Articles
Changing Perspectives...
on Parenthood
The MFA DE&I Council would like to see an industry where everyone can thrive, feel heard, supported, and safe to do their best work. Let’s meet the Changers who are sharing their own lived experiences to inspire us all to change for the better.
Changing Perspectives...
On why a room full of well-intentioned people with no lived experience isn’t enough
Elizabeth Clapson, Group Business Director, JOY
I’ve been at JOY for 10 years. I’ve grown up here professionally. I’ve built relationships, led clients, managed teams, been through the highs and lows of agency life and, like most people in our industry, worked through plenty of change along the way.
Then I took 12 months off to have my son.
A lot happened while I was away. There were big changes internally, new clients, lots of new people, and the business continued to move forward without me. I knew that would happen, of course. You don’t expect an organisation to stand still while you’re on maternity leave. What I wasn’t prepared for was how it would make me feel when I came back.
For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had something to prove. There were people sitting around the table who didn’t know me. They didn’t know the clients I’d worked on or the things I’d contributed to over the previous 10 years. They just knew me as someone who had been away for a year.
And, if I’m honest, I started questioning my own value. Could I still keep up? Was I still relevant? Had I missed too much? Was I still the leader I thought I was?
It was a strange experience because, on paper, I had plenty of reasons to feel confident. I’d been at JOY for 10 years and had returned to a senior role. But confidence doesn’t always follow logic.
The practical side of coming back was a big part of it too. I commute around four hours a day, two hours door to door each way, and I have a young family. For the first six months I was back at work, my husband was the primary carer for our son. That made a huge difference. He took on a lot of the mental load at home, which meant I could put my energy into work while I was rebuilding my confidence and finding my feet again.
The flexibility I had at JOY mattered just as much. I’ve always been ambitious and I’ve always wanted to do a good job. Having a family hasn’t changed that.
What has changed is that I can’t pretend the rest of my life doesn’t exist when I walk into the office. Working somewhere that understands that has been a big part of being able to come back and contribute at the level I wanted to.
Eight months after coming back, I’ve been promoted to Group Business Director.
That has made me think a lot about what I actually value in a leader. Before I went on leave, I measured myself by how much I could tick off my to-do list. Being across everything, solving problems, always being available. Coming back has shifted that.
I don't want to be the person my team needs for every decision. I want to build a team that is confident enough to make good decisions without me. That means giving people real opportunities to grow, rather than just delegating the tasks I don’t have time to do. It means helping people build commercial confidence and giving them exposure to things that might feel a little outside their comfort zone.
It also means being really clear. Agency life can be chaotic. There are always competing priorities, changing client expectations and a lot of noise. I’ve realised that one of the most useful things I can do as a leader is create some clarity in the middle of it. What are we actually trying to achieve? What matters most? What does good look like? What do I need you to own?
People don’t need me to have every answer. They need to know where we’re going and feel confident enough to work out how to get there.
I’ve also become much more conscious of trust. Coming back after a year reminded me that relationships aren’t something you can take for granted, particularly when some people know your history and others are meeting you for the first time.
For me, trust comes from being honest, reliable and giving people the space to make decisions and deliver.
I’ve experienced the value of that trust myself. JOY’s flexibility and trust in me as I returned to work has meant a lot. It has allowed me to find a way of working that works for my family while still being ambitious about my career, and it’s made me think more about the kind of environment I want to create for others.
I think that’s probably the biggest change in how I see leadership. The more senior I become, the less interested I am in being the person with all the answers. I want to create an environment where other people can lead, make decisions, take ownership, have a point of view, make mistakes and learn from them. And where they don't have to fit their entire life around work to be successful at it.
I still have moments where I question whether I’m doing enough. I don’t think a promotion magically gets rid of that. What has changed is what I use to measure myself against.
I don’t need to be across everything. I don’t need to prove myself to every new person who joins the business. And I don’t think my value as a leader is measured by how much my team needs me.
If anything, I’d like it to be the opposite.
I want to build capability, create clarity, earn trust and enable people to do things they didn’t think they could do. And if, one day, I can step away from the room knowing my team has everything they need to make good decisions without me, I’ll know I’ve done a pretty good job.
To broaden your understanding of DE&I, complete the SBS Core Inclusion course – Australia’s leading online DE&I training course – available for free to MFA member employees.
MFA AI CAREER AGENT
Your personalised AI learning journey for the future of your role
AI won't end your career. Standing still might.
