6200: Trained Spokesman.

Does anyone really believe James Brown rides Amtrak? More importantly, does anyone really care?

6199: Designed To Make You Think.

The Advertising Concept Book by Pete Barry is pretty old school in its basic premise: Think Now, Design Later.

At first blush, MultiCultClassics figured the book was playing off outdated notions. After all, in today’s hyper-speed industry, we’re often forced to design ads while thinking things out. With disciplines like digital, where the project schedules are even more accelerated, creative teams are usually designing before thinking. So it appeared as if Barry was applying 20th century reasoning to 21st century realities.

But the author ultimately shows that he knows his shit. Barry spent much of his advertising career at Ogilvy London, and currently teaches at Syracuse University. His book reflects his exceptional skills as an adman and teacher.

For veterans, the book will probably force you to reexamine your methods and rededicate your efforts. For students, you’ll discover one of the best presentations of the creative process available.

The Advertising Concept Book displays tons of classic ads. However, rather than simply depict the work, Barry literally penciled each layout—hammering the point that the thinking behind a concept must precede the design.

What’s more, the chapter covering digital demonstrates an understanding of “new media” that few traditional adpeople seem to grasp.

Yes, Barry is stuck on the fundamentals of the business. But he’s also clearly cognizant of the contemporary challenges. The Advertising Concept Book demands to be read right now.

Learn more about The Advertising Concept Book by Pete Barry here.

6198: Disgruntled Unemployed Adfolks Wanted.

Check out the actual craigslist listing below. Just what the advertising industry needs—another online haven for unemployed creatives to vent.

Bloggers with Bad Stories to Tell About Creative Recruiters (USA Only)

Reply to: gigs-939643650@craigslist.org

Date: 2008-11-30, 5:57PM CST

Are you a Writer, Art Director, Creative Director, Web Designer or other creative professional with a bad story to tell about a creative staffing agency? If so, you’re not alone.

We’re looking for people who have worked through creative staffing agencies in Chicago and elsewhere to lend their voices to a new Blog that is dedicated to exposing the negative side of the creative staffing business.

Please send short bio about yourself and what your story concerns. All inquiries will be considered confidential unless you are Ok with publishing your information.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

6197: Overreaction Of The Week.

Ad Age reported Unilever is considering cost-cutting measures that involve reducing the number of colors in its packaging.

No big surprise. This is the corporation whose Dove brand plays off White beauty standards. Plus, Unilever pushes Fair & Lovely skin lightening products in places like India.

Why, Unilever probably wants to turn all of its packaging pure White—just like the staffs of its Madison Avenue advertising agencies.

6196: Making The Call.

Sales pitches in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Barack Obama is poised to name Hillary Rodham Clinton as Secretary of State. Wonder if anyone will mention Rodham Clinton’s readiness to handle a 3am call.

• The Washington Post reported that Circuit City has a challenge to convince potential customers that the company is not completely going out of business. Seems the bigger challenge is convincing potential customers Circuit City doesn’t completely suck.

6195: Verizon Wireless Blows It Again…?

Given the seemingly annual tragedies surrounding Black Friday and holiday shoppers rioting for limited bargain items, it’s worth noting that a new Verizon Wireless commercial appears to tap into the negative aspects of gift-hunting—all for cheap laughs. Can’t find an online posting of the spot, but will provide a link if it becomes available.

In the commercial, two girlfriends are discussing the possibility of going to the Verizon Wireless store and finding only one particular phone model left for sale. To avoid a potential showdown, one woman uses a blowgun to shoot a poison dart into her pal’s neck. Ha-ha. So much more sophisticated than trampling or dueling with firearms.

Verizon Wireless has generated recent controversies with messages offensive to fathers and pit bull fans. Guess the company wants to extend the insensitive traditions. Maybe it’s time to examine Verizon’s advertising agency network.

6194: Expect Mo’ Motrin-Like Messes.

Yes, everyone and their blogger mommy have already weighed in on the Motrin Mess. MultiCultClassics had a busy month in the real world, prohibiting a quicker perspective. For one of the better—albeit stereotypical—examples of the online discussions, view the Tom Martin post and accompanying comments at AdAge.com.

Why do so many people feel qualified to analyze and prescribe solutions in these scenarios? The Monday Morning Marketing Quarterbacks appear to disregard—or maybe fail to comprehend—a few key points.

The “Mommy Blogger Minority” did not overreact. As always, nobody has the right to decide if others should or shouldn’t be offended by something. Let’s stop questioning the alleged over-sensitivity of the protestors and consider the over-insensitivity of the creators. It’s hardly the first time Madison Avenue has displayed ignorance on the very audience being targeted.

It’s impossible to determine what percentage of the public was represented by the irate, Twittering bloggers. Back in the day—pre-World Wide Web—major corporations like Procter & Gamble had formulas for complaint letters. That is, they theorized a single complaint letter actually equaled a specific, far larger number of unhappy customers. The Internet has introduced an undiscovered country in the complaints department. Until some genius invents an equation to measure exact and potential damages, it’s better to cut your losses and take cover. But also take notes and learn from the experience.

Motrin and parent conglomerate Johnson & Johnson acted appropriately by retreating pronto. Critics love to call clients cowardly in such situations. Have the bold analysts ever serviced Fortune 100 accounts? Like it or not, these behemoths can’t move with the required speed and smarts. Ditto their advertising agencies. There are too many committees and legal dweebs to consult. Indeed, it makes one wonder if big advertisers should even be anywhere near the Web with Motrin-style messages. Besides, the agencies are the bona fide cowards, as they’ll never assume responsibility for the final results—especially when the results are bad. Ad shops are as conservative as clients, particularly in the current economy where billable hours trump integrity and conviction.

Contrary to popular postings, the Motrin Mess is not about clients’ lack of social media savvy. No, it’s rooted in a basic problem that clients and agencies constantly refuse to address: cultural cluelessness. Motrin and ad agency Taxi launched the ugliness by producing a message without respecting or understanding their audience (and reports indicate the message to moms was hatched by a male creative team). It didn’t matter if the media vehicle was digital or traditional. The communication was irrelevant and insulting.

Online pundits are howling that Motrin missed an opportunity by not engaging in a conversation with the complainers. Please. Motrin and its agency need to hold a conversation surrounding their own collective incompetence. They blew it and they knew it. Don’t blame the “Mommy Blogger Minority” for calling them out.

Denying the truth—or hiding behind social media arguments—only inspires greater offense.

6193: Screaming For Ice Cream Franchisees?

Häagen-Dazs, have we got the perfect candidate for you.

6192: Translating Hispanic Marketing.

Books about marketing to minorities remain, well, in the minority—at least when compared to White marketing books. Hell, it seems like Seth Godin alone has released more titles than all minority authors combined. Regardless, the growing trend toward targeting Hispanics has resulted in a mini-surge of publishing, with a number of prominent experts sharing knowledge on the exploding segment.

Hispanic Marketing: A Cultural Perspective by Felipe Korzenny and Betty Ann Korzenny is an exceptional resource that should be required reading for everyone. Technically, this is not a new book, as it was released in 2005. But the Hispanic Marketing content continues to be completely relevant and current—and the book will probably attain classic status in the long run.

For professionals already creating Hispanic consumer messages, Korzenny and Korzenny offer a top-flight refresher course, along with strategies to enhance and sell the work.

Yet the rest of us comprise the bigger audience that could benefit from owning a copy.

The authors do a great job of breaking things down in easy-to-digest chapters, which were originally lectures and presentations to marketing professionals. Rest assured, it’s not a collection of boring PowerPoint slides. Korzenny and Korzenny combine research, insights, guidance and illustrated case studies in concise and compelling style.

Hispanic Marketing examines a wide range of topics. Korzenny and Korzenny discuss how the audience is clearly not monolithic, and how it constantly evolves in unique and multiple ways. A section on the art of translation shows it’s rarely enough to simply turn English into Spanish. Anyone who can’t define enculturation, acculturation and assimilation definitely should check out the details here. Of course, there’s much more to discover in the 330+ pages.

To quote the back cover, “This book is not about repeating well-known statistics, but about the Hispanic market as a cultural target. It takes a profound look at the values, beliefs, and emotions of U.S. Hispanics that impact consumer behavior.”

Will reading Hispanic Marketing transform you into a bona fide multicultural guru? It’s pretty doubtful. But as the country becomes increasingly diverse—and marketing programs become increasingly integrated—it will be imperative that we develop a heightened awareness and sensitivity for the new mass market and the people who define it.

In today’s industry, cultural cluelessness cannot be an option or excuse. Hispanic Marketing: A Cultural Perspective by Felipe Korzenny and Betty Ann Korzenny helps lead the change.

To learn more about the book and its authors, visit Korzenny.com now.

6191: Obama Stimulates Economy With Cookies.

From nationwide news sources…

Sales sizzling for cafe’s ‘1st cookie’
Iowa | Obamas’ fondness for them stirs up demand

By Amy Lorentzen

DES MOINES, Iowa—Want an example of the change Barack Obama is bringing to the country?

Check out cookie sales at Baby Boomers Cafe in Des Moines.

Ever since word spread about the president-elect and his family’s fondness for Baby Boomers’ chocolate chunk cookies, the small downtown restaurant can’t bake them fast enough.

“Two months ago, I was giving these cookies away,” said co-owner Rodney Maxfield. “Now, it’s like, ‘I need two dozen cookies. I need four dozen cookies.’”

The Obamas were frequent visitors to the cafe in summer 2007, when the Illinois senator devoted much of his time to Iowa. Obama’s main office was next door to Boomers, and his staff made the cafe a second home.

His daughters, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha, would stop by with their mother, Michelle, and Maxfield said they loved the cookies. During a stop in Iowa last month, Obama’s staff ordered about a dozen cookies for the family. That’s when word got out about their affection for the confection.

Suddenly, sales of 400 cookies in a good week soared to more than 1,000 a week. Alas, the price is going up, from 50 cents to 75 cents a cookie, to make up for the time it takes to make more each day.

“I think everybody just … thought, ‘Oh, great cookie, great president—the world is a happy place. Barack’s going to fix all the problems, and if I have a bite of this cookie, it’s going to make me feel good,’” Maxfield said.

6190: Ho! Ho! Hooters!

Wonder how the Black Friday crowds behaved here.

6189: Only 26 Shooting Days Till Christmas.

This story from the Miami Herald reports Toys R Us is counting on heavy discounts to lure customers. Um, heavy security would be nice too.

Toy giant counting on heavy discounts
Anticipating weak Christmas sales, Toys R Us is relying on promotions and deep discounts to lure customers to its stores.

By Heather Burke, Bloomberg News

Toys R Us, the largest U.S. toy-store chain, is putting very aggressive promotions in place this holiday season to draw in shoppers facing the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

“We know that value is very important in this economic situation, and we’re determined to be aggressive throughout the holiday season in offering that value,” CEO Gerald Storch said Friday. “We knew that the economy was going to be soft. Obviously, no one had a crystal ball to know that we have a financial crisis like we’ve had.”

U.S. retailers may post the smallest holiday gain in six years amid declining consumer confidence, the highest unemployment rate in 14 years and a recession. Barbie-doll maker Mattel and Hasbro generated at least 40 percent of their 2007 profit during the fourth-quarter holiday season.

Toys R Us is offering 50 percent more promotions earlier this year than last, Storch said. It is selling a High School Musical 2 three-pack of dolls for $15.99, down from $39.99, and half off the Little Tikes Cook n Learn Kitchen. Toys R Us, which runs 586 toy stores in the United States, also advertised during its biggest two-day sale ever half off various Lego AS construction play sets and Mattel’s Barbie Princess two-pack dolls.

Toys R Us faces competition this weekend from other retailers, including Wal-Mart, the largest U.S. toy seller.

Holiday toy sales this year may fall 3 percent more than in 2007, according to Gerrick Johnson, a toy analyst at BMO Capital Markets in New York. Thirty-five percent of consumers polled expect to spend less on toys this season, according to a survey conducted Nov. 6 to 8 by Americas Research Group.

Half of annual toy sales occur in the fourth quarter, said NPD Group Inc., a Port Washington, New York-based research firm. In 2007, toy sales dropped 2 percent to $22.3 billion.

“In good times and bad, the last thing parents cut from their budget is a Christmas present for their children,” Storch said. “What they want are the hot toys.”

Storch, a former Target executive, was hired in February 2006 to head Toys R Us. He closed unprofitable stores, spruced up locations and added exclusive products to win back market share from Wal-Mart.

6188: Know Where You Stand—On Shaky Ground.

Somebody needs to pull these Wachovia ads already. You’ll confidently move forward with Wachovia—straight into Wells Fargo. Or maybe not.

6187: Bringing New Meanings To First Lady.

Via Newsweek, Allison Samuels presents a provocative perspective on future First Lady Michelle Obama…

What Michelle Means to Us

We’ve never had a First Lady quite like Michelle Obama. How she’ll change the world’s image of African-American women—and the way we see ourselves.

