J. Walter Thompson Company Announces 2015 Helen Lansdowne Resor Scholarship Winners
(PRWEB) July 16, 2015 -- J. Walter Thompson Company is proud to announce the first recipients of the Helen Lansdowne Resor (HLR) Scholarship, which is awarded annually to five of the most talented female creative advertising students around the world.
The HLR Scholarship was launched in an effort to address and correct the unfortunate reality that although women control the majority of consumer spending in much of the world, they comprise just 11% of creative directors in the U.S. (3% Conference, 2014) and 14% globally (The Advertising Society, 2014).
“As an industry, we must invest in the power of female creativity — it is critical to brands and business to bring diverse talents and perspectives to the table,” said Matt Eastwood, J. Walter Thompson Company Worldwide Chief Creative Officer. “We must create better opportunities for female talent to lead. We’re very proud of the HLR Scholarship’s mission to recognize, support and mentor our future creative pioneers.”
Aiming to shift the industry paradigm, the scholarship focuses on supporting and mentoring young women of diverse backgrounds who aspire to join the creative ranks. The HLR Scholarship will award five individual scholarships up to $10,000, paid summer internships with a J. Walter Thompson office, a J. Walter Thompson mentor and a “first look” placement consideration upon graduation.
“Nurturing our young, rising talent has always been an important initiative for J. Walter Thompson,” said Laura Agostini, J. Walter Thompson Company Chief Talent Officer. “We are passionately committed to supporting the next generation of creative leaders around the world, and in driving gender equality in the industry.”
The five recipients of the first HLR scholarship represent every global region and are among the world’s most promising young female creative talent:
SOUTH ASIA: Anagha Anand
Anagha Anand attends the National Institute of Design in Gujarat, India and will graduate in 2017. She is studying Film and Video Communication and is one of two girls in an otherwise male-dominated class of seven.
NORTH AMERICA: Nadia Izazi
Nadia Izazi attends Pratt Institute in New York, where she is studying to earn her graduate degree – a Master of Science in Packaging Design. She will graduate in the fall of 2016.
MEA: Rawan Obaid
Rawan Obaid attends the American University of Sharjah, UAE and will graduate in Spring 2017 with a degree in Multimedia Design and Photography minor.
LATAM: Natalia Romero Ramirez
Natalia Romero Ramirez attends Escuela de Artes y Letras University in Bogotá, Colombia and will graduate in the spring of 2016 with a degree in Graphic Design.
EUROPE: Lilli Ridder
Lilli Ridder attends Miami Ad School Europe in Hamburg, Germany and will graduate in September 2016. She aspires to become a Digital Designer and Art Director.
The HLR Scholarship, named after the industry and J. Walter Thompson’s first female copywriter, Helen Lansdowne Resor, was first established in partnership with the 4A’s during the agency’s 150th anniversary in 2014. Since its inception, the scholarship has been promoted at leading industry events like the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Spikes Asia and Advertising Week in New York City, as well as the 3% Conference. It has also received widespread international media attention from The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, Campaign and more.
J. Walter Thompson has been an industry-leading voice on gender equality issues, most recently hosting a lively discussion in partnership with The New York Times during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on how technology and globalization are reframing gender equality. The panel featured media pioneers, including best-selling author and New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd and Tina Brown of Tina Brown Live Media, among others.
ABOUT HELEN LANSDOWNE RESOR
Helen Lansdowne Resor began her pioneering half-century-long career with J. Walter Thompson in 1908, and quickly became a guidepost to female creatives of her generation and a champion for the advancement of women’s rights both inside and outside the agency. During her tenure, J. Walter Thompson was known as the “Women’s Agency,” where bright young female talents had a chance to succeed. As a brilliant creative, working mother and icon in advancing women’s rights, she overcame significant cultural barriers as a true pioneer. She is also credited with some of the industry’s most innovative early advertising, including the use of celebrity testimonials and endorsements from socialites, European royalty and other well-known women in her work for Pond’s Cold Cream.
ABOUT J. WALTER THOMPSON COMPANY
J. Walter Thompson Company was founded in 1864 and has been making pioneering solutions that build enduring brands and business for more than 150 years. Today, under the leadership of Global CEO Gustavo Martinez, the company has evolved to include several global networks including J. Walter Thompson Worldwide, Mirum and Colloquial.
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Jocelyn Weiss Malas, WORLDWIDE, ALL INQUIRIES, +1 (646) 509-6230, [email protected]
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