Jaki Jo

A new podcast from Creative Review, Creativity Sucks! looks at what is wrong with the creative industries and how to fix it. Hosted by CR editor Eliza Williams and featuring expert guests from the worlds of advertising, design and marketing.

Eliza invited three industry experts including Jaki Jo to discuss the role of craft, and how it is being impacted by AI in Episode 22: The value of craft in design and advertising.

Check out this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts now.

39th AOP Photography awards judge for the lifestyle photography category alongside Photographer, Julian Love and Director of Photography Monocle, Matthew Beaman.

Jaki Jo was honoured to be part of this years Photography & Illustration Gold jury alongside some of the industries bests,

Horten Stephens, Paul Cowen, BBH, Aine Donovan, AMV BBDO, Kirstie Johnstone, Havas, Hannah Levy, Mother London, Kate Congreve, Mullen Lowe, Maria Singh and Grey, Michelle Kasper.

The IPA has announced the 30 individuals who have made the inaugural IPA iList, in partnership with Unilever, for their game-changing dedication to improving the diversity and inclusivity of the industry.

These outstanding iList individuals are responsible for some of the most influential and wide-ranging diversity and inclusion initiatives in adland, from working to improve gender and ethnic minority equality, to raising awareness and understanding of mental health, neurodiversity, disability and social mobility, to helping to stamp out sexual harassment, to increasing the diverse representation - in all its forms - within the work itself, and much more.

The 30 iList members include:

Jaki Jo Hannan, Integrated Producer, adam&eveDDB & Founder, Equal Lens
Afua Basoah, Vice President, Rabin Martin
Phil Bartlett, MD, Global Inclusivity & Diversity, CDM London
Sean Betts, MD, Annalect
Victoria Brooks, Inclusions and Strategy Consultant, Freelance
Michael Brown, Partner, Insight and Cross Culture, UM
Dan Cullen-Shute, CEO, Creature
Fernando Desouches, MD, New Macho (Perfect Storm)
Asad Dhunna, Founder, The Unmistakables
Akama Ediomi-Davies, Product Director, Xaxis/GroupM
Serhat Ekinci, Managing Partner, Omnicom Media Group – Multicultural
Karen Fraser, Co-Founder AdWorks
Cindy Gallop, Founder, Make Love not Porn
Sid Gordon, Creative Director, RAPP UK
Louise Johnson, CEO, FUSE
Laura Jordan-Bambach, Chief Creative Officer, Grey London
Sally Keane, Head of Sales, Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn
Kelly Knight, HR Director, AMV BBDO
Vicki Maguire, CCO, Havas London
Hannah McCready, Comms Manager, The Specialist Works
Andy Nairn, Founder, Lucky Generals
Liz Nottingham, Former Executive Director Learning and Development, R/GA
Sufia Parkar, Diversity and Engagement Director, McCann Worldgroup
Xavier Rees, CEO, Havas London
Amie Snow, Creative, Ogilvy
Carolyn Stebbings, MD, SVP Data and Tech, Code Worldwide (part of the RAPP Group)
Charmaine St John, Head of People, Fuse
Rudi Symons, Former Global Head of Culture, GroupM Global
Trevor Robinson OBE, Founder and ECD, Quiet Storm
Sue Unerman, Chief Transformation Officer, MediaCom

Says Leila Siddiqi, Associate Director, Diversity, IPA: "These are the trail blazers - the exemplars – of how to get inclusivity right. We’d like you to not just celebrate them; but to take time to learn how they have improved inclusivity within their agency or company and apply this to yours. The iList announcement is very timely, we know that diversity makes business sense and we must not lose sight of our longer term vision for inclusivity during this period of restructure and cost saving. We look forward to sharing with you specific examples from individuals on the list, especially those who are positively reinforcing the inclusion agenda in a way that is relevant during the COVID-19 crisis."

Says Karen Blackett OBE, WPP UK Country Manager and MediaCom Chairwoman UK & Ireland and iList Chair of Judges: "It has been an immense honour to be part of judging the inaugural iList. It has been humbling, at times emotional, but so inspiring to read their stories and to meet them in person. Collectively, they are changing our industry for the better and propelling us forward."

Says Claire Beale, Global Editor-in-Chief. Campaign: "I’m so proud to be able to showcase and support all the committed and passionate people on this list. My hope now is that the iList becomes so much more than a back-patting exercise and is seen as a source of inspiration and learning; the people on this list are leading the way but we all need to follow if we are to truly shape the industry for the better."

