Inaugural Cannes Lions Glass award must be a catalyst for change says Cindy Gallop

Gallop said the jury had been laser focused on work that “challenges shallow gender stereotypes and that can effect real cultural change.”

She called on the whole industry to help drive this change, encouraging agencies and brands to reflect the shift in their own culture and organisation.

“It’s the responsibility of all of us,” she said. “and amazing things can happen when we get together amazing creativity results.

Glass Lions jury member Jennifer Siebel Newsom, founder and CEO of the Representation Project, said she had been impressed by the campaigns being judged that focussed on how men treat women and how they could instil positive change.

“These campaigns showed how men could behave differently and not be forced to wear a mask of masculinity,” she said.

The Drum, in association with Critical Mass, held a roundtable summit featuring female leaders representing every sector of the industry to try and come up with simple steps to help drive diversity.

The event led to the creation of a report - The Female Perspective: A Vision for Change to help further drive the industry debate, launched on the launch day of the inaugural Glass Lion.

Dianne Wilkins, CEO, Critical Mass said: “It has taken the industry a long time to recognise that diversity itself is an agent for real cultural change, both within our organisations and in the lives of the people that experience our work.

It isn't enough just to address the gender balance within our boardrooms and the Glass Lion is an important step in rewarding positive creativity on our quest for equality.”

The report is available to download here.