5766: Playing The Presidential Race Card…?

From MSNBC.com…

McCain camp: Obama playing race card

From NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro

Earlier this morning, McCain campaign manager Rick Davis released this one-sentence statement: “Barack Obama has played the race card, and he played it from the bottom of the deck. It’s divisive, negative, shameful and wrong.”

The statement refers to this Obama line yesterday: “So nobody really thinks that Bush or McCain have a real answer for the challenges we face, so what they’re going to try to do is make you scared of me. You know, he’s not patriotic enough. He’s got a funny name. You know, he doesn’t look like all those other Presidents on those dollar bills, you know. He’s risky. That’s essentially the argument they’re making.”

Obama’s remark yesterday seemed innocuous. In fact, it’s similar to what he has said many times before. “I know that I don’t look like the Americans who’ve previously spoken in this great city,” Obama noted in last week’s speech in Berlin.

Perhaps more important, Obama’s remarks wouldn’t have been seen as playing the race card if Davis hadn’t issued this release. After all, the best way to play the race card sometimes is to accuse the other side of playing it.

But Obama’s remarks yesterday seemed like an obvious observation; Obama was very subtle. Davis, though, decided to use a sledgehammer.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton issued this statement: “This is a race about big challenges -- a slumping economy, a broken foreign policy, and an energy crisis for everyone but the oil companies. Barack Obama in no way believes that the McCain campaign is using race as an issue, but he does believe they’re using the same old low-road politics to distract voters from the real issues in this campaign, and those are the issues he’ll continue to talk about.”

“Well, I think it goes well beyond that,” Davis said. “First of all, that was one of three instances yesterday that Barack Obama said the same thing in three different locations in Missouri. Secondarily, his campaign actively has been feeding to journalists all night last night and all day today, the notion that somehow something we have done in our campaign -- of which I could not identify for you today -- was somehow, had racial overtones. Third, liberal blogs all around the country were actively pursuing this this morning, which I can only assume didn’t come out of the blue. And so, I just wanted to make it clear. And to be honest, I don’t know how else you explain the quote that you just played other than to believe that somehow Barack Obama was calling something we’d done racist or something we had done with racial overtones. Otherwise I don’t know what else he was talking about.”

5765: Seeking Simian Version Of Shackleton.

This actual job listing for WPP-Dell enterprise Enfatico demonstrates the startup’s Herculean challenge of recruiting candidates. Like the iconic classified advertisement attributed to Ernest Shackleton, the message lures thrill-seekers. Applicants are only offered a “competitive compensation package” for the possibility of producing “great work for terrific clients”—although the plural form of clientele is currently a pipe dream—alongside “a talented team” still being assembled. In the end, the job specs tell the true tale: Enfatico needs a trained monkey to run the computer maker’s catalog conveyor belt.

ENFATICO

We are looking for people who love a challenge and want to get in on the ground floor of an amazing new venture—the founding of a new WPP company that has initially partnered with Dell Computers. Play a role in the creation of a global entity. We offer a competitive compensation package and the opportunity to do great work for terrific clients with a talented team.

We are currently seeking an Associate Creative Director to oversee the creative team that is responsible for the B2B and catalog advertising for Dell. This individual will be responsible for leading our creative teams in best practices and helping maximize sales and profitability of Dell’s catalog channel and B2B, domestically and internationally. The Associate Creative Director functions as the lead creative contact on accounts under his or her supervision. He/She reports to the Creative Director who supervises his/her creative responsibilities. The ACD formulates concepts and leads staff engaged in executing designs and copy.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Produce intelligent and on strategy creative solutions that reflect brand personality.
• Train and supervise assigned staff of designers and other creative personnel.
• Oversee the execution of all creative efforts to insure they are on strategy, on budget, and on schedule.
• Participate in account team and client planning sessions regarding campaign strategy and the approach to any significant project.
• Lead certain creative projects and team members with a hands-on supervisory approach while facilitating a collaborative team environment.
• Maintain quality of the agency’s advertising, as well as the quality and operation of assigned personnel within the Creative Department. By example and direction, the ACD fosters a departmental reputation for creative excellence.
• Maintain an effective departmental structure, and help create and maintain a high energy level throughout the Creative Department.
• Participate in and contribute to the new business activities of the agency.
• Provide clear/objective critiques of creative work during development.
• Make presentations internally and /or with senior level clients.
• Remain current and communicate industry trends and techniques.
• Keeps Creative Director informed about the creative work progress for clients, and about the ways in which those projects are being produced.

REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:
• 4-7 years of creative team leadership experience.
• Knowledge and experience in performing a variety of advertising assignments is required.
• The ability to think strategically and work autonomously.
• The ability to handle and prioritize multiple projects and multiple creative teams to adjust to changes in timelines, deadlines, and project goals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and organizational skills.
• Ability to train and mentor creative staff.

5764: Coffee Breakdown.

Grande problems in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Starbucks’ struggles are escalating, with fiscal 3Q net losses at $6.7 million—versus a $158 million profit a year ago. “We continue to battle the perfect storm of this economy,” said CEO Howard Schultz. “Until the economy significantly improves, we’re just trying to do what we can to get through this storm.” Hey, maybe they should open Starbucks at unemployment offices, where people are already used to waiting in long lines.

• General Motors plans to cut 5,100 jobs by November, equaling 15 percent of its U.S. and Canadian salaried workers. Note to exiting workers with entrepreneurial spirits: Don’t open a Starbucks.

5763: Tagging Diversity Ads, Part 6.

Corporations love producing diversity ads to hype commitment to an inclusive workforce. Yet these advertisers seem unconcerned about partnering with advertising agencies where diversity is almost viewed with adversity. Granted, many companies compensate by mixing up their AOR rosters with minority-owned shops. But does such a move really negate the contradictions of associating with agencies that have steadfastly resisted moving beyond predominately White work environments?

This week, MultiCultClassics presents actual corporate diversity ads that have been “tagged” with special messages to highlight the hypocrisy.

Click on the ads and read closely.

5762: Apologies In Da House.

From The Associated Press…

House formally apologizes to black Americans for slavery, Jim Crow era

By Jim Abrams | Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Tuesday issued an unprecedented apology to black Americans for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws.

“Today represents a milestone in our nation’s efforts to remedy the ills of our past,” said Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

The resolution, passed by voice vote, was the work of Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen, the only white lawmaker to represent a majority black district. Cohen faces a formidable black challenger in a primary face-off next week.

Congress has issued apologies before — to Japanese-Americans for their internment during World War II and to native Hawaiians for the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1893. In 2005, the Senate apologized for failing to pass anti-lynching laws.

Five states have issued apologies for slavery, but past proposals in Congress have stalled, partly over concerns that an apology would lead to demands for reparations — payment for damages.

The Cohen resolution does not mention reparations. It does commit the House to rectifying “the lingering consequences of the misdeeds committed against African-Americans under slavery and Jim Crow.”

It says that Africans forced into slavery “were brutalized, humiliated, dehumanized and subjected to the indignity of being stripped of their names and heritage” and that black Americans today continue to suffer from the consequences of slavery and Jim Crow laws that fostered discrimination and segregation.

The House “apologizes to African-Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow.”

“Slavery and Jim Crow are stains upon what is the greatest nation on the face of the earth,” Cohen said. Part of forming a more perfect union, he said, “is such a resolution as we have before us today where we face up to our mistakes and apologize as anyone should apologize for things that were done in the past that were wrong.”

Cohen became the first white to represent the 60 percent black district in Memphis in more than three decades when he captured a 2006 primary where a dozen black candidates split the vote. He has sought to reach out to his black constituents, and early in his term showed interest in joining the Congressional Black Caucus until learning that was against caucus rules.

Another of his first acts as a freshman congressman in early 2007 was to introduce the slavery apology resolution. His office said that the House resolution was brought to the floor only after learning that the Senate would be unable to join in a joint resolution.

More than a dozen of the 42 Congressional Black Caucus members in the House were original co-sponsors of the measure. The caucus has not endorsed either Cohen or his chief rival, attorney Nikki Tinker, in the Memphis primary, although Cohen is backed by several senior members, including Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. Tinker is the former campaign manager of Harold Ford, Jr., who held Cohen’s seat until he stepped down in an unsuccessful run for the Senate in 2006.

5761: Bad Business As Usual.

Midweek MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Delta Airlines announced increased fees for fliers, including doubling the charge for a second checked bag. The airline can also guarantee doubling the chance that they will lose the second bag.

• Ex-Sprint customers in California received a treat when a court ruled the wireless phone company was wrong to charge people early contract termination fees. The company now owes consumers about $73 million. Hopefully, the payments won’t be handled by Sprint’s inept customer service representatives.

• Comcast reported 2Q profits rose 8 percent. Guess Bob Garfield’s Comcast Must Die efforts weren’t so successful after all. Wonder if the veteran ad critic will be judging his own failed marketing endeavors.

• Dunkin’ Donuts will add healthier items to its menu. Look for broccoli-filled éclairs and deep-fried soy fritters soon.

• Comic legend Jerry Lewis was caught packing a firearm in his luggage at the Las Vegas airport. Did anyone else hear this news and think, “I thought Jerry Lewis was dead”?

• New York City high schools have officially sanctioned double-dutching as a sport. Count it as one more athletic event where Blacks will excel over all competitors.

5760: Tagging Diversity Ads, Part 5.

Corporations love producing diversity ads to hype commitment to an inclusive workforce. Yet these advertisers seem unconcerned about partnering with advertising agencies where diversity is almost viewed with adversity. Granted, many companies compensate by mixing up their AOR rosters with minority-owned shops. But does such a move really negate the contradictions of associating with agencies that have steadfastly resisted moving beyond predominately White work environments?

This week, MultiCultClassics presents actual corporate diversity ads that have been “tagged” with special messages to highlight the hypocrisy.

Click on the ads and read closely.

5759: Mad Men Is A Period Piece—For 2008.

The season’s first episode of AMC series Mad Men featured the standard Sterling Cooper stereotypes:

Admen disrespecting their female counterparts.

Cultural cluelessness when creating ads for Mohawk Airlines.

Blatant displays of ageism and cronyism.

Foreigners portrayed as potentially ignorant.

Minority roles for minorities (maintenance men and maids).

If not for the wardrobes, you’d think it was Madison Avenue 2008.

5758: When The Offended Become Offensive.

Last week, MultiCultClassics spent too many posts examining people offended by the offended. Now let’s waste time discussing what happens when the offended become offensive.

Bob Garfield ignited spirited debate by condemning Omnicom for its infamous Snickers commercial featuring Mr. T shooting at a seemingly gay speedwalker. On certain levels, Garfield had a valid point. Yet the columnist arguably took things too far, as he compared the commercial with the Matthew Shepard killing and Nazi propaganda.

Today, Garfield connected the Snickers spot with the murderous Tennessee gunman who allegedly opened fire in a church because he hated liberals and gays. Garfield even blasted Adrants’ Steve Hall with his trademark condescending tone. The staffers at Advertising Age ought to be on the lookout for Garfield to show up donning camouflage fatigues and packing a stuffed duffle bag. Before this is all over, Mr. T will be accused of having fatally stabbed O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife.

Garfield might have warranted a teeny sliver of respect for his conviction. Until you realize the man once declared a jihad on Comcast and saw racist undertones when American Idol’s Randy Jackson starred in a campaign for Oreo cookies.

5757: MultiCultClassics Rerun.

Hey, TV networks play reruns. So do blogs. Given all the recent offensive ads in the news, it seems appropriate to review a post from 2007.

5756: Tagging Diversity Ads, Part 4.

Corporations love producing diversity ads to hype commitment to an inclusive workforce. Yet these advertisers seem unconcerned about partnering with advertising agencies where diversity is almost viewed with adversity. Granted, many companies compensate by mixing up their AOR rosters with minority-owned shops. But does such a move really negate the contradictions of associating with agencies that have steadfastly resisted moving beyond predominately White work environments?

This week, MultiCultClassics presents actual corporate diversity ads that have been “tagged” with special messages to highlight the hypocrisy.

Click on the ads and read closely.

5755: Ultra-Lie…?

Guess the Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift® results didn’t impress Matthew.

5754: Tagging Diversity Ads, Part 3.

Corporations love producing diversity ads to hype commitment to an inclusive workforce. Yet these advertisers seem unconcerned about partnering with advertising agencies where diversity is almost viewed with adversity. Granted, many companies compensate by mixing up their AOR rosters with minority-owned shops. But does such a move really negate the contradictions of associating with agencies that have steadfastly resisted moving beyond predominately White work environments?

This week, MultiCultClassics presents actual corporate diversity ads that have been “tagged” with special messages to highlight the hypocrisy.

Click on the ads and read closely.

5753: Change Agents Give Same Old Same Old.

The New York Post presented a roundtable discussion with corporate diversity wonks, including Ogilvy & Mather Chief Diversity Officer Donna Pedro. There’s a nice take on it all at The Brief.

5752: Tagging Diversity Ads, Part 2.

Corporations love producing diversity ads to hype commitment to an inclusive workforce. Yet these advertisers seem unconcerned about partnering with advertising agencies where diversity is almost viewed with adversity. Granted, many companies compensate by mixing up their AOR rosters with minority-owned shops. But does such a move really negate the contradictions of associating with agencies that have steadfastly resisted moving beyond predominately White work environments?

This week, MultiCultClassics presents actual corporate diversity ads that have been “tagged” with special messages to highlight the hypocrisy.

Click on the ads and read closely.

5751: Saving The Children…?

OK, Walmart, these ads show you’ll help people Save Money. But stuffing children with junk food doesn’t exactly deliver on the second half of your tagline to help people Live Better.

5750: Tagging Diversity Ads, Part 1.

Corporations love producing diversity ads to hype commitment to an inclusive workforce. Yet these advertisers seem unconcerned about partnering with advertising agencies where diversity is almost viewed with adversity. Granted, many companies compensate by mixing up their AOR rosters with minority-owned shops. But does such a move really negate the contradictions of associating with agencies that have steadfastly resisted moving beyond predominately White work environments?

This week, MultiCultClassics presents actual corporate diversity ads that have been “tagged” with special messages to highlight the hypocrisy.

