Siegel+Gale led an important narrative while GTB galvanized employees to #PressforProgress

 August 10, 2018

Around the world, influential communications and branding agencies were quick to support the call to #PressforProgress. As innovative thought leaders serving some of the biggest brands in industry, agencies play an integral part in bringing new ideas and clear perspectives to the equality narrative.

Global branding firm, Siegel+Gale, rallied marketing leaders from various industries to champion the call to #PressforProgress. Their International Women's Day program over three days in three cities was truly inspiring and highly remarkable.

Meanwhile, a further example of #PressforProgress best practice came from GTB, a progressive communications agency that prides itself on inspired thinking. With an impressive network across 51 countries, each GTB location is unique yet they all have a single vision - and their passion for forging diversity and equality is key.

Siegel + Gale celebrated International Women's Day in a significant manner.

Siegel+Gale championed best practice and influenced the narrative

More than 180 marketing leaders from influential brands attended Siegel+Gale’s events in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco to #PressforProgress for International Women’s Day.

Siegel+Gale championed best practice for their International Women’s Day celebration through successfully inspiring colleagues to #PressforProgress as they celebrated strong female executives, all of whom are exceptional role models. Three cities, 18 female speakers, and one important conversation on #PressforProgress.

Siegel+Gale leveraged their strong network to impact change

An engaging panel, moderated by Margaret Molloy, Global CMO, Siegel+Gale,provided attendees with timely advice on how to advance professionally, as well as how to help women succeed further. The panelists shared advice on how females can advance in the workplace and provided thoughts on how the state of women in the workplace could be improved moving forward.

The empowering panel discussions that followed focused on challenges and responsibilities of women in senior marketing roles as it relates to brand building and navigating leadership.

An impressive line up of female speakers from across industry ensured Siegel + Gale's International Women's Day celebrations were a success.

The event was targeted to accomplished marketers, looking to engage in IWD 2018’s agenda to #PressforProgress. Siegel+Gale leveraged their strong network of leading female marketing executives across a range of industries including technology, healthcare, fashion and finance in New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco to discuss how women can #PressforProgress in the corporate workplace.

Siegel + Gale's International Women's Day activity involved many influential speakers from industry.

Senior executives from some of the most influential brands in the United States were in attendance.

Major movers and shakers working for some of the most influential brands in the world were in attendance. Many executives are now requesting that they be represented on the firm’s future event panels, and are eager to be included on Siegel+Gale's prestigious invite list.

International Women's Day collaboration was led by Siegel + Gale.

The narrative extended well beyond the events

Through Siegel+Gale's blog and social media channels, the agency shared key insights and highlights from the panel. The International Women's Day logo and #PressforProgress hashtag were included on all communications and event materials, including outreach emails, social media posts, blog posts, Facebook albums, posters and programs. Siegel+Gale certainly made a fantastic effort to champion the #PressforProgress ethos far and wide.

Margaret Molloy, Global CMO, Siegel+Gale concluded all three events by thanking everyone and acknowledging the special role marketers play, as brand leaders, in #pressforprogess.
 
“Our panel conversation touched on many areas from brand building to the role of women in the workplace. It strikes me in listening to this discussion, that we are facing two a parallel challenge. As brand leaders we must navigate a complex world with many channels, tactics and fast-changing customer requirements. As females, we must navigate complexity too with evolving opportunities, workplace environments, and cultural expectations. Our panelists providing us further clarity and color on how they’re navigating these dual challenges. In thanking you, our guest for spending you IWD breakfast with us, my hope is that you  leave further inspired to press for progress  as women in the workforce and for the brands you lead, knowing that  we at Siegel+Gale  and this community we’ve convened is ready to support you every step of the way.”

Advice to young female talent

Panelists across New York, LA and San Francisco provided tangible and salient advice for younger women starting out in their early careers:

• “Leaders make leaders, not followers. It’s your actions, and where you take lead, that will create change." - Michelle Froah, VP - Digital Transformation, Samsung Electronics America 
• “When I talk to younger women, I often see the tug of who society thinks they should be versus who they want to be. It’s our time to make change. And to do it now.” - Doris Daif, Senior VP, NBA 
• “Know how to help yourself. Raise your hand and ask for what you want. Take a chance – it’s much easier than you may think.” - Jessica Joffe Stein, Sr. Director, Marketing ­- Brand, DaVita Inc
• “Polish your shoes. When I say this, I mean: show the world that you’re proud of who you are.” - Margaret Coughlin, CMO, Mount Sinai 
• “Stop apologizing – you have every right to be here.” - Gina McDuffie, CMO, VER 
• “My advice is to go for it. Make it work. Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you back from taking risks.” - Kira Scherer Wampler, CEO, Art.com 
• “When it comes to finances, what matters most is how you live your life.” - Joan Khoury, Managing Director – CMO, Oppenheimer & Co. Inc 
• “We write narratives and we can change narratives. That is our superpower.” - Angela Pih, CMO, Halston

Thoughts and opinions on women in the workplace

Panelists opened up about women in the workplace:

