5803: Urban Expertise In 15 Words Or Less.

This actual job listing from the infamous Creative Circle warrants ridicule. Read it quickly and view the MultiCultClassics response below.

Account Planner + Research-Urban Markets

Position: Account Planner + Research-Urban Markets
Location: City of Chicago
Status: Freelance
Estimated Duration: Ongoing
Starts: Aug. 20th
Rate: $35-45/hr DOE

Job Description:
A great freelance project with an upbeat agency in the city. Our client is looking for an Account Planner to work with their team.

You must have urban marketing and research experience to be considered. The ideal candidate will have 3-4 years of experience.

This starts on Aug. 20th so apply now with a sentence describing your experience doing research and planning for urban marketing.

OK, for anyone needing a clue, urban marketing is standard code for Black- or minority-targeted marketing—at least in the Chicago advertising community where this message originated. And they’re probably not seeking Latino marketing professionals, since Creative Circle would have stipulated for fluency in Spanish. Regardless, the outrageous part involves the final request: a sentence describing your experience doing research and planning for urban marketing. Does Creative Circle have such little respect for the specialization that they believe any expertise can be summed up in a sentence? You have to wonder what responses might spark interest from the recruitment firm. Here are a few guesses:

I worked at (fill-in-the-Black) agency.

I received an MBA from an HBCU with a UNCF scholarship.

I won an ADCOLOR™ Award.

I organized a gospel choir competition.

I’ve produced at least one commercial featuring a barbershop.

Ditto commercials featuring double dutch.

I’m the hardest-working man in Black advertising.

I invented the Black Inventors ad concept.

I have access to hip-hop artists.

I am a hip-hop artist.