Embracing Equity with Razorfish Health

Written by: Nina Rupp, Associate Director, Growth

International Women’s Day (or IWD for short) is an annual, global celebration of the achievements of women and women’s equality in all its forms. Every year on March 8, IWD presents an opportunity for people around the world to rally for gender parity.

2023’s IWD theme is #EmbraceEquity, which calls attention to the critical need for gender equity. Before going further, it’s critical to call out that equity is different from equality. Equality means that everyone receives the same resources or opportunities. Equity means that everyone is given the specific resources and opportunities they need (with each person’s unique and varying circumstances considered) to reach an equal outcome for all. This year’s IWD serves as an important reminder that equality is the goal, and equity is the means to get there.

At Razorfish Health, we are committed to a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive view of the world—a view that reflects the shared goal of IWD. In honor of this year’s celebration, we’re back with more thoughts from some of Razorfish Health’s best and brightest on all things celebrating women and advocating for equity in order to achieve equality.

The following interview features the insights of Jill Kauffman, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer; Kate Edmonds, Executive Vice President, Account Director; and Rona Mahadeo, Senior Project Manager.

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1. How long have you been in the industry, and why did you choose to pursue a career in advertising/marketing?

JK: I have been in advertising for over 25 years. I entered brand planning from political strategy, where I had spent several years. I was really drawn to the creativity and energy in the industry. It was also a different way to impact peoples’ daily lives.

KE: I’ve worked in marketing for more than 25 years. I worked in international development before—so it was a career change for me, and it sort of chose me; I was lucky. My entire career since has been focused on health.

RM: I have been in advertising for the past 15+ years. I was fascinated by the entire process of what it takes to bring a product to market. I enjoy finding creative ways to solve problems, helping my team and client meet their goals, and seeing the brand grow from behind the scenes.

2. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is #EmbraceEquity. How are you personally embracing equity in the workplace?

JK: I try and always think about members of my team individually to determine what they each need as individuals to grow and thrive. I love the notion of equity over equality because it isn’t about doing the same thing for everyone. We need to customize tools and solutions to fit the person.

KE: I’m meeting people where they are and recognizing that everyone has their own gifts. The X factor for embracing equity is helping people continue to grow and learn and contribute, and this involves being open to hearing new perspectives and having real conversations. Listening is powerful! I’m also intentional about modeling respect and inclusion, though like most, I still have a lot to learn.

RM: Diversity, equity, and inclusion are three very important topics to me. Equity (specifically) is important for making sure that every employee’s voice is included in the decision-making process, that everyone feels fairly compensated for their work, and that everyone has access to the same opportunities. It’s very important to me that everyone I work with feels safe, accepted, and valued and has an equal opportunity to grow and succeed.

3. How do you think the advertising industry as a whole could better embrace equity?

JK: I think it needs to be more focused on individual needs of people and less focused on teams. At the end of the day, what sets our industry apart is that we operate as a team, but the team is stronger when each person gets what they need to personally thrive.

KE: The industry could be better at recognizing that we have a lot to learn from people with different perspectives. I believe mentoring young women to encourage them to use their voices and teach them how to present and follow through on their ideas is essential.

RM: The ad industry can work harder to create a less homogeneous environment to ensure that diversity is reflected in the content and creative we are responsible for.

4. What is one piece of advice you would share with young women who want to join the advertising industry?

JK: Do it! This is an industry that offers unlimited opportunity to women who are committed and willing to work hard. I have always found most women in the industry to be selfless in giving their time and mentorship. It is an industry where women lift each other up and support one another.

KE: Know yourself: what are your interests and passions? What’s your personality type: are you an introvert or an extrovert; are you a driver, or are you analytical; and what’s your learning style? Knowing more about yourself will help you interact with other people and help them understand you. Most importantly: GET FEEDBACK! I was scared to get negative feedback and as a result I didn’t have information that could have helped me in real time. Finally, embrace a growth mindset, as we are constantly learning and developing.

RM: Don’t be afraid to ask questions. When you ask questions, you learn. Don’t worry about looking stupid. I’ve worked with amazing people, and in the beginning, I was too intimidated and honestly too busy to ask questions. Avoid complacency, be patient, learn from everyone around you. Be determined, fearless, and confident.

In service of achieving a gender-equal world, we also spoke with a male colleague, Dino Vitale, Analytics Manager, on what this year’s theme means to him.

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1. What does embracing equity for women in the workplace look like to you?

DV: To me, embracing equity for women in the workplace looks like creating an environment where all women and people from other traditionally underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds have the exact support, resources, and opportunities they need to create equal outcomes.

2. What advice do you have for allies who are aiming to achieve equity for women within the advertising field specifically?

DV: In the advertising field specifically, my advice to allies who are aiming to achieve equity for women is to prioritize diversity and inclusion in all aspects of their work. Ensure that women are equally represented in all aspects of advertising, from creative to strategy and media planning. Challenge stereotypes and gender roles in advertising by advocating for more diverse representation in campaigns and creating content that accurately reflects the experiences and perspectives of women. Lastly, look from within and ask yourself, “What are the advantages that I have? What are the benefits that I have? What is the power that I have?”—and most importantly, “How can I use it and leverage it for those who might otherwise be overlooked and ignored?”

Be sure to follow along with us this month on our socials, @razorfishhealth to discover more opportunities in support of not only IWD, but also Women’s History Month.

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If you are interested in joining the RFH team, check out our open roles. We know you are not your resume; we understand you are not your work, and we respect that you are so much more than a job description. You are you. So come be you and do you with us.