Click on the ads and read closely.

5749: Offended By The Offended?

During incidents like the ones involving Nike, Snickers, Verizon, Six Flags, Intel and more, it’s somewhat disturbing to witness the people offended by the offended. There’s always an angry mob arguing the offended are too PC or too oversensitive. Some individuals go so far as to insist the offended should not be offended.

Attempting to dictate other people’s emotional responses seems to display arrogance and ignorance of the highest order. But perhaps it’s to be expected from advertising people, as our professional efforts are tied to persuading and triggering emotional responses.

Regardless, here’s food for thought for the angry mobs.

Industry icon Bill Bernbach was said to carry a slip of paper in his pocket that read, “They may be right.” It was Bernbach’s reminder to consider the client’s alternative view, rather than immediately dismiss them as idiots.

We could all benefit from applying Bernbach’s technique. When confronted by the offended, spend a moment and honestly attempt to see the situation from another perspective.

Don’t just wonder why the offended are being so sensitive. Try asking why you are potentially being so insensitive. Take a hard look in the mirror.

5748: Slightly Off On Offenses.

Advertising Age Editor Jonah Bloom presents an attempt at levity over the recent spate of offensive advertising. However, Bloom technically makes an error in his perspective. Advertising agency executives rarely receive direct criticism for their insensitivity; rather, the advertisers take the heat for Madison Avenue’s ignorance.

Dear Sir: I Write to Inform You That I’ve Taken Offense …
It’s Been One of Those Weeks

By Jonah Bloom

This week everyone was offended. Bob Garfield and some gay lobbyists found a gay-bashing agenda in a juvenile Snickers ad; animal-rights activists railed against the portrayal of pit bulls as aggressive in a Verizon spot; others bemoaned an appeals court’s decision not to uphold the FCC’s fine against CBS for accidentally letting the public see a bit of breast. I thought I’d reassure the people fighting against such offenses today they’re not alone, so I looked back through the archive (in my head) and found these:

Dear Mr. Ogilvy,
Your esotericism has got the better of you. While you and your cronies on Madison Avenue may think there’s something cute about employing an eye patch for the purpose of selling Hathaway shirts, the sight-impaired among us can still see enough to know that this is nothing but a cheap, offensive stunt and that it is you, sir, who lacks vision.

The only possible interpretation of your decision is that you are the kind of man who rides roughshod over people less physically able than yourself, deeming them suitable targets for mimicry and even mockery. Do you shove people from their wheelchairs too?

Your despicable approach will win you no friends among the many-million-strong blind lobby and our friends, and we intend to urge Hathaway to dismiss your agency immediately. This is no way to sell shirts.

Dear Mr. Bernbach,
Since when was it OK to stigmatize a defenseless fruit? I suppose as long as you’re hawking strange little German autos, it doesn’t matter to you that you’re destroying not only the great American car-manufacturing business, but also those of us who feed our children by engaging in the honest and humble profession of lemon growing.

There is nothing imperfect about lemons, and my colleagues and I deeply resent the implication that our lovingly cultivated crop is somehow flawed. I suppose you yourself have never quaffed a refreshing glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day, nor asked the bartender for a lemon drop martini on one of your many trips to a Mad Ave cocktail establishment.

You’ll never get anywhere with this kind of crude humor, Mr. Bernbach, and I can tell you that the fruit farmers among us will not be ditching our U.S.-made vehicles anytime soon.

Dear Mr. Clow,
I don’t know where to start with the inexplicable aberration that aired in the recent Super Bowl.

If you had suffered as my family has suffered, perhaps you would not have been so quick to show a sledgehammer handled in such an irresponsible manner. Three years ago my husband temporarily lost the use of his left thumb in an atrocious nailing incident. A trip to the hospital and several weeks of missed work later, he was still unable to hammer anything without reopening the psychological scar. Since this time we’ve embarked on a mission to educate the public about the risks of pounding one object with another designed for that purpose.

For you to show a hammer—and not just a ball-peen or framing, but a sledge—being used so recklessly not only undoes our work, but jeopardizes the safety of millions by encouraging such misuse of heavy objects. Should there be a hammer-related death next year, it will be on your conscience.

(Incidentally I have also written to the FCC to demand it fine you for the reckless act of featuring a scantily clad lady in indecently tight shorts. If people want that sort of filth, they need only visit the Hooters restaurant chain; the rest of us would like to preserve our children’s innocence.)

Clean up your act, Clow—you’re helping neither yourself nor Apple.

5747: Mad Ave Never Fails To Offend.

From AdAge.com…

How to Cut Through but Not Offend? Verizon, Snickers Latest to Fail Test
Furor Over Ads Is a Reminder of How Easily a Blowup Can Occur

By Matthew Creamer and Rupal Parekh

NEW YORK -- Late last week, an important bit of marketing news about Mars Inc. was delivered to the world through an unusual channel: a press release from a gay-rights organization that had pressured the candy giant to pull one of its ads. The U.K. spot features a scene where Mr. T machine-guns Snickers bars at an effeminate man and culminates with the tagline “Snickers. Get Some Nuts.” The Human Rights Campaign, summing up the sentiment of many in the blogosphere, said the bit condones violence against gays.

Meanwhile, a no-less-intense furor was brewing over an entirely different perceived offense against a totally different group of, um, life forms. Dog owners and canine organizations foamed over a Verizon Wireless commercial featuring a pair of snarling pit bulls that leap to devour a guy but fall short because of their chains. (Across the pond, another canine ad scandal formed around Churchill Insurance when its loveable spokesdog was accused of adding a barely audible obscene coda to his catchphrase.)

By week’s end, both Verizon and Mars had caved under the pressure, showing that this, apparently, is no time for ads that risk offense -- not particularly good news for brands. With the sheer volume of commercial messages swelling, consumers are harder to reach than ever. A tried and true way of slicing through the noise is to prick or even jab at their sensibilities, an approach that may not lead directly to sales but may get a brand some much-needed attention. As a Verizon spokeswoman told AdAge.com: “These are fictional ads, designed to be over-the-top, to break through the clutter and get our message across.”

Mars pulled its Snickers ads, while Verizon put on what appeared to be a brave face and said it was keeping its ad in circulation. However, at least one version of the ad on You Tube had been pulled by week’s end. In its place was a note that it had been removed after a “copyright claim” from McCann Erickson, which happens to be Verizon’s agency.

Whether you view the uproars and reactions as political correctness gone wild or a legitimate response to offensive messaging, this sort of thing is nothing new, nor is it limited to the ad world. Last week also saw shock jock Michael Savage enrage parents of children with autism when he called the condition “a fraud, a racket.” But it is a reminder of how easily a blowup can occur.

[Read the full story here.]

5746: Offending Consumers Is Rarely Profitable.

From Letters To The Editor at AdAge.com…

Offending gays no way to win share

RE: “An Open Letter to Omnicom President-CEO John Wren.” Kudos to Bob Garfield for bringing up the need for greater awareness in the ad industry about the questionable effectiveness of gay stereotypes and homophobia for predictable punch lines.

While many like to fall back on the idea that gay stereotypes and homophobia will automatically sell, this is not borne out in research. To the contrary, the world is rapidly changing -- a generation of youth have now been raised by gay-friendly MTV (plus “Will & Grace,” “Queer Eye,” “The L Word,” etc.), 94% of the Fortune 500 protects gay employees from discrimination, and same-sex couples can become legally bound in 11 states and 22 countries.

Advertising humor is different than stand-up comedy; its job is to make as many friends (also known as sales) for the brand as it can. Gay and lesbian jokes affect more than just an estimated 7% of the population; they also will bring negative responses from their family, friends and colleagues.

Agencies and clients will do much better by raising their awareness on these matters and seeking out best practices. Gays and lesbians are more than just a punch line, they’re the bottom line.

Michael Wilke
Executive Director
Commercial Closet Association
New York

5745: Just Don’t Do It.

From nationwide news sources…

Nike pulls ads criticized for homophobia
‘THAT AIN’T RIGHT’ | Hyperdunk spots not meant to offend, company insists

BEAVERTON, Ore. -- Nike said Friday it would pull its ads for its Hyperdunk basketball shoes, responding to criticism that they fed homophobic views.

Nike previously defended the ads but said it would withdraw them as quickly as possible “to underline our ongoing commitment to supporting diversity in sport and the workplace,” the Oregonian newspaper reported.

The ads were created by Portland’s Wieden+Kennedy agency and titled “That Ain’t Right,” “Isn’t That Cute,” and “Punks Jump Up.”

One ad showed a basketball player dunking over another. The crotch of the player dunking was planted firmly in the other player’s face. The ad sported a large tag line: “That Ain’t Right.”

Earlier, Nike had said the ads were “based purely upon a common insight from within the game of basketball—the athletic feat of dunking on the opposition—and is not intended to be offensive.”

Nike also reiterated its “history of supporting athletes regardless of their sexual orientation.” Nike has been praised by gay-rights advocates for supporting a 2007 Oregon law banning discrimination against gays in work, housing and public places.

An after-hours call to Nike corporate communications rang unanswered Friday.

5744: Tuning In Obama.

From The New York Times…

Black Radio on Obama Is Left’s Answer to Limbaugh

By Jim Rutenberg

ATLANTA — Warren Ballentine, one of black talk radio’s new stars, was on a tear against Senator John McCain as he broadcast from the Greenbriar Mall here last week, blithely dismissing Mr. McCain’s kind words about Senator Barack Obama at the recent N.A.A.C.P. national convention.

“He came out talking about how good of a race Barack Obama was running, and how proud he was of Barack,” Mr. Ballentine said. “You know he went back home and said, ‘I can’t believe I spoke in front of all those Negroes today!’”

“He was pandering to the crowd, talking about how he felt when Martin Luther King Jr. died,” Mr. Ballentine went on. “However, he didn’t vote for the holiday of Martin Luther King Jr.”

Rush Limbaugh, meet your black liberal counterprogramming. Mr. Ballentine is one of the many African-American radio hosts and commentators who are aggressively advocating for Mr. Obama’s election on black-oriented radio stations daily.

Since Mr. Limbaugh first flexed his tonsils two decades ago, Democrats have publicly worried about their lack of an answer to him and his imitators, who have proven so adept at motivating conservative Republicans to go to the polls, especially for President Bush.

Now it is Mr. Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, who has a harmonious chorus of broadcast supporters addressing a vital part of his coalition, feeding and reflecting the excitement blacks have for his candidacy in general. Mr. Obama is getting support from white liberal talk radio hosts as well, but the backing he is getting from black radio hosts could be especially helpful to his campaign’s efforts to increase black turnout and raise historically low voter registration enough to change the math of presidential elections in battlegrounds and traditionally Republican states like this one.

“Urban stations can be in ’08 what Rush Limbaugh delivered for conservatives a generation ago,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton, who has a two-year-old radio program that is now syndicated on stations throughout the country, including in states like Georgia, Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina. “If you look at the political map of where our shows are, it matches the gap of unregistered voters.”

[Read the full story here.]

5743: Will Work For Porn.

This actual job listing seeks porn reviewers. A top critic could score up to $25 per review—or keep the DVD in lieu of payment. Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper of “At The Movies” fame will soon be available. One can only imagine how they might put a spin on the iconic “thumbs up” review system.

Pay per review—Adult movie reviewers wanted (mature-audience)

We run an adult movie archive (adult movies = mature-audience/explicit material) and currently have hundreds of DVDs and more arriving weekly from all the top studios that need to be reviewed ASAP.

We’ll pay you a guaranteed $4-$10 (average is about $7) for every DVD that we mail to you (discretely) and you review for us plus an additional excellent financial incentive if your reviews help our web site generate a larger readership.

In total, if you do a great job, you could earn about $10-$25 or more per review.

We’ll mail you the DVDs (at no cost to you) and pay you when you return them to us (we’ll also pay for the return shipping, of course). Or, if you prefer you can just keep the DVDs you like (valued at $20-$40 each) as your form of payment.

If you’re interested, please contact us and we’ll provide you with all the exciting details.

5742: Snickering At Progress…?

Let’s close out the week with random thoughts on the story filling too many entries at this blog.

Bob Garfield posted additional notes, engaging directly with visitors at An Open Letter To Omnicom President-CEO John Wren. When one person questioned Garfield’s argument that the scenario was “not about gay or not gay,” the columnist snapped:

Julian,
Sigh. This is so simple. You don’t have to be gay to be the target of macho aggression. If you are slight, or weak, or meek or odd. If you don’t like football or groove on Liza. If you read books. If you drive a Neon. If for any reason you don’t fulfill the masculinity expectations of the bully, you are therefore a faggot and: ridiculed, berated, laughed at, marginalized, stuffed into a locker, beaten up, murdered. Ass-wiggling speedwalker = faggot. It’s code. Likewise sweater-draped poodle walkers who squeal “oooooooh!” This kind of ad, which normalizes and even incites contempt or worse for the supposed faggots, is therefore homophobic whether the runner is gay or not. QED.
(BTW, sorry about dropping the N. Yours, Bo) —Bob Garfield, Anytown

After expressing such outrage over the offenses presented in the Snickers spot, it’s disconcerting to see Garfield toss around a slur with reckless abandon—although he’ll undoubtedly have some defense for his use of the word. Whatever. When the person being schooled by Garfield complained, “…There really is no need for the patronizing ‘Sigh. This is so simple,’” the columnist shot back:

Julian,
I reject your characterization. It was NOT patronizing. It was condescending.

Sorry about that; it’s frustrating when the point I feel I made so clearly in the original text doesn’t register with, or make sense to, the entire world.

Alas, I think your Nazi propaganda example -- as I mentioned earlier in this thread -- is not so hyperbolic after all. The business of caricaturing an “other” is a slippery slope whose natural bottom is violence. Hence the Matthew Shepard analogy. Shooting candy bars at a sissy speedwalker is different from bludgeoning an effeminate college student only in degree. —Bob Garfield, Anytown

Well, yeah, the scenarios are different only in degree—first-degree murder. Does Garfield really believe the Omnicom creative team behind the Snickers spot deserves being compared to hate-crime killers? This is indeed a slippery slope, like when people accuse others of resembling Hitler. Garfield sorta did that too.