By Allison Samuels

At a recent Sunday brunch after church, my “sista friends” and I sat on the patio of a Los Angeles restaurant gabbing about the election of Barack Obama. Sure, we were caught up in the history of the moment. Most of us never thought we’d see an African-American president. But as a group of six black women in our 30s and 40s, we were equally excited by who is coming along with Obama to the White House—his wife, Michelle, and their two young daughters. We all praised—OK, maybe even envied—Michelle’s double Ivy League pedigree, her style, her cool but friendly demeanor. And yet we’re all aware of how much we have riding on her. At 44, Michelle Obama will be the youngest First Lady since Jacqueline Kennedy. And many are expecting her to usher in a similarly glamorous era in Washington. (“Bamelot,” as some are already calling it.) But Michelle’s influence could go far beyond the superficial. When her husband raises his hand to take the oath of office, Michelle will become the world’s most visible African-American woman. The new First Lady will have the chance to knock down ugly stereotypes about black women and educate the world about American black culture more generally. But perhaps more important—even apart from what her husband can do—Michelle has the power to change the way African-Americans see ourselves, our lives and our possibilities.

It’s an amazing opportunity—and a huge responsibility. “I think she’s always going to be classy, because she knows she’s not just representing herself,” said my friend Gertrude Justin, 40, a nurse from Houston. “She knows she’s fighting stereotypes of black people that have been around for decades and that her every move will be watched. I’m sure she’s been just as insulted by the lack of true depictions of African-American women as any other black woman.” Michelle will be a daily reminder that we’re not all hotheaded, foaming-at-the-mouth drug addicts, always ready with a quick one-liner and a roll of the eyes.

Like many African-American women I know, Michelle has had a lot of practice at the delicate tap dance of getting along in the mainstream white world. During all those years in boardrooms and a topnotch law firm—not to mention the exclusive clubs of Princeton and Harvard Law School—she’s had to learn to blend in. Now she’ll have to go even further in convincing two very different constituencies—African-Americans and everyone else—that they can trust her as their First Lady. And she’ll have to do it all while remaining true to her authentic self.

Michelle has already shown she understands how universal her appeal must be. Early on in the primaries, after she was labeled too forward and too loud, Michelle demonstrated self-restraint and discipline by dialing back. She stopped making harmless jokes about Obama’s morning breath and other breaches of hygiene. Her remark about being “proud of my country” for the first time was another rare misstep. But she quickly learned to play the adoring and uncontroversial wife, talking up her husband on shows like “The View.”

She showed she could calibrate her remarks for predominantly black audiences too, opening up a bit more about what Obama’s election would mean for them—and what it would also mean for her, referring to herself as “the little black girl from the South Side of Chicago.” Yet when The New Yorker caricatured the Obamas in July doing a “terrorist fist bump” in the Oval Office, the image stung. It was Michelle who came across as the domineering one—the angry black woman. She toned it down and took to wearing pearls and reassuring J.Crew cardigans.

Will that softer side win out now that she’s headed to the East Wing? When I met Michelle earlier this year for an interview in Atlanta, I was taken by her warmth and eagerness to chat about everything—fashion designers she’d like to wear, her girls’ taste in clothes, even dogs. (On a follow-up phone call, she greeted me with “Hey, girlfriend,” like she was a long-lost sorority sister.) There was no pretense—no second-guessing her next word or move the way she seemed to do after the campaign became a mudfest.

I personally hope that she will let more of that true, colorful personality seep through. There are some good hints she might. Her daring election-night red-speckled dress, designed by Narciso Rodriguez, was hardly a cautious choice. It wasn’t altogether flattering, but it showed that Michelle is searching for her own style. Other clues come from her winning, if still demure, performance during the recent “60 Minutes” interview. Looking chic and relaxed—and genuinely affectionate with her husband—she poked fun at the president-elect’s professed affinity for doing the dishes and told him she wouldn’t accompany him on a walk on a cold Chicago day.

That easy warmth between the Obamas as a couple was another thing that my girlfriends and I fixated on at our brunch. Nearly 50 percent of all African-American women are single. And, “The Cosby Show” aside, there are still woefully few public examples of solid, stable black marriages. What can this handsome first couple do for the future of the black family, we wondered? “I want my son to see first-hand what two people can do when they work together and respect each other,” said Janese Sinclair, an executive assistant and 34-year-old single mother of a 12-year-old son. “His father and I divorced when he was 2—so he never had the chance to see the way a relationship works. Many of his friends have single moms too, so the Obamas are going to teach us that love and happiness is not just for others but us too. It’s easy to forget when you look at TV or movies.”

Making her young daughters, Malia and Sasha, her top priority is heartfelt, but it could also help Michelle broaden her appeal. Taking lessons from the Carters and the Clintons—Amy was 9 and Chelsea was 12 when their fathers took office—Michelle is creating a protective cordon around the girls. What parent can’t relate to wanting to shield young children from the glare of the national spotlight?

But Michelle’s declaration that she plans to be the “Mom in Chief” has already ignited a minor flare-up in the ongoing white mommy wars between stay-at-home mothers and working women. (Don’t all moms put their kids first, even if they’re working? Is such an accomplished woman going to be content with Mom in Chief?) Still, most African-American women I know are thrilled she’s in a position to make that choice. The average African-American family can’t survive without two incomes—the poverty level among black families hovers above 30 percent, according to 2006 U.S. Census figures. And for single moms, that can mean working two jobs, leaving precious little time with the children. Michelle has already survived the working-mom juggling act, getting her law degree and working in government and administration before leaving during Obama’s campaign.

I’m hoping the whole Mom in Chief role will leave plenty of room for Michelle to tackle significant, meaty issues even if she’s not clamoring for a West Wing office. That’s a tricky balancing act for any First Lady—think Hillary Clinton and health-care reform. Most follow the path of Laura Bush in choosing non controversial interests like literacy. So far, Michelle has listed popular causes—military families and the struggles of working parents—that are hard to find fault with. But she’ll have another dimension to worry about: if she focuses on the black community—helping urban schools, say—will her interests be viewed as too parochial? And while every First Lady—and plenty of professional women—walk the line between being confident and seeming like a bitch, African-American women are especially wary that being called “strong” is just another word for “angry.”

Appearance could be another minefield for Michelle. First Ladies are always scrutinized—how else did Hillary end up in those black pant-suits? Though Michelle has shown a penchant for sleek hair and form-fitting dresses, her style is still evolving and wide-ranging. She’s gone from $148 off-the-rack outfits to Dolce & Gabbana. When she showed up for her first tour of the White House wearing a striking red dress, she indicated she’s willing to be daring. But will she retreat if critics slam her for bad hair days or talk too intimately about her shape?

She has one advantage over many of her predecessors—she’s got the lean, tall build of an athlete. That could have serious implications far beyond the style pages. A self-proclaimed fitness junkie who works out every morning, Michelle could actually encourage women of color to take better care of themselves. African-American women face alarmingly high rates of high blood pressure and obesity. And like everyone else, we have plenty of excuses for being sedentary, including the always-present fear of messing up our carefully done hair. “I look at her and think, I have two kids and she has two kids,” said my friend Tamara Rhodes, a 37-year-old public-safety officer in Long Beach, Calif. “If she can find time in the day to do her thing to look good—why can’t I? She looks good and in a way that I can see myself looking—not a size zero—but really healthy.”

As my brunch friends and I continued talking about Michelle, our conversation wandered into one area we seldom discuss, even among our families and closest confidantes. Michelle is not only African-American, but brown. Real brown. In an era when beauty is often defined on television, in magazines and in movies as fair or white skin, long straight hair and keen features, Michelle looks nothing like the supermodels who rule the catwalks or the porcelain-faced actresses who hawk must-have cosmetics. Yet now she’s going to grace the March cover of Vogue magazine—the ultimate affirmation of beauty.

Who and what is beautiful has long been a source of pain, anger and frustration in the African-American community. In too many cases, beauty for black women (and even black men) has meant fair skin, “good hair” and dainty facial features. Over the years, African-American icons like Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge, Halle Berry and Beyoncé—while beautiful and talented—haven’t exactly represented the diversity of complexions and features of most black women in this country.

That limited scope has had a profound effect on the self-esteem of many African-American women, including me. “When I see Michelle Obama on the cover of magazines and on TV shows, I think, Wow, look at her and her brown skin,” said Charisse Hollands, a 30-year-old mail carrier from Inglewood, Calif., with flawless ebony skin. “And I don’t mean any disrespect to my sisters who aren’t dark brown, but gee, it’s nice to see a brown girl get some attention and be called beautiful by the world. That just doesn’t happen a lot, and our little girls need to see that—my little girl needs to see it.”

In Africa, skin-lightening creams are all the rage even though the chemical they contain, hydroquinone, has been shown to cause harm in high doses. Visit any beauty-supply shop in an American inner city and you’ll find an entire aisle dedicated to less-potent forms of these products. “It’s a truth that’s long been with us,” says comic and television host Whoopi Goldberg, who came to fame with a one-woman stage show featuring her longing for straight blond hair and blue eyes. “In society and in the black community, the lighter you are and the more European your features, the more you are desired. Now many of us want to deny that’s true or say it’s changed, but it hasn’t. The darker you are makes you less than ideal. Plain and simple. And that messes with your mind something awful.”

If you’re an actress, it can also keep you from appearing in a hip-hop video or getting the juiciest movie role. But it affects regular girls and women too. On a recent episode of the nationally syndicated “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” the host asked listeners if the president-elect’s choice of a wife and her look had in any way influenced their vote. The answer was a resounding yes, followed by comments like “She’s a regular sister,” and “I love the fact that she looks like the woman next door or like my cousin or niece.”

Michelle has accomplished so much even before moving into the White House. Imagine what she can do if she decides to tackle substantive problems—perhaps even just a single one she’s mused about, like helping the local Washington, D.C., community. Now that’s the kind of influence that could reach far beyond my friends at the brunch table.

6186: Semi-Belated Black Friday Suggestions.

Or Early Cyber Monday Suggestions.


Madison Avenue And The Color Line by Jason Chambers


What’s Black About It? by Pepper Miller and Herb Kemp


Knock The Hustle by Hadji Williams


Barack Obama Commemorative Collector Plate

6185: Don’t Click Here.

Um, you might want to think twice before applying…

6184: Census Cuts May Hurt Ad Minorities Too.

The Washington Post reported the Census Bureau is cutting its ad spending for the 2010 effort. Draftfcb has been bragging about nabbing the account for months, claiming the win demonstrates the BDA’s breakthrough business model. The story below probably means Draftfcb will ultimately shortchange its partner minority agencies.

Census Spending Cuts Raise Concerns on Count

By N.C. Aizenman, Washington Post Staff Writer

The Census Bureau plans to cut spending on advertising and community outreach for the 2010 census by at least a fourth compared with the 2000 census, provoking concern among congressional overseers that historically difficult-to-count groups such as minorities and illegal immigrants will not be accurately tallied.

Although the reduction was part of the fiscal 2009 budget proposed to Congress by the administration in February and was reflected in a stopgap budget resolution adopted by Congress last month, several members of Congress said they did not become aware of the change until two weeks ago, when their staffers asked Census Bureau employees to brief them on details of the marketing plan.

The news adds to congressional dismay over the bureau’s decision in the spring to scrap a plan to use wireless handheld devices to collect information from people who do not mail back their census forms. Technical problems with the devices forced the agency to switch back to its original pencil-and-paper-based system, adding between $2.2 billion and $3 billion to the $11.5 billion cost.

“It makes no sense that we are spending less than [in] 2000 on marketing the census when the challenges we face in 2010 are even greater,” said Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee that oversees the Census Bureau. “I would have liked to have said [my response] was shock, but given what the Bush administration has done to the census, it is regrettably not surprising.”

Despite such concerns, congressional staffers said increasing the bureau’s marketing budget would prove a tall order in the current economic climate.

During the 2000 count, the Census Bureau launched an aggressive, multimillion-dollar marketing campaign featuring professionally produced television and radio spots as well as partnerships with 140,000 community advocates, religious leaders, local governments, educational institutions and other groups. The effort was credited with helping to reverse four decades of declining response rates.

Boosting the mail-back rate generated substantial savings by cutting the number of costly follow-up visits that census workers needed to make to households that had not returned their forms. It also gave those workers more time to visit minorities, immigrants and the poor—who are more likely to lack fixed addresses or to find census forms confusing and therefore be less likely to mail them back.

Census workers could face even more difficulties in 2010 because of increased fears of identity theft and the rapid rise in the minority and immigrant populations over the past decade, said William A. Ramos, director of the Washington office of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

“With all the discussion of immigration reform, and the negativity in particular with respect to Latinos, there’s especially going to be a lot of trepidation about filling out a government document,” said Ramos, whose group sits on the Census Bureau’s advisory council for the 2010 census.

So Ramos and others said they assumed the bureau would spend at least the same amount, if not more, on the marketing campaign for 2010. Instead, the total budget of $213 million represents about 76 percent of the 2000 amount in inflation-adjusted dollars. The $93 million paid-media component is about 57 percent of the 2000 expenditure, while a widely regarded schools outreach program will get only a third of the 2000 funding level.

Arnold Jackson, associate director for the decennial census, said his agency “would obviously like to have more money, and if we get an opportunity we’ll certainly ask for more. However, we think we have a very effective and robust program with the resources we have in hand.”

In particular, Jackson said, the advertising effort is being coordinated much more closely with the bureau’s community partners than it was in 2000. In addition, for the first time the bureau will be sending bilingual Spanish-English questionnaires as well as a second mailing to households that do not respond to the first one—a measure that testing suggests can increase mail-back rates by as much as 8 percent.

