The Institute of Practitioners (IPA) has today launched an online guide to ethnic diversity in the UK. Its new report highlights the glaring shortcomings of the British Advertising industry in which ethnic minorities make up only 4% of the workforce. Of the 4%, more than two thirds are in IT and Finance support disciplines. London, the hub of the British Advertising industry, is further under-served with ethnic minorities representing 31% of the population.

The IPA's 232 corporate members represent the major part of the advertising agency business, handling advertising with an estimated value of some £7,000 million per year (over 80 per cent of advertising placed by agencies) on behalf of client companies and organisations nationwide.

The guide is the culmination of a two-year project by the IPA Ethnic Diversity Group co-chaired by Ray Barrett (Creative Director of Barrett Cernis) and Jonathan Mildenhall (Managing Director of TBWA) and looks at the portrayal and employment of ethnic minorities in advertising. Says Ray Barrett, co-Chairman of the Ethnic Diversity Project and Creative Director of Barrett Cernis: "While some of us weren't looking, Britain became a multi-cultural society, very much like the States. All of which now means there's a whole lot more people we should be selling to. So looking at a product from a multicultural point of view might just possibly be a cracking idea."

The online guide which is introduced by Secretary of State for Culture Media & Sport Tessa Jowell, MP who writes "It ought to be possible to make it in any creative field in the UK, regardless of creed and colour. People should be limited by nothing other than their ambition and talent. I hope that the IPA Ethnic Diversity Project Guide will assist marketing organisations in recruiting the best ethnic minority candidates and in producing campaigns that will speak to all communities."

The report highlights:

• 7.9% of the UK population is of ethnic minority origin, in London this rises to 31%;
• The combined disposable wealth of this group is estimated at some £32 billion;
• Only 4% of IPA agency employees are of ethnic origin;
• Of this 4%, 70% are in support disciplines such as IT and finance;

Jonathan Mildenhall, co-Chairman of the Ethnic Diversity Project and Managing Director of TBWA\London said at the launch, "The ultimate goal for this initiative must be that the understanding of, creative use of, and employment of ethnic minorities in advertising should represent the UK population as a whole. It is clear to all who work in the advertising industry that people from ethnic minorities are significantly under-represented. Many people we consulted throughout the course of the project expressed frustration that, although the problem of under-representation has been recognised and discussed over a number of years, very little has been done.

This online guide is just one of a series of tangible positive actions being championed by the IPA. In so doing, we hope to see an industry that is dynamic, as colourful and as creative as the country we live in."

ABOUT THE IPA

The IPA is the industry body and professional institute for UK advertising, media and marketing communications agencies and was established in 1917 as a servicing body and to negotiate on behalf of its members with media bodies, government departments and unions.

Click here to the IPA Ethnic Diversity online guide.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

Read about other related stories:

1. The Asianisation of British Advertising (June 2003)

2. Reaching the Ethnic Consumer: A Challenge for Marketers by David Fletcher, head of Medialab, Mediaedge:cia UK (March 2003).

3. 'Play it right - Asian Creative Industries in London' (February 2003). Published by the Greater London Authority.

4. Multicultural Broadcasting: Concept or Reality? (November 2002)

5. Race for Opportunity Benchmarking Report (July 2002).

6. 'Jewels in the Crown' Report by the University Swansea (March 2001).

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