Driving the future of journalism
Porsche Great Britain – Media workshop: Encouraging diversity within the UK’s pool of motoring writers.
Women account for over half of driving-licence holders around the world, yet they remain under-represented in automotive media.Of around 250 motoring journalists in the UK, less than 20 are women.
In late 2021, Porsche Cars Great Britain developed a programme to bring aspiring female journalists into contact with industry professionals, offering the next generation of writers and video creatives the opportunity to refine their skills and foster new working relationships. We Drive workshops were designed to provide expert advice and hands-on media experience, alongside the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Porsche.
We Drive is designed to provide expert advice and hands-on experience
Another vital aspect of the initiative was to encourage content with a greater focus on a female audience, as Rory Lumsdon, Director, Public Relations at Porsche Cars GB, explains: ‘Whether it’s a male or female journalist, cars tend to be reviewed in a very masculine way, picking up on the sort of features men are interested in. We’ve done a lot of research to see what our female customers are interested in, and it’s very different from what you read in a typical car review. So the idea was to help tailor what was being reported to better engage with a female audience.’
To turn We Drive from vision to reality, Porsche Cars GB approached Erin Baker, Editorial Director at Auto Trader UK and one of the country’s most highly regarded motoring journalists. The first We Drive event ran in tandem with the UK launch of the new Macan, the model with the highest proportion of British female buyers.
Aspiring journalists and presenters enjoyed workshops with Baker and key industry figures, and the opportunity to create their own reviews of the compact SUV from a female perspective. First-hand experience of assessing a new car offered an invaluable grounding, but just as important were the connections made and friendships forged with like-minded, similarly driven women.
