Diversity and Creativity

Adobe at 3% Mini Con LA.

3% Conference Creation/Lidia Lukianova and 3% Attendees.

Last month, 3% Conference hosted a one-day event in Los Angeles focused on how technology intersects with diversity and creativity.

For some background, the 3% Movement was started seven years ago based on the alarming stat that only 3% of creative directors in the advertising industry were women, and even fewer were people of color. So, the 3% team made it their mission to get to 50%, and Adobe is a proud founding sponsor of the 3% Movement — committed from the beginning to champion diverse voices in creativity — because we believe that diverse perspectives enable rich and vibrant storytelling.

At last week’s event, Kat Gordon, founder of the 3% Movement, kicked-off the conference to a packed room of more than 400 attendees from agencies and brands. “Women of color leave tech jobs at a rate 3-times higher than men. White women leave at rates 1.5-times higher. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is leaving out women and people of color. We cannot compete as a world power without these individuals,” said Kat.

Our CMO, Ann Lewnes, participated in the mainstage CMO Panel together with Heidi Arkinstall of Logitech, Lisa Stone of Ellevest, and Marisa Thalberg of Taco Bell. These top CMOs shared inspiring advice on leading, being a mentor, and advocating for yourself. Ann shared a story from early on in her career, when she stepped into a position that her male colleague/friend had previously held. “When he left, he recommended me for his role and generously told me his salary to ensure that I got what was due to me. I was offered the position, but not the higher salary — so I marched right into my boss’s office and asked for it. And I got it. It was one of my first lessons about the importance of advocating for myself.”

As part of Adobe’s commitment to the next generation of creatives, Adobe and the 3% Movement hosted more than 30 students from UCLA, UC Riverside, Cal State Fullerton, Mount Saint Mary’s, and USC at the conference. During lunch, the students were matched with advertising, marketing, and media professionals as mentors to ask career advice and exchange contact info for a follow-up virtual portfolio review.

Supporting a diverse and inclusive creative industry — both for today’s professionals and the next generation — is a major priority for Adobe. We are committed to educating the creative industry on the importance of diversity, showcasing best practices for improving diversity, and amplifying diverse stories, perspectives, and the creators behind these stories. Check out our research on “Creative’s Diversity Disconnect” and stay tuned for more on #DiverseVoices.