Garfield confessed to displaying condescension, as well as frustration when his points weren’t making sense to the entire world. Heaven forbid the man might consider the possibility that he’s unclear.

An offline commentator wondered about MultiCultClassics relating Garfield to Jesse Jackson in an earlier post. It’s admittedly a winding stretch, prompted by a recent perspective from syndicated columnist Clarence Page. Responding to Jackson’s infamous gripe that Barack Obama was “talking down” to Blacks, Page disagreed with the statement. He contended Obama and the critical Bill Cosby are successful because “they don’t talk down to their audiences. They enlist their audiences as partners.” Garfield could benefit from trying to do likewise.

While Garfield exchanged online volleys with assorted characters, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation took its case straight to Snickers parent company Mars Inc., and the candy maker decided to pull the commercial. While the outcome is hardly unexpected, it leaves unresolved and peculiar elements too.

For starters, Garfield’s original rant remains unanswered. That is, Omnicom and John Wren appear to walk away scot-free. The company’s worst-case scenario would be losing the Snickers account. Or watching Garfield launch an Omnicom Must Die blog.

Additionally, the stereotypical angry mob that assembled to shoot down Garfield’s basic premise likely still harbors animosity over the entire incident. Do these people represent the industry’s majority? It’s tough to tell. But they certainly provide ammunition for those seeking proof that our industry has a long way to go on the journey toward progress.

Finally, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation revealed that after the homophobic Super Bowl Snickers commercial aired in 2007, “HRC began a constructive dialogue with Mars on workplace inclusion for GLBT employees.” Somebody tell HRC they missed the real target: the advertising industry creating offensive messages and pooh-poohing diversity. It would be interesting to see Madison Avenue face another organization with Human Rights in its title.

5741: The Right To Remain Stupid.

Fighting The Man in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• California has become the first state to ban trans fats in restaurants, a move that will affect about 88,000 places. A new bill signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger calls for trans fats to be removed from restaurant by 2010, and from retail baked goods by 2011. Of course, online protestors are typing out with comments like, “Am I living in America or the Third Reich? What happened to freedom of choice? I’m not a child, I can make this decision without the intervention of the government.” Of course, it should be noted that this fatty freedom fighter is probably nothing more than a PR hack or lobbyist on fast feeders’ payrolls.

• California can’t ban the Minutemen, who took back their Adopt-A-Highway position in San Diego after being initially relocated. “We are all thrilled to see our Adopt-a-Highway recognition sign back up, standing more proudly than ever,” said the anti-illegal immigration group’s founder. “The U.S. Constitution has thankfully trumped the lies and coercion of the illegal alien activists. … Thank you to Americans nationwide who helped us win this critical legal fight for our rights and to have our message heard by all America!” OK, guys, now please go back to picking up the garbage along the highway.

• A detective seeking to serve a subpoena to people in the court hearings involving embattled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick ran into an unexpected obstacle: Kwame Kilpatrick. The detective said Kilpatrick assaulted him while hurling expletives. Kilpatrick was reprimanded by a judge for his actions and ordered to post $7,500 and undergo drug testing. “I don’t know what was going on in defendant Kilpatrick’s life that he exploded, for want of a better term,” said the judge. “This is ridiculous.” Next time, Kilpatrick should just text his expletives.

• Know those hilarious commercials with Coke Zero enthusiasts trying to sue Coke? Well, advertising fiction is becoming reality, as a Chicago businessman has filed a lawsuit charging Coke with stealing his idea for Coke Zero. Talk about a persuasive advertising campaign.

5740: Mr. T Gunned Down.

From The Human Rights Campaign Foundation…

After Discussions with Human Rights Campaign, Mars Inc. Pulls Controversial Ad

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, learned today that Mars Inc. will pull a controversial television advertisement for Snickers following communication between the HRC Workplace Project and Mars, the parent company. The ad features a man whose appearance and actions – speed walking in an exaggerated manner – conjure up stereotypes of gay men. The man is then ridiculed by Mr. T who appears shooting Snickers bars out of a gun and admonishing the jogger to be a “real man.”

Statement from HRC Workplace Director Daryl Herrschaft:

“Following conversations between the Human Rights Campaign and senior Mars representatives, the company has agreed to pull its most recent ad using stereotypes of gay men to sell its Snickers product line. HRC applauds Mars for taking swift and appropriate action.

In 2007, another distasteful Snickers advertisement was aired during Super Bowl XLI. The company subsequently pulled the ad. Following that, HRC began a constructive dialogue with Mars on workplace inclusion for GLBT employees. We were of course surprised to see the company return to the same practice it had just recently rejected.

These kinds of ads perpetuate the notion that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is a group of second class citizens and that violence against GLBT people is not only acceptable, but humorous.

We are hopeful that Mars will make the necessary changes in their organization to ensure this does not happen yet again.”

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

5739: Is Garfield Nuttier Than A Snickers Bar?

Bob Garfield posted another comment on the thread for An Open Letter To Omnicom President-CEO John Wren. Here it is:

To Julia Cohen (and many others),

As the piece makes very clear (notwithstanding the slightly-too-narrow subheadline, which I did not write) it’s not about gay or not gay; it’s about the license to ridicule, demean and target a class of people by virtue of being not prototypically masculine enough.

You don’t wish to go into whether the ad is good or bad or offensive? Allow me: it IS bad. It IS offensive. It IS wrong. It IS insulting. It IS juvenile. It IS bullying. It IS hate speech. It IS bad conduct. It IS bad business. —Bob Garfield, Anytown

Garfield is really unraveling, which is unfortunate, as his original position had validity. In many respects, he’s demonstrating the difficulty of arguing about culture-based offenses with the culturally clueless. Now he has a tiny sense of how New York City’s Commission on Human Rights or Sanford Moore must feel at times.

One problem involves his overreaction on points. For example, is the Snickers spot hate speech? Here’s the Wikipedia entry:

Hate speech is a term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language ability, moral or political views, socioeconomic class, occupation or appearance (such as height, weight, and hair color), mental capacity and any other distinction-liability. The term covers written as well as oral communication and some forms of behaviors in a public setting. It is also sometimes called antilocution and is the first point on Allport’s scale which measures prejudice in a society.

Hate speech seems to require active bias and deliberately evil intent. Let’s hope the Omnicom shop responsible for the commercial isn’t so awful. Besides, most network censors would never allow hate speech to air in primetime. No, this is more likely a case of passive bias—culturally clueless types unwittingly showing insensitivity. Granted, it’s a pretty pathetic exhibit of passive bias. But to categorize it as hate speech would be a signal that the Apocalypse is indeed upon us.

Garfield is also being too politically correct in his positions. To say, “it’s not about gay or not gay; it’s about the license to ridicule, demean and target a class of people by virtue of being not prototypically masculine enough” is complicating the matter. Bob, just admit it is about anti-gay sentiments. You’re confusing the mob.

Finally, Garfield is being ultra aggressive. He’s coming off like Jesse Jackson. And we all know how Madison Avenue views Jackson. If Garfield wants to get back on course, he ought to watch this.

5738: Cover-To-Cover Stupidity.

Covering the news in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Vanity Fair decided to fight satire with satire, producing a parody of the infamous New Yorker Obamas cover featuring the McCains. Look for Ebony to create a Cynthia McKinney Green Party cover, with the former Congresswoman sticking her fist into a U.S. Capitol cop’s face.

• NYPD officials are investigating an incident where the head of a Black doll was stuck on the radio antenna of an unmarked police car carrying a couple of White cops. Maybe the cops were showing support for Cynthia McKinney.

• Max Mosley won his lawsuit against a tabloid that exposed his S&M orgy with hookers. The News of the World claimed it was a Nazi party, but Mosley denied a political theme and will collect $120,000. Which should pay for a few more non-Nazi orgies.

• Ford posted 2Q losses at $8.7 billion, while Chrysler announced plans to dump 1,000 salaried positions. The New York Times 2Q earnings dropped 82 percent. You know things are bad when major corporations are doing worse than old dudes staging S&M orgies.

5737: Domo Arigato, Mr. Biegeloto!

It sure would be nice for Steve Biegel to just go away. Given the secretive nature of his settlement with former employer Dentsu—plus the retraction of all public statements by both parties—one might think nothing more could be said for legal reasons. Instead, Biegel delivered an interview with Advertising Age. Biegel’s remarks included:

There are many “boys club” situations that go on in the industry, but there is a line that I assume is understood that is not crossed in those situations. In plain English, there’s a lot of “entertainment” in the industry and that’s not an issue, but there’s a line that one shouldn’t be pushed over, and that’s what one shouldn’t stand for—being pushed over that line.

I feel like I was a victim who sought justice and was within my rights as an American citizen to stand up to that injustice, and people can form their own opinions about it.

I can look at myself in the mirror without any problems. I can talk to my son honestly about standing up to bullies. I honor my father from him teaching me how to stand up for myself. And people can think what they want to think. As long as I’m truthful and true to myself, then it was worth it.

Guess he had to replenish the retracted public statements. Biegel appears to be blasting Dentsu with accusations like “being pushed over that line” and “standing up to bullies.” Plus, the references to “plain English” and “rights as an American citizen” continue the cultural jabs that tainted the tussle.

Of course, an “anonymous” posted comment shows love for Biegel:

Kudo’s [sic] to Biegel. Thanks for maintaining your integrity and holding others accountable. He might just have saved someone else the dilemma of being in that position and feeling like they had to conform. It’s good to get reminders that we need to tighten up a little. —Norfolk, VA

Ah, yes. Steve Biegel has saved us all from future attacks at Eastern European brothels and Japanese bathhouses. Domo arigato!

5736: Stereotype Standard.

Stereotype resistant? Um, let’s withhold comments until viewing the companion campaigns from Infiniti’s minority advertising agencies.

5735: Wednesday Evening News.

Headlines and pick-up lines in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric declared sexism is more common and tolerated than racism. Couric said, “I find myself in the last bastion of male dominance, and realizing what Hillary Clinton might have realized not long ago: Sexism in the American society is more common than racism, and certainly more acceptable or forgivable.” The last bastion of male dominance? Hasn’t the women ever heard of Madison Avenue?

• Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is now facing charges of exchanging romantic text messages with more women—besides his wife and former chief of staff. Wonder if Katie Couric is in his Fave 5.

• After federal charges surrounding his finances were dropped, Rev. Al Sharpton declared, “I have learned that everybody is not necessarily out to get you. And, I hope [prosecutors] have learned that everybody who questions the system is not trying to beat the system.” None of those lessons apply to Kwame Kilpatrick.

• A former Georgia state employee filed a federal lawsuit claiming she was axed because she announced she would come to work dressed as a female in preparation for a sex-change procedure to transform from man to woman. Sounds like a case of “He Said, She Said.”

• United Airlines announced plans to dump 7,000 employees and cut flights. Yahoo’s 2Q profits dropped 18 percent. Boeing’s 2Q profits fell 19 percent. Mickey D’s 2Q revenue jumped 4 percent. Pepsi poured a 9 percent 2Q profit boost. AT&T’s 2Q profits soared 30 percent. Look for United, Boeing and Yahoo to offer iPhones to every customer.

5734: The Education Of Bob Garfield.

As expected, Bob Garfield’s rant on Omnicom’s homophobic spots has inspired comments. As expected, it’s the stereotypical collection of opinions. But somewhat unexpectedly, Garfield himself presented a rebuttal to the responses. As expected, it appears the man has not yet come to see the big picture—to grasp the real issue at hand. Expect a potential follow-up column or even the launch of an Omnicom Must Die blog. Then expect it all to be forgotten within a few days. Unless someone airs a commercial demeaning Black, suicidal, homosexual pit bulls. In the meantime, here’s Garfield’s rebuttal…

“C’mon. It’s TV.”

How often [have I] seen that comment over the years, as a rationale -- or rationalization -- for advertising’s excesses? Likewise its rationalization cousin: “It’s only an ad. Lighten up!”

Both observations are phenomenally ignorant, revealing a fundamental inability to understand what advertising is. It surely isn’t TV. It’s ON television, but it’s not content that anybody has voted for in any way, shape or form. It just shows up, uninvited, and as such has not just a responsibility for decorum, but a special responsibility. This is NOT a generational issue. It’s a basic ethics issue -- not to mention basic common sense. For God’s sake, an advertiser is putting its multibilliondollar brand behind it: shouldn’t the joke, at a minimum, not resemble hate speech?

Another common refrain: “just more PC oversensitivity.” Wow. That’s really clueless, too. Any who thinks objecting to the depiction of violence (however absurd) for the crime of being too effeminate has ANYTHING to do with Political Correctness either a) doesn’t know what PC is, b) cannot reason beyond some reflexive, defensive sloganeering, c) is a bigot himself.

Those who contend [we] have so lost our sense of humor that we can’t joke about ANYTHING…well, the mind simply reels. For one thing, we CAN joke about everything…or at least everything I can think of…in the right time and place. Even the mass media are awash in hilarious, edgy material. But dehumanizing entire classes of people can be (and certainly is in Snickers’ case) a cruel and ugly enterprise. The commenter who found a parallel in anti-Semitic propaganda -- Ha ha! Look at these greedy jews and their big hooked noses! -- understood the phenomenon exactly.

I was amazed and appalled that one holding company could be responsible for so many sissy-bashing commercials. I am even more amazed and appalled that this mean and juvenile crap has so many defenders. —Bob Garfield

5733: Ads By Google Are So Gay.

Here’s another peculiar example of Ads by Google. Adrants posted a dismissal of Bob Garfield’s rant on Omnicom’s homophobic commercials—alongside a banner ad to meet a gay jock.

5732: Seeking Jackass-Of-All-Trades.

This job listing actually runs about three times longer than what’s depicted. It demonstrates how “New Media” has created new standards, new expectations and new title definitions. A Senior Creative Director is expected to literally do all the creative work, generate timelines and write briefs. Plus, you’ll handle web design, sales materials, presentations, video production, animation, interactive design and print work. This is not a manager position—unless you call your subordinates me, myself and I. Oh, and you can expect to be paid $30-45 per hour. Welcome to the New Job Market.

