Why I Choose To Be a Jewish Ally in Adland
As odd as it sounds, advertising was all I ever wanted to do as a kid. I have my dad to thank for that - he directed over 600 commercials for clients like American Express, Unilever and Levis. As a result, I spent many school holidays mucking about in the boardrooms of London agencies, waiting for him to wrap up production meetings. You could say I grew up in adland, and it has undoubtedly shaped the person I am.
It’s an industry and a community I love. Dynamic, avant-garde, liberal and diverse. Creative, commercial and international - advertising wields great power, shaping opinion and culture. At its best, it’s a powerful vehicle for corporate activism. From enhancing minority representation, to highlighting social injustice, inspiring conversation and action.
Yet it also has blind spots, one being how it sees - or fails to see - Jewish people. This is crazy, especially given the disproportionate contribution Jews have made to our industry - think Bernbach & Dane, Valenstein & Fatt, Saatchi & Saatchi… The mind boggles.
Nike has a long history of activist-inspired advertising. From launching their first hijab, to the support of Colin Kaepernick, the impacts of these campaigns are extraordinary. Unfortunately their campaign at this year’s London marathon came under huge scrutiny for using the line ‘never again’, inadvertently trivialising the holocaust.
Now full disclosure, I’m not Jewish myself, but my wife (who also works in advertising) is, and so are our two young daughters. I’m therefore acutely aware of the bias and inequity Jews face. Much of this is often unconscious but the impacts are irrefutable - analysis of home office data by the Campaign Against Antisemitism suggest Jews are over five times more likely to be targets of a hate crime than any other faith group. (Side note - this analysis was published exactly one year before the horrific events of 7th October 2023 - a sad irony I’m sure is lost on no one).
Campaign Against Antisemitism's first national campaign. Ad space donated by Ocean Outdoor.
Since October 7th, the atmosphere here in the UK has shifted again. There’s been an uptick in antisemitism, both blatant and subtle. Online (Musk has got a lot to answer for), but also, as I’ve witnessed first hand - in workplaces. Be it the lazy references to Tottenham Hotspur supporters as ‘The Yids’, or DE&I events hosted 7th October 2024, with no mention or reference to the date nor the Jewish community. At best, an unfortunate oversight. But at worst, I find myself asking - is it deliberate?
Worryingly, I’ve also noticed how some Jewish friends, colleagues and clients have felt it necessary to ‘tone down’ their Jewishness for fear of discrimination. In one particular case, so as not to jeopardise a job opportunity, another a new business pitch. In 2025, this is as mad as it is intolerable.
All this has forced me to think about allyship. If my daughters grow up and choose to work in this business, will they feel safe? Will they feel welcome? Will they see role models who reflect their identity? Right now, I’m not sure.
For me, being an ally means noticing when others are being excluded, listening and learning, and most importantly, being willing and able to use your voice when others might not feel comfortable. It’s also about committing support and creating space for Jews to feel seen.
That’s why I’ve joined the Jewish Advertising Community (JAC), and why I’m helping to launch the London chapter. In the past, I’d tried to join the Jewish ERG at one of the big four holding companies I used to work for, but I was declined for not being Jewish myself. This knocked me - was my support unwanted or inappropriate? I searched for alternatives but could not find a single organisation here in London.
I found JAC after a startling interaction…I was speaking on a panel about mental health in advertising. I referenced in passing the anxiety I’d felt when visiting my daughter’s Jewish school for the first time and noticing the parent-funded security. A Jewish colleague reached out to me afterward and said ‘You know, this industry is fucking antisemitic, right?’ And that was it. A google search later (JAC SEO is on point), a completed form and I was connected!
I try to use my platform to amplify important messaging, framing the facts in ways that resonate with other Jewish allies.
I choose to be a Jewish ally in adland because it’s personal — it’s about my family, my colleagues, and the future of the industry I care about. But allyship shouldn’t need to be personal. It should be a principle we all live by. My hope is that by speaking up, I can encourage others to do the same.
Ed is a founding member of the Jewish Advertising Community in London. He lives in St Albans with his wife, two young daughters and labradoodle.