‘A hard business’: UK’s illustrious ad industry tainted by burnout and inequality

From Nick Kamen in a launderette for Levi’s, Guinness’ fanatical surfer and Cadbury’s drumming gorilla to Christmas tearjerkers from John Lewis, Britain boasts an illustrious and enviable pedigree when it comes to creating world-class advertising.

It is a hard business, where hours and not ideas can become your master, and the Kool Aid only lasts so long.”

NABS, the advertising and media wellbeing charity, has said a 49% increase on 2021 last year in calls for its services revealed “an industry increasingly struggling with emotional and financial worries”.

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There are now more women working in the advertising industry than men (54%), and the number of female employees grew by almost a quarter last year, according to the IPA.

Female leaders who are jumping ship are motivated to do so because they face micro-aggressions in the workplace, alongside a lack of recognition, and are also often overlooked for new opportunities,” she says