6183: Thank God It’s Black Friday.

All the best—no matter what line you’re in.

6182: Will Volunteer For Food.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, another sign that the Apocalypse is upon the economy. Organizations are no longer capable of even maintaining volunteer efforts.

Culture shock: Center’s volunteers canned

For the past two months, since moving to Chicago, I have been volunteering regularly at the Chicago Cultural Center alongside other dedicated volunteers, many of whom have been involved there for years. I look forward to going downtown, walking into that gorgeous, old building and interacting with a vast array of Chicagoans and visitors from all over the world.

The Volunteer Department has been around for 12 years, organizing a force of more than 150 people willing to give their time and energy to make public programs happen, such as weekly concerts, weddings, annual holiday events, not to mention all the office tasks and mailings that have been expedited by these helping hands. You can imagine my surprise when I went into the volunteer office recently and found out that, come the end of November, it will be no longer. The director and the department—gone.

I was stunned. Of all things to cut—the hub, the person who has not only built this program from the ground up, but also motivates, manages and maintains hundreds of people willing to give their time and knowledge and energy free of charge.

This cut seems like it will lead to an inevitable dissolution of many of the cultural programs that characterize this wonderful city. How disheartening.

I wanted to run over to Mayor Daley’s office, knock on his door and say, “Wait, please don’t do this!” but I couldn’t. He was in Istanbul meeting with the European Olympic Committee.

Melissa Marquardt
Logan Square

6181: Thanksgiving Leftovers.

A little dessert in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• After granting pardons to assorted criminals earlier in the week, President Bush pardoned a turkey. But honestly, what crime had the bird committed?

• Over a million people converged in New York for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. And probably none of them purchased anything from the struggling department store.

6180: Holiday Clichés.

Happy Thanksgiving

6179: Spam And Other Food-Like Substances.

Eating profits in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Despite contentions that Spam is doing good business, parent company Hormel reported 4Q profits dropped 33 percent. Wonder if company honchos will be forced to eat Spam in the coming months.

• Mickey D’s Double Cheeseburger will be leaving the Dollar Menu, as the fast feeder plans to raise its price to $1.19 in January. Wonder if cash-strapped customers will be forced to eat Spam in the coming months.

• Nothing runs like a Deere accountant. The company reported 4Q profits dropped 18 percent.

6178: The Economy Runs On Cheap Batteries.

When the gold standard brand positions itself as efficient and good enough, well, we could all use a creative bailout.

6177: Jobs To Put You In A Bad Mood.

Here’s another actual job listing that demonstrates the messed up nature of our industry. An agency needs a creative to produce mood boards pronto. And they need you to come in tomorrow—the day before Thanksgiving. At up to $35 per hour, the assignment sounds like a real turkey.

Tomorrow!! Branding Designer—Mood Boards—Opportunity from Creative Circle

Position: Branding Designer—Mood Boards
Location: Other Areas
Status: Freelance
Estimated Duration: Days
Starts: As soon as 11/26/08
Rate: Up to $25-$35/hr. Offsite Please send samples!!

Job Description:
Our Client is looking for someone who has extensive experience creating moodboards/adlobs. Essentially, they are looking for someone that can do some really cool branding boards.

They would hand off an “experience” brief and then would want to see 2-3 translations of that into something that evokes the brand and inspires the client.

We would love to see your samples and availability!

6176: Culturally Biased Reporting From Adweek?

On the one hand, it’s nice to see the typically culturally clueless Adweek providing such in-depth reporting on the conflicts between Arbitron and the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies. Then again, is Adweek truly interested in the affair, or is the Nielsen-owned publication simply taking advantage of the situation to spank rival Arbitron?

AHAA Slams Arbitron

By Steve McClellan

NEW YORK The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies wrote to Arbitron on behalf of its member shops late last week chastising the radio ratings company for ignoring concerns it spelled out more than two months ago about the composition of the listener panels in markets where it deploys the portable people meter.

The agency trade group charged that Arbitron continues to offer PPM ratings based on samples that generally underrepresent Hispanic listening audiences. Within the Hispanic sample segments, AHAA, said, the ratings company does not break out income data or country of origin data and relies on recruitment methods that skew toward English-dominant persons.

The panels also omit ZIP code information that was available in diary reports and which is very important for retail clients, the letter stated. Also missing: listener loyalty metrics. Other deficiencies were also spelled out in the missive.

“As Hispanic-specialized agencies, we have a responsibility to our clients to maximize their budgets, and deliver sales and results,” wrote AHAA chairman Jose Lopez-Varela. “With PPM, we are unable to do our jobs effectively and our clients will suffer. When a research sample is inaccurate, the research is invalid. The PPM sample is wrong.”

Lopez-Valera wrote of his “great disappointment” at not hearing back from Arbitron after he wrote on Sept. 11 outlining similar concerns. “AHAA has tried in good faith to work with Arbitron and communicate our reservations clearly and concisely,” he wrote in his follow-up letter, dated Nov. 20 that was addressed to Arbitron vp Rich Tunkel and office of multicultural business affairs director Stacie de Armas. “However, you and other company representatives have been indifferent and refuse to acknowledge the severity of the consequences that PPM in its current state poses to the Spanish-language radio industry and the U.S. Latino communities.”

Groups representing the interests of other minority groups have also complained about inadequate representation in the Arbitron PPM samples, as have numerous broadcasters, focused on both minority and mainstream audiences. The AHAA letter was sent two days after FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein urged the full commission to investigate complaints that the PPM underrepresents minority listening. New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is also investigating.

The AHAA letter also followed by just a few days word that Nielsen Media Research (like Adweek, owned by the Nielsen Co.) was entering the radio ratings business and would compete with Arbitron in the space, after winning contracts from both Cumulus Radio and Clear Channel Radio.

An Arbitron rep could not be immediately reached for comment.

6175: What Them Girls Like.

The gay ad above has been presented here before. Now check out the lesbian version.

6174: Just Another Manic Monday.

More reasons to hate Mondays in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Officials in West Virginia are pissed off at R.J. Reynolds for test-marketing its new smokeless product, Camel Snus, in college towns. To appease the officials, R.J. Reynolds will probably reintroduce Joe Camel as a college professor.

• Michael Jackson settled a lawsuit with a Bahraini sheik who said the pop star owed him $7 million after breaking promises to produce new music and an autobiography. Jacko’s lawyers had been arguing the loot was a gift. Right. Let’s see how they’d respond if Jackson deems their legal services a gift.

• General Motors will cease its 9-year spokesman relationship with Tiger Woods at the end of the 2008. Woods probably wanted a contract extension that would have required additional federal bailout money.

6173: Another Study Uncovers The Obvious.

The Association of National Advertisers presented a study on multicultural marketing, and ultimately discovered the segregated efforts receive insufficient funding, inadequate commitment and inferior performance measurement resources. Wow, they needed to conduct research to reach those common-knowledge conclusions? Anyway, here’s the ANA press release:

Multicultural Marketing Programs Continue To Grow But Marketers Cite Frustration According To ANA Study

Challenges Include Lack of Funding, C-level Support and Adequate Metrics

New York, NY, November 13, 2008 – A new survey of members of the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) indicates that multicultural marketing (MCM) continues to grow as a strategic platform for driving brand and business performance. As the marketplace becomes more diverse, multicultural initiatives have become increasingly crucial for all categories of business. A substantial majority of survey participants (77 percent) have multicultural marketing initiatives, while 66 percent indicate that their company’s efforts have increased over the past few years.

Despite the continued growth and strategic emphasis, frustration among marketers remains high. Only 45 percent expressed satisfaction with the results of their MCM initiatives, with 26 percent somewhat or very dissatisfied.

Conducted by the ANA in partnership with marketing services firm ‘mktg,’ the 2008 multicultural marketing survey is the third edition of the study, following earlier versions in 2002 and 2003. Seventy-four marketers from member companies responded to this August’s survey.

“A focused multicultural marketing strategy is vital to building brands and driving business growth,” said Bob Liodice, President and CEO of the ANA. “Our research shows that multicultural marketing programs are growing and will continue to do so in the future. However, marketers are frustrated and concerned about program quality, with less than half expressing satisfaction with their firms’ efforts to date. There is substantial upside opportunity that can be tapped with the right investment strategies and with well-structured integrated marketing and accountability programs.”

Illustrating marketers’ frustration with multicultural marketing, participants noted a range of barriers and issues:

Only 22 percent of survey respondents said their firm had a high degree of knowledge and disciplined best practices. This includes the inability to consistently integrate MCM programs into the overall marketing mix.
58 percent cited lack of adequate funding
45 percent pointed to insufficient internal support
34 percent noted inconsistent top management support
45 percent of respondents cited a lack of relevant metrics to measure performance

Strategic approaches to multicultural marketing varied. More than half (57 percent) defined MCM as “narrowcasting” – creating separate messaging for distinct market segments and communicating via media that reaches multicultural consumers. This percentage is down from the last survey when 78 percent chose the narrowcasting definition. Other definitions include “mainstreaming,” which repurposes general advertising approaches to appeal to MCM segments (11 percent), and the “translation” approach (10 percent), which simply translates general market materials for outlets catering to multicultural audiences.

In executing MCM campaigns, most respondents (55 percent) said they preferred a multicultural-specific agency for creative development, with about one quarter of firms relying on their general agency of record. However, using a specialized agency was considered the “best practice” based on satisfaction scores.

There are wide ranges of metrics employed for measuring MCM effectiveness. Brand tracking studies (55 percent) and sales growth/volume (54 percent) are used most often. Other measures include market share (41 percent), advertising research (38 percent) and brand equity measures (38 percent). Only one-in-four firms analyze ROI.

The 2008 survey also showed a substantial improvement over the previous survey in identifying market segments targeted by MCM programs:

Hispanic American – 95 percent (vs. 86 percent in 2003)
African American – 76 percent (vs. 60 percent in 2003)
Asian American – 38 percent (vs. 35 percent in 2003)
GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) – 24 percent (no data available for 2003 as this was the first year the survey polled marketers on this community)

“With multicultural consumers making up two-thirds of the millennial population and Hispanics representing one-sixth of the U.S. population by 2010, the multicultural market is an increasingly sizable and influential segment,” said Frank Dudley, CMO of ‘mktg.’ “Globalization has reduced the pressure on ethnic communities to assimilate, hence making an insightful understanding of these sub-cultures critical to any effective market strategy. And still, this study’s data suggests marketers have yet to establish standardized best practices.”

As in the 2003 survey, print continues to be the most favored media vehicle for reaching multicultural audiences (65 percent), followed closely by TV (61 percent), sponsorships (54 percent), public relations (54 percent), targeted radio (53 percent), in-store marketing (51 percent) and events (51 percent). Surprisingly, online advertising placed lowest (49 percent).

The survey was fielded in preparation for the ANA’s annual Multicultural Marketing Conference. Now in its tenth year, Multicultural Marketing Conference takes place from November 16-18 at The Boca Raton Resort and Club in Boca Raton, Florida. The ANA’s Multicultural Marketing Committee, established in 1998, helps ANA members share knowledge and best practices in marketing to America’s burgeoning ethnic markets. For more information on the conference or to obtain a complete agenda, please visit http://www.ana.net/events/conferencemtg/MCC-NOV08.

6172: Not 100% Honest.

Now made with 100% all natural ingredients? So what the hell was it made with before now?

6171: Tom Messner Knocks The Hustle.

Hadji Williams interviewed Tom Messner at HustleKnockin.com—hey, Williams respects a few White admen.

6170: Awards For Stupidity.

Chopping the news in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The University of Illinois and Northwestern University will cease a rivalry tradition that included imagery insensitive to Native Americans—a trophy called the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk. The schools have been using the award since 1945, after the original trophy—a life-sized wooden Indian—had been stolen. “Out of tremendous respect for the Native-American community, the two universities have decided this would be the last year we play for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk trophy,” said a school official, adding that a new trophy will debut next year. Hey, isn’t the University of Illinois’ Chief Illiniwek looking for work?

• Mickey D’s is facing a lawsuit after a customer in Arkansas left his cell phone in the restaurant, and the crew promised to hold it for him. Seems the phone had nude pictures of the guy’s wife, which managed to find their way onto the Web. Maybe it was just part of the fast feeder’s claim of billions and billions served.

• A mailman in North Carolina was reprimanded for failing to deliver junk mail to the customers on his route for about seven years. However, he received nothing but praise from the customers. The Direct Marketing Association is not amused. However, it’s interesting that no one ever wondered why the response rates were less than zero in the area for years. So much for direct marketers being thorough in their recording and analysis of results.

6169: New Agency Model Or Old Segregation?

Contrasting Nina DiSesa in the Special Anniversary Issue of Adweek is Robert Greenberg of R/GA, who presents a new agency model for the 21st century. Anyone who has ever worked in a contemporary digital shop will realize Greenberg essentially unveils his own current structure, so the piece is slightly self-promotional. At the same time, Greenberg is a smart guy, with a clear view of today’s industry—as well as a vision for the future. Places like Enfatico and Draftfcb insist they’ve invented the breakthrough enterprise, but neither has yet realized the dream. In fact, Draftfcb actually appears to desire becoming a traditional BDA versus something else. Is Greenberg truly defining a fresh agency model, or is it nothing more than a segregated silo for digital? Time will tell.