Senior Creative Director

Symplified, a fast growing, well financed Internet startup, is looking for an extremely talented, completely hands-on, timeline loving, entrepreneurial, Art Directing, Web Designer.

You will be working concept through completion to create new and update existing websites, design banners and other online collateral. You must have an exquisite design sense, as you will be working with world-class companies. You have to be able to analyze client needs, suggest technological ways to make it happen, and jump in and do the work. You will be creating timelines and creative briefs as well.

As Senior Creative Director, you will bring your years of hands-on expertise to manage and implement the Company’s in-house design efforts, which encompasses a broad range of graphic design including web design, sales materials, presentations, video production, animation, interactive design and print work.

You must be proficient in PhotoShop, InDesign, Illustrator, HTML, Flash, and JavaScript. Knowledge of Action Script, motion graphics a must. Mac environment.

This is a fast-paced environment so you must be able to work on tight deadlines and multitask. Tons of room for growth with Symplified, as you would be helping to grow the entire interactive department.

This is a production position not a manager position.

5731: Heading South.

Losses and wins in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Wachovia reported 2Q losses at $8.86 billion and plans to cut 6,350 jobs. “These bottom-line results are disappointing and unacceptable,” said the chairman. “While to some degree they reflect industry headwinds and weaker macroeconomic conditions, they also reflect performance for which we at Wachovia accept responsibility.” And they’ll undoubtedly pass the financial responsibility to customers.

• Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, who sparked controversy by proposing unconstitutional ordinances to punish businesses and landlords working with illegal immigrants, has been named Pennsylvania’s Mayor of the Year. The award should include a vacation package to Mexico.

5730: Garfield Barks At Verizon And McCann…?

Advertising Age reported another instance of offensive messaging from Madison Avenue: The unfair depiction of pit bulls in a Verizon commercial created by McCann Erickson. Since Bob Garfield is probably too busy ranting against homophobic Snickers spots, MultiCultClassics graciously drafted the following for our culture-crusading compatriot…

An Open Letter to Verizon and McCann Erickson
You Have Produced a Pit Bullphobic Spot. Doggone It!

By Bob Garfield (sort of)

Dear Verizon and McCann Erickson:

Verizon has aired commercials making dads look dumb, prompting official protests. McCann Erickson has been accused of ageism by veteran employees. So it’s no surprise that two bigoted enterprises should team up to heap bias and discrimination on innocent pit bulls.

This despicable spot is explicitly malevolent and beyond the pale. So unseemly, so perverse, so beneath you. This dog shit is enough to make me consider dumping Verizon for Comcast.

This is from Verizon’s own statement on corporate diversity (McCann Erickson doesn’t appear to have a statement on corporate diversity, which explains a lot): “It is Verizon Wireless’ policy that threatening, insubordinate, violent or obscene behavior by any employee will not be tolerated. Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to, derogatory remarks, discriminatory slurs and harassing jokes.” Is that so? My guess is that the pit bulls abused and destroyed by Michael Vick would take a different view. Because your commercial is just a cartoonish stereotype of family-friendly pets that are occasionally used for illegal dogfighting.

How could you be so insensitive, how could you be so shallow, and how could you be so mean as a Chihuahua?

This letter is to you, but it is equally to your hound-hating colleagues throughout the industry. Are you so bereft, of ideas and simple animal humaneness, that you must be reduced to stereotyping and pit bullying? That you must identify a “bitch” to ridicule, or worse? That you must build a brand on the backs of canines who have harmed no one save for, well, countless incidents of vicious mauling and death?

Stop the dehumanizing stereotypes—even for non-humans. Stop the rabid violence. There is no place in advertising for cruelty (except to minorities). Pull the commercial. Do it now. Then tell your people how to behave—plus how to sit, roll over and beg. Or else you might get hit in the snout with a rolled-up newspaper.

5729: Fashion Exposé.

From the July 28, 2008 issue of Newsweek.

5728: Good Is The Enemy Of Great.

From The Miami Herald…

Overcome stereotypes by excelling

By Richard Pachter

Good Is Not Enough: And Other Unwritten Rules for Minority Professionals. Keith R. Wyche. Portfolio. 256 pages.

Can we begin by stipulating that racism is a form of stupidity, of ignorance? Clearly, one’s aptitude and behavior are unrelated to ethnicity, yet racism persists despite best intentions and efforts. It seems odd, perhaps, to write about these things when a man of color is running for president and a woman nearly succeeded in becoming her party’s candidate for that high position. Yet there are plenty of companies where women and minority employees somehow are absent from the ranks of management.

The modern workplace is increasingly diverse, especially in melting-pot communities like South Florida and other urban areas, though there’s still a “glass ceiling” for women, and what author Wyche calls a “concrete ceiling” for ethnic minorities that often blocks advancement to senior management positions. It also impedes advancement at subordinate levels, too.

Although Wyche, a veteran corporate executive, speaker and advisor, primarily directs his message to African Americans, his text also offers guidance to Asians, Latinos and women -- anyone other than white guys. That’s perfectly all right, since nearly everything he says is of value and will benefit almost everyone seeking success in a corporate environment, regardless of the concentration of melanin in his or her skin.

He recommends having a plan, being attentive to detail, striving to become a good communicator and working hard. It’s not enough to be a super salesperson or highly popular with customers if you turn around and are a nuisance to the company’s support staff. No, Wyche admonishes, it’s equally important to do a complete and thorough job, which will create value for the company and foster respect from your co-workers. By doing that, you also build value for yourself and become a powerful asset to the company, which usually ensures commensurate compensation and promotion.

You also have to take the long view when planning a career. Your goal may be to be a unit manager, for example, but if you are offered the position and not completely prepared, your failure may delay or block future opportunities. You might also be asked to transfer to a city that seems like a step in the wrong direction, but the experience and exposure you would gain from the move could shift your career to a higher gear. How can you find out if it’s well worth doing or a must to avoid? Wyche recommends developing at least one mentor, and preferably a network of people who take an interest in your career and are able to serve as a source of collective wisdom. He also suggests engaging the services of a trainer, if necessary, to objectively assess attributes and correct any shortcomings.

Throughout, he cautions, it’s also important to behave and perform in an exemplary manner. If you hold yourself to a higher standard, you’ll render almost anyone’s prejudice and low expectations moot.

Though racism is still a sad fact of life, it’s difficult to imagine anyone who takes Keith Wyche’s sagacious and practical advice to heart ever becoming a failure or not being “good enough” at any endeavor.

5727: Garfield Discovers Cultural Cluelessness…?

It’s no secret MultiCultClassics is not a great fan of Advertising Age critic Bob Garfield. But this week, Garfield came dangerously close to making a valid point. However, he failed to see the actual issue and ultimately even showed he’s part of the global dilemma.

An Open Letter to Omnicom President-CEO John Wren is Garfield’s protest against homophobic commercials Omnicom agencies have produced in recent years: A Dodge Caliber spot from BBDO Detroit and two Snickers spots from TBWA\Chiat\Day New York and AMV BBDO London.

Garfield rightly blasted Wren for allowing his shops to create and run the thoughtless work. The columnist went so far as to wave the Omnicom corporate responsibility statement in Wren’s face: “As a leader in the communications industry, Omnicom Group is committed to ensuring that we use our position to promote socially responsible policies and practices and that we make positive contributions to society across all of our operations.” It’s a nice extra spanking.

Then the wheels wobbled off the Garfield rant-wagon.

First, the critic drew comparisons between the Snickers spot starring Mr. T harassing a speed walker and a real-life homicide. Garfield wrote, “My guess is that the parents of Matthew Shepard, the Wyoming college student beaten to death for being too effeminate to suit his killers, would take a different view. Because your commercial is just a cartoonish recapitulation of their son’s brutal murder.” Yikes. Talk about fighting insensitivity with insensitivity.

Yet Garfield totally missed the big picture with his next ravings. He wrote, “Since you are the executive ultimately in charge of both TBWA and BBDO, I ask you: How could you be so insensitive, how could you be so shallow, and how could you be so mean?

“This letter is to you, but it is equally to your colleagues throughout the industry. Are you so bereft, of ideas and simple humanity, that you must be reduced to stereotyping and bullying? That you must identify an ‘other’ to ridicule, or worse? That you must build a brand on the backs of people who have harmed no one save for challenging a high-school locker-room standard of masculinity?”

Um, has Garfield been paying attention to the industry he’s covered for the past few decades? Surely he realizes the answer to his three questions in the preceding paragraph is a resounding yes. Then again, maybe he doesn’t. So let’s break it down for Mr. G.

Garfield appears oblivious to the cultural cluelessness that has thrived on Madison Avenue since, well, forever. The three commercials highlighted are just a tiny example of the stereotypes, bias and discrimination prevalent in our business and our creative product. Of course, no one wants to consider that a diverse workforce might reduce the awful messages. Is it a coincidence that when Madison Avenue agencies reported their diversity hiring progress to New York City’s Commission on Human Rights, Omnicom shops had the lousiest records?

Garfield doesn’t completely smell the shit he stepped on. Reprimanding Wren is a waste of time—the President-CEO is a key turd in the pile. The spots weren’t invented in a dark closet. Teams of ignorant, clueless types conspired to excrete the messiness.

The Good Old Boys will potentially receive a ruler-whack on the knuckles and be sent to bed without dessert. The worst-case scenario involves yanking the controversial spot. But solve—or just acknowledge—the root problem? Don’t bet on it. Like Garfield, the majority of adfolks won’t catch the true implications.

In the end, Garfield kinda demonstrated he’s a reflection of the overall dilemma. He concluded by writing, “Stop the dehumanizing stereotypes. Stop the jokey violence. There is no place in advertising for cruelty. Pull the campaign. Do it now. Then tell your agencies how to behave. Or else.”

There’s a certain cluelessness behind demanding the culturally clueless gain enlightenment. But more disturbing is the threat, “Or else.” Gee, Bob, it’s not as if Wren is a Comcast technician. The tactics of aggression and intimidation are so stereotypical of the White men who continue to rule the industry—and generate campaigns irrelevant and offensive to the new general market.

5726: Degrees Of Stock Photo Stupidity.

Does anyone think this chick ever attended college?

5725: Assorted Bull.

Sunday brunch with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Merrill Lynch reported 2Q losses at $4.65 billion, bringing the company’s grand total loss to $19 billion in the past year. Merrill Lynch tells consumers there are always smart places for your money. Wonder if the places include Merrill Lynch.

• Florida took the dubious distinction of being the state to lose the most jobs over the past year, dumping 78,100 positions. Wish someone would up the total to 78,101 by axing CSI: Miami star David Caruso.

• DMX was busted again, this time for giving a fake name to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona to avoid paying a $7,500 bill last April. “He’s back in jail again,” said the local sheriff. “I don’t know why judges keep letting this guy out. Every time he goes in there, he gets out on bond.” Better make sure he signs the right name on his release papers.

• As scheduled, Pope Benedict XVI apologized on Saturday for the sexual crimes committed against children by Australia’s Roman Catholic clergy. “I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured and I assure them as their pastor that I too share in their suffering,” said Benedict. The pope expressed similar regret in the U.S. last April. On Sunday, the pope called on young people to spurn materialism by declaring, “In so many of our societies, side by side with material prosperity, a spiritual desert is spreading: an interior emptiness, an unnamed fear, a quiet sense of despair.” Um, maybe the youth fear and despair has to do with encounters with Roman Catholic clergy.

• Brazil’s foreign minister sparked controversy during WTO meetings by declaring rich countries’ deception in trade talks were reminiscent of tactics employed by Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels. Hey, nothing speeds up international negotiations like Nazi references.

5724: Nonprofit Jerk Seeks Nonprofit Writer.

This actual craigslist ad seeks an experienced writer to draft a grant, coach the principal douche bag through the process, strategize the entire project and willingly revise the stuff indefinitely—and the writer won’t be paid a dime unless the grant is awarded. Talk about a guaranteed nonprofit endeavor.

Grant Writer Paid on Award Contingency

Seeking an experienced grant writer for a proposed startup Illinois nonprofit to be paid on contingency of award. Fee to be negotiated. Open to discussion of both flat fee and percentage of award arrangements but MUST be contingent upon actual award. Willingness to remain flexible, provide some advice and education to principal regarding the process, and use experience to make suggestions regarding grant seeking strategy.

Basic expectations of the grant writer:
- Consult with principal in order to better understand and come to agreement on the proposed project/mission/organization, feasibility, and process.
- Identify potential funding sources.
- Propose a reasonable and fair contingent compensation formula and schedule compatible with the actual award payment schedule (i.e. lump sum or otherwise.)
- Draft, write, and revise targeted grant proposals until award.

The organization/project involves comprehensive digitization of historical and current Illinois case law, and making it freely available to the public via publishing on the World Wide Web/Internet.

Please describe any relevant grant writing experience; and feel free to include any other information which helps explain (1) why you are qualified, (2) why you think you would be successful, and/or (3) why you are the best choice.

5723: Watch Very Closely.

There are lessons here for Madison Avenue and beyond…

5722: Everyday Bullshit.

It didn’t take extraordinary talent to produce this cliché-filled message.

5721: Even Legally Blind See We’re Not Colorblind.

From The New York Times…

Paterson, at N.A.A.C.P., Warns of Racism’s Power

By Jeremy W. Peters

CINCINNATI — David A. Paterson, in his first major speech to a national audience since becoming governor of New York, said on Thursday that even as black Americans rejoice about the possibility that Senator Barack Obama could become president, they cannot lose sight of the serious social and economic ills that plague their community and should remain mindful of the racism that still exists.

“The gap between the haves and have-nots right in our own community is wider than it has ever been before,” Mr. Paterson told a crowd of thousands at the N.A.A.C.P.’s annual convention here.

“No matter how prosperous we are, no matter how well heeled we may be, no matter how ambitious and successful we have been, we still can be cast under the same net regardless of our circumstances.”

Mr. Paterson, who is New York’s first black governor and only the third black man since Reconstruction to lead a state, addressed the convention as the intersection between race and politics in the United States appears especially fraught. Recent polls have shown that whites and blacks hold very different views of Mr. Obama, and that despite the senator’s candidacy, blacks do not believe that race relations have significantly improved.