Says Aline Santos, EVP Global Marketing and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Unilever: “Congratulations to all the finalists! Unilever has been humbled and inspired to partner with the IPA on the iList. In this completely new world we need diverse leaders, problem solvers and people from all backgrounds to ensure our ‘new normal’ works for everyone and not just a few. Role models like the iList finalists will help to ensure our industry comes out the other side stronger and smarter.”

Says Sam Phillips, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer OMG UK + Chair, D&I Consultancy and iList Deputy Chair of Judges: "Deputy Chairing the inaugural iList was both joyful and insightful. To discover the untold stories of individuals and businesses in our firmament striving to make a difference across the Diversity and Inclusion spectrum was a delight. Thanks to the IPA, Campaign and Unilever for supporting these new awards and to my fellow judges for providing such wise counsel. To all who have been leading our industry’s D&I charge – thank you and keep it up – there’s much to celebrate but there was already a steep road ahead pre-pandemic and D&I chasms will likely grow without eyeballs and action continuing to be trained on this vital area in the months and years to come."

Says Debbie Weekes-Bernard , Deputy Mayor for Social Integration, Social Mobility and Community Engagement: "We want every workplace in London to be diverse and inclusive. We know advertising is a powerful tool but too often the images we are presented with provide limited impressions of the people they portray.

"At a time when having a sense of belonging is more important than ever, these game-changers are helping ensure the advertising industry, and the advertising they create, becomes not only more representative, but increasingly inclusive and truly diverse."

INDUSTRY UNITE TO LAUNCH #SHETAKESOVER INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE CREATIVE TALENT FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY.

10.02.2020

adam&eveDDB has joined forces with Equal Lens, Free the Work, Alliance for Women Film Composers and Campaign magazine to launch She Takes Over, an industry-wide initiative celebrating women in creative production.

Through She Takes Over, adam&eveDDB and participating agencies across the industry will support established and up-and-coming women photographers, filmmakers and composers by sharing and promoting their work to the wider creative industry.

The established and emerging talent will include women supported by Equal Lens, Free the Work (formerly known as Free the Bid) and the Alliance for Women Film Composers, who are united in the agenda to champion women production talent across the industry.

Launched to coincide with International Women’s Day on 8th March, the initiative will run every single day throughout March using the hashtag #SheTakesOver.

As well as showcasing their work, women wishing to take part will be asked to talk about their work and inspiration, echoing the theme for International Women’s Day 2020, which is #EachForEqual.

The group is calling on companies across the creative industry to join in by also handing their channels over to women in production for the month of March.

Companies and women talent should sign up by emailing shetakesover@adamandeveddb.com by 21st February 2020.

Laura Rogers, Creative Director at adam&eveDDB says: “She Takes Over is a brilliant opportunity for the whole creative industry to make new discoveries and new connections through access to the profiles of talented women across the production world. We urge other companies and agencies to jump on board and join us.”

GETTING INVOLVED IN #SHETAKESOVER.

She Takes Over isn’t just for agencies and companies. Anyone can help us make the month a March a time to raise the profile of women composers, photographers, directors or other talented creative women.

HERE’S HOW:

• Use your own social media channels to share work made by women you know and admire and tag #shetakesover

• Repost work that you like shared by others using #shetakesover

• Share news about the campaign or any imagery you see in the world related to the campaign under #shetakesover

Here’s where Equal Lens has spoken:
Verb Brands, Birth of Equal Lens, 12.03.2020
D&AD Office, D&AD & Creative Review Present an Evening Dedicated to Photography, 28.01.2020
Bulgaria, See It Be It, Birth of Equal Lens, 27.10.2019
London, See It Be It, Birth of Equal Lens, 19.11.2019
Glug Events, Glug London Summer Party: Q+A with Jaki Jo Hannan & Aleksandra Kingo, 20.06.2019
Offspring Photo Meet, Lunch Time Chat: with Aleksandra Kingo and Equal Lens, 08.06.2019
BBH Agency, Equal Lens Conversation, 18.06.2019

Here’s where Equal Lens has reviewed portfolios: adam&eveDDB, 2019 & 2020
Offspring Photo Meet, 2019

Here’s where Equal Lens has judged:
Creative Review Photography Annual, 2019
Magenta Foundation, Flash Forward, 2019

Here’s where Equal Lens has exhibited:
adam&eveDDB, #SheTakesOver Exhibition, March 2020

Here’s who Equal Lens has partnered with:
The Print Assembly, Charity print sale for Refuge, May 2020
adam&eveDDB, #SheTakesOver Campaign, March 2020
Campaign Magazine, #SheTakesOver Campaign, March 2020
Free The Work, #SheTakesOver Campaign, March 2020
The Alliance for Women Film Composers, #SheTakesOver Campaign, March 2020