6168: DiSesa DiSenseless.

The Special Anniversary Issue commemorating 30 years of Adweek features an opinion column by McCann Erickson Chairman Nina DiSesa, wherein the woman inadvertently displays a lot of the issues with today’s industry leaders.

DiSesa has gone on record with her disdain for critical blogs; hence, she’ll probably spit on the following observations as well—provided she even stumbles across our humble URL. Whatever. This honestly isn’t directed at her, so much as the attitudes she symbolizes.

For starters, DiSesa literally spends nearly 70 percent of the perspective focusing on her favorite topic: herself. How typical of Madison Avenue honchos to believe the universe revolves around them. Forget wasting precious time debating concepts or creating new visions. Let me tell you about me. And my illustrious career. And the hijinks-heavy anecdotes that are totally irrelevant in the current marketplace.

Then DiSesa writes a comment that continues to confuse after multiple readings. Please feel free to interpret the excerpt:

When I was entering this profession, a twentysomething creative person was tolerated until he or she did successful TV. Now, I am discovering that entry-level people are more fascinating to me than I am. These young people understand the Internet, digital technology and other young people. They don’t know what barriers are, and their ideas about communication are dazzling.

“Now, I am discovering that entry-level people are more fascinating to me than I am.” What the hell does that mean? Is she admitting to self-absorbed narcissism? Plus, phrases like, “These young people understand the Internet…” make DiSesa sound like a dinosaur. Besides, she really should choose her words more carefully, especially given that McCann Erickson is still facing an age discrimination lawsuit.

Ultimately, DiSesa’s essay doesn’t provide any substantial insight. It’s just a bag of air. Unless one squints between the lines and realizes it completely represents the ad world’s aristocracy.

McCann Erickson’s slogan is, “Truth Well Told.” There’s definitely truth to be found in the Adweek column. Not too sure, however, that it’s very well told.

6167: Is It The Shoes?

This tire concept is a bit flat.

6166: Too Much TV And Talking.

Sad state of affairs in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• A new study shows there may be a connection between unhappiness and the amount of TV you watch. “People who are happy are more likely to engage in certain types of activities, like socializing with friends, having sex, reading newspapers,” said the lead researcher. “When we asked people who say they are unhappy how many hours of TV per day they watch, they were reporting 4, 5 and even 10 hours a day.” The totally despondent folks likely tend to watch lots of episodes of Mad Men.

• A bunch of Verizon wireless employees have been reprimanded for allegedly peeking at the cellphone records of Barack Obama. “We were notified yesterday that employees had accessed the records of an old cellphone no longer in use,” said an Obama aide. “No voice or e-mails were listened to or read.” Too bad. There were probably concession voice mails from Clinton, Palin and McCain.

6165: Superior Drinkability. Inferior Concept.

This ad has superior stinkability.

6164: Anti-Freakouts.

Freaky Friday in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• As part of a lawsuit settlement, Burger King restaurants in California are posting signs warning customers that grilled chicken menu items contain a dangerous carcinogen. The lawsuit accused a bunch of restaurant chains of knowingly exposing folks to cancer-inducing compound PhIP. Interestingly enough, there were zero reports of any freakouts.

• Earlier this month, one day before Barack Obama won the presidential race, the Duval County School Board in Florida voted to keep the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School, despite controversy and complaints. The school is named for a Confederate war figure, slave owner and early leader in the Ku Klux Klan. One board member who elected in favor of the name argued the students had been polled and didn’t want to change things. Oh please. Most high school students would agree to name their school after Homer Simpson or Hitler.

6163: Sleep Is Tired.

Please put the phrase “Don’t Sleep” to rest already.

6162: Burgers And Brainwashing.

A mouthful of MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Burger King announced plans to limit the amount of sodium in its kids’ meals, allegedly hoping to create the illusion they care about children’s health. The chain will probably compensate by quadrupling the amount of sugar, cholesterol, lead and rodent droppings. Mickey D’s sought to woo moms in Baltimore by inviting a few to its Quality Correspondents program, allegedly hoping to create the illusion they also care about children’s health. What’s next—the Michael Jackson Young Boys Daycare Center?

6161: Typographical Car Wreck.

This layout is neither stylish nor intelligent.

6160: And The Multicultural Winner Is…

Ad Age reported on the Association of National Advertisers’ Multicultural Excellence Awards, and the headlining honoree was a general market spot for McDonald’s. But wait, it gets better. The commercial was created by DDB of the Omnicom network. Gotta admit, the conglomerate has cultural cojones. The place that holds the worst diversity hiring record, exhibits blatant racism, is a repeat homophobic offender, plays politics to steal minority assignments, and accepts a dubious humanitarian tribute now nabs a multicultural ad show trophy. What’s next—an NAACP Image Award?

6159: Jacko’s Backo.

Dulling the senses with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Michael Jackson is back in the news, facing a lawsuit from an Arab monarch. Seems Jacko took $7 million from the guy, promising to produce music and an autobiography. Look for yet another request to the feds for a bailout.

• New reports show Citigroup may now dump 53,000 workers. The corporation is apparently applying credit card interest rate concepts to its firing procedures. By the end of the week, the amount will increase by at least 18 percent.

• Target, Home Depot, Lowe’s and Macy’s all reported 3Q profit losses. Did anyone even notice—or care?

6158: Show Your Good Health—And Bad Design.

New Crest Pro-Health could benefit from pro art direction.

6157: Ten Little Indians.

Gee, the Native American stamps are so unpopular, folks have to give them away for free.

6156: Run-Of-The-Mill Millennial Mush.

Marian Salzman presents another pointless perspective for Adweek, now sharing her keen insights on millennials. Although technically, the ramblings aren’t her insights, as the woman essentially regurgitates observations that have been common knowledge since at least 2000, when Neil Howe and William Strauss published Millennials Rising. Salzman wonders how the youthful generation will respond in the uncertain days ahead. Well, you don’t have to call yourself a futurist to predict they won’t be wasting their time reading overpaid hucksters like Salzman.

6155: Always Keep This In Mind.

Ads for feminine hygiene products should not contain the term “goin’ down” in the headline. Just a thought.

6154: From The Fire Wires.

Handing out pink slips in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Citigroup will dump up to 50,000 workers globally. The sun is setting on about 6,000 employees at Sun Microsystems. The U.S. Postal Service lost $2.8 billion in the last fiscal year. Sears will close seven more underperforming stores. J.C. Penney reported 3Q profits dropped 52 percent. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart announced 3Q profits rose 10 percent. Look for new store greeters to boast résumés featuring skills in financial services, computer technology, mail delivery and retail.

6153: Conceding The Non-White Vote…?

The letter below appeared in the latest issue of Ad Age. A brief MultiCultClassics comment immediately follows…

McCain could have swayed blacks

RE: Al Ries’ “What Marketers Can Learn from Obama’s Campaign” (AdAge.com, Nov. 7). What many in the “mainstream” ad/marketing community fail to observe is that the Obama brand had “loyalty” in the African-American community that was not challenged by his competitor at all. Obama built on that brand loyalty by spending more than $4 million with our African-American-owned newspaper network nationwide, which his competitor did not do. In today’s marketplace, you can’t just let 90% of African-American consumers sit there and patronize your competition. With the right media choices, black consumers/voters can be swayed. For instance, a full-page ad in our newspaper network of 121 black newspapers highlighting Martin Luther King Jr., who was a Republican, could have at least been done by McCain.

Mark Kimber
Kimber Kimber & Associates
Black Newspaper Network
Fresno, Calif.

Kimber makes a few interesting points, but the idea of McCain running a Martin Luther King Jr. advertisement is probably not a good idea. After all, even Wikipedia notes the following:

“Former Presidential candidate John McCain voted against the creation of the holiday to honor King, and later defended Arizona Republican Governor Mecham’s rescinding of the state holiday in honor of King created by his Democratic predecessor. After his opposition grew increasingly untenable, McCain reversed his position, and encouraged his home state of Arizona to recognize the holiday despite opposition from then-Governor Evan Mecham.”

In McCain’s case, trying to link with the iconic civil rights leader would have appeared patronizing at best, and outrageous at least. If McCain hoped to connect with non-Whites, the self-proclaimed Maverick needed to show how his record has benefited such audiences. The decision to not run messages in Black newspapers spoke volumes on the reality. Advertising has never succeeded in creating complete fabrications, especially in the political arena.

6152: The Silver Bullet For Effective Ads.

Coors Light makes an obvious play with a centerfold. However, Lashonda forgot three more ingredients: Heels, hips and hooters.

6151: The Job Market Lottery.

This real job posting presents more wacky trends in the employment market. First, prospective bosses are being hyper-specific with searches, effectively disqualifying over 99 percent of the existing candidates. Next, agencies are seeking immediate expert help—in this case, the specialist is only needed for a few hours of consultancy. Seems like the seeking agency will have better luck actually winning the lottery.

Position: Consultant – Interactive / Lottery Experience
Location: City of Chicago
Status: Freelance
Estimated Duration: 1 day / several hours
Starts: ASAP
Rate: $35 - $50/hour DOE

Job Description:
Our agency client in the city is seeking a consultant with two specific areas of experience: Interactive and Lottery!

Would be looking for anyone that has worked with a state lottery client in the interactive space; i.e., has overseen the creative direction for interactive marketing, has project managed a site build, has acted as an account lead, has developed a site for this type of client, etc.

If you meet the 2 requirements (Interactive and Lottery experience!) and would be available to consult in the city for a couple hours either today or early next week, we want to know about you ASAP!

6150: Obama’s Resignation Letter.

From The Chicago Sun-Times…

Obama’s letter to the people of Illinois

By President-Elect Barack Obama

Today, I am ending one journey to begin another. After serving the people of Illinois in the United States Senate—one of the highest honors and privileges of my life—I am stepping down as senator to prepare for the responsibilities I will assume as our nation’s next president. But I will never forget, and will forever be grateful, to the men and women of this great state who made my life in public service possible.

More than two decades ago, I arrived in Illinois as a young man eager to do my part in building a better America. On the South Side of Chicago, I worked with families who had lost jobs and lost hope when the local steel plant closed. It wasn’t easy, but we slowly rebuilt those neighborhoods one block at a time, and in the process I received the best education I ever had. It’s an education that led me to organize a voter registration project in Chicago, stand up for the rights of Illinois families as an attorney and eventually run for the Illinois

It was in Springfield, in the heartland of America, where I saw all that is America converge—farmers and teachers, businessmen and laborers, all of them with a story to tell, all of them seeking a seat at the table, all of them clamoring to be heard. It was there that I learned to disagree without being disagreeable; to seek compromise while holding fast to those principles that can never be compromised, and to always assume the best in people instead of the worst. Later, when I made the decision to run for the United States Senate, the core decency and generosity of the American people is exactly what I saw as I traveled across our great state—from Chicago to Cairo; from Decatur to Quincy.

I still remember the young woman in East St. Louis who had the grades, the drive and the will but not the money to go to college. I remember the young men and women I met at VFW halls across the state who serve our nation bravely in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I will never forget the workers in Galesburg who faced the closing of a plant they had given their lives to, who wondered how they would provide health care to their sick children with no job and little savings.

Stories like these are why I came to Illinois all those years ago, and they will stay with me when I go to the White House in January. The challenges we face as a nation are now more numerous and difficult than when I first arrived in Chicago, but I have no doubt that we can meet them. For throughout my years in Illinois, I have heard hope as often as I have heard heartache. Where I have seen struggle, I have seen great strength. And in a state as broad and diverse in background and belief as any in our nation, I have found a spirit of unity and purpose that can steer us through the most troubled waters.

It was long ago that another son of Illinois left for Washington. A greater man who spoke to a nation far more divided, Abraham Lincoln, said of his home, “To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything.” Today, I feel the same, and like Lincoln, I ask for your support, your prayers, and for us to “confidently hope that all will yet be well.”

With your help, along with the service and sacrifice of Americans across the nation who are hungry for change and ready to bring it about, I have faith that all will in fact be well. And it is with that faith, and the high hopes I have for the enduring power of the American idea, that I offer the people of my beloved home a very affectionate thanks.

6149: Losing Your Way.

This ad should have stopped to ask for art direction.

6148: G.I. Jane Wins A Nomination.

From CNN.com…

First female four-star U.S. Army general nominated

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- America’s first female four-star general has been nominated, the Pentagon announced Monday.

President Bush nominated Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody to serve as head of the Army’s supply arm.

By law women are excluded from combat jobs, the typical path to four-star rank in the military.

“This is an historic occasion for the Department of Defense and I am proud to nominate Lt. Gen. Ann Dunwoody for a fourth star,” said Defense Secretary Robert Gates. “Her 33 years of service, highlighted by extraordinary leadership and devotion to duty, make her exceptionally qualified for this senior position.”

The Senate must approve the nomination.

Dunwoody, a native of New York, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1975 after her graduation from the State University of New York in Cortland. She also holds graduate degrees in national resource strategy and logistics management.

She became the Army’s top-ranking woman in 2005 when she received her third star and became deputy chief of staff for Army logistics.