Addressing those fissures in his speech, the governor said that he was not sure whether Americans would be able to put their differences aside in this election and support Mr. Obama.

“Can America reject the crucible of race that has dictated and pervaded all of our history to embrace an African-American man who has the right policies?” he said. “We will find out.”

[Read the full story here.]

5720: Dolls And Dummies.

Playing with dolls and dollars in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• A jury ruled the Bratz dolls were conceived while the original designer was still working for Mattel, creator of rival Barbie dolls. The decision could bring millions of dollars in damages to Mattel when the jury huddles during another proceeding. No word if Bratz were actually fashioned after Barbie or the cross-dressing Ken.

• Capital One’s 2Q profits dropped 40 percent, with the credit card company citing customers are defaulting on their loans. Look for Capital One to boost your APR to 40 percent. What’s in your wallet? The hands of Capital One’s collection department.

• Qantas Airlines is dumping 1,500 jobs, citing rising fuel costs. So 1,500 people will join the koala bear in expressing hate for Qantas.

• An employee with 1-800-Flowers was fired after sending a threatening email from her work computer. The worker sought to stifle a University of Minnesota professor who criticized the teaching of creationism. “You have two choices, you can quit your job for the good of the children. Or you can get your brains beat in,” read the email. The employee tried to cover her email trail to no avail, as 1-800-Flowers ultimately canned her. No word if anyone sent a “Pick-Me-Up” bouquet—or if they’ll introduce a new service: 1-800-DeathThreats.

• Bill Clinton sought to support Jesse Jackson over his recent nutty gaffe. Clinton remarked, “If all of us lived on live mics, then 100% of us in this room would be embarrassed from time to time.” Sounds like the makings for a new reality TV series: Hot Mics.

5719: Wait Until 2012…

…Unless Hillary Clinton lands the vice presidency, and Barack Obama resigns after his first week in the Oval Office.

5718: Bad Example.

A leading example of leaden copy.

5717: Me And My Manga.

Wow, the likeness is astonishing. Not. Hell, they didn’t even get the hair part right.

5716: Pharma Diversity Ads May Cause Vomiting.

Pharma companies run bad diversity ads too. Imagine that.

5715: Flagging Sagging Profits.

A profits roller coaster in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Six Flags shares dropped 44 percent. One analyst wrote, “Park admissions are expected to suffer this summer because of the economic outlook and related deferred investment in new rides and facilities.” Maybe the Six Flags Asian guy will attend the next shareholders meeting and holler, “Profit: No Flags!”

• Delta and American Airlines parent AMR reported 2Q losses at over $1 billion. To turn things around, passengers will now be charged $1 billion for every extra carry-on bag.

• EBay’s 2Q profits rose 22 percent, sparked by strong growth from its e-commerce sites and PayPal service. Expect to start bidding on airline jets and Six Flags roller coasters soon.

5714: Pulling The Lever…?

Take a close look at the male’s left hand area highlighted in the ad below and submit your thoughts.

5713: Conceptual Vacancy.

The creative team responsible for this ad didn’t work very hard.

5712: Coffee, Tea Or Jumbo Chocolate Malt?

This ad runs in one of those in-flight magazines. Is it savvy media placement or insensitive to obese passengers?

5711: Apologies Unaccepted…?

More sorry states in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Now Fox News is claiming Jesse Jackson also used the N-Word during his “hot mic” commentary on Barack Obama. Jackson released a new statement on Wednesday that read, “I am deeply saddened and distressed by the pain and sorrow that I have caused as a result of my hurtful words. I apologize again to Senator Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, their children as well as to the American public. There really is no justification for my comments and I hope that the Obama family and the American public will forgive me. I also pray that we, as a nation, can move on to address the real issues that affect the American people.” You know Nas is probably working on a track about Jackson right now.

• Pope Benedict XVI praised Australia for apologizing to the country’s indigenous Aborigines, citing the government’s “courageous decision to acknowledge the injustices committed against the indigenous peoples in the past.” The pope will also reportedly apologize for church sex scandals in the country. Wonder if he’ll comment on Jesse Jackson’s apology too.

5710: You’re Not The Boss Of Me Now.

From The Chicago Sun-Times…

Blacks rely on many leaders

Black America has long wrestled with the concept of a singular leader to articulate its problems, ambitions and triumphs.

Everyone can stop looking now: There isn’t one.

Barack Obama comes closest, according to a new Gallup Poll: 29 percent of blacks polled chose him when asked, “If you had to name one individual or leader in the U.S. to speak for you on issues of race, who would it be?”

What do exist are multiple leaders who each can expound upon the black experience, from fatherlessness and violence, to jobs, business opportunities and education. Six percent of respondents say Al Sharpton is their leader of choice, and 4 percent choose the Rev. Jesse Jackson. The list also includes Bill and Hillary Clinton (3 percent), Maya Angelou, Tavis Smiley and Cornel West (1 percent each).

Relying on the right leader for the right message is part of the black community’s realization that it is not monolithic. Class gains due to better education and rising incomes, for example, often trump race.

Still, structural and institutional barriers to equality exist, along with the need to leverage these gains to assume greater responsibility for one's self and larger community. Perhaps that’s why 6 percent of blacks polled indicated “myself” as their choice.

Often, though, common aspects of being black in America need to be conveyed and addressed. From one voice or many, the message must be delivered with utter clarity. Black America may no longer lean on a single leader, but it still needs leadership.

5709: Covering All The Cultural Clichés.

Diversity makes us stronger. Your talent makes us better. But it never seems to lead to stronger, better diversity advertising.

5708: Jose Canseco Never Mentioned This.

All those years of insisting he only used spinach were lies. Blatant lies.

5707: What Matters In Diversity Ads.

Diversity matters. Concept and layout do not.

5706: Double Vision Doesn’t Make You Colorblind.

Admittedly, this essay may be a bit muddled and probably digresses from the original objective. Sorry, it was inspired by fuzzy journalism.

Adweek—yes, Adweek—presented a story on race and culture. Mark Dolliver, one of the few decent writers working for the publication, crafted the piece. “Double Vision: The Race Issue Revisited” is a bulky, research-filled exposition worth scanning, if only for the opinions from Hadji Williams. In the end, however, it matches a lot of recent Adweek content—an information download sans any focused point or perspective. Granted, it’s a report versus an editorial. But once upon a time, Adweek consistently delivered insights with edginess and attitude. Race and culture are certainly hot, emotional topics in the advertising industry. However, you wouldn’t know it from Adweek’s coverage over the years. The enterprise is conspicuously silent and clueless on the cultural tip.

In some sections, it appeared Dolliver tried to draw parallels between Madison Avenue, the advertising it produces and contemporary society in America. There’s an inherent flaw with such observations. Madison Avenue does not reflect contemporary society. For that matter, neither does the advertising we produce.

While contemporary society grows more diverse, Madison Avenue remains stuck in a culture warp. We’re closer to mirroring professional golf and tennis. Like those sports, a couple of minorities have entered the scene and even starred in events. Yet exclusivity—as well as discrimination—still dominates. Let’s not confuse a handful of breakthroughs with the mythical “post-racial” nirvana.

In the big agencies, the majority of minorities continue to occupy “minority roles”—administrative assistants, mailroom attendants, janitorial and security personnel, etc. What other industry literally segregates companies by race and ethnicity? The minority shops remain underpaid and underappreciated. Unrecognized too. There are no level playing fields on any level.

Dolliver pulled a peculiar quote from an industry leader:

David Lubars, chairman, CCO of BBDO North America, suggests advertising content is a pop-culture leader in its inclusiveness. “Advertising does a much better job of showing diversity and reflects the American fabric better than the movies or TV shows,” he says. “You watch any evening of TV commercials, you see a great mix.”

Um, what channel are you watching, David? Spend the night with BET or Univision. Quiet as it’s kept, minority shops are actually discouraged from depicting multicultural casts.

Plus, the larger question looms: Why can’t Madison Avenue recreate its staged commercial diversity in the real world?

America is poised to elect its first Black president. Madison Avenue is struggling mightily to appoint minority vice presidents.

5705: Diversity Dreck Delivered Daily.

Burger King delivers—corny diversity messages.

5704: Generation Rap.

From the latest issue of Newsweek, Allison Samuels presents a concise, insightful and thoughtful take on Jesse Jackson and Barack Obama.

5703: Diversity On Drugs.

Can’t help but think the people producing Pfizer’s diversity ads could benefit from using the company’s products.

5702: Satire Or Tired?

Cover charges in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The campaign teams for Barack Obama and John McCain agree on something: the offensive nature of the latest New Yorker cover (depicted above). “The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Sen. Obama’s right-wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree,” said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton. McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds added, “We completely agree with the Obama campaign that it’s tasteless and offensive.” The New Yorker seemed shocked by the reactions. “Our cover … combines a number of fantastical images about the Obamas and shows them for the obvious distortions they are,” said editor David Remnick. “The burning flag, the nationalist-radical and Islamic outfits, the fist-bump, the portrait on the wall—all of them echo one attack or another. Satire is part of what we do, and it is meant to bring things out into the open, to hold up a mirror to the absurd. And that’s the spirit of this cover.” Depending upon one’s version of glass-half-empty/glass-half-full, America could be heading toward a New Era of Oversensitivity or a New Era of Insensitivity.

• Anheuser-Busch accepted a sweetened offer from InBev, paving the way for a buyout. “Together, Anheuser-Busch and InBev will be able to accomplish much more than each can on its own,” said Carlos Brito, slated to become the new company’s chief executive. “This combination will create a stronger, more competitive global company with an unrivaled worldwide brand portfolio and distribution network, with great potential for growth all over the world.” Guess the Clydesdales will have to apply for passports and travel visas.

5701: Change Won’t Change Everything.

From The Associated Press…

NAACP head: Obama win won’t solve racial injustice

By DAN SEWELL | Associated Press Writer

CINCINNATI — Racial disparity will remain an issue in America, regardless of whether Barack Obama is elected as the nation’s first black president, the chairman of the NAACP told the organization’s national convention Sunday night.

Julian Bond, a veteran civil rights leader, said Obama’s candidacy doesn’t “herald a post-civil rights America, any more than his victory in November will mean that race as an issue has been vanquished in America.”

But he drew loud applause when he said the country, and “all of us here,” are taking pride in the success in this year’s campaign by a candidate who couldn’t have stayed in some cities’ hotels a few decades ago.

“We know that Obama’s electoral success -- even if he should win the ultimate prize – won’t signal an end to racial discrimination, but it does mark the high point of an interracial movement that dates back to the Underground Railroad,” Bond said, referring to Cincinnati’s historical role in helping fleeing slaves reach freedom.

Obama plans to address the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's convention Monday night, and Republican presidential candidate John McCain plans to speak Wednesday.

Bond was sharply critical of the Bush administration, saying it has undermined constitutional rights, failed to oppose racial discrimination, supported voter identification laws that suppress black voters and thrived on “politics of divide and conquer.”

He noted that a 2004 speech in which he criticized President Bush led to an IRS review of the NAACP’s tax-exempt status. Political campaigning is prohibited under the NAACP’s tax-exempt status, and the IRS investigation focused on whether the speech was too political

“The NAACP will continue to speak truth to power until this administration leaves town,” he said Sunday night.

A White House spokesman referred a request for comment to a Justice Department spokesman.

“One of the highest priorities of the Department of Justice and its Civil Rights Division is to protect voting rights and enforce specific federal laws that help to ensure that all qualified voters have an opportunity to cast their ballots and have them counted,” Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said.

Bond detailed racial failures by past presidents of both parties, then took a verbal swing at former President Bill Clinton, who made critical comments about Obama while campaigning for his wife Hillary Rodham Clinton during Democratic primaries.

“We fared much better under the man who liked to be called ‘the first black president,’ but then we watched him try to bring down the man who would be the real first black president,” Bond said.

Obama recently called Clinton, and the former president has offered to campaign for him.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was scheduled to speak at the event earlier Sunday, was unable to fly to Cincinnati because of bad weather. Instead, his deputy mayor, Linda Gibbs, told the convention about New York City’s alternative to federal guidelines that determine who is living below the poverty line.

5700: Measuring Diversity.

Of course, the largest amount is White.

5699: Assault And Battery On Good Taste.

Duracell pushes parental paranoia to hype its association with the BrickHouse Locator Child Tracking Device. The brand would have shown greater creativity by incorporating this Brick House.

5698: Mad Ave Still Views Diversity With Adversity.

From AdAge.com…

More Agency Execs Need to Get Involved With Diversity
An Ad Age Editorial

If advertising agencies get hauled in front of Congress because the lack of the diversity in the industry, they’ll have only themselves to blame. And ironically enough, part of that blame will lay at the feet of those who proclaim to be professionals in the world of image-making.

There’s been much ado surrounding the meeting of the New York City Commission on Human Rights held July 7. Of the 16 agencies that have signed agreements with the Commission, only two had representatives attend. There could have been any number of reasons for this. Letters weren’t sent directly to the agencies. The meeting, though advertised, wasn’t widely publicized. Agency executives didn’t want to be seen as intimidating those there to air their grievances.

All of that is beside the point. Ultimately, the image created is that shops don’t care. Agencies can send hundreds of people to Cannes, but can’t be bothered to get an executive to downtown Manhattan.

That is the image. And, as any agency executive worth his or her salt should know, the image often creates the reality.

Let us be clear: We’re rarely in favor of government regulation. Even Human Rights Commissioner Patricia Gatling concedes that government doesn’t do many things all that well. Regulation would be a blunt instrument to use on an issue this complex. Just to list a few of the complexities: lousy starting pay; overpriced portfolio schools; talent retention; and an industry carved into niches in which many qualified “ethnic” candidates are pigeonholed as ethnic specialists.

This probably won’t be solved by the Human Rights Commission. It’s not going to be solved by sending out a diversity specialist to make the case for your shop.

What’s needed are upper-level agency executives willing to sit down and listen and talk. Listen to the stories being told. Listen to the census numbers showing that “general market” is no longer synonymous with “white market.” And talk. Tell them about your efforts. Show them the data that you have proving that it’s hard to find or retain talent (assuming such data exist). Show those involved that you realize this problem deserves more than a couple of press releases and a few thousand dollars contributed to a scholarship fund.