Here’s where Equal Lens has been featured:

AAR, Biscuit and St Luke's among companies supporting She Takes Over, Campaign Magazine, 21.02.2020

Adam & Eve/DDB, Campaign and non-profits unite to promote female creativity, Campaign Magazine, 11.02.2020

CR Photo Annual judge Jaki Jo Hannan on what makes a great image, Creative Review, 2019

We are looking for women photographers, Trayler & Trayler Instagram, 13.06.2019

Glug Facebook Post, Glug, 13.06.2019

Glug Facebook Post, Glug, 08.06.2019

Equal Lens champions women photographers, LS:NGlobel, 28.03.2019

Equal Lens Seeks to Tackle The Gender Imbalance in Photography, Bricks Magazine, 03.04.2019

Can Equal Lens tackle photography’s gender imbalance?, Creative Review, 08.03.2019

Equal Lens: meet 100 women photographers, The-Dots, 08.03.2019

Equal Lens Profile, The-Dots, 08.03.2019

Equal Lens Launches to Give Women Photographers an Equal Shot, Little Black Book, 07.03.2019

International Women's Day: the good and the bad from brands and agencies, The Drum, 08.03.2019

Equal Lens launches to give women photographers fair shot, More About Advertising, 07.03.2019

Equal Lens: An equal shot for women photographers, Ad Forum, 07.03.2019

Equal Lens: An equal shot for women photographers

After looking through the books of over 70 leading commercial photography agents, we found that women accounted for less than 25% of those represented. This isn’t because of a lack of talent, or a lack of desire from agents, creative agencies or clients. It’s a structural problem that must be addressed with big collective actions, such as an industry-wide commitment to always include women photographers on the lists that clients and agencies select from.

Equal Lens is here to give women photographers an equal shot. Launching on International Women’s Day and run by a team of female advertising professionals, Equal Lens’ mission is to redress the gender imbalance in commercial photography.

We are calling for agencies to include women and men in every photographers list. We are encouraging clients and agencies to request and produce inclusive lists. And to make these lists easier, we are championing the work of women photographers on our website and beyond.

“I love working with all photographers. But time and time again I’ve seen women miss out on big commercial commissions. After seeing the incredible work that Free the Bid does to promote the work of women directors, we decided to set up Equal Lens to make it easier for agents and agencies to find talented women photographers. Advertising should reflect the world we live in, and our goal is to help the industry represent the lens of women and men 50/50. Because, be it cars, fashion or food, there’s no brief that women can’t do.” Jaki Jo, Equal Lens Founder & Integrated Producer, adam&eveDDB.

On International Women’s Day, we are launching the Equal Lens website, which will showcase the work of 100 established and up-and-coming women photographers including Julia Fullerton-Batten, Metz+Racine, Jo Metson Scott and Charlie Campbell. To call attention to the cause, we are also launching the #equallens social media campaign, which will introduce our mission to the world.

Redressing the gender imbalance in commercial photography is more than the right thing to do, it’s what we need to do. Excluding women narrows the pool of photographers and the creativity that our industry needs to thrive. And it robs photography of a much-needed perspective in a market where women shoppers make up to 85% of all consumer purchases.

Together, we can give women photographers an equal shot.  

Equal Lens Team
Haylie Craig, Art Director / Designer, Google Creative Lab
Helen Parker & Tanja Adams, Founding Partners, Another Production
Jaki Jo, Equal Lens Founder & Integrated Producer, adam&eveDDB
Nici Hofer, Photographer & Art Director, Nici+Karin
Zuleika Sedgley, Senior Writer, Pentagram

Related Articles
Creative Review “Can Equal Lens Tackle Photography’s Gender Imbalance?”
The Drum “International Women's Day: the good and the bad from brands and agencies“
Little Black Book “Equal Lens Launches to Give Women Photographers an Equal Shot”
More About Advertising “Equal Lens launches to give women photographers fair shot”

On Monday 11th March 2019 I was part of an all start line up, mentoring at the first ever The Dots “Photography, Styling & Art Direction Freelancer Speed Pitching event” at Ace Hotel, London. Unfortunately this event is passed but find out about The Dots other events here.

Event Info:

Are you a freelancer and in the world of photography, styling or art direction? We're looking for 30 passionate, diverse and talented folk to join our inaugural Freelancer Speed Pitching event at Ace Hotel, London!

During the event, you'll pitch yourself and show your portfolio to approx 15 reps from an array of brands. You'll have eight minutes with each rep in a speed-dating style setup. Expect to pitch to reps from the likes of Nike, Dazed, Pentagram, BBC, Warner Music, Burberry, Google, AKQA, Adidas, Tate and many more (based on brands involved in our Portfolio Masterclass event series).

