Giant Balloons Company

Summary: The advertising industry has several issues to address for it to flourish, that much is clear. But on the talent recruitment front, nothing is as daunting as the “woman” problem.

Where are all the female creative directors?

How interesting it is, that as an industry we claim to craft the messages that reflect the norms and issues that face today’s environment, yet our industry’s demographic makeup would beg to differ. Though the world now holds officially more women than men, there are still relatively few women advertising professionals making the climb to creative directors. The problem doesn’t seem to spread to other positions; in media, accounts, and executive management…

Summary: Google is the advertising giant in the room. From mastering online search to online advertising, Google is starting to throw its weight around the advertising community even more.

It may not be a bad thing. Startup entrepreneurs and Silicon Valley advertising professionals have been clamoring for the advertising industry to adopt more “startup” qualities.

Summary: Confronted with an unsavory request to sleep with a client rep in order to snag a major account for the agency, Joan moves beyond the insult in time to cut a big slice of the pie for herself. Along with the fifty thousand dollars offered to her, she demands 5% of the agency as well. She wants to be a partner. Pete was the snake to approach her with the proposition. That did not come as a surprise. Who else would be so willing to stoop that low? And the other partners agreeing to it? That wasn’t much of a surprise, either.