Type in your role. In a few minutes, the MFA AI Career Agent shows you where AI can save you time, where your human judgement still wins, and the exact learning path to get you to what's next. Built for media industry people, for the way our industry actually works.
No prompt to write. No blank chat window to stare at. The agent does the heavy lifting.
- Enter your role. Your current role, a role you're eyeing, or any position across the media and advertising industry. Just a title and a little context.
- Confirm your job description. The agent drafts a job description for you. Approve it, edit it, add your seniority, or paste in your own if you have one.
- Run the report. See which tasks AI can accelerate, how much time it could save, and where human judgement remains essential.
The whole thing takes about five minutes.
Click to use the MFA AI Career Agent
(Gemini)
The job you have today probably didn't exist 10 years ago. The one you'll have in 10 years doesn't exist yet. That's not a threat, it's the pattern our industry has always run on. The only thing that's changed is the speed.
This isn't another generic AI explainer. It's built for the media industry, in the language of planners, buyers, traders, strategists and account leads. It treats AI as something that clears the busywork, so you can get back to the thinking only you can do.
A single, practical report on the future of your role. It covers:
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An executive summary with an overall role score, so you know where you stand at a glance.
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A future-ready job description, the version of your role that assumes AI is already in the room.
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A task-by-task breakdown, each one tagged with its exposure to AI, a risk level, and an estimated time saved.
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The exposure key in plain English, so every score actually means something.
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A risk map and mitigation guide, flagging where AI needs a human check for accuracy, brand safety, privacy or client-ready work.
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Cross-departmental impact, so you can see how the shift ripples into the teams around you.
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Performance impact projection
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What your future job could look like
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The human advantage, the parts of your job AI can't touch, and the skills worth doubling down on.
All findings are indicative, not a verdict. Think of it as a structured way to think about your career, not a prediction about your job.
This is where it goes further than a simple impact check. The agent doesn't just tell you what's changing, it hands you the map to get where you're going.
Thinking about a pivot? Say from SEM into applied AI, or from activation into strategy? The agent matches your role, seniority and goals to real courses and industry certifications, sorted by free or paid, beginner to advanced, and built straight into your plan.
- A 90-day action plan, phased from quick wins to advanced application, with a course or two built into each stage.
- A five-year role evolution, a clear-eyed look at where your role is heading and the skills that will define it.
- Industry-specific training, tapping the sector's own learning rather than a random list of links.
The framework, briefly
Two simple scales sit under every report, so your results stay consistent no matter your role.
- The exposure key describes what kind of AI touches a task, from plain text and embedded platform AI right through to agentic workflows.
- The risk and impact scale describes how much a task changes, and how much human oversight it still needs.
The point of both is honesty. They show you what will change, and just as importantly, what won't.
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Use your work-approved AI account where you can, and check your organisation's AI policy first.
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Keep client names and commercial detail out of it. Role and task descriptions only.
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Treat the output as a starting point, not gospel. It's a prompt for your own thinking.
This tool was built to be a helpful guide to start or push you further on your AI learning journey. We believe that we should use AI as augmentation, not replacement. The findings this tool helps you generate are indicative, not certainties. They're prompts for structured thinking, not a verdict on any individual's job.
Why we built this
The job you have today probably didn't exist 10 years ago. The one you'll have in 10 years doesn't exist yet. That's not a threat, it's the pattern our industry has always run on. The only thing that's changed is the speed.
This isn't another generic AI explainer. It's built for the media industry, in the language of planners, buyers, traders, strategists and account leads. It treats AI as something that clears the busywork, so you can get back to the thinking only you can do.
What you get back
A single, practical report on the future of your role. It covers:
- An executive summary with an overall role score, so you know where you stand at a glance.
- A future-ready job description, the version of your role that assumes AI is already in the room.
- A task-by-task breakdown, each one tagged with its exposure to AI, a risk level, and an estimated time saved.
- The exposure key in plain English, so every score actually means something.
- A risk map and mitigation guide, flagging where AI needs a human check for accuracy, brand safety, privacy or client-ready work.
- Cross-departmental impact, so you can see how the shift ripples into the teams around you.
- Performance impact projection
- What your future job could look like
- The human advantage, the parts of your job AI can't touch, and the skills worth doubling down on.
All findings are indicative, not a verdict. Think of it as a structured way to think about your career, not a prediction about your job.
