By Adam Wakefield

Carpenter’s journey into the world of advertising began in 1999 in London. By December 2015, she was living in Cape Town and appointed creative director at Accenture Interactive the month before.

This year, Carpenter will be one of the few South Africans participating as a judge at the 2016 Cannes Lions, after being offered a place on its mobile jury. However, prior to Carpenter taking her seat on the jury, she was not even aware her name was under consideration.

“I didn’t know anything about the selection until I got the phone call a few weeks ago. The line was bad, so I didn’t realise what I’d said yes to until Yvonne Diogo at Cinemark, the official South African representative of the Cannes Lions Festival, sent me the email confirming it,” Carpenter says.

“I couldn’t believe I’d been invited as it’s such an honour to judge at any awards show. Having never even been to Cannes as a delegate, I didn’t remotely think this could be a possibility. In fact, I’m going to print out that email and frame it.”

After her jury selection, which is a nod to a professional’s career as much as the firm they work for, Carpenter’s responsibilities began “almost immediately”, having over 250 case films and supporting material to read and judge online. 

Entries are shortlisted, with creativity, the execution of a brilliant idea, and demonstration of solving a real world problem being key. 

Once in Cannes, Carpenter and her jury peers will “be locked in a room for five days” debating the shortlist and what equates to “world-class” industry-changing work. Only 3% of entries across the Cannes Lion spectrum win awards, with only the best of the best recognised.

Carpenter has always been in digital, an environment characterised by constant evolution. Her trick to staying on top of sector change comes down to two statements when a new platform or digital service is being spoken about:

  • “Show me”;
  • “How does it work?”

“Download it, have a play and start working out how to incorporate it into the next solution. All you need to do is keep your ears and eyes open,” she explains.

As one of the first women appointed to a senior creative director position within South African digital agencies, Carpenter has an experienced view on gender representivity within the industry. 

Counting herself as being one of the lucky ones fortunate enough to never have worked at an agency where she was discriminated against because of her gender, Carpenter says the industry is changing “because, finally, we are discussing it openly and recognising the problem”. 

“Every job I have had and all the promotions I have been given are based on my ability and merit, but my experience is an exception,” she says.

“Unequal pay, lack of encouragement, lack of support in raising a family, being left out of pitches, meetings and networking events, not to mention the 'boys club' - which I have experienced many times - is what female creatives face every day and that is why I think women drop out before they reach a leadership position.”

Carpenter notes a survey in 2012 that found only 3% of creative directors in the United States were women. This led to the founding of The 3% Conference which champions creative female talent. While that figure has risen to 11% since, Carpenter says, “Before we get too excited, shouldn’t that be 50?”

“I want to inspire and encourage the women that work with me to know that reaching a creative executive position is possible and give them the confidence to do it when the average creative director - here and globally - is white and male,” she says.

“It’s a responsibility that I am acutely aware of and I call all male creative directors to champion the female creatives on their teams, pay them equally and tell them they can make a difference in a creative leadership position.”

For more information, connect with Carpenter on Twitter.