That won’t necessarily fix this complex issue, but if agency executives don’t come to the table and start using their own sets of tools (and money) to unravel this mess, the next tool likely to be reached for will be lawyers.

5697: Pharma’s Going To The Dogs.

Just make sure your pooch reads all the legal disclaimers.

5696: Obama Needs Black Media? Or Vice Versa?

The following story appeared at AdAge.com. Despite the perspective of the piece, you have to wonder if Obama really needs to spend in Black media when he’s receiving so much free exposure from them.

African-American Media Waiting on Barack’s Big Bucks
Think He Doesn’t Need to Court Them? Think Again, Say the Experts

By Ira Teinowitz

WASHINGTON -- In 2004, the John Kerry campaign made a July announcement that it would make a $2 million buy in African-American media. The buy, said African-American media experts, was never completed. BET got some money, but not much went elsewhere, they said. This time around, they’re hoping for better from Sen. Barack Obama.

Mr. Obama might want to move beyond race, but African-American media outlets are hoping he remembers his roots. Not only would it benefit their particular media sector, it could also have an impact on congressional and local races.

“We are very optimistic,” said Sherman K. Kizart, senior VP-director of urban marketing for Interep, which as the country’s biggest independent radio rep firm represents more than 100 urban-format stations. He said his company is in talks with Fuse Advertising, the St. Louis agency that handles the Obama campaign’s African-American efforts.

So far, the campaign has done relatively little spending in urban radio, black-aimed cable TV or African-American newspapers.

Obama Nascar
An Obama spokesman said African-American media has been “a high priority to the campaign and will continue to be in the remaining months.” He said the campaign is not in a position to disclose its media strategy. On the opposite side of the coin, Sports Illustrated reported last week that Mr. Obama would be the first presidential candidate to become the primary sponsor of a car in a Nascar race.

As the Obama campaign is unconstrained by public funding and has a mountain of cash at hand, the question might be: Why wouldn’t it spend with African-American media outlets?

Louis Carr, president of media sales for BET Networks, said the cable network also is in talks with Fuse, and he is hopeful.

“I’ve been here 22 years. There has always been real concern that the [African-American] audience is not taken for granted,” he said. “We’re assuming from the Democratic side that that won’t happen this time around. The audience has to be motivated to get out and vote.”

Anything is possible
Conventional wisdom holds that African-Americans will vote Democratic anyway. And in a race in which the Democratic candidate is a black man with a healthy lead in the polls, some have suggested that big spends in the African-American market might not be necessary.

[Read the full story here.]

5695: Kodak’s Incomplete Picture.

Why do ads hyping diversity and inclusion never include regular White men?

5694: Colliding With Progress Head On.

Dummies in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Female crash test dummies are getting a promotion of sorts, as the U.S. Transportation Department will start using them in frontal crash tests. Until now, the female dummies had been primarily used in basic compliance testing. However, the female dummies will still be paid significantly less than their male counterparts.

• Rapper Nas has produced a new track called “Black President,” which pays homage to Sen. Barack Obama. Jesse Jackson will probably mutter, “I want to cut his Nas off.”

5693: Not Too Much Pressure…

Minorities apparently have a 1-in-40,000,000,000,000 chance of landing a job with the NSA.

5692: Let’s Do It for The Children.

Mickey D’s and Subway battle it out for kid customers. Maybe Subway should find a child version of Jared.

5691: Seeking Copywriter Capable Of Writing Copy.

This actual craigslist ad is seeking a part-time copywriter. Two important mandates:

DO NOT CONTACT US IF YOU CANNOT WRITE COPY!!!

DO NOT APPLY IF YOU CAN’T SHOW UP ON TIME!!!

Funny thing is, we all know a few advertising agency copywriters who couldn’t satisfy those two requirements.

Attn: Part time Lister/Copy Writer/Cust Serv Needed — eBay exp a +

Attention High School/College students looking to make a few extra bucks this summer. This would be a perfect position for someone who has a flexible schedule.

We are a booming eBay drop off store located in Lincoln Park, Chicago. With rapid expansion looming, we are in need of a savvy individual who can write copy for eBay listings. If you have eBay experience, we welcome you, however we are also looking for folks with marketing/advertising exp or aspirations. You will be describing anything from sports items to clothing to electronics & collectibles.

DO NOT CONTACT US IF YOU CANNOT WRITE COPY!!!

We will pay $8.00 per hour for a minimum of 15 hours per week, PLUS WE WILL ALSO GIVE BONUSES FOR EXTRA PRODUCTION.

The optimal candidate for us will be:
OUTGOING
CLEVER
QUICK ON THEIR FEET
CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTED
SAVVY WHEN DEALING WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE OR PHONE CALLS
PUNCTUAL (DO NOT APPLY IF YOU CAN’T SHOW UP ON TIME!!!)

Please forward your resume or contact us if interested.

5690: Party Time.

Partygoers in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney is running for president as the Green Party candidate. McKinney’s last public appearance involved her altercation with a U.S. Capitol Police officer who failed to recognize her at a security checkpoint. Now the rest of America will likely fail to recognize McKinney.

• The two Indonesian housekeepers held as virtual slaves by a Long Island millionaire couple were awarded nearly $1 million by a federal judge. The judge ruled the women deserved nearly double their unpaid wages because of the physical abuse they suffered. Talk about reparations.

• Bernie Mac was heckled while performing during a fundraiser for Barack Obama. No, the heckler was not Jesse Jackson.

5689: Bad idea! Bad execution!

Not sure if this is technically an Asian-targeted ad, but it ran in Asian publications. It’s probably an example of the minority agency not getting the budget for original production, resulting in the use of stock vehicle images. Plus, it’s another example of the penchant for exclamation points.

5688: Profiting from Nutcases.

From The Chicago Sun-Times…

Thank you, Jesse
Because of Jackson’s crude comment, candy seller’s site getting a lot more hits

By Andrew Herrmann

The owner of “Obama’s Chocolate Nuts” is feeling like “the luckiest person on Earth” in the wake of the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s crude remarks about Sen. Barack Obama.

“Who would have thought anybody would use ‘Obama’ and ‘nuts’ in an actual news story?” said David Feingold, a 30-year-old San Diego resident.

His site, Obamaschocolatenuts.com, occupied the top spot on Google Thursday when Web users typed in “Obama” and “nuts.” Feingold said traffic on his site more than tripled over the usual count.

Feingold says he started selling packages of nuts, chocolate balls and T-shirts with Obama’s name and likeness about a month and a half ago -- an idea sparked by his revulsion over sycophantic supporters of the Illinois senator and presumptive Democratic nominee.

(The nuts connection is related to vulgar slang that Feingold defines as “liking someone too much.”)

Nothing against Obama, said Feingold, but “I think anytime somebody follows somebody blindly, it’s not a good thing.”

“Nobody knows anything about this guy; everybody claims they do,” he said.

Feingold says he’s sold 650 bags of nuts and candy so far, led by the three-bag, $8.99 sampler pack. An equal opportunity offender, Feingold was peddling “McCain’s dried papaya stick” -- advertised on his racy Web site by a hungry girl in a bikini -- until the wholesale price got too high, he said.

Keying on Jackson’s threat to castrate Obama for “talking down to black people,” Feingold is planning his next stunt: “We’re going to send Jesse Jackson his ‘Obama’s Nuts’ so he doesn’t have to be violent about it.”

An Obama spokeswoman declined comment.

5687: Bilingual Mashups.

Not sure why these ads feature headlines in one language, while the body copy’s in English.

5686: Stop The Pain.

For a brand promising pain relief, Dr. Scholl’s consistently delivers advertising that’s painful to view.

5685: No, Really, Jackson Is Nuts About Obama.

The perspective below appeared earlier this week in The Chicago Sun-Times…

Obama’s success is proof of true change

By Jesse Jackson

When Thomas Jefferson finished his draft of the Declaration of Independence 232 years ago, and his fellow revolutionaries risked their lives to add their names to his eloquent document, they took a giant step toward freedom.

The United States of America was born, founded on an idea of liberty that required them to challenge the most powerful nation on earth. The Founding Fathers said no more King George; no more colonies on the Eastern Seaboard; no more taxation without representation.

It was a powerful idea, an inspiration to future generations, but it did not include everyone. Blacks were not within the Founders’ freedom circle. Women were left outside. Even whites who didn’t own land were unable to vote in the beginning. Five of the first seven presidents were slave owners.

The Liberty Tree was not fully grown yet. It would take years of struggle to embrace more of America, years of marching and protest to expand the vote and build a more perfect union.

Our union was still imperfect in 1852, when Frederick Douglass declined an invitation to speak in Rochester, N.Y., on the meaning of July Fourth. What is your holiday to us? he asked. After all, slavery still ruled in half the nation, and slaves had no rights that slave owners needed to respect.

July 4, 1863 marked huge steps toward a more perfect union -- on July 3, the Confederates were turned back at Gettysburg, and on the holiday itself word came that Grant had taken Vicksburg. The tide in the Civil War had turned, and slavery was doomed.

A few months later, President Lincoln’s immortal Gettysburg Address added meaning to “the last full measure of devotion” that the soldiers had given on the field of battle -- the idea that to build our more perfect union, they had given their lives “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” Thus Lincoln injected “equality” more firmly into the definition of a more perfect union, adding profound value to Jefferson’s “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

This July Fourth in Independence, Mo., the presumptive Democratic Party nominee Barack Obama gave a speech on patriotism, expanding the definition of the concept to include dissent and reform and change, taking real patriotism far beyond the narrow fences that right-wing zealots have built around the word in recent years. It was a good speech, and Sen. Obama can be proud of it.

The truth is, though, that the real July Fourth celebration in 2008 is Barack Obama’s nomination itself! After a fascinating, inspiring, and competitive primary, he was victorious over Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

The race was historic: The nomination of the oldest and largest political party in the world came down to a contest between an African American and a woman -- and the voters responded. A nation founded on the original sin of slavery may be on the verge of electing an African American to be our next president.

We have not reached the Promised Land yet. Our union is not perfect. But we the people have built a union more perfect than it was 232 years ago, when Jefferson’s words lit the torch of freedom. We now have “one person, one vote.” Women won their right to vote after long decades of struggle. All the colors of the American Rainbow have the right to register and vote -- and mostly, those votes are counted.

The nomination of Barack Obama is not just symbolic, because he is a smart, talented leader. I believe that if we register and vote in large numbers in November, he will help us climb out of the deep trench that the current administration has dug for us.

But we should not let this moment slide by without appropriate notice that Barack Obama’s nomination is deeply symbolic -- of a country that is changing and in many ways getting better. As Dr. King used to tell us, America is not always right, but the good thing our forefathers left us is the right to fight for the right.

Because of that right to fight for the right, change is possible. Change does come.

Where once was slavery and segregation, now we have civil rights on the books, and the vote. Where once mostly slave owners became presidents, now the son of a Kenyan and a Kansan is the Democratic Party’s nominee -- and in the lead.

America is maturing, growing, getting better. That’s the real meaning of this year’s July Fourth.

5684: Ken Wheaton Unplugged.

Ad Age Editor Ken Wheaton shares his thoughts on the recent meeting held by New York City’s Commission on Human Rights via the latest 3 Minute Ad Age Video.

5683: Jackson-To-Jackson Coverage.

Jackson Actions in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The Rev. Jesse Jackson apologized to Sen. Barack Obama for making a dumb remark in response to Obama’s moral lectures to Blacks. Jackson was caught on mic snapping, “I wanna cut his nuts out.” Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. delivered a blow to the balls by declaring, “I’m deeply outraged and disappointed in Reverend Jackson’s reckless statements about Senator Barack Obama.” No word yet from Tito or Jermaine Jackson.

• The American Medical Association will issue an apology for over 100 years of discriminatory policies that nixed Blacks from participating in the organization. “It is true that what the AMA did historically was awful,” said the American Cancer Society’s chief medical officer. “There were AMA local chapters that actually had rules against Black members well into the late 1960s, and policies that made blacks not feel comfortable well into the 1980s.” Hey, Madison Avenue makes these guys look like amateurs.

• Northwest Airlines will cut 2,500 jobs and proceed to charge passengers $15 to check luggage and up to $100 to redeem frequent-flier privileges. The airline issued no apology for anything.

• A pajama-clad Michael Jackson was spotted being pushed around in a wheelchair at a local bookstore. Not sure what Jacko wants to cut out at this point.

5682: The Ad Business Is Fishy.

Q. Why is Van de Kamp’s like Madison Avenue?

A. Because both boast being 100% White.

Sorry, couldn’t resist. Although the truth is, this ad is a joke. Consumers are encouraged to call a toll-free number to hear Van de Kamp’s criticize the competition.

5681: The Morning Nosepaper.

Why isn’t this ad written in Korean like the depicted newspaper?

5680: These Media Flights Should Be Cancelled.

Join the Mile High Club.


Feel the difference—with a laptop dance.


Bet the people responsible for cleaning the planes are not happy with their coworkers.

5679: Hot Body. Hot Head.

No class acts in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Ashley Dupré is now trying to develop a new dating-type reality TV show. It will probably be available via pay-per-view.

• Kanye West denied reports that he’s going to anger management classes. West posted on his blog, “Now the media is saying I’m going to anger management something or ’nother. I have never had any conversations about anger management. If anything, I need anger enhancement!! lol!” For anger enhancement classes, he should contact Foxy Brown and Naomi Campbell.

5678: Not-So-Great Expectations.

As expected, Ken Wheaton’s perspective on the recent meeting involving New York City’s Commission on Human Rights has inspired comments. As expected, it’s another collection of the contrived and stereotypical responses these types of discussions consistently generate. If you’re expecting the expected rebuttals, start here, here and here. Or scan through the previous 5,677 posts on this blog. It speaks volumes that our industry continues to rehash the same attitudes, opinions and ideas on the topic—have we not made any progress in the past few decades? Now we’ll see more people debate imaginary standards, recruit outsiders as diversity consultants, launch interns-of-color programs, award special trophies to minorities and fire up the classic smokescreens. Perhaps it’s time for organizations like New York City’s Commission on Human Rights to pursue legal action. Hey, that would be unexpected.

