Essay 1140

Check out these comments responding to the AdAge story presented in Essay 1136. Click on the essay title above for the full story, including video of the proceedings…

> To give business to a firm solely because it is owned by a black man is no better than to give business to a firm solely because it is owned by a white man. Advertising media placement is a game of numbers. If any media company, minority- or Caucasian-owned, wants to gain market share, they need only provide an audience of greater number and value to marketers. Forcing advertisers to spend money in any market which does not provide the greatest return will diminish their ability to compete. Their business will not grow as fast as others in their category and, in turn, their advertising budgets will reduce. The best thing minority-owned media companies could do to get a greater share of the advertising pie is to provide a greater share of valuable market audience. — Hometown, DC

> The best rationale for the need for this dialogue comes not from the article but from the previous comments. How can the industry of “Big Ideas” be filled with such small minds? The arrogance displayed in these comments is a glaring reflection of the problems that face this industry. You copy the style, language, fashion and music of the African American community, and then question African Americans the availability of qualified people to hire? At least be creative in your denial. Dallas, Texas — Grand Prairie, TX

> No one likes to have decisions forced upon them. No company or its principals are ever welcoming to the notion that government can step in and say that they are doing things in an unethical or unfair manner. However, businesses felt that same way in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, etc. At some point, regardless of your race or ethnic origin, you must notice the huge disparities that exist between “white” companies and everyone else’s. It’s more a matter of fair and honest competition than making sure that black businesses get a cut. Monopolies are broken up. Anti-trust suits are filed. Barriers must be broken in a civil and judicious manner, similar to the 1960s. What is the other recourse? It’s not as simple as saying: “Don’t they have anything better to do?” or “Focus on your community.” It’s a fight for proportionality. The percentages of blacks working in ad agencies are not low due to lack of skills, experience, or desire. The question becomes what is actually lacking in the process that can be fixed. — Philadelphia, PA

> This is ridiculous. Diversity hearings are for losers. You don’t see Asians out there beating their chest for an equal opportunity. They do a fantastic job, and they get hired. Anyone who is hired to fill a quota, and not on their own skills, is lazy, or untalented. Maybe diversity needs to be forced onto corporations that are traditionally white/male only, like big oil manufacturers. When I worked in oil&gas, there were no black people… unless they were working on the rigs. THEY need to be forced to be diverse. The advertising industry is probably one of the more diverse industries there is. Give me a break! — Burlington, ON

> I think the agencies were wrong not to attend. I think they could have used the opportunity to show which minority media they do buy and which media they don’t. There are several reasons why I didn’t buy specific media in the past, especially community newspapers: poor circulation figures (if audited at all), poor production standards, and canned editorial content straight from corporate PR departments. When given the choice between legitimate media reaching minorities, especially magazines, such as Black Enterprise, radio such as KMEL, and cable TV versus these local publications, I didn’t hesitate. And naturally, it was the publishers who were the loudest critics. — Novato, CA

> In over 30 years in the agency business I have only worked with two African Americans. This issue should have been addressed years ago. Kudos to the NYC City Council. — Irvine, CA

> Don’t those people have anything better to do? Instead of demanding that agencies hire minorities to fill some arbitrary quotas perhaps they should focus on the minority communities and what they should be doing to improve their saleability to the agencies that hire. I’d also like to see the data that supports their claim. — Alamosa, CO

> I will admit that I may not be totally informed about the purpose of the public hearing. However, once again, it appears that the government is forcing its way into the private sector’s decision-making process. If the ad community decides to skip the meeting, let the marketplace determine how to handle it. Why does the government feel compelled to threaten them, or at the very least use their public forum to bash them. This issue is larger than this hearing; it is just another example of how the government will throw their weight around whenever they don’t get their way. Let’s face it, we all can’t get our way but the rest of us have to deal with it. As for the minority-owned businesses, I do see a need to help them get started and have a solid foundation. But once they are up and running, why is it the role of the government to continue to support them? If they have a good idea that the market has a need for, combined with a strong business plan, shouldn’t they be able to stand on their own? This all reminds me of something I was once told, “We become experts on external conditions when we fail to look at ourselves.” — NORFOLK, VA

> I think there are few companies out there in general that support diversity. Many corporations have “diversity programs” whether that is for hiring internally or externally with suppliers. However, I bet if you investigated the issue further you would find that many of these “programs” are fronts. Corporations and Ad Agencies will still continue to do what they want unless someone actually holds them accountable and they are required to disclose NOT just “numbers” but names of individuals or contractors that can be verified. Then and only then will they start to take it seriously! — Chicago, IL

> Obviously the New York City Council practices the much-practiced Jesse Jackson-inspired shakedown techniques that are cloaked in the phoniness of “diversity.” Can we also ban the word “disrespected?” — Plainfield, IL