GLASS NILUFAR FOWLER GLOBAL CLIENT LEADER, MINDSHARE
Previous juries for the Glass Lion have spoken about this being the hardest category to judge and, within 15 minutes, I understood why. The range of work was vast, spanning everything from documentary films to art installations to children’s workbooks and beyond.
Comparing such a diverse body of work felt like an impossible task and choosing a favourite in a category where the work is deeply emotive was tough.
It was very clear that this was a good year for Glass. There was little work that felt like tokenism. When you review the work as a collective, it’s surprisingly easy to see authenticity and commitment to a cause and equally easy to spot “wrapping paper”. Such work got very short shrift indeed.
One disappointment was the lack of work that addressed the issue of men being part of the solution. It was a source of irritation for every juror that a mere handful of entries saw it as men’s responsibility to be accountable for their own actions. And the stats we saw around transgender discrimination, female genital mutilation, domestic violence and rape, for example, made for depressing reading. It is clear that we have a long, long way to go before we are even close to a solution to many of these problems.
Choosing our winners was tough, but “Fearless Girl” was the right choice. A rare instance when marketing transcends our industry and becomes a cultural phenomenon that will likely outlive every reader of this column – “Fearless Girl” deserves the near-universal recognition it has gained.
Overall, it was a great year with some great work tackling great causes. Is the problem solved? Not even close. But do I feel more positive that we’re on the way? Based on this body of work – hell, yes. Bravo to the brands and organisations that are taking a stand. You are all my heroes.