Mentor Lineup:

Dalia Nassimi, Director of Photography, WIRED
Chris Watt, Director Digital Publishing, Adidas
Sara Taglioretti, Photography Producer, Culture Trip
Alistair Hanson, Senior Creative, It's Nice That
Jade Lajer, Producer, John Parkinson Agency
Martin Francis, Creative Director, Jones Knowles Ritchie
Katy Barker, Managing Director, Katy Barker
Lauren Parker, Art Director, MatchesFashion
Julien Beaupré Ste-Marie, Managing Director, MMBP
Melissa Matos, Creative Director, MMBP
Shin Miura, Deputy Photo Editor, Monocle
Kirsty Hathaway, Creative Director, Refinery29
Sian O'Flaherty, Senior Creative, Refinery29
Catherine Pykett, Deputy Picture Editor, Sunday Times
Julia Salotti, Senior Creative, The Full Service (Rankin)
Chelsea Stemple, Executive Producer, The Full Service (Rankin)
Alex Milnes, Producer, Wallpaper* Magazine
Olivia Hazeldine, Photography Editor, Wallpaper* Magazine
Mike Lythgoe, Art Director, Warner Music and Parlophone
Francesca Costa, Creative Commissioner, Warner Music and Parlophone
Rose Mullings, Photo Agent, Wyatt Clarke Jones
Alana Leissle, Photo Agent, Wyatt Clarke Jones
Jaki-Jo Hannan, Integrated Producer, adam&eveDDB
Charlie Sheppard, Creative, Anyways
Emily Reid, Creative Strategist, betweenUs
George Hughes Photography Commissioner, Culture Trip
Will Simeone, Photography Agent, Katy Barker
Sherry Collins, Founder and Editor in Chief, Pitch Magazine
Nicole Le Surf, Senior Creative Services Manager, Stella McCartney
Ellis Jones, Editor in Chief, Vice Magazine

On the 19th February 2019 I was honoured to be named Badass.gal #349.

Badass.gal is a project by The Young Creative Council for International Women’s Day to celebrate young female creatives that are already going above and beyond. They are passionate about helping bridge the gap between industry and education. They believe in the next industry future leaders. 

Thank you Sulaiman Khan for my nomination, you are a #BadassGuy.

In 2019 I will be a judge for the Magenta Foundation 'Flash Forward' Emerging Artists Competition. Flash Forward began 14 years ago, the intention was to support and encourage emerging photographers in Canada and stack them up against their counterparts in the U.S. and U.K. to show that there was a group of talented voices not getting the exposure it deserved. As they enter their 15th year, they are having a shift in perspective and the competition has gone global:

"The work of these young people is being taken seriously throughout the industry, as gallerists, art buyers and photo editors realise that this younger generation is better suited to tell the stories that speak to their peer group. You only need to look to the explosion of Instagram and the talent-mining that routinely happens there for major campaigns to see the change."

It’s a decade since I won a student D&AD New Blood yellow pencil. That moment was the pivotal point in the launch of my career, so it was an absolute honour to come back and be able to share my experience of the creative industry with a great group of students. My topic was ‘There’s More To Making’, I talked about my journey in the industry, being a maker vs creative production, integrated production, creating multi layered campaigns, projects I have worked on such as Martini/Trash Isles, equality in photography with Equal Lens, self care tips I have learnt along the way and so.

On Wednesday 20th June I had the opportunity to be part of a live Cannes Lions TV segment on ‘Craft & Comms’. Moderator Patrick Collister, Creative Matters and fellow guest Resh Sidhu, Creative Director, AKQA, talked about many things on our topic including if craft actually matter these days, does the screen size effect craft, Cannes running a workshop on how to do 6-second bumpers on YouTube, craft skills vs charging clients, what new craft skills have emerged as a result of technology and so on.

I’m excited to return to Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity as one of the Forum Stage MC’s and SIBI Alumni. The sessions cover a range of different topics/tracks and includes a Q&A at the end of each session. For the agenda please scroll to Tuesday 19th and Thursday 21st June (10:00-17:45). The stage is within the Palais and seats approx. 300 people.

This week I had the opportunity to be part of a Birmingham City University symposium, which involved creating a workshop and partaking in a panel discussion. The panel focused on gender imbalance within the industry and other related topics to Photography. 80% of the student population in Photography is female, so where do they all go?!

The University has invited industry professionals to share their experience and have an open conversation with the students. I will be joined by Diane Smyth, Deputy Editor of the BJP, Alicia Hart, freelance Picture Editor and Georgina Mind, PHD student who is researching historical female photography for the National Portrait Gallery.

