The spot was the winner of the 2019 Channel 4 Diversity in Advertising Award, which invited brands and agencies to pitch campaigns which would challenge ingrained stereotypes and the objectification and sexualisation of women.

Created by Engine, 'No Time for Cliches' addresses the stereotyped way that women are often talked about, and to, in advertising. Featuring familiar lines from other commercials, including comments about ageing and ‘strong, healthy hair’, it juxtaposes these with images of women at work in the RAF.

The campaign launched as early findings from a major new survey examining diversity in advertising revealed that the main problem with adverts featuring women, is the roles in which they are portrayed rather than overall levels of representation.

The research, commissioned by Channel 4, studied the 1,000 most-watched TV adverts over a four week period and showed examples where women were portrayed in stereotypical and sometimes derogatory ways. In ads where women have a clearly defined role or occupation, just over 40% showed women in a clichéd ‘homemaker’ or ‘house wife’ role.

Women should be defined by actions not clichés and ‘No Time for Cliches’, with its creative use of music, drives this message home in a unique way - that every role in the RAF is open to everyone, from spare time to the front line.

Royal Air Force - No Time For Cliches

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