5677: Loud Bank Statements!

Asian bank ads like to use exclamation points! Don’t know why!

5676: Is There A Doctor In Da House?

Not sure what the hell is going on with this spot. But at least she didn’t say, “I’m so gellin’—like watermelon.”

5675: Slow News Day.

Quick hits in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Siemens AG is firing 16,750 people worldwide, hoping to cut costs by about $2 billion. The company’s chief financial officer declared, “We want to begin negotiations with the employee representatives quickly in order to make the cuts in a way that will be as socially responsible as possible.” For most companies, socially responsible means going green. For Siemens AG, it means cutting green.

• A soldier in the U.S. Army is suing for “unconstitutional” discrimination, insisting his decision to become an atheist cost him his career in the military. Additionally, he claims his life was threatened by other troops, prompting officials to assign a full-time bodyguard to protect him. The lawsuit suggests the Army has become a Christian organization. The soldier simply wants a guarantee of religious freedom—he isn’t looking to cash in with the legal action. Onward, non-Christian Soldier.

5674: MTLB Meeting Minutes.

Bill Green of Make The Logo Bigger also attended the meeting held last night with New York City’s Commission on Human Rights. Read his perspective here.

5673: Not Meeting Expectations.

From The Big Tent At AdAge.com…

Agencies Have Funny Way of Showing ‘Commitment’ to Diversity
Don’t Be Surprised When the Lawyers Start Knocking on Your Doors

By Ken Wheaton

The New York City agency world should be ashamed of itself.

The New York City Commission on Human Rights held a public meeting Monday night regarding the issue of diversity in the advertising industry. A rough count of those sweltering in the close quarters of a conference room on Rector Street showed 27 people in attendance. It’s hard to say what was more discouraging: that of the 27, three were members of the commission, two were lawyers and three were journalists; that of the six white people in attendance, two were members of the commission, two were lawyers and one was a journalist; or that in an industry this size, on an issue this public and this important, a turnout of 20-some-odd people was considered a success. (And before anyone starts griping about other representation, there was one Asian-American woman in attendance and no Hispanics. But let’s be honest: From the start, this has been predominantly a black-white issue.)

More embarrassing and much more troubling? Of the 16 New York ad agencies that have had their dirty laundry aired by the commission -- and of those many, many other agencies that hide behind the other 16, thinking “Better them than us” -- exactly two, Arnold and Saatchi, had representatives in attendance.

There may have been some confusion about the nature of this meeting. Commission Director of Communications Betsy Herzog indicated that it wasn’t exactly meant to be a public spectacle (though it was advertised in Ad Age) and that the commission wanted attendees to feel comfortable airing their grievances. One of the agency representatives mentioned that other agencies didn’t want representatives there for fear of intimidating those gathered.

But at this point, these meetings should be more than an opportunity for middle-aged black men who are at their wits’ end and have nowhere else to turn to air their grievances to one another.

To quote industry gadfly Sanford Moore, “This ain’t kindergarten.”

Maybe those in attendance would have been less inclined to speak if agency representatives were there, but that’s highly unlikely. These men aren’t shrinking violets. Besides, none of them work for agencies at the moment.

And that’s the stark reality of the situation that agency executives don’t want to face. Undoubtedly, some agency executives might be surprised that their attendance was expected. After all, hasn’t a panel been convened? Haven’t diversity initiatives been started? Haven’t those shops on the list played along, sharing their minority hiring goals and retention rates?

That’s not enough. Not even close. (And no offense to the men and women toiling away on agency diversity issues, but it’s not you who need to be at these meetings; it’s your bosses and your bosses’ bosses.)

Ultimately, white people run this industry, and there should have been more white people in that room.

[Read the full perspective here.]

5672: Venom-Seeker Identified.

Ken Wheaton of Advertising Age published a follow-up to Essay 5640.

5671: The Commercial Go-To Asian Guy.

It’s always interesting to see how every culture celebrates its VIPs. Here’s a story from last month’s issue of KoreAm Journal (a magazine focused on the Korean American experience). The piece spotlights Tim Kang, best known for his roles in commercials.

5670: Admen Still Ruling The Industry.

Men must be responsible for the creation of Ads by Google. What else could explain the image above? AdPulp presented a post on G23, a new agency charged with helping marketers reach women. The accompanying Ads by Google: Women Kissing, Hairy Women, Mature Women and Old Women. Plus, there’s a banner ad hawking Asian Girls For Love & Marriage.

5669: Seafood City Life Is Rough.

It looks like Grandma’s punching the kid in the inset photo.

5668: Nazism, Sexism And Racism.

Boys will be boys in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• FIA president Max Mosley went to court denying a newspaper report that he staged a Nazi-style orgy with hookers last March. While Mosley admitted he engaged in a German prison fantasy, he insisted it was not Nazi in nature. “There was not even a hint of that,” said Mosley. He added he could “think of few things more unerotic than Nazi role-play.” Actually, “unerotic” would apply to any sexual encounter involving the 68-year-old Mosley.

• Adweek reported Steve Biegel and Dentsu have settled their legal squabbles. A joint statement read, “As a result of this settlement, those allegations and claims have been dismissed, including any potential counterclaims that have not been asserted by Dentsu. Both parties retract all public statements.” Of course, both parties also agree not to disclose or discuss anything else. So like a ninja, Biegel slips silently into the night. Wonder if the retractions include the numerous anonymous comments left on various blogs.

• Retired boxer Floyd Mayweather charged HBO with racism, saying the network’s announcers display bias towards Black fighters. “They talk about Kelly Pavlik, a White fighter, like he’s the second coming. Or they go crazy over Manny Pacquiao. But I’m a Black fighter,” said Mayweather. “Is it racial? Absolutely. They praise White fighters, they praise Hispanic fighters, whatever. But Black fighters, they never praise.” No word regarding whether or not HBO announcers praised Mayweather’s performance on Dancing With The Stars.

5667: Livin’ The Thigh Life.

The actor depicted here is best known as the delivery guy in Miller High Life commercials. He even has his own MySpace page. So it’s a little weird to see him bemoaning his thighs in a commercial for the 50 Million Pound Challenge sponsored by State Farm (sorry, could only find a snippet from the full commercial).

5666: Dealing With Incensed Clients.

The Hem Corporation, creator of incense manufactured in India’s Mumbai and Bangalore, presents this peculiar fragrance: Call Client. Perfect for freshening the cubicle air when a Madison Avenue account executive soils himself after a nasty client teleconference.

5665: iBeer…?

B-Boy becomes Beer-Boy. Plus, catch the commercial break.

5664: Staring Blankly In The Face Of Change.

This week’s Advertising Age cover story is titled, “The Changing Face of the U.S. Consumer.” The piece opens with the following line:

The marketing community, already dealing with a slumping economy and an increasingly consumer-controlled media marketplace, must confront another new reality: The face of the American consumer is changing dramatically.

According to the U.S. Census, there’s a great deal of variety emerging: a growing segment featuring +50-year-old head of households; regional markets becoming more diverse on multiple levels; immigration creating seismic shifts in race and ethnicity.

Engaging the changing face of the U.S. consumer could pose tremendous challenges for Madison Avenue, which has maintained its singular face since, um, forever.

5663: Stop The Madness.

Going crazy with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The New York Post reported that Michael Jackson’s plastic surgeon checked into a psych ward in California. The doctor was admitted on June 23, three days after two business pals filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against him. Hey, that’s enough to drive anyone bonkers. If the doctor’s patients stop by to visit, will he even be able to recognize them?

• Target Market News reported on the latest Web effort from luxury automaker Lincoln. A three-minute movie—MadCrazyLove—debuted during the BET Awards telecast, and now you can catch it online. “Studies continue to show that Americans are embracing the Internet in a bigger way, and are looking beyond sound bites for broader stories,” said Lincoln Communications Manager Tom Grill. “As this advertising model changes, Lincoln will continue to design fresh and innovative advertising that is hard-hitting and relevant. MadCrazyLove accomplishes just that and introduces our new Lincoln MKS in a fun, yet meaningful way.” Um, memo to Lincoln: Running a corny three-minute commercial on your website is hardly the optimal way to digitally engage consumers. Not MadCrazyLovin’ this project.

5662: Not Good Humor.

Even someone with brain freeze could solve this quiz.

5661: Fill Up On Filipinos.

Everything you need to know about the Filipino American market, from the June 2008 issue of Filipinas magazine.

5660: Headlines And Heads.

Heading through the news with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• A visitor to the new Madame Tussauds wax museum in Berlin tried to take home a souvenir—the head of the Hitler figure on display. The guy managed to rip the head off, allegedly to protest the exhibit. The headhunter was apprehended and charged, so don’t expect the head to pop up on eBay. Wonder if the museum will hire neo-Nazis to serve as security.

• The family of baseball legend Babe Ruth is seeking to have the star’s No. 3 permanently retired across Major League Baseball, and they’re pointing to Ruth’s humanitarian efforts for support. The family claims Ruth was a civil rights activist, barnstorming with Negro League players during the off-season. Additionally, Ruth signed a famous letter in 1942 denouncing Hitler and the slaughter of Jews. Maybe someone should redesign the Madame Tussauds exhibit to portray the Babe knocking off Hitler’s head with a baseball bat.

• Ashley Dupré, the call girl behind the infamous incident involving ex-New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, dropped her $10 million lawsuit against Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis. Dupré was seeking compensation for Francis’ use of footage that featured her. Francis declared he feels “vindicated” and added, “I’m having a terrific July Fourth.” Dupré probably realized hookers rarely succeed in conflicts with pimps.

• Gay and lesbian marchers in Budapest, Hungary, were pelted with eggs, bottles and rocks by dozens of protestors. Cops used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protestors, who also hurled Molotov cocktails and set a police van on fire. Ironically, the event was titled, “Dignity March.”

• Venus Williams won her fifth Wimbledon title and seventh Grand Slam championship after beating sister Serena Williams. Venus Williams is the 10th woman to win five Wimbledon singles titles and only the third in the 40-year history of the Open era after Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf.

5659: Wondering What’s News.

From The Chicago Tribune…

PERCEPTION PROBLEM
When outsiders look in on black America

By Rex W. Huppke

Mike Terry is black, and he knows that a black man giving someone a fist bump is not news. He also knows that calling a man’s wife his “baby mama” is derogatory, and that no self-respecting black person he has ever met would use the term “whitey,” even if they wanted to insult a white person.

That’s why he rolls his eyes at the news media’s recent coverage of Barack and Michelle Obama. He calls it “typical,” emblematic of the gap in understanding between black and non-black America.

“The brother is black, and he can’t throw up a fist?” asked Terry, a West Side bill collector. “That’s what we do.”

Though Obama has tried to make his skin color an ancillary element of the campaign, the issue of race continually swings front and center, with the predominantly white news media taking on the often-awkward role of interpreting black culture for the masses.

Take, for example, the fist bump Obama gave his wife before officially declaring victory in the Democratic primary campaign. Early news reports of the bump sparked interest on the Internet, so more reporters jumped on the story, and it took on a life of its own. At the height of the frenzy, the fist bump was bizarrely described on Fox News as a “terrorist fist jab.”

Even to some non-black voters, this all seemed like overkill, revealing a distinct disconnect between the media and the black community, where a fist bump is as common a gesture as a high-five.

“It’s a disconnect that should be expected,” said Sherrie Mazingo, a recently retired University of Minnesota journalism professor who studies race and the media. “The mainstream media doesn’t know how to accommodate coverage of a black presidential candidate. They don’t know how to reconcile this candidacy with their generally limited knowledge of people of color, and black people especially.”

At the same time, the non-black public’s ignorance of certain elements of African-American culture has at times pushed news coverage.

When controversial video of Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. appeared on the Internet, it became clear that a wide swath of non-black Americans were wholly disconnected from a preaching style common in certain black churches, and unaware of the anger and frustration that persist in parts of the black community.

The public fervor drove the media to report exhaustively on Wright and his connection to Obama. But even within the media, there was confusion as to how much coverage the story deserved, how best to explain the maelstrom of complex religious and racial issues involved, and when to decide it was time to move on.

Watching the whole mess unfold was a bit discouraging for Velma Johnson. She runs a community garden in North Lawndale, and each summer she hires about a half-dozen neighborhood teenagers to tend a neatly mulched splash of bushes and blossoms along Homan Avenue.

Johnson thinks her kids can benefit from perspiration, which she provides, and inspiration, which she thinks can come from Obama’s candidacy. But what her young charges are seeing on television and in newspapers, she said, is a stream of campaign stories about “silly things.”

A Fox News graphic crudely identifying Michelle Obama as “Obama’s Baby Mama.” Baseless allegations that Michelle Obama once used the term “whitey.” The possible racial symbolism of a black and white dress Michelle Obama wore on a TV show.

Johnson has waited all her life to see a black person with a real chance of becoming president. But she figured that when the time came, that candidate would be scrutinized as a person, not as a black person.

“It seems to me that the media is surprised that there’s a black man qualified to run,” said Johnson, 40. “So now they feel like they have to dissect every little thing he does.”

[Read the full story here.]

5658: Ancient Chinese Scent…?

Pine-Sol presents fresh stereotypes in its latest commercial. This review says it all.

5657: Pushing The Wrong Buttons.

Shouldn’t life be a journey versus a destination?

5656: Ice The Competition.

It’s bad enough there are a dozen coffee joints on every corner. But the caffeinated competition is crowding the Web too.

5655: Displays Of Independence.

Holiday fireworks in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• On Wednesday, 1,000 new NYPD officers celebrated as one of the most diverse graduating classes ever. Roughly 30 percent of the officers are Latino, 14 percent are Black, 5 percent are Asian and 49 percent are White—with women accounting for 17 percent. Madison Avenue will probably inquire if any of them are interested in joining the ad industry as security guards.