The amazing Nishma Robb nominated Jaki Jo as one of her top female creative leaders making change in the industry, a female trailblazer for 2018. This is part of a project The Dots were doing for International Women’s Day (March 8th), where 10 female creative icons have nominated 10 female trailblazers. This honour included being featured in the main article and being featured on The Dots 'People' page.

"This International Women's Day, we asked influential icons to nominate 10 trailblazing women who they believe are redefining the creator landscape. The result? A unique and incredible list of 200 trailblazing women breaking barriers and inspiring change!

Only 36% of jobs in the creative sector are currently filled by women. At the top of the tree there’s an even bigger problem - women make up only 11% of Creative Directors.

In an attempt to change this, our month-long takeover will extend International Women’s Day to International Women’s Month, only featuring women on the platform and only featuring projects created by women. Our aim is to inspire the next generation of creative leaders and to shine a spotlight on a diverse and brilliant mix of women!

Together we can make a better and more diverse creative industry.

Nishma Robb

Nishma is Ads Marketing Director for Google UK and the ex-Chair of Women@Google. She’s a spirited marketing leader and champion for diversity in business. Nishma is also a Board Director and Fellow of The Marketing Society, was listed in the Campaign 2018 A-List and in 2016, in The Hospital Club's prestigious h100 awards, and was recognised as one of the most influential and innovative people in the UK’s creative industry."

On the 28th November 2017 (10:30-11am) I will be speaking alongside the Cannes Lions See It Be It Alumni at Eurobest Festival. Our topic is 'Utopia Inc. What Future Creative Industry Looks Like', we will be talking about collaboration, inclusion, leadership and self care. Read more about our talk here or see below. For my section of the talk please scroll to 20m17s or click here.

Session description:

Tabula rasa! Imagine starting our industry from scratch. What would it look like in terms of culture, collaboration and leadership?   Cannes Lions 2017 See It Be it alumni look forward to providing you with some suggestions that will ring richly in your audio headsets.   How do you build a culture? How do you encourage diversity? What makes a good team? What can you learn from Martha Stewart? How do you ensure all voices are heard? Drawing from their personal experiences and freshly gained perspectives from See It Be It, they'll offer you a glimpse into the future.

Speakers:

Barbara Dzikanowice, Creative Content Director, Happiness, Belgium

Shahnaz Ahmed, Senior Designer, Livity, UK

Hannah Johnson, Senior Copywriter, LA RED, Germany

Jaki Jo Hannan, Senior Art Producer, AMV BBDO, UK

On the 21st November 2017 I was asked to be the keynote speaker at the launch of She.grows, hosted by PPL in Soho, London. I spoke about 'Self Care & Love'. She.grows is a mentorship programme run by Shesaid.so network of women working in the music industry. The initiative is supported by a range of companies including Universal Music, AIM UK, Warner Music Group, Ninja Tune, Sony/ATV and Cooking Vinyl. Read more about this event on Music Week online here.

On the the 18th October 2017 I launched a new photography ambition called 'Equal Lens'. Creating new and equal opportunities for female photographers in adverting. I launched with a pledge page on my personal site and an Instagram @equallens that champions women photographers. Ultimately I want to encourage all photographers of diversity, encouraging more inclusivity within advertising commissioning. Please support the Instagram and give it a follow. 

This article by Geraldine Vessiere gave me a voice, allowed me to express my thoughts on gender equality, #WomenNotObjects and my new initiative Equal Lens. Read the full article online here and below:

For the last 4 years, a select group of  women from all around the world has gathered during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. They take part in workshops and seminars specially curated around the issues of gender equality in the industry and are offered one-to-one mentoring by female leaders. We met Jaki Jo Hannan, one of the participants of the See It Be Itprogramme and one of the speakers of this Wednesday’s 18 October Cannes Lions’ event “See It Be It presents: How are you really?”

“Can we have it all?” Having just arrived at our meeting, Jaki Jo Hannan, Senior Art Producer at AMV BBDO, starts the conversation with a question that most (working) women have on their lips. “Can we at the same time be successful in our career and create a family, not to mention maintaining a social life?” Jaki Jo was one of the 15 future women leaders taking part in this year’s See It Be programme and the issue was one of the hot topics on the table.

