"Today I feel it's a great advantage to be a woman"
Regula Bührer Fecker, co-founder of Rod Kommunikation and author of the book "Frauenarbeit" (Women's Work), answers Advertising Week's questions about the position of women in the Swiss advertising industry.
Werbewoche: Why aren't there more women in the executive ranks of the communications industry?
Regula Bührer Fecker: That's certainly not true with regard to smaller agencies, where there are a lot of women who set up and run them. It looks more male at the big ones, but that's only a question of time: the international networks in particular will certainly feel the pressure from headquarters to change things.
How many women work in your agency and how many men?
We are about even, half and half.
Does your agency have equal pay?
Yes.
Suppose your agency introduces a women's quota. What do you think of that?
I am against any kind of quota. Quality must prevail. Otherwise you're always the token woman, and that's an absolute loser position.
What would have to change to make it easier for women to reconcile family and career?
Nothing. It's all there. We can access it. In other words: it is possible, you have to want it yourself. The generations before us fought much harder.
If you were a man - would you be in a different position today?
Yes, I wouldn't have stood out as being so different.
What can men do better - in relation to your professional environment?
Forming clubs, rope teams. There are many of these in advertising.
What can women do better?
That's a bit of a cliché, but I think women are generally better at planning and organizing than men. But there are exceptions for both sexes.
Why are there more advertisers of the year than advertisers of the year?
I think - compared to other industries - advertising was relatively early to recognize good women, when I think of the title winners since 1977 - Doris Gisler-Truog, Yvonne Hodel, Yvonne del Medico, Liliane Lerch, Danielle Lanz, Nadine Borter and myself. Things would be very different in other sectors. The question is how we will continue, who will be the next woman to win an award.
Which professional colleague has impressed you the most in her career so far?
In my early years, I worked with some really great women who I could look up to, which really motivated me as a twenty-year-old. Among others: Christina Benz, Marion Marxer, Nicole Boss (now Bretscher), Petra Hiltenbrand, Marianne Weibel, Silvia Schneider (then Klimesch). And as a member of the Board of Directors, there were others. There are many. And it's precisely this versatility and seeing how different you can be that helps you in your own life.
Have you - in relation to your professional career - ever had negative experiences that you would not have had as a man?
No, on the contrary. I think being a woman today is a great advantage. You still really stand out if you've got what it takes! If the world changes in the way I anticipate, my daughter will find it much harder to stand out because of her gender.
What advice do you have for young women who want to enter this industry and reach your position in the medium to long term?
Read my book, "#Women's Work - Tips and Tricks for Young Professional Women". It summarizes everything I have experienced and think I know and can pass on.
Do you recommend that young women enter your industry?
Yes!
What do you think of the gender discussion in your industry in general?
I think we should get over the discussion and simply behave normally, i.e. hire and promote good women as well as good men.
Published so far:
This article is from the "Women's Issue" of the Advertising Week (8/2018, May 4, 2018).
Editors: Ann-Kathrin Kübler, Thomas Häusermann
