StoryGnat #17: Ad women

The women who left their mark on the advertising world

Hey StoryGnatters, it’s that time again!

Now, this week’s offering is slightly at odds with the way I promote this Substack, in that I always say it isn’t related to my work.

But this week, it kinda is.

Because this week, we’re talking about…

Ad women

Did you know that Dorothy L Sayers (crime novelist and SO much more) worked as a copywriter at Britain’s largest ad agency in the 1920s? No? Well you do now.

The world of advertising has long been glamourised – even before Mad Men hit our screens. And it has been dominated, like many (most?) industries, by men.

But there are important ad women we should be talking about, too. The ones Mad Men’s Peggy represents, perhaps.

Today is about them.

Thankfully, there’s been more and more (but still not enough) recognition of women in the ad industry in recent years:

• This piece from Vikki Ross (champion of copywriters the world over) is an excellent starting point.

• This documentary is SO worth a watch. Go on. Go watch it. Now.

• And if you’re reading this when it’s freshly published, try to get to this exhibition which is running for a few more weeks in London.

And yes, if it wasn’t obvious already, in my day job (if you can call it that when you work for yourself) I’m copywriter, and I get to work with some properly excellent brands. If you’re curious, here’s a link:

I utterly love my job, and owe so much to those who paved the way.

If you missed last week’s post about WW2’s Utility Clothing Scheme, catch up here.

Until next time (which I promise will be thoroughly work-free),

Meg