The Battle Behind the Lens
At its core, McCann prides itself on being progressive. We are a champion of platforms like Free the Work and Free the Bid, committed to giving underrepresented and female directors a fair shot in an industry often skewed toward the same familiar faces. Every project followed the rule: the triple bid would always include at least one underrepresented or female director.
Yet, as the saying goes, the devil is in the details.
Time and time again, the process fell apart at the final stage. The triple bid would be narrowed down to two top contenders, often resulting in a creative tug-of-war: an older, white male director with decades of experience versus a younger, talented Hispanic woman in her 30s who brought fresh, diverse perspectives to her work. On paper, both were qualified. Both delivered compelling treatments. Yet when the time came to make the recommendation to the client, the scales tipped toward the familiar.
“He’s just more experienced,” they would argue. It was easier, safer, and more comfortable to go with the seasoned veteran. The Hispanic woman—eager for the opportunity, brimming with ideas, and fully capable—was overlooked. And so, the same old patterns continued, even within an agency that claimed to be breaking them.
These decisions weren’t malicious, but they were systemic. The creatives—who held the ultimate power to recommend a director—were often splitting hairs, making choices based on subconscious biases rather than a commitment to inclusivity. The opportunity to champion someone who could bring a fresh perspective was being passed over, again and again.
The question lingered: What would it take to shift the balance? The creatives didn’t need to abandon quality or risk the project’s success. But when two directors were equally matched, why not let inclusivity be the tie-breaker? Why not take the chance to elevate someone who could shape the future of the industry, rather than lean on the comfort of the past?
It wasn’t just about ticking a box. It was about aligning actions with values—building a legacy of stories told through lenses as diverse as the audiences watching them.