“I am very honored but also very humbled today with this announcement,” said Dunwoody. “I grew up in a family that didn’t know what glass ceilings were. This nomination only reaffirms what I have known to be true about the military throughout my career ... that the doors continue to open for men and women in uniform.”

The Army Materiel Command handles all material readiness for the Army. During her career, Dunwoody has been assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, 10th Mountain Division and the Defense Logistics Agency. She served with the 82nd Airborne in Saudi Arabia during the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

She has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, Master Parachutist Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

The first woman to become a general officer in the U.S. armed services was Brig. Gen. Anna Mae Hays, chief of the Army Nurse Corps, who achieved the rank in 1970 and retired the following year.

Elizabeth Hoisington, the director of the Women’s Army Corps, was promoted to brigadier general immediately after Hays. She also retired the following year.

Maj. Gen. Jeanne M. Holm, the first director of Women in the Air Force, was the first woman to wear two stars, attaining the rank in 1973 and retiring two years later. In 1996, Marine Lt. Gen. Carol A. Mutter became the first woman to wear three stars. Mutter retired in 1999.

Currently, there are 57 active-duty women serving as generals or admirals, five of whom are lieutenant generals or vice admirals, the Navy’s three-star rank, according to the Pentagon.

6147: I Have A Copyright.

From The New York Times…

King Estate Considering Suit Over Unlicensed Obama Items

By Robbie Brown

ATLANTA — Since Barack Obama’s election last week as the nation’s first black president, street vendors and online stores have been hawking T-shirts, buttons and posters juxtaposing images of him with those of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as twin pillars of racial progress.

Mr. Obama will not be profiting from those sales, but Dr. King’s family is considering whether it can.

Isaac Newton Farris Jr., a nephew of Dr. King and president of the King Center in Atlanta, said the family was considering several options, including lawsuits against sellers of unauthorized merchandise linking Mr. Obama and Dr. King under slogans like “The Dream Is Reality.”

“It’s not about the money,” Mr. Farris said. “The law says that if you don’t assert and protect the right to an image, you can lose that right.” But he added, “We do feel that if somebody’s out there making a dollar, we should make a dime.”

The King family celebrates Mr. Obama’s election but wants to protect Dr. King’s name and estate, Mr. Farris said, adding that the family would probably wait 30 or 45 days before suing, to allow vendors to stop selling the items.

“We don’t want to sue people,” he said. “We’re not looking for a fight. It would be our last move to sue anyone.”

But the King estate may be entitled to hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars in licensing fees, Mr. Farris said, and the proceeds should benefit the King Center, a nonprofit organization and memorial.

Joseph M. Beck, a lawyer who represents the King estate, said courts have repeatedly defended the right of public figures to control the commercial use of their copyrighted words and image.

But critics say lawsuits against vendors would be difficult to enforce and could dampen the spirit of Mr. Obama’s victory.

“This is the King estate piggybacking on the success of Obama,” said David J. Garrow, a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of Dr. King. “The family says they don’t want their brand tarnished, but they seem blind to how much reputational damage they’re doing.”

In recent years, the King family has come under criticism from Mr. Garrow and other scholars who believe that the family is being overprotective of Dr. King’s legacy, in particular for suing news organizations and historians who use excerpts from his speeches without paying the family.

After The Associated Press reported the possibility of lawsuits against vendors Thursday, online stores began removing items with Dr. King’s likeness. Karen DeMarco, a spokeswoman for Zazzle, an online clothing store, said the Web site was taking down all King-related items.

But on street corners and in clothing stores across the country, the merchandise remained popular, and it is likely to be difficult to stop.

Stopping every vendor will be nearly impossible, said Paul Goldstein, a professor at Stanford Law School. “These things pop up like mushrooms,” he said.

Curtis Garmon, a salesman at ATL Fashion in Atlanta, said shirts with images of Mr. Obama and Dr. King were selling quickly.

“Everybody’s just going crazy about them,” Mr. Garmon said, holding a shirt with their images and the phrases “I have a dream” and “Yes, we can.”

6146: Fishy Comparisons.

It’s always odd to see advertisers compare themselves favorably versus something bizarre. Why not just say you’re better than a bowl of shit?

6145: Mad Ave Discovers Growing Market.

Not much to say about this ridiculous Adweek story. Except if it does turn out to become a profit source for advertising agencies, rest assured that Omnicom will recruit obese people to set up a specialized shop.

Marketers Set Sights on Obese Americans

By NielsenWire

NEW YORK Obesity is more prevalent in the U.S. than ever before, and marketers are taking notice. Many are actively changing their strategies to create products and messages that appeal to this segment of the population.

According to NielsenHealth, U.S. households with at least one obese member spend 9 percent more than the average American household on over-the-counter medications, 10 percent more on health and beauty care products, and almost 17 percent more on total medications and remedies.

Obesity sufferers tend to live in low-income households, with incomes of less than $20,000 per year, and are more likely to be middle-aged (45 to 64 years old). These households tend to be located in less affluent towns and rural areas (39 percent).

On average, households with obese members are more willing to buy generic or private label brands. They also purchase 20 percent more low calorie carbonated soft drinks than the average U.S. household, and are more willing to buy prescription drugs from outside the U.S. in order to save money.

As marketers turn their attention to this once overlooked demographic, Americans are also turning an eye inward to examine the causes of the country’s obesity epidemic.

According to a 2008 Nielsen survey, 81 percent of U.S. consumers “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that weight gain can be attributed to eating too much and not exercising enough.

What’s more, 68 percent of consumers “disagreed” or “disagreed strongly” with the statement that they cannot find healthy food in their grocery store.

Consumers also told Nielsen they hold food companies and their advertising partially responsible for America’s obesity epidemic. Almost three-quarters of consumers believe that advertising by food companies encourages people to eat less-healthy food, and that these companies should provide healthier food. In comparison, consumers did not identify the fast-food industry as a major player in the obesity blame game.

6144: Número Uno, Número Dos.

Latinos must over-index with peeing and pooping.

6143: What The Devil Is Going On?

Adweek reported that Omnicom Group CEO John Wren won some type of humanitarian award. Um, this guy runs a conglomerate that has displayed homophobia, racism, diversity adversity, shady culture-based political maneuvers and more. Never mind the deal inked with the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Wren has obviously signed a pact with Satan.

Wren Among Reisenbach Honorees
Foundation honors trio with Distinguished Citizenship Awards

By Adweek Staff

NEW YORK Omnicom Group CEO John Wren, ESPN sales and marketing president Ed Erhardt and New York City film commissioner Katherine Oliver will receive John A. Reisenbach Distinguished Citizenship Awards on Dec. 4 at the organization’s 17th annual Gala Tribute for a Better and Safe New York.

The ceremony will be held at the University Club here.

“We remain committed to paying tribute to members in different areas of our industry who demonstrate a real dedication to making public service an integral part of their work, and who contribute to an overall improved quality of life in New York City,” said Nielsen Business Media’s Gerry Byrne, this year’s gala chair. (Adweek and Nielsen Business Media are units of the Nielsen Co.)

Honorary chairs for the 2007 event are last year’s recipients: John Hayes, Wenda Harris Millard and Charlie Rutman. Previous Distinguished Citizenship Awards have gone to Bill Cella, Irwin Gotlieb, Judy McGrath, Dennis Swanson, Dick Wolf and the first honoree, Gerald Levin.

The Reisenbach Foundation focuses on programs that help areas such as safety and education as well as community relations. It was named for John Reisenbach, an ad syndication executive shot in a never-solved murder in New York in 1990. He was 33 at the time.

6142: Gunning For Trouble.

From The Chicago Tribune…

Obama win triggers run on guns
Buyers said to fear crackdown on their rights, civil unrest

By Howard Witt, Tribune correspondent

HOUSTON — A week after the election of Barack Obama, gun buyers across the country are voting with their feet, flocking to gun stores to stock up on assault rifles, handguns and ammunition.

Some say they are worried that the incoming Obama administration will attempt to reimpose the ban on assault weapons that expired in 2004. Others fear the loss of their right to own handguns. A few say they are preparing to protect themselves in the event of a race war.

But whatever the reason, gun dealers in red and blue states alike say they’ve never seen anything like the run on weaponry they’ve been experiencing since Election Day— surpassing even the panic buying in the days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“People are terrified of losing their right to protect themselves,” said DeWayne Irwin, owner of Cheaper Than Dirt, a large gun store in Ft. Worth. “The volume is 10 times what we ever expected. It started with assault rifles, but at this point people are buying ammunition, high-capacity magazines, Glocks—it’s all flying off the shelf. With the economy the way it is, people are worried about instability. They are scared of civil unrest.”

There are no nationwide figures on gun sales available yet to document a post-election trend, and the number of pre-purchase background checks conducted by the FBI—a major barometer of national gun sales—actually rose more slowly through Oct. 31 of this year than during comparable periods in 2007 and 2006.

But anecdotal reports from around the nation suggest the sudden surge of November gun-buying is far surpassing the normal hunting-season spike that often occurs this time of year.

At the Memorial Shooting Center in Houston, which shares a building with a church, managers said they sold out of assault weapons a day after the election and are now adding new orders, at more than $1,000 each, to a monthlong waiting list. In Colorado, state authorities said they set a record for background checks on gun purchasers on the Saturday before the election—and the requests have been growing ever since.

And in Obama’s home state of Illinois, business at gun stores is brisk.

“We’ve had a lot of people concerned because our president-elect is extremely anti-gun and so is his running mate,” said Jerry Bricco, owner of 1st Class Firearms in north suburban Zion. “They’re afraid of future gun bans and what you will be allowed to get.”

Not every gun enthusiast is so worried. Mark Greene, a hunter and member of Gun Owners for Obama who led a grass-roots campaign for the Democrat in Tarrant County, Texas, said he regarded fears of a looming ban on assault weapons as unfounded.

“People are being pretty reactionary,” Greene said. “There’s a small contingent of folks in and out of the gun-owning community concerned that Obama’s election is such a revolutionary change that it could portend mayhem. I think it’s hysteria.”

Obama’s record on gun rights is conflicting enough to give ammunition to either side.

His campaign Web site said he “respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms” and promised that he would “protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport and use guns.”

Seeking to reassure gun owners, Obama told a campaign audience in Ohio in October: “I will not take your shotgun away. I will not take your rifle away. I won’t take your handgun away.”

But Obama also has said he favors “common sense” gun laws, and as an Illinois state legislator he voted to support a ban on semiautomatic assault weapons and tighter restrictions on all firearms. He has said in the past that he opposes allowing gun owners to carry concealed weapons.

And Obama’s controversial comment last April that some rural Americans “cling to guns or religion” in difficult times suggested to many gun owners that he was fundamentally hostile toward them.

The sum of those positions prompted the National Rifle Association to warn its members during the campaign that Obama “would be the most anti-gun president in American history.”

Obama “says he’s in favor of common-sense gun laws,” Irwin said. “Well, what people up north think is common sense is something different from us down here in Texas. The criminals have all this illegal stuff. I don’t want to fight them with a handgun if I can get an AK. I’m entitled to that. I should be able to defend my home.”

One expert sees a darker motive driving some post-election gun purchasers.

“Why are white people buying assault weapons?” said Ben Agger, a sociology professor at the University of Texas at Arlington who wrote a book about the Virginia Tech slayings. “I almost hate to say it, but there is a deep-seated fear of the armed black man, because Obama now commands the military and other instruments of the justice system. They are afraid Obama will exact retribution for the very deep-seated legacy of slavery.”

Tribune reporter James Kimberly contributed to this report from Chicago.

6141: Riding The Subway.

The letters below were published at AdAge.com in response to the Subway post by Karl Carter. A brief MultiCultClassics response immediately follows.

Subway ads prompt race discussion

RE: “You Might Be a Racist When…” (AdAge.com, Oct. 31). There is no objective reality called “racist.” There is only what I see and what you see and they are equally real. For me, the Subway ad is racist because it is sloppy and indifferent and incompetent in its use of black/urban cultural cues to promote its product. The problem with the ad was not that it sucked. The problem with the ad was that it never tried to be good. It never cared enough about the audience to try to be genuinely interesting, relevant or persuasive.

Could a more diverse creative team have done a better job? Undoubtedly. But so could an all-white team, as long as they cared enough to learn their audience, as long as they respected their audience enough not to assume they already knew everything they needed to know.

Contrary to popular opinion, the best advertising does not come from brilliant creative minds. (None were in evidence here.) It comes from well-informed creative minds. And if you don’t have enough respect for your subject and your audience to become well-informed, then perhaps you’re being racist, and so is your work.

Mark Robinson
Ridgefield, Conn.


Recently, at an Orlando Advertising Federation Ad2 event, I enjoyed a spirited and informative discussion with a young African-American professional who said that her culture possessed so many nuances, more than any other culture, that the only people who could truly understand and market to the segment were African-Americans. I have been thinking about that a lot since we spoke, and while I am not sure if she was 100% right, wrong or somewhere in the middle, this article rekindled the discussion in my mind and got me thinking.

According to the definition used in this post, racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. By saying that you have to be African-American, for example, to market to African-Americans, aren’t you racist? Or is that cultural bias?

With all the research that is out there to better understand a target audience, is it truly necessary to “be from” to “market to”?

Larry Meador
Evok
Lake Mary, Fla.

