Here’s How Ad Dads Can Support Women in 2025

Men in advertising, and especially fathers, can help crack the brief on gender equality in adland this year by leaving on time, contributing to their agency’s policy-making, and acting as the voice in the room for colleagues on parental leave.

Leah Morris, R/GA’s lead copywriter in Australia and the founding editor of Mavens, an independent publication created to champion gender equality, says “women are tired of communicating their challenges to what feels like an echo chamber of other women and a handful of genuine allies.”

“Like women, I think dads are more likely to have experienced inequity or at least seen it up close,” she tells LBB, such as facing little choice over who will become the breadwinner in their household due to “outdated stereotypes”.

Towards the end of last year, a conversation around adland’s gender inequality ripped across the industry. The industry mobilised after years of experiencing gender discrimination, but so as not to lose momentum, Leah is now urging men in agencies to keep hiring women on potential, especially in senior roles; help eliminate stereotypes through the creative and production process (which includes adequately and healthily representing dads in advertising campaigns); and being vocal about parenting and finishing on time.

Dads are also well-placed to contribute to policy-making around parental, miscarriage, menopause, and period leave, part-time roles and job-sharing arrangements, and flexible working.

“Another thing I’ve seen dads do is advocate for other parents who might be out of sight and out of mind while on leave,” Leah says, “especially mums, who are far more likely than dads to feel unsupported by their company upon returning to work.

“It could be as minor as saying ‘If Emily was in the room, I think she’d want us to approach the project this way.’

“I love seeing the men I work with lead by example.”

In the 2024 Create Space census, conducted by industry body Advertising Council Australia, 11% of women said they felt unsupported by their company upon returning to work from parental leave, versus just 1% of men.

Leah recognises that conversations around change can be uncomfortable, but she urges women and men alike to “lean in, not walk away”; “we can’t solve problems while shying away from them.” And the creative industry should be better-placed than most to solve such problems.

“A pervasive problem with these dialogues is the aversion men have to ‘angry feminists’,” she says, employing the term to make her point.

“Men can get deterred by the pent-up anger and frustration women sometimes express when discussing power and privilege, and this can blow up conversations rather than aid them.

“The term ‘tone policing’ often comes up in this context – it’s when women feel silenced because men ask them to express their thoughts with less emotion. Men need to understand that this reaction is valid.

“At the same time, I recognise that many men might feel overwhelmed if I shared the full weight of my experiences in one go. It’s unrealistic to expect them to instantly grasp my perspective as a woman. That’s why I believe progress depends on patience, tolerance, and a shared commitment to having open, constructive conversations. Only then can we truly crack the brief and create meaningful change.”

According to Leah, agencies should make strides this year to normalising access to their paid parental leave entitlements. In 2022-2023, only 14% of primary parental leave was taken by men in Australia, and men are twice as likely to have requests for flexible working rejected. Many agencies still offer just a couple of weeks’ leave for secondary caregivers.

“Agencies can play a key role by fostering environments where parental leave decisions are based on what works best for each family, including rainbow families, without gendered expectations.”

And when a request can’t be met, explain why, and find another fix instead: “If you don’t believe part-time roles for parents will work in your agency because of potential bottom-line impacts, explain why and then be part of finding a creative solution.”

One of R\GA’s solutions includes its ‘Design Your Day’ initiative, which allows parents and non-parents alike to shift their start and end times to accommodate the school run, appointments, or other commitments or priorities.

If Leah has one request of men working in advertising in 2025, it’s to educate themselves, speak to women - make an effort to understand where their frustration, sadness, and anger comes from” - and read Megan Dalla-Camina’s book, ‘Women Rising’, which covers six patriarchal paradoxes that hold women back, and is designed to help allies.

“This knowledge will make you a better team mate or team leader, and better at creative work that resonates with women.

“Plus, it will equip you to help your kids thrive in the world today and in the future, and leave it better than they found it.”

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