Launched by Cannes Lions in 2014, See It Be It is a response to the gender imbalance in the creative industry, its ultimate aim being to change the ratio of women leaders in agency creative departments. The facts speak for themselves. An estimated 25% of agency creatives are women, and only 11% will reach Creative Director Level. And the inequality doesn’t only concern the management level. As Jaki Jo Hannan observes, “As a producer, I can see that there are usually more men than women to commission. Sometimes I ask agents, out of curiosity, why there are so little women on their books. Most of them will say that they are looking to increase their number but a few answer something like ‘I don’t think my personality suits women’ or ’I’m not emotionally open to keep them’…”

See It Be It

We all have a choice

Some initiatives have been taken to fight the gender imbalance. Free the Bid, for instance, advocates on behalf of women directors for equal opportunities to bid on TV commercial jobs in the global advertising industry. It calls for agencies to include at least one female director every time they triple-bid a TV commercial production. “I think it’s a great idea. How can women have more opportunities if they don’t have a place to show what they can do?” says Jacki Jo.

On her side, Jaki Jo over the coming months will be launching a 50/50 photography pledge  called ‘Equal Lens’ to try amending the gender imbalance she is witnessing. “We each can make a difference in our section of the industry. Every time I commission new work I have to ask myself how I can create more opportunities for women and in turn more inclusion for all minorities. Obviously, it will ultimately come down to who is creatively best for the job. Piera Gelardi, Co-Founder & ECD, Refinery29 said at this year’s Cannes Lions, “Inclusion is not about: ‘You can sit with us.’ It’s about: ‘You already havea seat at the table’ ”, explains Jaki Jo.

The responsibility, though, belongs to everyone. And women have their part to play. A well- known report from Hewlett Packard reveals that men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications while women apply only if they meet 100% of them. “Knowing this is really helpful. Sometimes it’s how we perceive ourselves that is our own limit. We need to learn to identify when we are holding ourselves back and find a way to overcome these limitations. Karan Kaplan, CEO of the marketing and advertising agency Hill Holiday and one of the See It Be It mentors, told us to ‘be the CEO of the role we’re in’, and to ‘Identify (our) personal board of directors’ to cheerlead us to reach our full potential. It really inspired me. We have to be the master of our own life, but we don’t have to do it alone”, says Jacki Jo.

See and be seen

The question of gender equality is twofold: the place of women in the creative industry on one side and, how the creative industry represents women in the media on the other side.

This year’s SIBI Ambassador Madonna Badger, Chief Creative Officer at ad agency Badger & Winters, created the “Women Not Object” movement in 2016 to fight the objectification of women in the marketing and advertising world. She defined objectification by three criteria.

Props - Does this woman have a choice or a voice?
Plastic - Has she been retouched to the point of being humanly unachievable?
Parts - Has this woman been reduced solely to a provocative body part?

As Jaki Jo Hannan explains, “The purpose is to raise awareness. To make people think and to get them to make their own informed judgment. Imagine it is your sister, your mother, your daughter, your manager, your CEO… How would you feel?”  Following Madonna Badger’s movement, the Cannes Lions judging criteria were amended to ensure that empathy is at the front of jury members minds’ ensuring that work that objectifies or perpetuates negative and harmful inequalities and gender bias isn’t awarded.

Raising awareness

Coming back from See It Be IT, Jaki Jo feels more confident, empowered and feels like she has a voice. “Having had mentors and a support group of women to whom I can turn when I need to is really helpful. Leadership doesn’t seem to be out of range anymore and I have realised that I can be myself in the workplace. A leader sharing her/his vulnerability can actually empower others. Since my return, I’ve tried to open up the conversation. I have started talking with other people, finding likeminded individuals within my agency and industry.”

The concept of Feminism nowadays is somewhat tarnished. Those who try to raise issues regarding gender equality and the image of women will sometimes be received with contempt. “One of my friends, working in the advertising industry, was told by colleagues of hers that she was scary because she was a feminist – even though she expressed her thoughts in a normal and respectful way and the points she was making were pertinent. I tell myself that these people aren’t ready yet. It’s ok. Some people feel uncomfortable because they don’t know how they can implement change. Some because it is different from what they have known. Some are scared by the impact it can have on them. It is up to my friend now to decide if she wants to stay in that environment or find a workplace that is more open minded. It’s a hard choice for anyone. Do you stay and try and make the change where it’s really needed or do you go somewhere that will help you flourish and help the message go further?”

I will be judging at this year’s LeBook Connections London on the 18th and 19th October at the Old Truman Brewery. Check out my profile. Connections London is a custom-made tradeshow for the creative community, with a curated selection of case studies in featured exhibitor categories including. The attendees join the annual forum for creative innovation and solutions- bringing together senior level marketers, creatives, and producers from - brands & advertising agencies including “some of the best content-creators and image-makers in the world”.

See It Be It Presents: How are you, really?

