#WomensMonth: How Accenture's Meaghan and Tennessee keep up with the goal posts

Meaghan Essel and Tennessee Barber have been working together since 2017. Source: Supplied.

As a female creative team, how does your partnership shape the work you produce? How do you ensure women’s stories are told with nuance and authenticity in brand work?

Tennessee: The key rules of our partnership and how we approach every job are: 1) be open-minded 2) be up for a challenge (or to be challenged) 3) be ready to push the brief into meaningful work that you’re proud of by the end.

Meaghan: We may work in advertising but we don’t wake up to make ‘ads’. We try to use brand opportunities to tell stories that are truthful or exciting. Over the years, we’ve taken on a more journalistic approach — leaving our desks to hear people’s lived experiences firsthand. Like visiting Dianna Ferrus, the poet, in her home for Iziko Museums Hidden Heritage or calling for hours understanding how first-time employed women felt for Pizza Hut’s LeadHERship campaign. Those stories guide our insights. That’s what it takes to be authentic.

What inspires your work right now — in life, in culture, in the world around you?

Tennessee: Creatives inspire creativity — pop culture from high-end fashion to art, movies to social trends and edits to a good old magazine — but also talking to non-ad people and what’s happening in industries outside of mine.

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Meaghan: As a bleeding heart, inspiration many times comes from doomscrolling — gen z’s latest cringe or comments under a financial article: thinking about how to solve things that are bothering people, not just as consumers, but as a society.

You work closely together but I have seen both of you make sure you shine individually (I think I saw Tennessee talking at a Loeries event and Meaghan on the IAB Youth Council), is this something important for your relationship?

Tennessee: Our individual successes are important for our team dynamic: one success is a shared success, we support each other in new achievements and share the network that it brings. Our commitments are driven by pushing ourselves forward in different ways, whether it’s from public speaking or wanting to help youth get involved in the industry.

Meaghan: As a creative, your currency is winning awards and representing the industry. It’s good to be strong and competitive as an individual, even when you’re in a creative team. We move together, we interview together — and we bring all our individual growth back to the team.

 Leading from question number 4, how do you deal with tension and disagreements?

Tennessee: As hard as it can be, we just talk it out. Five minutes of breathing room — we’re good again. Thick skin and not taking things personally can go a long way. It’s about the work, but also, respecting our professional relationship and our out-of-office friendship that has grown over the last decade.

Meaghan: Tenn talks about work and I to her therapist so often that I joke that she’s my therapist too. Even with conflict outside of our duo, we usually consult each other on the best way forward.

Communication is the healthiest thing or we’d have ended up in HR’s office way back.

What does Women's Month mean to you?

Tennessee: Sometimes, it feels like Women’s Month is at risk of the same trap that Heritage Day fell into: becoming ‘Braai Day’. It’s important to remember what it took for women to get here, what women still have to overcome to succeed, and why this month should matter to everyone. It’s not just a silly annual brief that comes onto your desk. There are still so many stories to tell and women to uplift.

Meaghan: In an increasingly mano-sphered world, where sometimes women’s rights and voices feel like they are regressing — it’s a reminder why we have to keep having these conversations, unfortunately. From the original inspiration of the Women’s March to the Union Buildings to what we’re still fighting for today, we remind ourselves: our stories still matter — and we have the mic.

Who are the women that inspire your work professionally?

From both of us: It’s not the Loeries top 30 list that makes you inspired. And it’s not always the most decorated person in the room or the most active on LinkedIn. Walking in and seeing a senior creative woman is exhilarating. Getting to work with her, even better. Special call out for: Kyra Antrobus, our current creative director extraordinaire.

Any advice for young women wanting to enter this profession?

From both of us: So much advice inspired by our own journeys, we could start a podcast (watch this space) but here are the three most important things you should take with you as a creative woman:

• The goalposts will always move: we’re creatives not soccer players. Just keep going, keep making work, and you’ll find your place.
• This number does not exist: assume you’re always undervaluing yourself, add more numbers to your offer every time.
• It’s only getting better: there have never been more women in the creative workplace than now. So stay when things get tough, help others when you notice they’re struggling, and talk to your colleagues — they’re usually nice people.