The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) has rolled out the second edition of its Step into Adland initiative, in partnership with TikTok, to attract more diverse young talent into the ad industry.
In support of this year’s campaign, the IPA enlisted five TikTok creators to spend time at Story, Billion Dollar Boy, IMA Global, Trunk BBI and Leo Burnett to show what working in an agency looks like. The creators are James Atkinson, Abie Baxter, Hannah Briggs, Kimberley Cumberbatch and Benjy Kusi.
The videos highlight different kinds of agencies in the industry and their culture, and also include interviews with staff about their careers.
Launching on the IPA’s TikTok account on Wednesday, they call on viewers to register for Step into Adland open days in March that enable participants to experience agency life in one of the profiled businesses.
Step into Adland was first launched in 2023 and is part of the IPA’s Talent & Diversity programme, which includes schools initiative Advertising Unlocked.
IPA president Josh Krichefski pledged to focus on talent during his tenure, and developed the People First Promise as part of his agenda. BBH London CEO Karen Martin will succeed Krichefski as IPA president in March.
Krichefski said: “It is vital for the future of our industry that the untapped young talent across the UK see working in advertising as an exciting career option, and this is a great way to reach this audience and showcase the fantastic opportunities that adland can provide.”
Joni Morriss, head of agency partnerships UK at TikTok, called Step into Adland a “valuable initiative that will inspire the next generation of talent” and help young people “kick-start their career”.
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