By Jessica Bosenberg, Account Director, Grey London
Have you heard of the First Penguin metaphor?
A group of penguins stand on the edge of an iceberg ready to jump into the water below. However, they are scared – polar bears lurk beneath the surface. The only way to move forward is for one penguin to jump in first and check out the water. That first penguin then swims back, tells their friends the water is safe, and off they all swim happily ever after.
As a neurodivergent person in advertising, I used to feel like a penguin stuck on the edge of an iceberg, surrounded by waters not yet quite safe enough to swim. If no-one around me was talking about neurodivergence, how could I be open about that part of me?
Disclosing that I’m an Autistic Account Director seemed at best a total paradox (it’s not), and at worst, career limiting.
To be clear, my colleagues at Grey London couldn’t have been more wonderfully supportive when I eventually shared this information two years in. However, my fears weren’t entirely unsubstantiated – statistics show us that companies are still discriminating against neurodivergent employees.
The irony is that adland is in fact a very neurodiverse industry, with a disproportionately high proportion of neurodivergent colleagues. Creative Access has suggested that proportion could be as high as 54%; in comparison, neurodivergent people make up just 15-20% of the global population.
I’m not surprised. Creativity thrives on difference. We talk a lot at Grey about the ‘Collision of Difference’, and neurodiverse teams – including both neurodivergent and neurotypical colleagues – are an incredible asset.
But when we think about neurodiversity in advertising, it’s not just about who makes the creative work. We also need to be mindful of who we make it for.
If over 1 in 7 of the world’s global population is estimated to be neurodivergent, how can we do more to actively consider and represent them in the work we make?
Neurodivergent audiences have a calculated $1.9 trillion in collective spending power. Brands cannot afford to ignore this, and whilst we are seeing great headway in this space, there is so much more to be done.
So here are three key actions:
DESIGN TO INCLUDE EVERYONE, FOR EVERYONE
Accessibility within advertising campaigns and across brand touchpoints is essential. Many people process information and absorb experiences differently, and our work needs to reflect that – whether through dyslexia-friendly fonts, simplified digital layouts, or inclusively designed events.
Authentic representation matters just as much. To reach neurodivergent audiences, brands need to consult with them, test with them, and co-create wherever possible. Having that lived experience on the team is also very valuable.
Organisations like The Future is ND and The Neu Project champion this by providing guidance to brands that is neuroinclusive, representative, and shaped by lived experience.
BUILD CULTURES WHERE NEURODIVERGENT EMPLOYEES CAN THRIVE
The key thing here is to create an environment where neurodivergent employees can be open about who they are from day one, so that they can then ask for the accommodations they need – whether that’s flexible working, quiet spaces, or tools to reduce sensory overload.
Employee Resource Groups focused on neurodiversity can play a key role in embedding that inclusive culture. We set up one recently at Grey, called the First Penguins.
Through creating a culture of inclusion, we gain creative advantage. Teams that combine both neurotypical AND neurodivergent minds don’t just mirror the world more accurately. They approach problems from different angles, challenge assumptions, and generate ideas that others might not.
Different neurodivergences bring different strengths. As my colleague at AKQA Belgium Peter Ampe puts it in Great Minds Think Unalike, these aren’t deficits – they’re alternative ways of seeing the world.
Cultivating a space where different minds can flourish will only lead to greater creativity.
DEMONSTRATE TOGETHER THAT WE ARE AN INDUSTRY THAT EMBRACES NEURODIVERGENT TALENT
I dream of a world where neurodivergent young people see the advertising industry as a place where they can thrive and belong. But for this to happen, we as an industry need to be telling them loudly and clearly that they are welcome.
Employers have such a crucial role to play here, and this action should begin as early as the hiring stage. Recruitment processes often contain hidden barriers – for example, many organisations have assessment processes that are still built for neurotypical candidates.
Moreover, if it’s not crystal clear that disclosure is safe, talented candidates may feel excluded before they’ve even had a chance, as they can’t ask for the accommodations they need.
One change we recently advocated for in First Penguins was to reword the copy in Grey London’s job advertisements, to make it clear if neurodivergence may shape someone’s application experience, adjustments can be made for them in line with their needs.
Because the reality is, the future of creativity is neurodiverse. Agencies and brands that embrace that truth won’t just build stronger, more inclusive cultures – they’ll deliver better, more resonant work.
The First Penguins are diving in, can you help us swim?