Whether it’s ‘leaning in', acting like a ‘girl boss’, shattering the glass ceiling, shutting down imposter syndrome or claiming their seat at the table, working women are inundated with advice on how best to navigate the workplace. When things are full-on at work, self-care is often the first thing too take a back seat. But sometimes, it’s important to take a moment to pause and focus on the basics: are we happy? Are we getting the support we need, and lending ours to those who need it?

This evening brings together trailblazing creative women for a frank discussion on leadership, mental health, self confidence, and creating an inclusive office culture. It will leave you with actionable takeaways, from how to recognise the first signs of burnout to steps for building your confidence.

Expect to hear personal experiences from Michelle Morgan, co-founder of London-based youth network Livity, and a toolkit for workplace resilience from executive coach Sukhvinder Pabial. We'll also be opening up the floor for the bravest among you to get up and share your own experiences.

And, of course, there will be drinks, nibbles and a whole load of networking opportunities too. 

Be quick, though! Spaces are allocated on a first come, first serve basis. Tickets Link.

Speakers:

Michelle Morgan, Co-Founder, Livity

Sukhvinder Pabial, Senior Learning and Organisational Development Leader

Jaki Jo Hannan, Senior Art Producer, AMV BBDO

Shahnaz Ahmed, Senior Designer, Livity

Scarlett Montanaro, Digital Creative, AMV BBDO

Dr. Amy Rachelle, Naturopathic Doctor

Anthony Abbagnano, Founder, Alchemy of Breath

Event at a glance:

18:00 – 18:30 – Networking drinks

18.30 – 18.40 –Welcome note

18.40 – 19:00 –Michelle Morgan, Co-Founder Livity - When Your Passion Burns out Suddenly and Violently. Then What?

19:00 – 19:30 – Workshop discussion on mental health

19:30 – 19.40 – Dr. Amy Rachelle, Naturopathic Doctor - 6-step system for a complete mind, body, spirit workout, in 6 minutes

19.40 - 20.00 - Break for drinks and nibbles

20.00 – 20:15 – Sukhvinder Pabial, Senior Learning and Organisational Development Leader - Resilience in the workplace

20:15 – 20:30 – Jaki Jo Hannan, Senior Art Producer, AMV BBDO - Self Care & Love

20:30 – 20:45 – Anthony Abbagnano, Founder, Alchemy of Breath - How such a simple tool as your breath can be used to transform your life

20:45 – 21:00– Q&A with participants

21:30 – Event ends

With thanks to our partner, Twitter, for hosting the event.

Every year Creative Social have a round up of everything Cannes Lions. #CSminicannes hit the London stage this year at the Twitter HQ with an inspiring selection of talks and panels from key creative leaders. This gives the industry the low down on what everyone was buzzing about at this year’s 'festival of creativity'.

The session was divided up into 4 strategic content areas including a talk from myself an Shahnaz Ahmedon about the expirence. Creative Social said "We put the spotlight on two of the 15 women chosen to take part in the ‘See It Be It’ initiative from Cannes."

British Journal of Photography are returning to Free Range in 2017 to host a programme of free talks for emerging photographers. They have invited leading curators, publishers, writers, editors and agents to share their industry insights and offer practical advice on making a career in photography.

I have been asked to speak on Monday 3 July for 40 minutes as the conclusion to the session on 'Working on commercial projects and selling your images'. 

12pm – Dominic Bell
Webber Represents

1pm  – Gem Fletcher
Photographic Art Director

2pm – Hamish Crooks
Licensing Director, Magnum Photos

3pm – Jaki Jo Hannan
Senior Creative Producer, AMV BBDO

I am honored to be one of the 'Cannes Lions 15 female future creative leaders for See It Be It 2017'. See It Be It puts high-potential senior creative women in the spotlight, expands their contacts, builds their confidence and accelerates their careers as leaders. It was incredible to meet the 15 international creative women of the future! Ad Week, Media Bites and many other publications have published an article about us. 

Jaki Jo Hannan, Senior Art Producer, AMV BBDO, UK
Playing an intrinsic role in the creative process as a Senior Art Producer Jaki Jo aspires to be a curator of female talent across various creative disciplines, sharing and showcasing their achievements, innovations and extraordinary creative range.

On the 21st April 2017 myself and Alicia Hart launched AMV's own Instagram account. On the 24th April 2017 the account was varified with a blue tick and then on July 20177 we reached 1k+ followers. Please give us a follow @amvbbdo and check out our unique hashtag #amvloves.

Agency: AMV BBDO

Editors: Jaki Jo Hannan & Alicia Hart

Supporting Team: Gerard Crichlow, Rosie Arnold, Tim Riley, Kirstie Johnstone, Stasi Georgieva, Tony Kovachev, Amy Simmons, Debs McCartney, Liv Fryer and Summer Taylor.

