Yanina RohovskaAdTech has faced an upsetting trend in post-pandemic years, with the number of women in the landscape declining from 46% in 2021 to just 35% in 2023. In contrast, The Women in Programmatic Network (TWIPN) emerges as a powerful network to support women in programmatic and digital advertising. Since 2020, the global organization has transformed from a regional initiative into a global movement, creating a more inclusive and equitable ecosystem for everyone, regardless of their gender.
Recently, Niki Bansal, CEO at TeqBlaze, examined diversity in the workplace as a part of the female founders series. This time with Hazel Broadley, Content Lead at TWIPN, we are going to discuss the role of the female community in the AdTech niche. With over 15 years of experience in B2B tech PR, Hazel is now focused on crafting compelling content and providing expert consulting across a variety of B2B sectors, including adtech, martech, dataops, and digital media. She will also share her advice on how to start a career in programmatic advertising, reflecting on her professional path as a Director at B2B Tech Content Consultancy Lexical Llama.
Get inspired by Hazel’s story and see how the industry is turning into a fair playing field for women to reach their full potential!
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Yanina: Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself and your professional background?
Hazel: My foray into AdTech began when I joined a boutique PR agency and helped to grow a three-strong team into a global tech PR firm. It was an invaluable experience, but I knew I wanted to focus on the content writing side of the business, having graduated in German and Linguistics.
With marketing teams all too often deploying generalist writers, I saw a gap in the market for specialist AdTech content writers with first-hand knowledge of industry trends, challenges, and solutions. In 2016, I set up Lexical Llama as a freelance writing service for both agencies and tech firms.
Then in 2020, with Covid putting a stop to events, marketing budgets were reallocated to content writing, which led to our rapid expansion. Today, our team comprises three B2B tech writers, a translator, and a marketing manager.
How did you first get involved with The Women in Programmatic Network (TWIPN)?
Hazel: I joined a virtual members session back in June 2023 and met the awesome Iesha White, a programmatic expert who had recently joined the network and taken on the role of building out a new content and communications team for the network.
What role do you play within TWIPN, and what are your primary responsibilities?
Hazel: Together with Iesha, I co-lead the content team. We’re based in the UK, but help coordinate global communications with the various regional chapter leads. My responsibilities include making sure all community announcements, partnerships, and events are communicated through our various channels; facilitating writing opportunities for members; and assisting with virtual and in-person events.
Can you describe the mission of TWIPN and why it’s important for women in the industry?
Hazel: Over the past four years, TWIPN has evolved into a global organization dedicated to championing and empowering women who work in programmatic, as well as the wider advertising industry (tech, data, adops, sales, marketing, legal, etc.) who are looking to better understand programmatic.
In 2023, the number of women in AdTech started to dip, comprising just 35% of the sector - down from 46% in 2021. And so we’re striving to level the playing field once again. We welcome everyone across the ecosystem - i.e., buy-side, sell-side, and intermediaries - and we advocate for equal representation, positions, and pay across the industry globally.
How does TWIPN help its members overcome professional challenges?
Hazel: We offer a range of networking opportunities throughout the year, including monthly virtual members sessions in which we invite a guest speaker to discuss a current industry trend, as well as in-person events with live panel discussions.
We have a really supportive community of over 5.6k followers on LinkedIn and over 1k members across our various WhatsApp groups. Despite our size, we’ve created a safe space where everyone feels welcome to share their challenges.
We support each other by sharing industry intelligence, speaking and writing opportunities, research, and other projects that advance the women of our industry. We also collaborate with trade bodies, commercial partners, the trade press, and event organizers.
What programs or initiatives within TWIPN have been most effective in promoting gender equality in the workplace?
Hazel: Unfortunately, we still see a number of industry panels, keynotes, roundtables, etc. where women are underrepresented. But the good news is that this discrepancy is being called out - by both women and men - which is making event organizers sit up and listen. In response, The Women in Programmatic Network has built out a Speaker List offering a range of programmatic talent.
Could you share a success story from the network that particularly inspired you?
Hazel: As a result of building and sharing our speaker list, several conference providers have reported being able to put more women on stage.
How has being a part of TWIPN impacted your professional life?
Hazel: I’ve met so many wonderful people through the network - both women and men - and it’s an honor to be part of such a rapidly growing community.
I’ve made some lasting relationships, a few of which have turned into clients. But more than that, I’ve been able to keep learning - be it a new acronym, or the technicalities of the latest platform or regulation.
What initiatives or projects within TWIPN are you most excited about currently?
Hazel: Having gone through a period of significant growth over the past year, we’re about to announce our new UK board. We’re also revealing the results of our latest DEI member survey at our next virtual event in October.
We’re hosting a keynote and panel at our next in-person event, Breaking Through the Noise: How to be Heard in a Male-Dominated Environment, in partnership with LiveScore on October 9th.
How do you see the future of women in programmatic advertising evolving?
Hazel: If the speed of TWIPN’s growth is anything to go by, I think the AdTech industry will soon rebalance itself and women will become better represented again.
The respect and encouragement I’ve felt from male peers across the industry has also been more palpable in recent years - not only towards me as a professional but also towards the network and wider female community.
What advice would you give to young women starting their careers in programmatic advertising?
Hazel: It can be daunting for women in any area of tech, given the current imbalance, but there are various support groups out there, not least TWIPN but also AdTech Connect, which is geared towards younger or entry-level professionals. Joining a mentorship program - e.g., Bloom UK - can also be a good way of building confidence.
Are there any emerging trends in programmatic advertising that you think we should watch out for?
Hazel: Based on what we’re writing at the moment, curation is a hot topic - specifically, how programmatic curation can be used to unlock the potential of the open web as we strive to move beyond the confines of walled gardens.
Attention is also evolving beyond talking about its benefits (alongside viewability) to implementing those metrics in the marketing plan. With the IAB and MRC aiming to release accreditation guidelines by Q1 2025, attention should become an even more viable metric to adopt.
How do you balance professional demands with personal life, and what tips can you offer for managing stress?
Hazel: Working with a business coach has helped me break down large tasks into bite-size chunks, such as overhauling our credentials deck and website.
I also like the Pomodoro Technique, and while I don’t follow it to the minute, standing up and taking a break from the screen every half hour or so helps me recalibrate.
How can someone interested in supporting or joining TWIPN get involved?
Hazel: It’s free to join, and we welcome women from every level, from intern to CEO. Simply register on the website to be added to our WhatsApp and LinkedIn groups. Or to find out more about how to become a volunteer, email the team.
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Undoubtedly, such supportive communities as TWIPN play a key role in formulating growth opportunities for women within programmatic advertising. In our interview, Hazel gave her thoughts on the challenges and opportunities for females, emphasizing the importance of networking, mentorship, and continuous learning in building a successful career. With her dedication and the collective efforts of TWIPN, we can look forward to a more diversified future with equal opportunities, recognition, and compensation.
In case you missed out on our latest interviews, feel free to unveil the future of digital advertising and privacy-focused solutions with Jessica Werner, Senior Director of Publisher Development at ID5.
