Essay 763

The New York Public Radio broadcast on segregation and exclusivity in the advertising industry (see Essay 759) demands further study. Anyone who missed it is strongly encouraged to click on the essay title above and listen carefully.

Host Danyel Smith led the talks, joined by Advertising Age reporter Lisa Sanders, True Agency President/CEO Richard Wayner and 4As Senior Vice President of Agency Diversity Programs Don Richards.

The conversation was (stereo)typical of nearly every attempt to discuss the continuing drama; that is, it was too unfocused, too imbalanced and too short.

The show even featured the standard Black-folks-complaining-about-the-cultural-clichés-prevalent-in-Black-advertising. Heaven forbid a White person would have been permitted to air such grievances.

Lisa Sanders offered insights based on her journalistic inquiries, stating that New York advertising agencies have submitted their employee statistics for inspection, and the numbers are very bad.

Richard Wayner explained his recent contention that the advertising industry practiced “sanctioned segregation,” ultimately managing to back his position in a calm and thoughtful style (see Essay 582).

Don Richards’ performance on the panel was downright disturbing.

At one point, Richards tried to argue the industry’s lack of diversity was not the fault of advertising agencies; rather, it was rooted in clients’ decision to hire minority shops to handle multicultural initiatives. Additionally, minority shops have greatly benefited and profited from the specialized arrangements.

Richards proclaimed, “If you ask the owner of an African American agency whether he’s done well, many of them have done well in that environment because they were the experts.”

Say what? The Black agencies in America that have “done well” could probably be counted on a single hand. ET’s hand, that is. And these enterprises certainly don’t enjoy profit levels equal to general-market agencies in any fair proportion. Behind closed doors, most minority shop officers salivate at the prospect of making “general-market money.” These folks aren’t pursuing general-market assignments just for the bragging rights.

Richards’ apparent unfamiliarity with Wayner and the True Agency was also very odd. Wayner’s aforementioned observations on “sanctioned segregation” were highlighted in the trade press. And while MultiCultClassics has criticized the work of the True Agency in the past, the shop has received a lot of attention — including almost merging with TBWA\Chiat\Day. How can the man tapped by the 4As to champion diversity programs not be aware of Wayner and the True Agency?

When he proceeded to give Wayner advice on creating advertising, Richards was nothing short of condescending and clueless. Based on published records of Richards’ career, the man has never toiled at a minority shop. But like most general-market dinosaurs, Richards is quick to assume an authoritative and all-knowing stance. What an arrogant jackass.

The current investigations of Madison Avenue have agencies and the 4As scrambling to hook up with lawyers and lobbyists. The excuses Richards served up — including the nonsense contained in a recent AdAge.com story (see Essay 710) — may hint at the new smokescreens being concocted by industry officials. One can only imagine what role Richards has played in all these actions. The 4As obviously knew what they were doing when they hired this guy.