These discussions tend to roll out the same way, presenting the same points of view.

Robinson does a decent job of playing his role. Meador does likewise. So MultiCultClassics will complete the clichéd conversation by examining Meador’s observations and inquiries.

Regarding “all the research that is out there to better understand a target audience,” well, it just ain’t out there. Even the minority shops struggle to find the funding to probe for real insights. In many instances, clients expect their minority partners to inherently “understand a target audience.”

Meador should watch what usually unfolds at traditional big (i.e., White) advertising agencies when a minority project appears. Rest assured, nobody taps into mystical research. Rather, every minority in the building—from staffers to mailroom attendants to cafeteria workers—is summoned into a conference room and frisked for cultural clues. Or like the Subway incident, the matter isn’t considered from a fresh perspective at all. Besides, having research rarely translates to having legitimate understanding.

As for wondering if a minority who believes they are best suited to address other minorities is a racist, well, let’s not get too wrapped up in technicalities. Maybe the minority is demonstrating bias. Whatever.

Then again, one could argue Madison Avenue is filled with Whites who believed—and continue to believe—they are most qualified to communicate to any audience on Earth. What other explanation would account for the lack of diversity? Should we question the possibility of racism in that scenario too?

6140: Diversity Arrives At DDB.

Adweek.com reported DDB New York named a new chief diversity officer. Read the full story below—it’s immediately followed by two actual comments posted at the site that speak volumes on the state of the industry regarding diversity…

DDB Names Diversity Chief

By Andrew McMains

NEW YORK DDB here has named human resources manager Minerva Garcia to the new position of chief diversity officer. Garcia is tasked with recruiting, retaining and promoting minority staffers. In her new role, she reports to president Peter Hempel.

“In keeping with the DDB spirit that the best ideas can come from anywhere, we must go everywhere to get those best ideas,” Hempel said in a statement. “With Minerva’s energy and smarts focused in this area, we will be able to increase our diverse talent pool, sharpen our consumer insights and better our creative product.”

Omnicom Group’s DDB is among several agencies that have created diversity leadership positions since New York City’s Human Rights Commission criticized the industry for its lack of minorities in late 2007. Sixteen agencies, including DDB, subsequently signed agreements with the commission that required them to meet certain annual hiring, retention and promotion goals when it comes to minorities and women.

Other shops with similar roles include WPP Group’s Ogilvy & Mather and Interpublic Group’s McCann Erickson.

Garcia, 33, has worked in the office’s human resources department since 1998 and will continue to contribute to employee relations and staffing efforts. In that capacity, she reports to Wendy Raye, the shop’s human resources director.

Garcia also will serve on a worldwide diversity committee that Hempel described as “far-reaching.” He declined to identify its members or say how many staffers sit on the committee, however.

Here are the comments, which were likely left by Omnicom employees:

“Yessir, it sure doesn’t pay to be a white male. You’re guilty of every sin committed including the crucifixion of Christ. Too bad none of these agencies had enough **** to tell the NYC Human Rights Commission to butt out and mind its own business.”
Proletarian

“Well, Proletarian, at least she is good-looking.”
Major Minor

6139: Not Playing Around.

Cutthroat competition in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The Barbie vs. Bratz catfight continues to get ugly, with Mattel now seeking to shut down all future Bratz manufacturing. Mattel recently won a copyright-infringement court battle against the hipper rival dollmaker, but still wants to completely eliminate the competitor. Who would’ve thought Barbie was capable of doll genocide?

• Starbucks reported 4Q profits dropped 97 percent. However, CEO Howard Schultz thinks the worst is over. The guy needs to wake up and smell the overpriced coffee.

• Mickey D’s continues to experience sales spikes, mostly because the economy is forcing people to seek cheap food. Look for Howard Schultz to be ordering a Happy Meal and large McCoffee soon.

6138: Feeling The Pressure.

From The Chicago Tribune…

Study says lack of blood pressure control leads to deaths of 8,000 black Americans each year

By Mike Stobbe, AP Medical Writer

ATLANTA – The lives of nearly 8,000 black Americans could be saved each year if doctors could figure out a way to bring their average blood pressure down to the average level of whites, a surprising new study found. The gap between the races in controlling blood pressure is well-known, but the resulting number of lives lost startled some scientists.

“We expected it to be big, but it was even larger than we anticipated,” said the lead author, Dr. Kevin Fiscella of the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry.

The study, released Monday in the Annals of Family Medicine, is being called the first to calculate the lives lost due to racial disparities in blood pressure control.

Fiscella said he believes steps can be taken to erase that gap. But a second article in the same journal found that racial differences in blood pressure treatment persisted in England despite a national health system that provides equal access to care.

Doctors may not be providing proper care, but some black patients may not be taking prescribed medicines or following medical advice, said Christopher Millett of the Imperial College of London.

However, another researcher said it is unfair to blame the patient.

“‘Compliance’ to me is a hateful word. It says, ‘I the great doctor and we the great health care service inform you what needs to be done and you don’t do it because you’re stupid, you’re incompetent’… I don’t accept that at all,” said Dr. Jeremiah Stamler, professor emeritus of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

High blood pressure — often called the “silent killer” because it has no symptoms — increases a person’s chances for heart disease, stroke and other serious problems. But it’s easy to check for and usually can be controlled through exercise, diet and medicine.

For decades, doctors have noted that a higher percentages of black Americans have high blood pressure than whites. The reasons for that include poverty and cultural habits. Both can prevent people from exercising, eating healthy foods and getting in to see a good doctor.

The study suggesting 8,000 black lives are lost due to uncontrolled blood pressure is based on earlier research that finds that about 40 percent of black adults have high blood pressure, compared with about 30 percent of whites.

Fiscella and his colleague, Kathleen Holt, made a series of calculations. They took estimates of how each point of increased blood pressure affects the likelihood of death, and put it in a formula that included the difference in black and white blood pressure readings.

Those differences caused about 5,500 extra deaths from heart disease and about 2,200 deaths from stroke each year.

The second study, done in England, looked at the electronic medical records of about 8,900 patients in southwest London, who are covered by that country’s national health insurance system.

Researchers found black patients with high blood pressure had significantly higher readings than white or Asian patients, even though blacks were prescribed more medications.

The researchers also looked at patients who were sick with one or more conditions like heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes. They found that blood pressure control was much worse in blacks than whites.

Patients’ failure to regularly take their medicine may be one factor. Another may be that certain medications work better for blacks, but some doctors may be overlooking that difference, said Millett, a consultant in public health for Imperial College.

Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher said changes need to be made to make sure minority patients can get good medical care when they need it. But there also needs to be more done to make sure patients understand medical directions and feel comfortable asking questions when they don’t.

“It’s very clear we need to target our efforts to differences in” how well patients follow medical advice, said Satcher, who is now an administrator at Atlanta’s Morehouse School of Medicine.

6137: Check Out Mercedes-Benz.

Click on image to enlarge. Click here for more details.

6136: Fried Circuits And Fast Deliveries.

Going out of bad business with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Circuit City has filed for bankruptcy. How come the struggling airlines, automakers and financial institutions are quick to beg for bailouts, but no one’s extending any money help to Circuit City? Oh, wait a minute. It’s because Circuit City sucks. Never mind.

• DHL is DOA, with plans to cut up to 9,500 jobs. They will probably guarantee fast delivery of the pink slips—perhaps even overnight.

6135: Judging A Book By Its Cover Subtitle.

From The New York Times…

‘Why Obama Can’t Win’ Author Defends Analysis

By Noam Cohen

Make room on the bookshelf — perhaps somewhere between “Dow 36,000” by Glassman and Hassett or “The End of History and the Last Man” by Fukuyama — for the unfortunately named “A Bound Man: Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can’t Win” by Shelby Steele.

Many an author has come to incorrect conclusions, but only a few have had the courage to make a prediction in a title that could be directly contradicted.

Mr. Steele, a prolific author on racial issues in America and a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, said he had had plenty of time to get used to the snickering about the title of his book, which was published late last year by the Free Press, part of Simon & Schuster, and officially contradicted last week.

“My feeling is that I stand by every word of the analysis — what is between the covers of the book,” he said in a telephone interview. “For the year I have had to apologize for the stupid, silly subtitle that was slapped on to the book.”

He made it clear that he was the one who slapped the subtitle onto the book — “in about 30 seconds” when Barack Obama was trailing Hillary Rodham Clinton by about 25 percentage points. But, he added, “subtitles are marketing devices — I hate them. I’ve always hated them.”

He said that for “White Guilt,” his book before “A Bound Man,” he tried not to have a subtitle, to no avail. In that case, Mr. Steele went with another provocative subtitle: “How Blacks and Whites Together Destroyed the Promise of the Civil Rights Era.”

The editor in chief of the Free Press, Dominick Anfuso, disputed the idea that there was overriding pressure to come up with the most extreme subtitle to sell books. “It is the handful of largely successful books that do that, and that gives the impression that is what we seek,” he said. What publishers want, he said, are “good titles and good subtitles. Subtitles can make best sellers, but they don’t have to be provocative to do that. It is a package. They go together.”

The argument in “Bound Man” is about the challenge a black politician faces in finding a way between being a “challenger” to white voters and a “bargainer” who assures whites that racism is becoming less important in society. In an opinion piece in The Los Angeles Times after the election, Mr. Steele, who supported John McCain, wrote that Mr. Obama was offering typical liberal policies “freshened up — given an air of ‘change’ — by the dreamy post-racial and post-ideological kitsch he dressed it in.”

Barbara Meade, co-owner of the Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, recalled that when Mr. Steele spoke there it “sparked a lot of controversy among the audience.” She viewed the book as part of a trend that “mostly people buy books that they already agree with — very few people are going to be swayed by what they read.”

She said that the store sold two copies the week before the election and none after.

Both Mr. Steele and Mr. Anfuso agreed that if “Bound Man” appeared in paperback, it would carry a new subtitle.

6134: Change Has Not Come To America’s Automakers. Or Ad Agencies.

MultiCultClassics has presented the following perspective in the past. But it seems appropriate to revisit the notion in light of the financial crisis threatening to drive automakers into bankruptcy.

As car companies continue to spin their wheels seeking profits, disturbing trends regarding multicultural advertising agencies have accelerated. Specifically, minority shops are seeing assignments disappear and/or get shifted to White agencies.

Yet marketers continue to run messages like the one above, hyping alleged commitments to diverse suppliers and vendors. Exactly how do you make good on these promises while diminishing minority partnerships and increasing relationships with advertising agencies that have steadfastly refused to integrate?

There’s a simple solution to avoid appearing hypocritical: Award lead AOR status to a minority shop. There are plenty of Hispanic, Black and Asian shops qualified to deliver.

Such a move would be easy for a corporation like General Motors, which has numerous brands to offer. GM wouldn’t have to completely hand over the reins; rather, it could assign any of its smaller nameplates.

Why not?

The White agencies haven’t succeeded in selling vehicles. In fact, it’s pretty obvious that they’ve failed. Miserably.

Additionally, if the automakers really hope to win the emotional and financial support of the government—and ultimately, the public—it’s time to show a willingness to try something different. Nobody wants to bail out a consistent, inflexible loser.

There’s no better moment than now to execute the proposal. After all, the nation is still basking in the glow of having elected its first Black president. Think of the positive PR opportunities. Plus, minority shops are far more frugal and fiscally responsible than their bloated BDA counterparts.

Change has come to America. Will the auto and advertising industries join the revolution?

6133: Another Black President.

Congratulations, President Dupri. Except you didn’t exactly assume office via a national election.

6132: Crying For Change.

From The Chicago Tribune…

Jackson’s Eloquent Tears

By Clarence Page

Was Rev. Jesse Jackson crying tears of joy at President-elect Barack Obama’s victory celebration in Grant Park? Or was the civil rights leader weeping in regret that he might now be out of a job?

Caught by television cameras, Jackson’s tears spoke volumes. It is important to remember that Jackson helped to pave the way for Obama. But, like some other old-school leaders, Jackson has been slow to recognize when to step out of the way.

For example, his most memorable contribution to Obama’s presidential campaign came when Jackson’s whispered wish to “cut his nuts off” was caught by a hot Fox News microphone. Jackson apologized profusely. No problem. His gaffe undoubtedly reassured skeptical whites that Obama was not a Jackson clone.

Much was said about how Obama was opening a “post-racial” era, although “multiracial” is more appropriate. Race and racism have not evaporated. Nor has the need for diversity to be respected, not just tolerated. Jackson’s not out of a job yet. But Obama’s victory moves our old baseline of racial expectations to a higher and happier level. It’s hard to argue that our society is irredeemably racist when our multiracial electorate just elected a man with African roots and an Arabic-sounding name to be commander in chief.

Yes, we did.

No, Obama did not win over a majority of white males, according to exit polls. Neither have the previous five Democratic nominees. But with 41 percent of white men and about half of all white women and independents, Obama outperformed the other five among those groups.

He also did better than John Kerry and Al Gore among Hispanics and all income brackets, including a 5 percent gain since 2004 among those who earn less than $50,000 a year and an 8 percent gain in the over-$100,000-a-year income group, according to the Pew Research Center. Sorry, Joe the Plumber.

Pew also reports that Obama increased voter turnout since 2004 among self-identified Republicans (up 3 percent), moderates (up 6 percent) and conservatives (up 5 percent).

