#MeToo: Advertising speaks up

A thread being maintained on Twitter throws up several names from the advertising and media industry

Oct 08, 2018 06:06:00 AM | Article | Campaign India Team

The #MeToo movement has hit the advertising and media industry. We've been tagged by users on Twitter narrating incidents they've faced during their career.

Twitter user @Kalamwali_Bai tweeted this about Ishrath Nawaz, ECD, Publicis.

If you're working in advertising and come across this man, run. Run for your fucking life. Saying this out of personal experience.#TimesUp https://t.co/KHQ6yhz2Io
— �� (@Kalamwali_Bai) October 5, 2018

Frankly, I am not even surprised.

.@publicisindia @PublicisGroupe, it would be really disappointing if y'all don't do anything about this and he gets away yet again. pic.twitter.com/buSyLYi4Lv
— �� (@Kalamwali_Bai) October 5, 2018

Publicis India responded to the tweet by stating:

We are looking into this matter immediately. The Publicis Groupe has a zero-tolerance policy towards any type of workplace misconduct and if any such incidents are brought to our notice, we will take necessary action as per company policy.
— Publicis India (@PublicisIndia) October 5, 2018

As the movement gained traction, an ex-colleague of Brijesh Jacob also decided to speak up through this anonymous column.

Not at all appalled just immensely disappointed that a group like ⁦@DDB_Worldwide⁩ ⁦@DDBMudra_Group⁩ could let this toxic culture foster. As an ex-classmate of Brijesh Jacob ⁦@SIMC_Pune⁩ I have known him to make sexist comments..1/2 https://t.co/GOy8GsKqds
— Ananya Mukherjee (@Ananyaaa_) October 7, 2018

Raj Kurup has also been named by Twitter users. Along with @natellapuncakes, @skhndh also tweeted against Kurup.

Raj Kurup, Founder, Creativeland Asia.

Do me a favor. Read this. Read it. Do it. This is the third woman to speak out against him. All three have expressed fear at his blatant misuse of power. pic.twitter.com/gXUAL8XOIk
— Sukhnidh�� (@skhndh) October 7, 2018

A tweet was also made about Omkar Sane. Dentsu Webchutney had investigated the case and fired him.

Omkar Sane, my former boss at Webchutney once asked me if my legs opened as wide as my mind did. In broad daylight. In front of people. He had no shame nor fear.
— UtsaviJ (@Utsavi) October 7, 2018

The thread also has tweets against Medulla and WYP's Mihir Chitre, iProspect's Dinesh Swamy and Famous' Raj Kamble.

pic.twitter.com/Pq7gPTBkYC
— Sandhya Menon (@TheRestlessQuil) October 5, 2018

Dinesh Swamy, well known senior creative director. @dinesh_swamy pic.twitter.com/Yqr0l9iFAi
— Sukhnidh�� (@skhndh) October 8, 2018

Funny that people aren’t getting why this is sexual harassment. Men! Trying getting physically close to a woman and then making sexual innuendos about having fun while trying to feel her up is fucking harassment. There I spelt it out.
— Elisha Gada (@e_lisha) October 5, 2018

There's a thread being maintained by @weeny which mentions a list of those from the fraternity to have harassed colleagues.

Here's what the agencies had to say about the allegations.