The Offspring Photo Meet gathers together some top photography experts to impart their wisdom and advice to an audience of professional and aspiring image-makers. I am excited to announce that I will be conducting portfolio reviews and helping judge 'Best Portfolio Award' on the 13th May 2017.

I'm excited to announce that I returned to the D&AD New Blood jury line-up. I judged the Hasbro-sponsored gaming category. Game on. View my D&AD profile here.

I felt privileged to be able to share my Art Production knowledge in the British Journal Of Photography. I answered a Q&A on photographic commissioning, brand identities, new advertising trends, finding a balance between personal work and commercial commissions and my role in general.

I am thrilled to be judging Creative Circle 2017. Bring on all the stunning campaigns.

I'm very happy to announce that I am one of the LPA Futures Judges. We will be looking for new commercial photography talent to win representation with LPA. 

I was thrilled to be part of a fantastic graduate feature in Computer Arts. I answered questions on how students can stand out at their graduate shows, common mistakes to avoid, engaging potential employers, following up with industry contacts and so on.

Jaki Jo Hannan, senior art producer at advertising agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO and D&AD judge, believes that success stems from work that stops the viewer in their tracks. "When I was a student, I won a D&AD Yellow Pencil because my work was provocative, full of ideas, visually and mentally stimulating the judges," she explains. "I took risks and exposed myself through my own creativity and imagination. Last year when I was judging D&AD Best in Show, I kept all those points in mind and found I was drawn to the work that kept pulling me back in through unique creativity. In those moments I knew I was on to the winners."

I was delighted to attend the first Omniwomen UK event on Thursday, March 5th at BT headquarters, in London. OmniWomen is an Omnicom initiative designed to encourage and inspire female talent / leadership across Omnicom companies. 

This inspirational day was held in the same week as International Women’s Day, this all day event featured panel debates, engaging break-out sessions and an exciting line up of speakers including broadcaster Emma Freud, Jo Swinson MP and Dame Fiona Woolf. It included many other rising female stars within the Omnicom Group.

'Omnicom Group celebrates the social, political and economic achievement of women around the world.'

I judged the illustration category at D&AD New Blood 2015 (WeTransfer brief). There was so much brilliant work and it was an absolute honour to be supporting new talent. I felt like I had come full circle as I had won the very same illustration brief in 2008. I was then asked to judge the D&AD 'Best In Show' award. 

I was featured in Creative Review's D&AD New Blood supplement in an article entitled 'Where Are They Now?'. I felt privileged to be able to share my journey and help inspire students at the start of their careers.

I was featured on D&AD's website a few years after I won the illustration category 1st prize at the D&AD Student Awards. This article was shared with upcoming entrants, to let them know what life is like after university and how to break into the industries they worked so hard to study. I am very grateful to D&AD for their impact on my career and their commitment to staying in touch with previous winners like myself. 

In the 2011 'Emerging Talent Portfolio' in Campaign Magazine, then Executive Creative Director of AMV BBDO Paul Brazier recognised me in his agency as a producer in the Art Production department and as an illustrator. He is quoted saying 'Watch out for her!’

I was nominated by D&AD as a Rising Star in Design Week Magazine as an up-and-coming graphic artist. Lauren Woodroffe the director of eduction and professional development at D&AD, was quoted in the article, 'Just over two years ago a D&AD Student Awards jury was blown away by Jaki Jo Hannan’s intellect, shockingly perverse mind and wonderful use of colour. Two months later she blew away another crowd of people at the New Blood Pecha Kucha, her performance adding the qualities “charismatic”, “extrovert” and “hilariously funny” to the list of her attributes. There is no way that someone of her personality, confidence, charm and downright talent isn’t going to go far.’

My illustrations were featured in Design Week's 'Doodle Zone'. The piece examined the 'beauty of... doing some really rough sketches is often the best way of tapping into unexpected and unleashing creativity.'

In July 2010 Chris Floyd decided to photograph people that he followed on Twitter. The idea came to him when he realised he had not met many of the people he communicated with several times a week. I was photographed as part of the project and I still use the portrait he took today. Learn more about the One Hundred & Forty Characters on Chris' site or in this Wallpaper feature.

My 'Self Portrait' illustration project won first prize in its category at the 2008 D&AD Student Awards. This work was featured in the D&AD New Blood Design exhibition, was one of Creative Review's picks and was part of a presentation I gave at a London D&AD New Blood Pecha Kucha night. I was then commissioned to do illustrative work for The Guardian and many other publications. Please see my illustration section here.