But that doesn’t mean that Obama’s contest with Sen. John McCain was the “referendum on the goodness of America,” that conservative MSNBC commentator Tucker Carlson sarcastically complained that the media portrayed it.

“I just resent the implication that America is a better country if it voted for Barack Obama,” he grumped on Election Night. “That’s a slur on people who voted against Obama.” Agreed. Yet, as one McCain voter who joined the celebration of Obama’s victory told me, he was not happy that his man lost but that “our country has won.” America is a better country, in other words, not because so many of us voted for Obama but because many more of us have made a place where Obama’s victory is possible.

In Kenya, by contrast, Obama’s father’s minority Luo tribe celebrated, but with a bitter knowledge that it is easier for a Luo to be elected president in America than in Kenya.

“Only in America,” Americans said with a new sense of pride. It certainly was better to see folks overseas happily waving our flag instead of burning it.

Back here at home, Pew found the only major group that went the other way, giving fewer votes to this year’s Democratic nominee, was voters who were older than 65. Significantly, that generation includes much of our 1960s-era civil rights leadership. When skeptical black political and civil rights leaders questioned Obama’s “blackness,” Obama persevered, forcing some black leaders, like Jackson, to catch up with the masses whom they were trying to lead.

Obama had an advantage in his quest, I suspect, in his lack of a family ancestry in American slavery, a defining characteristic of most African-Americans. Being raised by his white mother and grandparents in multiracial Hawaii and Indonesia, he was spared the post-slavery traumatic syndrome that for many of us African-Americans has been a cultural crippler. Many of us older folks were conditioned at an early era about our “place” in a white-dominated society in ways that culturally cripple many of our offspring, if the young’uns bother to listen to us at all.

Obama was spared all that, judging by his autobiographies. Although he was born an American, his multiracial view, energized with optimism, is characteristic of immigrants. While others rail relentlessly about America’s limitations, he remains resolutely focused on our possibilities. He has enlisted us, his fellow Americans, in his cause and given all of us a good reason to feel like winners.

6131: Don’t Pick Up The Phone.

Fact: This ad is ill.

6130: Change Has Come To America’s Hip Hop…?

From The Chicago Tribune…

Barack Obama, first president to come of age in hip-hop era

By Greg Kot, Tribune critic

Barack Obama was in his last year of high school in 1979 when hip-hop broke out of the ghettos of New York on its way to becoming a national phenomenon.

He is in many ways a child of hip-hop, but sometimes a reluctant one. Even as the president-elect claims to “love hip-hop” he has spoken out against its more explicit lyrics. When Ludacris released “Obama’s Here” a few months ago, the Southern rapper extolled the future president’s credentials while viciously putting down Obama’s rivals. An Obama spokesman issued a stinging rebuke: “While Ludacris is a talented rapper he should be ashamed of these lyrics.”

Yet Obama has been embraced by the hip-hop community like no presidential candidate in history. Bill Clinton was the first president to forge a bond with the ‘60s and ‘70s classic-rock generation (even persuading Fleetwood Mac to reunite and perform at his inaugural ball in 1993). Obama now commands the respect of the voters who came of age when hip-hop transformed pop culture.

The non-partisan group Hip-Hop Caucus and rappers T.I., Jay-Z, T Pain and others spearheaded the “Respect My Vote” campaign, which registered voters between the ages of 18 and 29, most of whom voted for Obama. Will.i.am wrote and produced no fewer than three songs in recent months extolling the Obama campaign, including the YouTube hit video “Yes We Can.” Rappers such as Common, a native of Chicago’s South Side, and New York’s Talib Kweli were dropping Obama references into their songs as early as 2007. The video for Common’s ‘07 hit “The People” flashed on an “Obama ‘08” bumper sticker. At the time, it seemed like wishful thinking: A black man in the White House?

But hip-hop, at its best, has always functioned on two levels: as a reflection of what’s happening now (“the black CNN,” as Public Enemy’s Chuck D once called it) and as a window into the future (rap songs by Ice Cube and Ice-T, among others, presaged the riots that broke out after the 1992 verdict in the Rodney King beating).

Though hip-hop initially emerged as an art form primarily developed by African-Americans, it soon became a shared language for youth that cut across racial lines. Just as rock ‘n’ roll galvanized teenagers in the ‘50s, hip-hop in the ‘80s and ‘90s linked inner-city b-boys with listeners living in soccer-mom households in the suburbs. By the end of the last decade, together with contemporary R&B, hip-hop had become the biggest selling genre in the $14 billion-a-year music industry.

Obama has embraced hip-hop whenever he has been asked about the subject in interviews, specifically citing Jay-Z, Kanye West and Common as personal favorites. But he also has been outspoken in his disgust for rap lyrics that go too far.

“There are times, even on the artists I’ve named, the artists that I love, that there is a message that’s sometimes degrading to women, uses the ‘n’ word a little too frequently,” he said in an interview on BET. “But also something that I’m really concerned about is [they’re] always talking about material things, about how I can get something; more money, more cars.”

In the wake of racially charged remarks by talk show host Don Imus last year, Obama said rap wasn’t blameless because it too contained derogatory language. Hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons called Obama “a mouse, too, like everyone else,” and urged him to take a closer look at the social conditions that made such lyrics commonplace.

In the wake of Obama’s victory, Simmons struck a more conciliatory tone, calling it a “glorious” affirmation of “the hip-hop generation and its young people.”

“I was just defending hip-hop,” he told the Tribune of his earlier criticism of Obama. “It’s good for politicians to say they’re against hip-hop. But hip-hop’s job is to tell the truth, and the truth can be shocking.”

Though many older activists didn’t believe Obama could win the presidency, convinced that his race was too big of a barrier, the “hip-hop generation said, ‘Why not?’ “ Simmons said. “It’s like when Run-DMC first appeared on MTV. There really hadn’t been any black artists on MTV offering a real depiction of inner-city life, and hip-hop broke that barrier. Hip-hop’s attitude has always been, ‘Why not?’”

But activist Rev. Al Sharpton told the Tribune Obama’s victory will force hip-hop to change its tune. “You can’t be using the ‘b’ word, the ‘n’ word, the ‘h’ word when you have Barack Obama redefining overnight the image that black people want to have. Here’s the greatest political victory in the history of black America, and the thug rappers can’t come near it. They will have to change or become irrelevant.”

Simmons says that’s hogwash. “Young people will use their language the way they want,” he said. “If it’s in their heart, they will express it.”

Hip-hop has always been far too diverse to ever be so narrowly defined. Even before Obama became a serious candidate, the more thuggish brands of hip-hop were already in commercial decline, while some of rap’s biggest recent successes—Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Common, OutKast—have been notable for their more high-minded lyricism.

As Obama said in the BET interview: “The potential for [rappers] to deliver a message of extraordinary power, that gets people thinking [is there]. The thing about hip-hop today is it’s smart, it’s insightful. The way they can communicate a complex message in a very short space is remarkable.”

It’s also sometimes reckless and irresponsible. And why would anyone who values creative expression want it any other way? Art that tries to conform to a vision of what it is or what it should say instantly dies. President-elect Obama will have far bigger problems to address than the content of rap lyrics when he takes office. Meanwhile, rappers will begin confronting a new reality starting Jan. 20: How rebellious can they be when one of their fans occupies the most powerful office in the world?

6129: MLB Striking Out With Diversity.

Major League Baseball is promoting its supplier diversity program by hyping Jackie Robinson. Um, somebody tell MLB it should refocus on the lack of playing field diversity.

6128: Bullies And Bullshit.

Assorted bull in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• A new study from the University of Chicago showed male bullies may actually feel pleasure from watching their victims suffer. “[Bullies are] not only indifferent to the pain, they love it—maybe,” said the co-author of the study. “They’re responding to others being hurt, but in a way that’s self-reinforcing.” Another researcher remarked about the findings, “It just dumbfounded us.” Dumbfounded? Somebody ought to beat up these weenie researchers for discovering the obvious.

• The Naked Cowboy bullied the Mars candy company into settling his $4 million lawsuit over trademark infringement. The popular Times Square performer took offense when the candy maker ran advertising featuring a blue M&M character sporting his famous cowboy hat, boots and white undies. Maybe Mars was actually doing a tribute to Brokeback Mountain. Then again, probably not.

6127: Behind The 8 Ball.

From The Los Angeles Times…

Gays, blacks divided on Proposition 8
For many African Americans, it’s not a civil rights issue.

By Cara Mia DiMassa and Jessica Garrison

For Trebor Healey, a 46-year-old gay man from Glendora, Tuesday’s election was bittersweet.

He was thrilled that the nation elected its first African American president. But he was disappointed that black voters, traditionally among the most reliably liberal in the state, voted overwhelmingly to ban same-sex marriage.

He understands that there are differences between the civil rights battles of blacks and gays: For one thing, he notes, gay people have a much easier time blending in. Still, he says, he thinks it’s sad that “people do not equate one civil rights struggle with another.”

Many black voters didn’t see it that way.

“I was born black. I can’t change that,” said Culver City resident Bilson Davis, 57, who voted for Proposition 8. “They weren’t born gay; they chose it,” he added, reflecting a commonly held belief that many researchers dispute.

Although many of the state’s black political leaders spoke out against Proposition 8, an exit poll of California voters showed that black voters favored the measure by a ratio of more than 2 to 1. Not only was the black vote weighted heavily in favor of Proposition 8, but black turnout—spurred by Barack Obama’s historic campaign for president—was unusually large, with African Americans making up roughly 10% of the state electorate.

The exit poll didn’t ask voters why they voted the way they did. But Madison Shockley, pastor of Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Carlsbad and among the roughly one-third of blacks who opposed Proposition 8, said the vote was understandable. “Black folks go to church, probably more than the Caucasian population, and the churches they go to tend to be very traditional.”

Los Angeles resident Christopher Hill, 50, said he was motivated by religion in supporting Proposition 8. Civil rights, he said, “are about getting a job, employment.”

Gay marriage, he said, is not: “It’s an abomination against God.”

One complicating factor was that both sides in the campaign had plausible reason to claim Obama’s support. The president-elect strongly stated his opposition to the proposition, calling it “divisive and discriminatory.”

But he has also said in public speeches that he opposes same-sex marriage. In the days leading up to the election, some Democrats received “robo-calls” on their cellphones containing an excerpt from such a speech.

“Here is Barack Obama in his own words on the definition of marriage,” the call began.

Then the voice of Obama speaking to a crowd comes on: “I believe marriage is a union between a man and a woman. Now, for me as a Christian, it is also a sacred union. God is in the mix.”

A narrator then urged a yes vote on Proposition 8.

California Democratic Party consultant Roger Salazar was among the recipients of the call.

“They saw the Obama tide coming and they were trying to capitalize on it,” Salazar said, adding that the call was “manipulative and deceitful,” given the candidate’s stated opposition to the amendment.

Still, those efforts, combined with a push by dozens of African American ministers and commercials and mailers arguing that children would be subjected to a pro-gay curriculum should the measure pass, had an effect on voters like Pasadena resident Doris Tucker.

Tucker, who is African American, said she voted for “all the good things,” especially Obama and Proposition 8. “I don’t think it’s right,” Tucker said of gay marriage. “They shouldn’t let it go on.”

On Friday, four leaders of the No-on-8 campaign put out a statement urging cooperation among groups around the issue. “We achieve nothing if we isolate the people who did not stand with us in this fight,” the statement said. “We only further divide our state if we attempt to blame people of faith, African American voters, rural communities and others for this loss.”

In conversations this week, organizers of the campaign against Proposition 8 discussed the racial divide on the measure. Said Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights: “One cannot underestimate the effect that … the robo-calls had where people heard Barack Obama’s voice and then they were told to vote yes on 8.”

Still, she added, the campaign could have done a better job reaching out to black voters. “The way you really move votes in the African American community is with conversations, with [real-life] experience … making sure that people see there are African American lesbian and gay people who will be affected by this. That is something we intend to assist our community leaders in doing more of,” she added. “That is a real lesson learned.”

Ron Buckmire, who heads the Barbara Jordan/Bayard Rustin Coalition, a black gay-rights group in Los Angeles, said the vote shows that “there is a lot of work to be done in the black community.”

Buckmire said the campaign should also have emphasized that, at its core, the proposition was about stripping a minority of a right that they had enjoyed. “The civil rights of people should not be put to a vote,” he said. “Period. I would have thought that that message would have gotten through.”

Shockley agreed. Civil rights, he said, has come to mean “one thing in the popular culture”: the empowerment of black people.

But “what people don’t realize is that King said over and over that the victories of civil rights were won for everyone,” he added, referring to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Political strategist Darry Sragow said that the success of Proposition 8 shows that several assumptions about California voters, particularly black voters, proved to be false—namely, that “because you are for civil rights and equality, you are liberal on everything.”

Cara Mia DiMassa and Jessica Garrison are Times staff writers.
Times reporter Dan Morain contributed to this story.

6126: Injustice Denied.

Running out of options with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• A Nevada judge denied O.J. Simpson a new trial. Simpson’s next move: requesting a presidential pardon once Barack Obama takes office.

• General Motors and Ford Motor Company reported big 3Q losses. The automaker’s next move: requesting financial assistance from Barack Obama once he takes office. Or maybe not even waiting that long.