Beyond AI: your learning pathway
This is where it goes further than a simple impact check. The agent doesn't just tell you what's changing, it hands you the map to get where you're going.
Thinking about a pivot? Say from SEM into applied AI, or from activation into strategy? The agent matches your role, seniority and goals to real courses and industry certifications, sorted by free or paid, beginner to advanced, and built straight into your plan.
- A 90-day action plan, phased from quick wins to advanced application, with a course or two built into each stage.
- A five-year role evolution, a clear-eyed look at where your role is heading and the skills that will define it.
- Industry-specific training, tapping the sector's own learning rather than a random list of links.
The framework, briefly
Two simple scales sit under every report, so your results stay consistent no matter your role.
- The exposure key describes what kind of AI touches a task, from plain text and embedded platform AI right through to agentic workflows.
- The risk and impact scale describes how much a task changes, and how much human oversight it still needs.
The point of both is honesty. They show you what will change, and just as importantly, what won't.
Before you start
-
Use your work-approved AI account where you can, and check your organisation's AI policy first.
-
Keep client names and commercial detail out of it. Role and task descriptions only.
-
Treat the output as a starting point, not gospel. It's a prompt for your own thinking.
This tool was built to be a helpful guide to start or push you further on your AI learning journey. We believe that we should use AI as augmentation, not replacement. The findings this tool helps you generate are indicative, not certainties. They're prompts for structured thinking, not a verdict on any individual's job.
$5 for every $10,000: a small levy with a big role
A strong self-regulatory system benefits the entire advertising industry – including media agencies, writes MFA CEO Sophie Madden. That’s why supporting the Ad Standards levy is a small but important investment.
It might be one of the smallest line items on a media plan, but the $5 levy for every $10,000 of ad spend plays an important role in supporting a strong and trusted advertising industry.
The levy supports Ad Standards’ independent handling of thousands of consumer complaints each year, as well as industry guidance, insights and resources that help advertising standards keep pace with community expectations. It also supports the broader self-regulatory framework, providing a flexible alternative to more prescriptive government regulation.
For media agencies, a strong self-regulatory system helps create a clear, consistent and trusted environment in which clients can advertise and agencies can plan and place media with confidence.
As Greg Wallace, Executive Director of Ad Standards explains: “The industry is stronger when brands, agencies, media owners and platforms collectively support the systems that help build and maintain consumer trust.”
The levy is a small contribution, but it plays an important role in supporting responsible advertising, effective self-regulation and confidence in our industry.
For many, the self-regulatory system may feel largely invisible. But its impact is significant. Supporting the levy is a practical way for MFA members to help maintain the trust and credibility that underpin Australian advertising.
Ad Standards is a proud sponsor of MFA EX and MFA Awards.
Changing Perspectives...
on Inclusion
The MFA DE&I Council would like to see an industry where everyone can thrive, feel heard, supported, and safe to do their best work. Let’s meet the Changers who are sharing their own lived experiences to inspire us all to change for the better.
Changing Perspectives...
On why a room full of well-intentioned people with no lived experience isn’t enough
Priya Addams Williams, Initiative Lead, Shift 20
I recently celebrated two years running the Shift 20 Initiative at the Dylan Alcott Foundation. We focus on increasing representation and inclusion of people with disability in advertising and marketing, so the 20% of Australians with disability can meaningfully connect with comms and see themselves represented.
I often get asked what led me to this role, and the answer goes back to my own childhood. I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska – a mid-sized city smack bang in the middle of America. While there was a large and tight-knit Indian community, representation on our screens started and stopped with a single Indian local news reporter.
My understanding of what I could be and what I could achieve was shaped by my community, but also who I saw in the media – or rather, who I didn’t see. Careers I wanted to pursue like film, television and fashion felt like doors that were closed to people who looked like me.
One door that felt open just enough for me to push through it was advertising. I’ve spent my career working to ensure that our industry is representing voices and stories from diverse backgrounds. ‘You can’t be what you can’t see’ is something I very much experienced as a child, and I’m proud to run an initiative that is changing the face of who we see in campaigns.
But stories about people from diverse backgrounds can’t be written without those voices in the room. “Nothing about us without us” is a rallying cry for the disability community, and it’s one that we weave through everything we do at the Shift 20 Initiative.
A room full of well-intentioned people with no lived experience isn’t enough to craft stories and campaigns that truly resonate with who we’re trying to reach, which is why co-creation is so important.
