VCCP Sydney shows us the ridiculous this International Women’s Day in new campaign
For International Women’s Day 2022 #BreakTheBias, VCCP Sydney is shining a spotlight on outdated gender representation that we continue to see in the media.
“The Most Ridiculous Thing on Shutterstock” compares some of the bizarre image results that can be found on the international stock library with the more profoundly ridiculous set of gender bias results you receive when you search under many professional job titles.
The social campaign was teased with a series of intriguing posts depicting the most random images from the bowels of Shutterstock, posing the question, “Is this the most ridiculous thing on Shutterstock?” and followed on International Women’s Day with a film calling attention to the very real issue of gender bias.
Says Kim Feitelberg, chief strategy officer at VCCP: “Thinking about the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, we were reminded of the responsibility we in the media have to propagate real, or perhaps even ideal, gender roles – we have a meaningful role to play in influencing culture. It did surprise me to see the gender bias in such a basic tenant of our work such as image libraries.”
Says Scott Huebscher, executive creative director, VCCP Sydney: “What we see around us, in search results or otherwise creates our truth. By calling attention to the gender bias happening on something as simple as an image library search – drives home the fact that gender bias is all around us, whether we realise it or not.”
23 Comments
How are you helping solve the problem? Seems like you are just pointing it out and offering no solution.
And why single out Shutterstock? Would have been so much better to have worked with a Getty or Shutterstock to actually change the way search results are served. As you say, we have a duty to stop perpetuating gender bias, yet you offer no way in which do fulfil that duty.
We need to stop just shining spotlights that don’t create any action.
oh take your pathetic aggression somewhere else troll.
Great start, nice mechanic to kickstart the conversation… but then what? This is like, “we noticed this…” but it doesn’t have the “so we did this” bit. Imagine working with Shutterstock, or Google even, and for this one day, you created an ‘equality search’ button that filters the results to what they should actually be. Or something. Or even making all the female lawyers, doctors and teachers who appear in the results to be *actually professional* looking and not sexualised versions, which is also an issue around the portrayal of women in media.
What are you asking us to do?
But I’m with the above comments. Equal representation is key to achieving gender equality around the world. So yes, you’ve identified a problem, but this smells like a quick turnaround idea without much consideration for meaningful change. A decent example of what you could have done is this initiative from Modibodi and Getty Images – https://mashable.com/article/postpartum-photos-getty-modibodi
Seems like everyone is vibing the insight? why not own it and follow up with a solution.
Or this brilliant campaign a couple of years ago would be a great example of identifying a problem then taking tangible steps to address it https://www.losinglena.com/
this is not so, shutterstock has an algorithm that ensures a diverse range of images are shown for a given search. the fact that there are more male images than female images is the residual of years of gender bias from photographers uploading images that they think will be bought. shutterstock has played its part to encourage diversity via the search algorithm.
the graphics not showing what actually comes up when you make those search terms is misleading.
Feels a bit BS. I just searched ‘Engineer’ on shutterstock and the top 50 results are mostly women…
Sadly, shutterstock is simply reflecting a deeper seated issue of the real world stats. So the graphics that come up if true (not-so according to @Jack) are nothing weird at all – just a sad reflection of the real world. Shocking. Not Weird.
So you’ve pointed out the problem…. now what?
This is like presenting an ‘insight slide’ then realising you accidentally deleted the idea page.
But what about bricklayers?
Or mechanics?
Did Shutterstock just change their algorithm? Looks pretty balanced now.
I’m also with Lady Di. Both Losing Lena and the Siri campaign Women Behind the Voice address the problem of gender bias, not just highlight it.
https://www.wundermanthompson.com/work/the-women-behind-the-voice
Didn’t you read their PR release that they’re about to redo their website? Women are saved!
That Lena work by Clems Melbourne was the best imho. Raised an issue then showed how to remedy it.
Agree, but just pointing out that came out of Sydney.
Look, one must at all times, strive to represent all humans equally. One feels that this is, after all, what one calls a ‘work in progress’.
Why, I was only at the palace with Mumsy and Gladys last week and we found this work from Getty Images quite insightful.
Let us not be part of the problem. Let us instead, be part of the solution.
(Pleasure seeing you here, Tungsten, old gal!)
https://creativeinsights.gettyimages.com/en/trends/realness/representation-of-women-in-anz-a-work-in-progress
not a fan, production feels cheap. world needs less of these works
“That Lena work by Clems Melbourne was the best imho. Raised an issue then showed how to remedy it.”
Lol, you mean the campaign that asked you to sign a petition at the end?
Pack it up people! The gender pay gap is done!
Absolutely agree with most of these comments. Cheaply made video. Inadequate research. Examples highly selective to fit the narrative. Wonder why they didn’t choose nursing, childcare or teaching? Everything about this was quick, easy and sloppy! Definitely unable to offer any helpful or useful dialogue.
It’s interesting to see that almost every comment about this video is negative. Such an important issue presented in such a limited, poorly researched and produced manner. Shame.