The lawsuit filed by Nancy Mucciarone should bring attention to how sexual harassment is not just an internal issue, but extends to dealings with clients and other partners.
Since the numerous claims against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein have come to light in recent months, women and men across multiple industries have started telling their own stories. Many have taken to social media using the hashtag #MeToo to share their experiences, showing how widespread the problem is.
In an October Facebook post, Cindy Gallop, a former ad industry executive and entrepreneur, called for women in advertising to send her their experiences of sexual harassment “to end the Harvey Weinsteins of our industry once and for all.” After 10 days, she received more than 100 emails from women at all levels in the industry, according to CNBC.
A 2016 4A’s survey of women in advertising found that more than half had experienced sexual harassment. The survey also reinforced the industry’s long-standing issue with diversity and gender equality. Fifty-four percent of women said they felt vulnerable in the workplace, 33% reported being overlooked for promotions because of their gender and 42% said gender discrimination kept them from decision-making roles in the industry.