Why Putting People at the Centre is the ‘Improper’ Creative Way
The word “improper” has been used historically to shame and denigrate people who do not fit neatly into traditional power structures, they choose to reclaim it. It’s a label used to marginalise and to exclude people who look, act and sound different to the majority. Women, people of colour and LGBTQ+ people have all been deemed “improper” at moments in history and still are today, whether explicitly or implicitly.
Most agencies would rather be considered proper, but in naming their agency Improper, founders Kate Ford, Nicky Thompson and Leonora Saunders made a statement about the company they wanted to build. As a creative agency, Improper seeks to challenge the assumptions of systems that have exerted this power.
The UK agency’s perspective as a majority queer, women-led creative company gives the team a unique perspective and position from which to challenge its clients, while representing marginalised voices in the industry – and the wider workplace.
To find out how this drives the way they work, LBB’s Alex Reeves chatted with the three founders – Leonora Saunders, director of strategy and operations, Nicky Thompson, creative director and Kate Ford, director of people and strategy.
LBB> How did the founders of Improper come together to make the agency happen?
Leonora> Kate, Nicky and Kathryn Nawrockyi (our fourth founder) had all worked together at different points and there were numerous conversations (and frustrations) about how brands and organisations need to do more. For example, it is easy to do a big splashy Pride campaign whilst ignoring the wellbeing of your LGBTQ+ colleagues for the rest of the year. We wanted to be an agency that understands that disconnect and actively looks to address it. There’s a lot of good intention, but it can often translate into green/rainbow washing and a box-ticking exercise.
Kate> At this crucial time we need, now more than ever, to find purpose and strength in our communities. We have to come together rather than focusing on the things that divide us. Our ethos underpins the work that we do - prioritising people, finding common ground and supporting brands to find their role.
Nicky> There was a lot of brainstorming around the kitchen table about what that looked like; who were we trying to reach, what were we wanting to say and how were we going to achieve it? We all just knew very clearly that we wanted to use creativity to challenge conventional narratives – and Improper was born.
LBB> Your perspective as a majority queer, women-led agency marks you out from the vast majority. What do you value most about that perspective?
Nicky> In 2019, only 1% of creative agencies were founded by women. Today, women account for just 17% of UK creative directors [according to Creative Equals]. When it comes to intersectionality, the numbers are starker. We are founded by women, led by women and are a majority queer agency, something that directly feeds into our work.
Leonora> We are already living a shared vision of what we want the future to be. This isn’t about abstract diversity and inclusion issues, this is about real people. This is about you and I. Being a woman and LGBTQ+, you do not have the same advantages that come with being born into a patriarchal society. You will likely experience bias and even violence. There are so many different intersecting experiences. I am white, so have not experienced racism for example, but understanding where the power lies and how it all intersects helps us to challenge inequality wherever we see it.
LBB> Challenging your clients is something you’ve mentioned is key. Why is that so important?
Leonora> We have to challenge to change things. The status quo is the easy option, but it is much harder to take a long, hard look in the mirror and ask yourself where you could be doing things better.
Kate> People don’t trust brands – they're searching for something authentic, but that is hard to find. Our research shows us that people want brands to be honest about what’s happening in the world. They want to see brands living their values, inside out. We take an activist approach with our work, which means going above and beyond to do more - in a way that has tangible effects. It isn’t enough to just jump on a bandwagon, you have to take responsibility, step up and do something.
Nicky> That challenge is also part of our creative approach. How do we ensure representation across campaigns, from the conceptualisation to the production? This affects how we think and design, as well as how we execute our campaigns and select the crews that we use. As a creative director, I am always thinking about how these things feed into the work that we do, and the impact it has.
LBB> What do you find most effective in your aims to represent marginalised voices in the industry – and the wider workplace?
Kate> We always work with our clients to provide educational support. With any campaign, there has to be an understanding of what is going on, and why, to create meaningful work. One thing people really don’t like is hypocrisy. It is so easy to tick the box and pat yourself on the back. We advocate for a deeper look at workplace culture and getting your own house in order, before you go out waving your pride flags or talking about racism or gender equality. Is there parity in your organisation? What are you doing to achieve it? How are you communicating these messages and what progress is actually being made?
Leonora> By encouraging a different way of working, hearing from actual people and listening to those that are marginalised, it becomes a tangible reality and is so much harder to look away. We are all human at the end of the day, and so much is lost in the rage and fear surrounding all things ‘diversity’. We just need to find a place to have these conversations, which everyone can be part of.
LBB> How do you look to amplify voices and explore the intersecting inequalities that persist – with honesty and activism?
Leonora> We need to change how we talk about these things, as inequality doesn’t exist in a vacuum. All these things are interlinked and need to be understood as part of a bigger picture. If we could do this, it would help us move out of these silos we have created; people think ‘oh it doesn’t affect me’ or ‘it’s just women’s issues’, for example, but achieving equality in every form benefits our society as a whole.
Kate> We always aim to put people at the centre of our communication. When you tell the stories of people that don’t fit within societal norms, it is also, ultimately, so much more interesting! Equally, by prioritising these stories we can see how everything is linked. When we talk about climate change for example, we have to recognise the disproportionate effect on women and people of colour, as gender and race inequality is deeply entwined with the environment.
LBB> What are you most proud of recently?
Nicky> We are all very proud of our ongoing work with Ashden. We all know that climate change is causing unfathomable tragedy around the world and we urgently need to take action. Ashden supports those working to mitigate the effects of climate change through sustainable initiatives and innovation. Our brand refresh awards film, and social campaigns focus on the people who are showing us how it is done – both locally in the UK, and across the globe.
LBB> What are you most excited about getting to work on moving forward?
Leonora> We are very excited to be hosting our first supper club since covid-19, on November 17th. Prepare to be moved, roused and energised! Join us at Caravan Restaurants, our wonderful hosts for the evening, for delicious food and bloody great beer from our friends at Brooklyn Brewery.
Speakers include the brilliant Esi Yankey (writer and poet), Leng Montgomery (diversity and inclusion leader & TEDx speaker) and Mandu Reid (leader of the Women’s Equality Party).
All proceeds from ticket sales go to The Women's Environmental Network (Wen). Wen takes an intersectional, feminist approach to environmental justice. It is an inclusive women's organisation – trans inclusive – and welcomes anyone who shares the same values and mission. Wen is the only UK charity working on issues that connect gender, health, equality and the environment.
