DMA Awards boosts equality as Glazer becomes chair

The DMA has reinforced its commitment to promoting equality across the direct marketing industry by signing up WACL president Kerry Glazer as chair of judges of this year’s DMA Awards and teaming up with Creative Equals to reach a 50:50 gender split among its judging panel.

Glazer, who is also chief executive of AAR Group, will oversee the entire judging process, including the Grand Prix.

Each year, the awards are judged by over 300 industry experts and historically only around a quarter to a third of the panel has been female. To achieve greater diversity this year, the DMA called on organisations to ensure nominations recognised talent from across their organisation.

This has resulted in over 500 applications to be a judge this year, with a split of around 40:60. In addition to the open applications, the DMA has directly approached leading female figures from around the industry to join the judging list, helping to ensure that this year’s awards will be critiqued by the most diverse groups in their history.

Glazer comments: “The DMA Awards are respected throughout the marketing industry and I’m excited to be a part of this year’s move to a more gender diverse judging panel.

“WACL’s mission is very much about accelerating gender equality via inspiration, support and campaigning. The DMA’s efforts to support and inspire female talent are perfectly aligned. I look forward to a week of rigorous debate and challenging discussions in order to find this year’s victors.”

DMA managing director Rachel Aldighieri said it is important that the judges at the industry body’s awards are as diverse as the world in which we all live and work.

She added: “That’s why we’ve partnered with Creative Equals as a step towards creating the most inclusive juries in the industry. As a champion and ambassador for equality, we’re greatly honoured to have Kerry as our chair of judges to help us fulfil that aim as well as help us reward the best campaigns of 2017.”

Creative Equals chief executive Ali Hanan commented: “We want to shape a diverse and inclusive creative world. Creative work starts with who shapes it and we believe the same principals apply to judging great work. Equal representation starts on juries, on speaker panels and on awards shows. It’s a small step, but it makes a huge difference and hopefully one that will be replicated across the industry.”

For more information on the 2017 DMA Awards and how to enter, please visit: https://dma.org.uk/awards