• Jazz singer Rene Marie drew criticism at a mayoral event in Denver, where she was scheduled to sing the national anthem but opted to perform the Black national anthem instead. Attendees expecting to hear The Star Spangled Banner were surprised with Marie’s rendition of Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing. “I am an artist,” explained the singer. “If I wait until I am asked to express myself artistically, or if I must ask permission to do it, it would never get done. I knew that if I asked to do my version of the national anthem, the answer would be ‘no.’” Mayor John Hickenlooper remarked, “We all respect artistic license and support freedom of expression. But in a tradition-laden civic ceremony … making a personal substitution for the national anthem was not an option. We asked for ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ and that’s what we expected.” He probably should avoid kicking off the next mayoral event with Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

• Kanye West will attend anger management classes, following recommendations from his own management team. The goal is to help the star on a personal level, plus aid him in landing more endorsement opportunities. Hopefully, West won’t enroll in the same school that graduated Naomi Campbell and Foxy Brown.

• Staffers and the distributor of Rachael Ray’s TV show are facing a discrimination lawsuit from an ex-employee. The man charges he faced a hostile work environment because he’s anorexic, with bosses making “vile comments” that included, “Anorexics should not be able to work.” Wonder if they’ll serve Dunkin’ Donuts during pre-trial meetings.

• Mickey D’s is facing a boycott from the American Family Association because the fast feeder recently joined the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, placed an executive on the group’s board of directors and donated money to the organization. “Hatred has no place in our culture,” said a Mickey D’s spokesman. “That includes McDonald’s, and we stand by and support our people to live and work in a society free of discrimination and harassment.” An AFA official declared, “We’re saying that there are people who support AFA who don’t appreciate their dollars from the hamburgers they bought being put into an organization that’s going to fight against the values they believe in.” Um, if they were really concerned about family welfare, they wouldn’t feed their kids fast food.

5654: Happy Holiday.

Happy Belated Philippine Independence Day to all!

5653: Screen Test…?

Is the stylist preparing Vanessa for a colon screening?

5652: More Monkey Business.

From The Chicago Sun-Times…

Monkey ad apparently portraying Obama pulled

From The Sun-Times Wires

A television ad featuring a monkey that appears to portray Sen. Barack Obama has been pulled by a Japanese cell phone company.

The ad shows a crowd cheering as a well-dressed monkey speaks at a podium.

The people are waving signs that say “Change.” The monkey encourages users to change providers.

The company that aired the ad, eMobile Ltd., said it had no idea of any racial undertones and insisted the ad was an acknowledgement of Obama’s popularity.

Eric Gan, president of eMobile, said their company’s mascot is a monkey -- an animal revered in Japan -- and has been used in previous ads.

But bloggers immediately voiced their disapproval of the ad and accused the company of being racist.

Gan said the company was unaware of how the ad might be interpreted.

5651: Airport Insecurity.

Rough landings in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• American Airlines announced plans to cut 900 flight attendants. Nice way to celebrate Independence Day.

• United Airlines announced plans to start offering passengers larger snacks for $3 each. The idea must be to lure fat people in the hopes they can be charged for two seats.

• Wesley Snipes is still appealing his tax convictions, but a judge has allowed the star to travel abroad for filmmaking. Snipes probably views charges for onboard snacks as tax write-offs.

• DMX was busted at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport for outstanding warrants. Not sure why DMX would be at an airport. The man can clearly drive faster than most jets.

• Blockbuster withdrew its proposal to acquire Circuit City. Guess consumers aren’t the only ones refusing to buy at Circuit City.

5650: Rebuttals And Buttholes.

Not surprisingly, Arthur Leggett’s post at The Big Tent generated the same responses these discussions often inspire. Check out the comments, particularly the words of Mark Robinson, who does a decent job of challenging the nonsensical rants. But since the stereotypical remarks were posted, MultiCultClassics feels obligated to offer stereotypical rebuttals to a few…

Mr. Leggett, you say that minorities are “over-indexed” in most consumer product categories. Seems evident that the agencies/industry you disparage are having no difficulty at all communicating with a broad and diverse American population and, in my opinion, they are able to because they first seek out highly creative, talented people with a proven track record and a diversity of ideas. What the agencies don’t do is to presume, as you do, that ideas, creativity and talent are a function of the color of one’s skin, a thoroughly racist concept at its core.

—Hugh White, Diablo, CA

Mr. White seems to imply minorities are not among the “highly creative, talented people with a proven track record and a diversity of ideas.” One could argue his reasoning reflects “a thoroughly racist concept at its core.” Additionally, to proclaim the disparaged agencies/industry display “no difficulty at all communicating with a broad and diverse American population” is incorrect. There is plenty of evidence showing predominately White agencies are culturally clueless when attempting to address audiences like youth, women, Baby Boomers, GLBT, Latino, Black, Asian and more. It’s a safe bet Mr. White is culturally clueless too.

This guy, and the New York Commission on Human Rights, are nothing more than extortionists. Human rights my butt. Anyone who buys into their BS is a sucker. Tell me again where someone’s human rights have been violated, except maybe the dopey ad execs that caved in to this bogus commission in the first place.

Advertising, and advertising agencies, are central to our capitalist economic system. Our work fuels the engine of commerce. I consider that to be a sacred trust. The only legitimate criteria to work in this profession is performance, because that’s what clients, and the marketplace, demand. Any deviation from excellence in this profession jeopardizes the industry, the families it supports, and our entire economy.

Madison Avenue better put a stop to this extortion right now. If you don’t, guys like Arthur Leggett and the New York Commission on Human Rights are telling you to expect government takeover of advertising.

It’s real simple. If an agency is discriminating against someone on the basis of race, creed, etc, bring your case before a court of law. Otherwise, stay the hell out of our business, unless you want to pay our fees to advertise.

—Dan Porrevecchio, Kansas City, MO

Mr. Porrevecchio doesn’t know the facts surrounding New York City’s Commission on Human Rights. The commission is technically requesting that agencies live up to promises made decades ago. Additionally, the current agreements were drafted by the agencies; that is, the agencies authored their own proposals and goals for improved hiring practices. Madison Avenue executives—even the White ones—are constantly admitting there are problems, confessing there is a need to do better. Mr. Porrevecchio’s accusations of criminal activities are sad and stupid. It’s real simple. His beliefs are rooted in ignorance.

As a Creative of color I find “Diversity Hiring” insulting and regressive. While I cannot say for the other disciplines (Account Services, Planning, Media, etc.), from the standpoint of a Senior Creative, I always hire on merit and not race. I look at a person’s body of work (i.e., their book) and their personality, and not the color of their skin.

Who decides what’s diverse anyway? It seems these programs would like to see a UN General Assembly in every ad agency, but this is just not reflective of the general population. Here are Wiki US Census stats:

Whites: 80%
Black/African: 12.4%
Asian: 4.4%
All Other: 2%
Hispanic: 14.8% (Not defined as a race but an Ethnicity)

—Tom DelMundo, New York, NY

Mr. DelMundo’s frustrations with “Diversity Hiring” may be connected to the false and negative definitions for the term. Somewhere along the way, people branded “Diversity Hiring” to mean quotas, forced employment, lowered standards, unqualified candidates, appointments solely based on race and ethnicity, reverse discrimination, blah, blah, blah. In the advertising industry, “Diversity Hiring” has nothing to do with these things. It’s not about ending Exceptional Hiring; rather, it’s about ending Exclusive Hiring. The goal is to eliminate the traditions of favoritism, cronyism, nepotism, elitism, sexism and all the other isms—including racism—that have narrowed the search for talent. The industry must look beyond its standard pool of prospects. Also, view Mark Robinson’s comments for enlightenment regarding Mr. DelMundo’s statistics.

Let’s close with two final stereotypical remarks. First, it’s always astonishing to realize the industry that brags about being in touch with contemporary society and on the cutting edge of culture remains so thoroughly outdated in its hiring practices. Second, it’s equally appalling to see the industry’s allegedly innovative and creative thinkers spewing the same tired, contrived and clichéd perspectives year after year.

5649: Conceptual Mystery.

This online series is just like FOX TV’s 24. Except without the excitement, intrigue, drama, quality acting, professional writing, etc. If boredom could kill…

5648: Found And Lost.

By the numbers in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Starbucks announced plans to close 600 company-operated stores in the next year. However, customers will still be able to find up to 600 Starbucks on every street corner.

• A new study estimates airline fliers lose up to 12,000 laptops at airports every week. However, travelers will still be able to find up to 12,000 Starbucks in every airport.

5647: Cannes Has Nothing To Worry About.

Nominations are being accepted for the 2008 ADCOLOR™ Awards. Can’t help but wonder if this event is already irrelevant. Last year’s big winner was Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Maybe Kobe Bryant or Tiger Woods will take home the trophy in 2008. The commercials hyping the show are mighty lame—and the spot with the old man playing a harmonica is stereotypical bullshit.

But hey, good luck to all the inevitable nominees.

5646: Prescriptions As Birthday Presents…?

Hallelujah! Now Big Mama can afford her meds!

5645: The Circle Of Ad Life.

This actual job listing never ceases to amaze. A recruitment firm seeks recruiters, posting notices everywhere from Monster.com to craigslist. Plus, this particular company often uses the job sites to display positions employers hired them to fill. There’s something inherently lazy about such tactics. Shouldn’t recruitment firms have a few contacts of their own? And now they’re looking for creative recruiters with 3-7 years of experience in the business. Do people at that level even have the ability to assess others’ skills? Would a “top-notch candidate” feel comfortable being judged by someone who opted to become a recruiter after only 3-7 years? There’s an old saying: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” Maybe those who can’t teach, recruit.

CREATIVE CIRCLE NOW HIRING CREATIVE RECRUITERS!

Creative Circle is in search of high-energy recruiters with advertising/marketing experience to join our team in ever-growing Chicago office! We’re looking to staff top-notch candidates for our top-notch clients.

Recruiters work in a team setting with our Sales Account Executives screening/interviewing candidates and reviewing portfolios to place candidates in freelance and full-time positions.

Experience? You’ll need at least 3-7 years of advertising/marketing experience as you’ll be working to place highly talented industry professionals. Solid understanding of the industry is a MUST along with a strong understanding of relevant cultural and advertising trends.

We’re passionate about the industry and you should be, too. If you’re a fit, shoot us your resume along with a cover letter describing WHY you are interested in the position and why YOU are perfect for this role! We want to know!

5644: Affirmative Inaction.

The story below appeared via The Associated Press. Scan it quickly to read the MultiCultClassics perspective immediately following…

Is Obama the end of affirmative action?
Some say his success makes controversial policy obsolete

By The Associated Press

Washington—Barack Obama’s political success might claim an unintended victim: affirmative action, a much-debated policy he supports.

Already weakened by several court rulings and state referendums, affirmative action now confronts a challenge to its very reason for existing. If Americans make a black person the leading contender for president, as nationwide polls suggest, how can racial prejudice be so prevalent and potent that it justifies special efforts to place minorities in coveted jobs and schools?

“The primary rationale for affirmative action is that America is institutionally racist and institutionally sexist,” said Ward Connerly, the leader of state-by-state efforts to end what he and others consider policies of reverse discrimination. “That rationale is undercut in a major way when you look at the success of Senator Clinton and Senator Obama.”

Other critics of affirmative action agree. “Obama is further evidence that the great majority of Americans reject discrimination, reject prejudice,” said Todd F. Gaziano, a scholar at the conservative Heritage Foundation and a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Not so fast, say supporters of affirmative action. Just because Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey and other minorities have reached the top of their professions does not mean that ordinary blacks, Latinos or women are free from day-to-day biases that deny them equal access to top schools or jobs, they say.

As affirmative action’s power has diminished, minority enrollment has fallen at many prominent colleges, said Gary Orfield, an authority on the subject at the University of California, Los Angeles.

“If people get the impression from Obama’s success that the racial problems of this country have been solved, that would be very sad,” Orfield said. “In some ways we have moved backwards” in recent years, he said.

Wade Henderson, head of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, said, “Exceptions don’t make the rule.”

“By any measure, Obama and Clinton are clearly exceptional individuals,” he said. “When you really examine the masses of Americans, especially women and people of color, you still find incredible disparities,” which justify the continuation of affirmative action programs.

Obama, who asks voters neither to support nor oppose him on the basis of his race, has dealt gently with affirmative action. He says his two young daughters have enjoyed great advantages and therefore should not receive special consideration because of their race.

OK, this topic was technically discussed a few weeks ago, but the new story inspired additional thoughts.

First, it should be noted Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton might question eliminating affirmative action measures, as she indicated throughout her failed campaign that the ladies still have glass ceilings to shatter—despite the fact that White women have benefited the greatest from affirmative action.

Of course, things are clearly worse in the advertising industry, as we consistently drag behind the general population on such matters by a couple decades at least. It wasn’t too long ago that Neil French exposed the ugliness. A recent Advergirl post seems to confirm gender-based inequities persist. Why, it’s so messed up, even the admen are crying sexual harassment and discrimination.

The problems are significantly compounded when considering the other groups affected by our industry’s tradition of exclusivity. More importantly, few are disputing the issues on Madison Avenue. Instead, the majority of adpeople openly admit there’s a humongous quagmire.

4As President-CEO Nancy Hill acknowledged “the dearth of African-American executives in our ranks” and said, “Yes, increasing the number of ethnically and racially diverse employees in agencies—particularly African-Americans in the senior ranks—is a critical business imperative for us all.”

Recognizing the need to step it up is a common sentiment, whether delivering positive hype or not. For example, when addressing the diversity progress at IPG, Executive Vice President Philippe Krakowsky stated, “While last year’s [hiring] results are encouraging, we still have lots of work ahead of us.” Mike Hughes of The Martin Agency told a contributor at The Big Tent, “We’ve done a pretty poor job on diversity as an industry and we’ve got to do better.” The legendary Dan Wieden once blurted, “I will not stand here and try to make excuses for the number of African-Americans we’ve hired. It’s pathetic. There’s a lot more we can do.” Hey, you know it’s bad when the White folks in charge are griping about the slowness of change.

The general public can debate if affirmative action should end. But on Madison Avenue, the honest professionals are wondering when the hell such initiatives will begin.

5643: Happiness Is A Warm McNugget.

Not lovin’ the unnatural way baby girl is displaying her McNugget. Depicting Mom’s meal as a bottle of water and sandwich—on a plate—is pretty unnatural too.