BBDO Asia’s International Women’s Day drive brings clients together to bridge the confidence gap
BBDO Asia has created a digital campaign to help start a conversation around the ‘confidence gap’ or ‘imposter syndrome’, bringing together clients from big brands such as Procter and Gamble (P&G), HP and Johnson & Johnson.
Rebecca Nadilo, head of planning at BBDO Singapore, said: "Despite this topic making headlines, when we asked a selection of people from senior to junior positions in our industry whether this was a topic of conversation among friends or colleagues, the response was a resounding no, despite all admitting experiencing it.
"The fear of appearing vulnerable has held us back from making this a conversation point and by not talking about it, we are made to feel this issue is uniquely our own."
The agency wants to create a conversation online about the issue in time for International Women’s Day on 8 March, though in the video created for the campaign, it is admitted that the confidence gap can be a "genderless" issue.
Jean- Paul Burge, chairman and chief executive at BBDO Asia, added that it was: “An issue that affects all of us but can be particularly damaging for women. International Women’s Day felt like a great launch pad for this and we look forward to getting everyone, men and women everywhere to #ConfrontTheConfidenceGap"
The aim is to create better awareness of confidence issues and to support the video, the agency group will be using channels such as Tumblr and Instagram to encourage two-way dialogue. Deeptha Khanna, vice-president baby care GFO, APAC and emerging markets at Johnson and Johnson, says in the video: “the moment there is acknowledgement, it normalises the issue.”
A poll on the Tumblr had so far been answered by just over 20 people, however, 95 per cent had answered that they had experienced the confidence gap.