• “Equal is equal. No buts.” - Rashmy Chatterjee, Global Sales Leader, IBM Security 
• “Sometimes you have to take operational steps to ensure equality. But I look forward to the day when quotas aren’t necessary.” - Cynthia Kleinbaum, VP – Brand & Retail Marketing, Bonobos 
• “Women need to help other women more.” - Alicia Tillman, CMO, SAP 
• “Be the change you want to see. It’s about creating progress, not perfection.” - Michelle Adorjan Chila, SVP, Marketing and PR, TACORI
• “It is incumbent upon marketers to create change for the better while selling.” - Rita Drucker, Head of Brand Integration, Snap Inc.
• “It’s not a woman problem or a human problem, it’s a business problem. Cognitive diversity is key.” - Vasu Jakkal, CMO, FireEye
• “I cannot stress the importance of mentorship enough.” - Stacey Allen, Head of Global Brand Strategy & Identity, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
• “It’s up to us in the workplace to continue the movement.” - Judy Fujii-Hwang, Corporate Brand & Thought Leadership, Western Digital
• “When it comes to women in the workplace, we need to ask, how do we create stories that reflect the world we want to see?” - Lauren Johnston, Head of Brand Management, Google
• “If we open up the doors for young women, they will walk through and be successful. There is hope but we have a lot of work to do.” - Elisabeth Charles, CMO, Rodan + Fields 

Overall, a remarkable effort and example of best practice from Siegel+Gale. Watch this space for next year!

 Siegel + Gale are leaders in celebrating International Women's Day and the stage is set for what the agency might lead in IWD 2019. 

GTB thoughtfully engaged employees via a strong call-to-action

GTB engaged its employees to #PressforProgress by committing to action.

Meanwhile, GTB used IWD to strategically leverage their continued efforts as a company in recognizing, honoring, appreciating and inspiring women - as well as to provide support that helped equip employees with greater awareness and advocacy for women’s equality. GTB’s Women’s INitiative employee resource group (WIN) proudly hosted a highly successful International Women's Day #PressforProgress celebration that aimed to drive positive change by inspiring GTB colleagues through a range of informative and engaging activities. And IWD's iconic purple was everywhere!

VIDEO: GTB delivered exceptional International Women's Day #PressforProgress activity celebrating the contributions women make.

Collective action, engaged individuals

The WIN Team recognized that employees of GTB cover the entire spectrum of readiness for change and pressing for progress. Accordingly, the #PressforProgress activities that GTB delivered ranged from fun games that sparked interest in those at the start of their advocacy journey, through to pledging for progress by declaring #PressforProgress intentions on social media - which successfully served as a symbolic yet powerful gesture that activated employees’ motivations toward true and actionable change.

GTB focused on three areas:    

• awareness raising to gain a greater appreciation for women’s contributions to history, culture, and society, as well as the pressing issues facing women around the world today through featured media, literature, and games including Women’s History Trivia, Famous Women Card Games, Women’s History Brain Teasers, and even adult coloring pages of inspirational women and quotes
• advancement and recognition of women at GTB through encouragement of women to award each other via GTB’s online recognition program called YouEarnedIt! using the #PressforProgress tag
• advocacy to take a first step to #PressforProgress by signing GTB’s IWD pledge posters as well as posting photos to social media featuring their favorite IWD Selfie Cards

GTB provided a range of interactive activities and resources on International Women's Day.

GTB developed a range of impressive marketing materials:

• Lift Up Others - sending GTB ‘You Earned It’ points to a woman who inspires you, including the #PressforProgress tag
• Strike a Pose - taking photos with IWD Selfie Cards and sharing on social media using the #PressforProgress IWD hashtag
• Be Inspired - learning more about women’s contributions to history, culture, and society
• Get Involved - employees finding out how they can take part in helping forge women’s equality
• Have Fun - enjoying treats along with women’s history trivia games and adult coloring books
• Win Prizes - a competition of the first 20 employees to upload their IWD selfies to Twitter using the #PressforProgress + @GTB_Tweets tags

GTB saw impressive company-wide communications among employees on International Women's Day.

One of the most unique aspects about GTB’s IWD #PressforProgress activity was that it served as a kickoff for the company’s further longer-term celebrations that included two additional GTB WIN Programs including a ‘WINning Women Awards’ and a ‘Returnship Symposium’.

This was accomplished through a company-wide communication to all employees on IWD on March 8, encouraging them to not only attend the day’s festivities, but to also see GTB’s activity as part of a greater ongoing initiative and focus for the company. It was sent from GTB’s COO, the agency’s top-most female executive.

GTB activity on International Women's Day was enjoyed and supported by very engaged employees.

GTB’s WINning Women Awards recognized women who had made significant contributions to the Agency and in the broader community. The awards celebrated unsung “sheroes”, demonstrating appreciation for their contributions and serving as an inspiration for others. Based on a robust set of criteria, five women were selected and honored as part of the celebration and networking event that was open to all GTB employees and to the families of award winners.

The second program delivered was a one-day Returnship Symposium for women professionals in the Detroit area who had enjoyed career breaks but were now ready to reconnect back into the industry. The event also included women from outside of GTB. The Symposium aimed to address negative consequences of a resume gap and provided support for on-ramping back into the workforce. GTB partnered with the 3% Movement for the symposium and enjoyed keynote speaker, author of “Work, Pause, Thrive”, Lisen Stromberg.

Employee interaction and engagement were high for International Women's Day participation.

Co-branding and use of the #PressforProgress campaign theme was present in every element of GTB’s IWD celebrations including on all marketing materials such as emails, posters, signs, pledge signs and selfie cards.

GTB encouraged employee use of the #PressforProgress hashtags not only on Twitter, but across all social media platforms as well as in their internal YouEarnedIt online recognition program.

Collaborative activities at GTB on International Women's Day proved highly engaging.