It's no secret that diversity-driven work connects better with audiences, if done right. We chatted with Angel Ciangi, Executive Strategy Director at GMR Marketing, about breaking systemic barriers through mentorship, challenging out-dated notions, and stressing the need for diversity in our work.
Can you tell us a bit about your role and your journey to arriving there?
As Executive Strategy Director, I juggle keeping my finger on the pulse of culture across various categories to uncover exciting experiential opportunities for our clients, manage ongoing projects, and nurture growth in the fantastic team surrounding me. After finishing graduate school, my journey has consistently followed along a marketing path but across various marketing functions including brand marketing and consumer insights for Levi Strauss & Co., trend forecasting at Creative Artists Agency, and global innovation for Vans, Timberland, and The North Face.
What barriers do women still face in our industry and how can we challenge them?
Although female representation in our industry is strong, the well-documented structural and systemic wrongs, such as the gender pay gap, smaller representation, and access to senior roles, persist, and even more so for women of color. Some of the work starts with us. Interestingly, although women have experienced success in this field, we’re often hesitant about putting ourselves forward for new and better opportunities in a way that men are not. And when we do, we tend to hold back when negotiating salary and benefits. Arming ourselves with as much salary knowledge as possible and then making the leap to ask for what we deserve is a start.
Navigating the lack of representation and access is a tougher nut to crack again, especially as a Black woman. I’m often the only Person of Color (let alone a woman of color) in a room, and sadly that hasn’t changed over my 15+ year career. My approach is two-fold; first, when I haven’t been able to look up or ahead and see someone like me in my specific department, I take an outside view to find other female executives within my organization that I can connect with. Challenging the notion that opportunities for growth and success can be found with senior female leaders outside of a defined area of expertise opens a world of possibilities. Second, is always looking to bring others up and in. I thoroughly enjoy mentorship and believe it’s one of the most effective ways to break down the systemic barriers women still face.
How do you use your position to build equitable teams that are diverse and balanced?
We achieve this by stressing the need for diversity in our work. We get to more equitable teams by emphasizing the need for more equitable work. As countless research reports show that increased workplace diversity makes for exceedingly successful companies, the same holds for marketing. Diversity-driven marketing is better marketing. And let’s face it if the work calls for diversity; then you need the right people in the room to create it.
Who are your female advertising icons/role models and why?
TBWA’s and GMR’s Chief Diversity Officer, Aliah Berman, is first on my list. Her approach to DEI has been a game-changer for our agency. Upon arrival, she immediately made a positive impact by connecting thoughtful initiatives to tangible outcomes, precisely what our company’s culture, workforce, and client work needed. In addition, her focus on accountability continues to push us forward regarding equity and increased diversity.
Coming out of college, I didn’t even know what folks did at an ad agency, let alone know of any helmed by a Black woman, so when I learned of Carol H. Williams, I was immediately captivated. In my mind, she’s not only an advertising legend but has also rewritten the rules regarding diversity in advertising – from the work itself to how an agency looks and feels.
Although Cindy Gallop, formerly chairman and chief marketing officer of BBH, is no longer in the ad game, she remains one to watch for me. While at Levi’s, our agency was BBH, and I had a chance to see Cindy in action. Her unabashed confidence and marketing prowess was an aha moment for me in demonstrating how a woman can totally own a male-dominated environment.