IN THE INDUSTRY ADVERTISING & FEMINISM

TEAM DETROIT’S RETURNSHIP PROGRAM

Team Detroit is a global marketing communications company that has created a 10-week paid “returnship” for female advertising professionals that have been absent from the workforce for two or more years and are looking to re-enter the workforce.

TEAM DETROIT’S RETURNSHIP PROGRAM

"Women face a number of challenges when reentering the work force," says Team Detroit's Chief Talent Officer, Linda Taylor. “…This is one component of our overall diversity strategy and we're hoping it will help increase the number of women in leadership positions."

ABOUT TEAM DETROIT

Based in Dearborn, Michigan, Team Detroit was founded in 2007 as an entirely new model of collaboration that gives marketers access to the breadth of WPP's talent, ideas, and tools. The agency has 36 U.S. offices and employs more than 3,000 worldwide. Outside of the US, the agency is branded as Blue Hive. Clients include Ford Motor Company, Lincoln Motor Company, Johnson Controls, Purina, Ohio Art and the United Way of Southeast Michigan.

FEMINIST APPROACH

• The feminist approach believes that concepts used to understand organizational life tend to be male-biased and that the ways that women view work and create meaning is distinctly different than men.

• These differences are often discounted, overlooked, or ignored therefore creates a lack of diversity in certain areas in the workforce.

FEMINIST APPROACH

• There is also the belief that gender is a primary way in which identity and power relations are formed.

• There are a verity of viewpoints upon which the gender issue can be solved.

WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

• Women hold a little over half of all professional-level jobs.

• They are only 14.6% of executive officers & 8.1% of top earners.

• Make up only 3% of creative directors in advertising.

HOW IT APPLIES

• Team Detroit realizes the lack of diversity in, specifically, the advertising workforce.

• Understands that advertising industry is inherently patriarchal.

• Thus, seeks to change their current situation.

HOW IT APPLIES

• Actively combating the disparity by reintroducing professional women back into their fields after time off.

• Addresses there are lack of women in leadership positions.

• Tries to be part of the solution.

WHY IT APPLIES

• Team Detroit recognizes that there are challenges that women face in the workforce that men do not.

• Seeks to remedy one of many challenges women face when reentering the workforce.

• Realizes there are significant reasons why women leave the workforce.

WHY IT APPLIES

• Created a program specially for women to help fill in the gap on resume.

• Create opportunity for women’s voices to be heard.

WHERE IT APPLIES

Standpoint feminism would most accurately describe the feminist viewpoint on how to deal with the issue of lack of a female presence in advertising, specifically in leadership roles.

WHERE IT APPLIES

Team Detroit is providing opportunity for women to be represented in advertising with this program because they recognize that there is a disparity which is a example of standpoint feminism.

FEMINISM

nounthe advocacy of women's rights on the

grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.

STANDPOINT FEMINISM

• Believes that opportunity for marginalized voices to be heard should be created within an organization.

• The least radical of feminist activism.

THOUGHTS

• Interesting stance to take because most company focus on race or religion and not so much sex.

• They seek to provide long term skills by expanding their resumes instead of just hiring them.

THOUGHTS

• This program reintroduces women back into the workforce by getting them up to speed on new technology and practices in advertising because in these times A LOT can change in two years.

QUESTIONS

• Did Team Detroit decide to do this program because they want to see more sexual diversity or because they aren’t meeting a quota?

• How many people from the program do they plan to keep?

• I would like to know how many applications they received?

QUESTIONS

• Will they do this more than once a year? If so how many?

• How do they get this information out into the community?

WORKS CITED

• http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wpps-team-detroit-gives-women-the-chance-to-re-start-their-careers-with-a-returnship-program-300221540.html

• teamdetroit.com• http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminis

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