The pathway to creative success is lined with diversity and dialogue

Historically, the marketing communications industry failed when it came to diversity, Aruga Co-Founder Donna Kramer said.

“Australia is among the most multicultural nations on the planet with more than 270 ancestries represented nationally, yet this rich diversity is not reflected in our agencies which are dominated by individuals from an Anglo-Celtic background across all levels.

“We knew it was past time we hit the re-set button and made proactive steps to change this.”

In response, Rumbletown launched a pioneering diversity and inclusion scholarship in partnership with QUT Business School (Queensland University of Technology).

The Rumbletown Pathways Scholarship provides one BIPoC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour), CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) or mature-age QUT student annually with $12,000 financial support and unrivalled access, experience and mentorship across the disciplines of Advertising, Digital, Media and Communications.

The scholarship was created to not only improve diversity within Rumbletown’s own ranks but to promote industry dialogue about under-representation within the marketing communications industry nationally.

“The Rumbletown Pathways Scholarship is designed to set up the building blocks for a promising and diverse future. It is about creating a pipeline of diverse talent at a graduate level,” Ms Kramer said.

Recipients will undertake a 16-week full-time internship across Rumbletown’s five independent agencies – Rumble Strategic Creative (Advertising and Creative), Aruga (PR and Social Media), Romeo (Creative and Digital), Scout Frontier (Media Planning and Buying) and Edison (SME Brand Consultants).

Nancy Hartley, Co-Founder of Rumble with Remy Brassac and James Burchill, said creativity thrived in a diverse workplace.

“Our long-term commitment to the Rumbletown Pathways Scholarship is about conscious advocacy and demonstrating a continued prioritisation of inclusion.”

QUT Business School’s Associate Director – Work Integrated Learning Ingrid Larkin said the partnership with Rumbletown built upon a successful internship program and strong alumni ties.

“It is important for QUT to listen when an independent agency like Rumbletown acknowledges an industry issue like diversity and is prepared to do something about it,” Ms Larkin said.

“Rumbletown came to us with the idea for the scholarship and at QUT Business School we saw it as a great opportunity to extend the existing partnership.”

The scholarship is open to QUT undergraduate and post-graduate students who identify as BIPoC; individuals or children of migrants or refugees; individuals from a non-English speaking background; mature-aged students; and individuals from an economically challenged background.

Applications for the 2021 Rumbletown Pathways Scholarship have closed and the selection process is entering its final stages with the inaugural recipient to be announced in June.

For more information, visit rumbletownpathways.com.au