TORONTO — Bell Media and the Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA) announced today the launch of the inaugural Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity in Advertising (IDEA) competition which will award $1 million worth of media inventory on Bell Media platforms each year to the campaign that best demonstrates a clear message of diversity and inclusion.
Open to national and international brands and their agencies, the competition seeks new work that celebrates diversity through advertising. Entries are required to be new creative executions in English and French, and must have diverse producers, directors, writers and crew contribute significantly to the campaign beyond on-camera talent, says the Bell Media press release.
In addition, entrants must commit to demonstrating, as part of their submission, that inclusion and diversity are components across all of their advertising, even when not the key message, says the release. Entries will be evaluated by a panel of diverse judges, and additional judging consideration will be given for entrants that include mentorship opportunities as part of their production to provide experience and build the pipeline of new diverse talent in advertising, says the release.
“The ICA believes that not only is diversity and inclusion a global business imperative, but that it’s a growth-driving narrative for Canadian brands and companies,” said Scott Knox, president and CEO of the ICA, in the press release.
“We are committed to creating meaningful change in our industry, and this competition aims to encourage greater representation of diverse communities in Canadian media,” added Randy Lennox, president of Bell Media. “We have been working to create a new roadmap for the industry, one that recognizes the added value of BIPOC presence and expertise, and the IDEA competition is one more opportunity to showcase the value of inclusion.”
Creators of the winning entry will have access to the full range of Bell Media’s platforms, including TV, radio, out-of-home and digital, to execute their $1 million campaign in 2021.
“Our goal is to get more diverse representation in advertising campaigns, while encouraging diversity and inclusivity in the creative process,” said Justin Stockman, vice-president of brand partnerships at Bell Media. “We’re looking forward to the launch of the IDEA competition and we hope it becomes an annual event, highlighting different equity-seeking communities each year.”
The press release says details on how to enter the competition will be announced in November, with the winner announced later this winter. Brands and their agencies can register to receive more information about entering the IDEA Competition at this link.
