Creative agency Havas London has partnered with diversity, inclusion and equality organization Creative Equals to launch Press Pause–an anti-discrimination initiative that provides a robust, formal framework through which employees can challenge problematic views and behaviors.
The guidelines, which empower employees to “pause” an uncomfortable or problematic encounter before a number of potential next steps are taken, cover “any exchange where behavior is shown or something is said or implied (including microaggressions) that is deemed prejudiced, discriminatory, derogatory or negative toward any one person or more.” This includes internal exchanges as well as those with clients and suppliers.
Once an encounter is “paused,” the individual can either voice their concern (if they feel safe to do so), move the conversation onto an appropriate topic and later raise their concern with a nominated person, or remove themselves from the situation and later raise their concern with a nominated person. Further steps will then be taken, the exact nature of which are dependent on the circumstances of the incident.
The full Press Pause policy, which has been used by Havas London since January 2019, is backed by Creative Equals and is available here for any organization to adopt, adapt or take inspiration from.
The unusual move to open source this policy follows considerable interest from other agencies after Havas London and Havas helia CEO Xavier Rees discussed its application at a recent Creative Equals CEO event. It also an acknowledgment that the industry lacks a codified means through which its people can confidently challenge discrimination in all its guises, particularly in circumstances where a power imbalance may exist.
Rees said, “It is incumbent on all of us to call out discrimination, wherever we see it. If we don’t, we are complicit. As an agency leader, I need to ensure everyone is able to do that, with confidence and without fear. Press Pause arms our people with the right tools when faced with a difficult situation and empowers them to address it through a clear process and the right support.
“No more turning a blind eye to comments, actions or requests we know are not okay. We introduced these guidelines last year, and they have since been used on multiple occasions to positive effect. They have led to some difficult, but necessary, conversations, each time with a satisfactory outcome that otherwise would not have happened. It’s imperative we work together as an industry to root out discriminatory views, and it has become increasingly clear that Press Pause is too important an initiative to keep to ourselves.”
Ali Hanan, founder and chief executive of Creative Equals, added, “In every situation, to achieve inclusion, we have to be able to speak out when something feels ethically or morally wrong. Many of the stories we are hearing also fall foul of the Equalities Act and are potentially discriminatory. This also puts our staff in a situation where they can experience deep trauma. It is our duty of care as leaders to also protect our staff and give them a way to protect themselves and the integrity of the work they are creating, which is what ‘Press Pause’ does. We know psychological safety is key to driving equity and inclusion. The fact is diverse staff will not stay in your business or the industry if their voice is not respected, valued and heard, but for many, it can be challenging to speak up, particularly in front of clients or in situations where they are not in a position of power. We hope ‘Press Pause’ will become part of a wider industry charter, which we are working on currently.’
Jennifer Kent On Why Her Feature Directing Debut, “The Babadook,” Continues To Haunt Us
"The Babadook," when it was released 10 years ago, didn't seem to portend a cultural sensation.
It was the first film by a little-known Australian filmmaker, Jennifer Kent. It had that strange name. On opening weekend, it played in two theaters.
But with time, the long shadows of "The Babadook" continued to envelop moviegoers. Its rerelease this weekend in theaters, a decade later, is less of a reminder of a sleeper 2014 indie hit than it is a chance to revisit a horror milestone that continues to cast a dark spell.
Not many small-budget, first-feature films can be fairly said to have shifted cinema but Kent's directorial debut may be one of them. It was at the nexus of that much-debated term "elevated horror." But regardless of that label, it helped kicked off a wave of challenging, filmmaker-driven genre movies like "It Follows," "Get Out" and "Hereditary."
Kent, 55, has watched all of this — and those many "Babadook" memes — unfold over the years with a mix of elation and confusion. Her film was inspired in part by the death of her father, and its horror elements likewise arise out of the suppression of emotions. A single mother (Essie Davis) is struggling with raising her young son (Noah Wiseman) years after the tragic death of her husband. A figure from a pop-up children's book begins to appear. As things grow more intense, his name is drawn out in three chilling syllables — "Bah-Bah-Doooook" — an incantation of unprocessed grief.
Kent recently spoke from her native Australia to reflect on the origins and continuing life of "The Babadook."
Q: Given that you didn't set out to in any way "change" horror, how have you regarded the unique afterlife of "The... Read More