We must have equality by now? Why unconscious bias in the agency world is holding you back. We still live in a world where your boss is more likely to be called Steve, than to be a woman. In the US, 48% of African American women report being mistaken for administrative or custodial staff, whilst in meetings women are interrupted 33 percent more often than men. Have you ever felt that your opinions and expertise are valued less that your colleagues, that you’re being talked over in meetings, or not invited to give your opinion? Sexism and discrimination has changed from being something blatant and obvious, to more of an undertone of challenge that makes life that little bit harder for certain sectors of the population. Men get more airtime in the boardroom, and women are more likely to get interrupted. It’s not always the unpleasant chauvinist who is being sexist, it can come from other women, or the man that you actually like and respect. This sort of unconscious bias leaves us experiencing self-doubt which negatively affects our performance, our confidence and chances of promotion. Yet often we can’t put our fingers on why we feel this way, because of its very nature being more discreet. Cheryl Luzet became fascinated about unconscious bias having experienced it herself running a marketing agency. From people assuming that her male staff member must be the boss, to having her opinions questioned and challenged by male clients – challenges that mysteriously disappear when a man backs them up. With real examples from agency life, Cheryl highlights the challenges that exist for anyone working in an agency, who doesn’t fit the white, male mould. This talk isn’t just for women, if you’re a man you absolutely need to attend to find out how unconscious bias has perpetuated society that we assume is now ‘equal’. Find out how you can help to support your female colleagues get an equal opportunity.

1. We must have equality by
now? Why unconscious
bias in the agency world is
holding you back
Cheryl Luzet
WAGADA DIGITAL

2. WE ALL
WE ALL
WE ALL
PREFER
PREFER
PREFER
MEN
MEN
MEN
#BrightonSEO

3. #BrightonSEO

5. #BrightonSEO

6. The hardest
week of my career
The easiest
week of my
working life
#BrightonSEO

7. #BrightonSEO

8. #BrightonSEO

9. Middle aged
white man
says,
'unconscious
bias is crap'
#BrightonSEO

11. Why should I
give you the job
over any of the
other blonde
bimbos?*
* Actual words spoken to a
candidate in an agency job
interview, circa 2012

12. Munich Security Conference 2022

13. CAN YOU GO AND GET THE SANDWICHES?
....PLEASE?

15. An anachronistic
product of social
conditioning and
outdated stereotypes.
#BrightonSEO

16. Mary Ann Sieghart
#BrightonSEO

18. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
#BrightonSEO

19. Imagine a
nurse.

20. Imagine a
secretary.

21. Imagine a
firefighter.

22. Imagine
a CEO

23. Imagine
someone
crying in the
office.
https://cpblondon.com/new-ad-campaign-tackles-everyday-gender-bias/

24. Pregnancy bias
#BrightonSEO

25. #BrightonSEO

26. #BrightonSEO

27. Men interupt women in meetings 33% more
than men interupt other men
#BrightonSEO

28. Trust in female leadership
is actually going down
#BrightonSEO

29. In 2022, only 47% were “‘very
comfortable” having a woman as
CEO of a major company, down from
54% a year earlier.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20221129-the-trust-crisis-facing-women-leaders?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_id=worklife

30. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20221129-the-trust-crisis-facing-women-leaders?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_id=worklife
One in 10 men said that they would
explicitly not be comfortable with a
female CEO.

31. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20221129-the-trust-crisis-facing-women-leaders?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_id=worklife
45% of those questioned said they
were “very comfortable” with a
woman at the head of their
government, down from 52% in 2021.

32. Women Men
Entry Senior
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
48% of entry level
jobs go to women
26% of senior level
jobs go to women

33. AT TIMES, WOMEN HAVE TO
WORK HARDER TO GET THE
SAME LEVEL OF TRUST
THAT IS ALLOCATED TO
MEN WITHOUT QUESTION.
James Bavington, StrategiQ

34. #BrightonSEO

35. perception bias #BrightonSEO

36. affinity bias
#BrightonSEO

37. Munich Security Conference 2022

38. halo effect
#BrightonSEO

39. Facts and
evidence
Our
beliefs
What we see
Confirmation Bias
#BrightonSEO

41. Only 37%
of those
who appear
in ads are
women
Only 26% of
ads feature
women in
lead roles
Men speak
7 times
more than
women in
adverts
Only 3% of
ads displayed
women as
creative or
funny

42. BECHDEL TEST
TWO WOMEN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING BUT MEN
#BrightonSEO

43. DEGGAN'S RULE

44. SMURFETTE
SMURFETTE
PRINCIPLE
PRINCIPLE
#BrightonSEO

45. #BrightonSEO

46. #BrightonSEO

47. #BrightonSEO

48. Deal with it right away.
#BrightonSEO

49. "Is there any reason
why you've HANDED
me your coat?"
#BrightonSEO

50. #BrightonSEO

51. #BrightonSEO

52. When you did this...
You made me feel....
#BrightonSEO

53. Would you be willing to listen
and
let me finish?
#BrightonSEO

54. Don't be a victim
#BrightonSEO

55. Control the narrative
"I'll get the sandwiches again."

56. Back your team!
#BrightonSEO

57. companies where at least
one third of their senior
managers are women have
net profits ten times greater
than companies with no
women in these roles
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/female-bosses-companies-profit-ftse-350-a9639766.html

58. YOUR BOSS IS
MORE LIKELY TO
BE CALLED JOHN,
THAN TO BE A
WOMAN

59. #BrightonSEO
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/mar/06/johns-davids-and-ians-outnumber-female-chief-executives-in-ftse-100

60. thanks to all these people...
Kirsty Hulse
Bethan Vincent Zoe Dean
Vikki Young
James Bavington
Anna Peck
Michelle Stacey
Fiona O’Donoghue Patricia Seabright
Stephen Kenright
Becky Simms Louise Towler
Ian Miller
Jaye Cowle