Bringing the ‘Manel’ Back. In the Name of Equality.

Caroline Dettman, Chief Marketing and Creative Officer, The Female Quotient

Once upon a time, the “manel” - a name coined by women to mean a non-diverse panel of only men talking about their expertise in business - was a non-inclusive practice of industry conferences. At this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, The Female Quotient hosted four of our very own all-male panels as part of our first-ever Man@Cannes campaign series. 

But, the FQ Equality Lounge® is inclusive by design, so why bring back the “manel”? The answer is three-fold:

1. These panels revolved around critical topics related to #equality (that you don’t often hear executive men discussing) – from sharing unpaid labor to how fatherhood has changed their views on gender equity, reproductive rights, and more.
2. Unlike traditional “manels,” the men we brought together for our Man@Cannes series were diverse. 
3. As mentioned, men want to be part of these conversations, and it’s time we give them a safe space to do so. 

According to our recent M.A.L.E. (Men’s Attitudes and Learnings on Equality) Report, an online research study conducted in partnership with Ipsos:

69% of men say they actively champion women in their day-to-day work.

64% of men say they believe men and women are equally willing to talk about gender equality. 

And, yet… 

Only 38% of men say they regularly engage in conversations related to gender equality. 

At The FQ, we’re all about creating consortiums of collaboration with both women and men. We were built by women for everyone. That’s how you move mountains to tackle seemingly intractable issues like closing the gender gap. 

In line with our research findings, the C-suite advertising, marketing, and creative executive men we invited to our Equality Lounge stage to unpack these topics did so with vulnerability, humility, and candor.  

For example, when weighing in on what it looks like when men choose to take a more active role in sharing household and #caretaking responsibilities, Andres Cardenas, CMO of Minute Media said, “I used to give myself a medal for going to Trader Joe’s. Those things are very executional, but my wife is very strategic in the household tasks and the worry and planning that go way beyond the supermarket or laundry. That’s where I can do more.”

What’s more, David Roter, of Snap Inc., shared, “I missed the first five years of walking my kids to school every day. Post-pandemic there’s no chance I’m not taking them to school. You don’t get that time back.”

Sean Mccaffrey, President & CEO of GSTV, advocated for men to use their voice and platform, “Tell the story without coded language: reproductive rights are human rights. The silent majority has been far too silent.” 

And, Philippe Krakowsky, CEO of Interpublic Group (IPG), underscored the importance of taking action when he said, “Saying you believe in something and cheerleading from the sidelines doesn’t really count for very much. I’m not even sure that the word ‘ally’ is one that necessarily should pass muster.” 

Ultimately, if we don’t include men in discussions about childcare, empathy, and conscious bias, then we are talking to ourselves. Men are essential proponents of gender equality. And, yes, conversations matter, but actions matter more. 

Through both our proprietary research and our Man@Cannes series, we hope to inspire more men to have these important conversations in their own workplaces and, most importantly, take collective action. 

It’s why we took a moonshot and landed on bringing back the “manel.” It’s one small step for man, but a giant leap for humankind. 

The Female Quotient partnered with Mary Catherine Starr, the artist behind the Instagram account @momlife_comics, to create a series of custom illustrations in honor of our Man@Cannes panels. The images were featured in our Equality Lounge, as well as across social media. Mary Catherine’s work focuses on the challenges of marriage, motherhood, double standards, and inequality in both the household and the workplace.