The Art Directors Club was founded in 1920 with a vision of elevating and celebrating advertising and design with the same care and craftsmanship bestowed upon fine art. For many years, its membership was only open to men, and it wasn’t until 1942 that ADC admitted its first female member.

In the more than 70 years since then, women have made tremendous strides in the fields of creative communication. In spite of these accomplishments, however, women remain woefully underrepresented in our industries and their related institutions.

Let’s make the industry 50/50 is an initiative founded by the ADC, with the mission of making drastic and measurable changes as it pertains to the roles and participation of women within the creative industry. The ADC believes it is time for all industry organizations, associations, award shows, company boards and groups to take action and set the goal of reaching an equal level of participation for both women and men. By increasing the number of qualified women in senior positions in all facets of the creative communications industry, we believe our industries will both flourish and lay a foundation for generations of female talent. We call upon our community to help shed light on these amazing women, because they ARE out there. As Ignacio says in his video statement above, by including inspired, talented women in the conversation, we change the conversation and therefore the industry.

We look forward to the future, and hope you’ll join us.

In more depth, the Let’s make the industry 50/50 initiative calls for an equal level of participation for both genders across the following:

1. Award Show Juries
2. Boards of Directors
3. Events and Speaker Lineups

The 50/50 International Badge of Recognition was designed to be used by any organization that reaches a 50/50 level of participation in any of the aforementioned duties.

Take action! Participate in our photo shoot with photographer Monte Isom to help us launch this initiative.

THURSDAY, MAY 30TH
At the ADC Gallery
106 W. 29th St.
12:30 PM photo
1:15 PM lunch & conversation

Please contact jimena@adcglobal.org for more details and to RSVP.

Follow @5050_Initiative on Twitter for the latest updates.