We recently had a conversation with Heartbreak High’s own Chloé Hayden and EP Carly Heaton about how they brought to life the character of Quinni, who, like Chloé, is autistic. Part of the reason the show was such a runaway success was the representation on screen – not just of Quinni, but other characters from diverse backgrounds.
This representation was authentic to the actors themselves, but also ran through the writer’s room and production teams. When representation is embedded through an entire production, you feel it in the end result.
It’s the same reason Mindy Kaling’s shows are such a hit with the Indian community – we see ourselves represented authentically. If I had that representation as a young adult, I might not have told myself so many doors were closed.
If you want to start co-creating with community, here are a few tips to get started:
If you don’t have diversity in your teams, seek it out
There are specialist consultants across First Nations, disability and CALD backgrounds, and NFPs like Shift 20, the Unstereotype Alliance and Bus Stop Films have been working to create positive change in our industry for years.
Make it clear that you are truly open to feedback and input in the journey
Earlier this month we had Colin Killick from ASAN (Autistic Self Advocacy Network) in Washington DC present to our members – Mattel collaborated with ASAN on their first ever autistic Barbie, released earlier this year as part of their Fashionistas line.
Colin said that he appreciated how clearly committed Mattel was from day one to making this a genuine collaboration, not just a box-ticking exercise. ASAN staff felt clearly trusted to give their honest input on all aspects of the design, from the doll’s body through to her clothes and accessories, to make sure they genuinely reflected autistic people’s experiences.
If you want meaningful and honest contributions, make that known so people don’t self-regulate their opinions – something many of us have grown used to doing.
Give the process the time it deserves
We know the pressures everyone is under to deliver work on time, on brief and on budget. But if you want meaningful connection, ensure you’re allowing time in the process for it – otherwise it stops genuine co-creation before it has the chance to start.
To broaden your understanding of DE&I, complete the SBS Core Inclusion course – Australia’s leading online DE&I training course – available for free to MFA member employees.
Changing Perspectives...
on Inclusion
The MFA DE&I Council would like to see an industry where everyone can thrive, feel heard, supported, and safe to do their best work. Let’s meet the Changers who are sharing their own lived experiences to inspire us all to change for the better.
Changing Perspectives...
On Inclusion isn’t just about recognising visible differences
Caroline Buchanan, Program Coordinator NGEN & MFA Foundations, Media Federation of Australia (MFA)
I was 10 years old when my mum took me to hospital after weeks of confusing symptoms during the summer school holidays. By the end of the day, I had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (T1D).
I remember sitting in the hospital completely confused. I didn’t know what diabetes was, I just knew everyone around me suddenly seemed worried. What I couldn’t have known was that from that day on, I’d be making around 180 extra decisions every single day just to manage a condition most people would never see.
For those who may not know, T1D is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Unlike Type 2 diabetes, it isn't caused by diet or lifestyle choices, and there is currently no cure. Today, I manage my diabetes using an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which sends my glucose readings directly to my phone and pump.
Although T1D involves management via technology and injecting insulin, it’s also about constant decision-making. Every meal, every coffee, every walk or pilates class and every unexpected change in my daily routine requires consideration.
As I’ve moved from school into university, living overseas and now into the workplace, diabetes has come with me. Sometimes I need to step away to treat a low blood glucose level or respond to an alarm from my continuous glucose monitor app. These moments are usually brief, but they remind me how important understanding and flexibility can be.
To me, inclusion isn’t just about recognising visible differences. It’s also about remembering that some people are managing things you’ll never notice unless they choose to tell you. A meaningful difference could mean allowing someone a few minutes to manage a health condition or simply asking questions instead of making assumptions.
Personally, I enjoy when people ask questions about my medical condition as it gives me a chance to not only educate others and challenge assumptions but share the slightly ridiculous stories that come with it – such as trying to explain why my continuous glucose monitors cannot go through an x-ray machine to airport security or convincing a high school teacher my pump wasn’t actually a hidden camera.
At this point, managing T1D is basically running in the background of my brain 24/7. It’s become second nature, and my normal. I don’t expect everyone to understand exactly what living with Type 1 diabetes is like, but I hope the next time someone mentions diabetes, they’ll remember that not all challenges are visible and that a little curiosity can go a long way.
To broaden your understanding of DE&I, complete the SBS Core Inclusion course – Australia’s leading online DE&I training course – available for free to MFA member employees.