• Sprint Nextel reported 3Q losses at 1.3 million customers. CEO Dan Hesse announced plans to increase the company’s marketing efforts. Great solution. More commercials starring the annoyingly boring Hesse.

6125: Assorted Losers.

TGIF with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer won’t face any legal problems for his escapades with prostitutes. A federal probe revealed Spitzer did not use public or campaign money for his call girls, so he won’t be charged. However, hookers will continue to charge him big time.

• The head honcho of the new Delta-Northwest Airlines recently declared customers could expect business as usual after the merger. Now the airline announced a fresh $15 fee to check one bag. Yep, business as usual.

• Wendy’s reported a 3Q profits loss, attributing the drop to its takeover by the owner of Arby’s. Regardless, the results are waaaaay worse than fast food rivals’ profits.

• Fidelity announced intentions to cut 1,300 jobs. Wonder if the employees know how to rollover their 401(k) plans.

• Anheuser-Busch reported a 3Q profit loss, attributing the drop to its pending sale to InBev. It’s also probably related to constantly running those annoyingly shitty “Drinkability” commercials.

6124: What McCain Means To Mad Ave.

In the end, Senator John McCain offered powerful lessons for the ruling majority on Madison Avenue:

• The standard advertising methods are outdated and no longer effective.

• Inconsistent, unfocused campaign messages won’t stick with the public, and they’ll inevitably ignore or reject you.

• Ultimately selecting a contrived and patronizing slogan—America First—doesn’t work either. Folks see right through it.

• Scare tactics don’t motivate people to embrace you. Ditto negative ads.

• You’ll never connect with the “Average Joe” audience when you’re a multimillionaire and multi-homeowner.

• Irrelevant line extensions (e.g., Governor Sarah Palin) usually fail big time and diminish the main brand.

• Building your position on past heroics may inspire feelings of nostalgia, yet rarely leads to sales.

But even after royally fucking things up, if you’re an Old White Man with political connections, you’ll still be allowed to keep your cushy job, obscenely huge salary and eight mansions.

6123: Rolling With The Changes.

Tired news in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Tire maker Bridgestone reported profits slid 40 percent over the last nine months. Maybe the people viewed Bridgestone’s ads and realized they’d get along just fine without tires.

• Circuit City announced plans to close 155 underperforming stores. Didn’t realize the retailer had any over-performing stores. Or even performing stores.

• Joining John McCain and Sarah Palin in the loss column were gay-rights advocates who sought to stop California’s Proposition 8, a measure banning same-sex marriage. The measure passed by a margin of about 52 percent. Executives are undoubtedly celebrating at Omnicom.

6122: “Change Has Come To America.”

Yes We Can.

6121: What Obama Means To Mad Ave.

MultiCultClassics has addressed this topic before, but it seems fitting to revisit the matter on Election Day.

Last week, The Big Tent staged a battle between Ken Wheaton and Karl Carter over a recent Subway promotion that certain folks deemed racist. More provocative than the dueling posts were the comments they inspired. Specifically, it’s becoming a trend for people to confront today’s racist episodes by offering Barack Obama as a lecturing point.

The typical perspective (usually delivered by non-minorities and/or neo-conservatives) runs something like, “Sure, racism exists, and it always will. But the right approach—as witnessed by Obama’s success—is not to whine and pick apart every little nuance and cry, ‘Life’s unfair!’ Rather, you should rise above it all ala the Democratic presidential candidate. You should emulate Obama.”

This position is particularly peculiar when coming from an advertising industry denizen.

For starters, let’s recognize the specter of racism has hardly been inconspicuous during Obama’s campaign. From death threats to cultural dissing, the bigots have been quite vocal and visible. Even the moderately clueless types have fumbled inappropriate words and actions. So it’s premature to declare the dream is no longer deferred.

Obama’s accomplishments to date may be evidence that we’re moving closer towards equal opportunities for everyone. But Obama also exposes how Madison Avenue lags far behind the collective society. Obama represents the supposed post-racial America, while Madison Avenue is still stuck in a pre-Civil Rights time warp.

We should definitely celebrate the historic achievements, regardless of the final vote tally. However, please don’t insist minorities ought to pattern themselves after Obama. Why not request Madison Avenue reflect the general population instead? Additionally, let’s demand that the advertising industry’s ruling majority start acting like Obama too.

6120: M+P = MB+BS+WTF.

There’s a rumor on the road that says Mercedes-Benz dumped its multicultural advertising agencies, allowing its White shop to drive off with the minority assignments. Apparently, the automaker currently has no multicultural projects or minority agencies on retainer for 2008 or 2009. This accelerates a disturbing trend rolled out by clients like General Motors. Apparently, the fact that Blacks, Latinos and Asian Americans account for 30 percent of Mercedes-Benz sales doesn’t translate to needing marketing expertise with the audiences. Or perhaps it’s cosmic compensation for the probable Barack Obama victory.

What makes this rumor particularly obscene is the White shop rides in the Omnicom network—where racism, homophobia, diversity adversity and biased scheming run full throttle.

But wait, there’s more.

The White shop is none other than Merkley + Partners. This agency holds the distinction of recording the worst results after signing a hiring pact with the New York City Commission on Human Rights. According to the official report, in the first year of the agreement, Merkley + Partners recruited a whopping zero minorities.

But hey, maybe the rumor is false. In which case, please disregard everything in this post. Except for the stuff about racism, homophobia, diversity adversity, biased scheming and hiring zero minorities.

6119: Bagel Pizza Versus PB&J.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have been taking a beating lately. Wait until everyone hears about peanut butter and jelly pizza.

6118: Omnicom Racing Strong With Racism.

Check out this story from The Guardian. A brief MultiCultClassics commentary immediately follows…

Website used to abuse Lewis Hamilton owned by global ad agency

By Giles Tremlett and Matthew Taylor

The website at the centre of controversy over racist abuse of British formula one driver Lewis Hamilton is owned by a New York-based advertising agency, TWBA, which is part of the world’s largest media services group, Omnicom, the Guardian can reveal.

The site belongs to the Spanish branch of the advertising firm. It was closed down last night after hundreds of abusive messages were posted, some of which referred to Hamilton as a “half-breed” and others which used the n-word. He hopes to become youngest ever world champion at the final race of the season tomorrow.

Last night cabinet minister Andy Burnham led calls for action against the abuse. TBWA operates in 77 countries with 12,000 staff in 258 offices. Its clients include Absolut Vodka, Apple, Adidas, McDonald’s, Michelin, Sony PlayStation, and Singapore Airlines. Last year, Omnicom’s revenue was $12.7bn.

A spokesman in the New York office said it did not know why the site, designed and owned by its interactive marketing branch in Spain, had not been monitored to stop racists using it to abuse Hamilton.

Among comments on the site was someone calling himself Carillo, telling Hamilton: “Kill yourself in your car.” A message from Alberto says: “I hope you run over your dad in the first pitstop, Hamilton.”

“This is not what we condone as a company,” said TBWA spokesman Jeremy Miller; it would take “appropriate action” once it identified who was responsible for the website.

Renault’s Fernando Alonso last night condemned the racist supporters. “If it’s true, obviously this is not possible [acceptable],” the Spaniard told reporters at the Brazilian Grand Prix. “In 2008 we cannot have these kind of people in our world. It’s not only formula one, not only sport, it’s normal life as well.”

Burnham, the culture, media and sport secretary, said: “This is a crucial race and the whole country will be behind him. I’m very concerned to hear reports of sites potentially fuelling racist abuse. The authorities must take the toughest possible action against racism in sport.”

Keith Vaz, chairman of Labour’s ethnic minority taskforce, urged foreign secretary David Miliband to lodge a formal protest, saying it was clear the site – Pincha la Rueda de Hamilton, or Burst Hamilton’s Tyre – was set up to destabilise the driver. “The Spanish government cannot allow this organised and systematic racism to continue. These people must be widely condemned and the websites they use shut down immediately.”

The sport’s governing body, the FIA, and Hamilton’s McLaren team condemned the attacks as “abusive and hateful.”

Okey-doke.

Here’s the most outrageous excerpt from the story:

“This is not what we condone as a company,” said TBWA spokesman Jeremy Miller; it would take “appropriate action” once it identified who was responsible for the website.

Really? When you consider Omnicom’s history with homophobia, diversity and multicultural marketing, well, this latest scenario seems to exemplify exactly what they condone as a company. Can’t wait to see the appropriate action. Probably involves an immediate promotion and salary boost.

6117: Overreaction Of The Week.

The latest cover of Ad Age presents the banner headline, “Days growing darker for media” — right above a big photo of media mogul Oprah.

6116: Dude, You’re Getting A Discrimination Suit.

From The Associated Press. And perhaps it’s an opportunity for Enfatico to produce a new diversity recruitment campaign.

Former HR manager at Dell claims discrimination in second such complaint this week

By Associated Press

AUSTIN (AP) — A former human resources manager at Dell Inc. has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the computer company, the second such complaint this week.

Jill Hubley, who worked until September 2007 as a senior strategist in the Dell Americas human resources group, filed the lawsuit claiming gender discrimination Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Austin.

In the lawsuit, which is seeking class-action status, Hubley accuses Dell of engaging in “a pattern and practice of gender discrimination with respect to compensating and promoting female employees,” the Austin American-Statesman reported in Friday’s online edition.

Dell spokesman David Frink said he was not familiar with the Austin filing.

Four former human-resources managers at Dell also filed a lawsuit Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco, asking a judge to turn it into a class action covering thousands of former and current workers at Dell, which is based in Round Rock, Texas.

The former managers, Mildred Chapman, Angela Hopkins, Julia Mahaffey and Bethany Riches, accuse the company of paying men higher wages for equal work and failing to fairly promote women to higher positions. Austin resident Chapman, 59, also accused the company of disproportionately laying off workers older than 40 after it began cutting 9,000 jobs last year.

Dell denied the accusations.

The lawsuit noted there are no women in the company’s highest tier of executives. Frink has said the San Francisco lawsuit was “without merit” and said the company doesn’t tolerate discrimination in any form.

“We take any claim against our recognized efforts to embrace diversity and equal employment seriously,” Frink has said.

Dell employs about 80,000 people worldwide.

6115: Say Uncle.

Wonder if Masterfoods will ever recognize Uncle Ben is a controversial spokesman. He’s only been offensive to Blacks for over 60 years.

6114: At Last, Affordable PCR Systems.

Guess the subprime mortgage crisis has adversely affected the Polymerase Chain Reaction Systems market too.

6113: Life Is Fair.

From AdAge.com…

Giving Fairness Creams a Fair Shake
How the Messaging Surrounding the Controversial Product Has Evolved

By Mythili Chandrasekar

Women’s fairness creams -- which work to lighten skin color -- is a large product category in India and has from time to time attracted the attention of feminists as being a regressive offering that perpetuates fair skin as a yardstick of beauty, a symptom of our “colonial hangover.”

Over the years, the promise of these creams has moved from you can find a husband if you are fair to the idea that a lighter skin tone will get you a job. Progressive ads have shown women having the upper hand in choosing partners, and the jobs they can get have moved from air hostesses (traditionally a “modern” profession according to the large Indian middle class) to cricket commentators, reflecting a more recent male bastion that the Indian woman has stormed! Meanwhile, realizing that a fair (pun unintended!) percentage of users were men, the market has seen the launch of new brands of fairness creams for men, like Unilever’s Fair & Handsome.

Lowe’s latest ad for Fair & Lovely, the largest brand in the women’s fairness creams category, has moved the needle further. The story revolves around a man who is pushed to extreme measures to get his bulging waistline into shape because of the effect the woman has on him, with the tagline “The power of beauty.” Surely, a telling comment on the changing status of women in Indian society. From “I’m worried about whether the man will accept me” to “See what an effect I have on the man.”

You really have come a long way, baby!

6112: Antibodies R Us.

When you care enough to send the very best antibodies.

6111: Hollywood Hustle.

From AdAge.com…

Hollywood’s Views on Race May Be in for a Change
Q&A: Producer Joe Pichirallo on Marketing Black Films to White Audiences, Box-Office Success and the ‘Bradley Effect’

By Claude Brodesser-Akner

LOS ANGELES -- Is there a “Bradley Effect” when it comes to the box office?

For those perhaps not paying close attention to the presidential election, with Sen. Barack Obama ahead in every national poll, political pundits have been feverishly inserting the words “Bradley Effect” into articles and sound bites in an effort to ratchet up the election-eve drama.

The expression explains in racial terms the 1982 defeat of Tom Bradley, a black Democrat who was at the time the mayor of Los Angeles, by his white Republican rival, George Deukmejian, in their quest for the governorship of California: The theory goes that despite polls predicting a Bradley win, white voters pulled the lever for Mr. Deukmejian.

A quick look at Hollywood’s box office results would seem to let some air out of the theory, at least when it comes to how Americans elect to entertain themselves: The success of two new films with largely black casts – “The Secret Life of Bees” and the thriller “Lakeview Terrace” – suggests that marketers’ conventional wisdom about how race influences purchasing decisions may be in need of re-examination. Having served as a producer on both movies, Joe Pichirallo has gained a firsthand understanding of how Americans consider – or ignore – race.

Each film has over-performed, with “Lakeview Terrace” cresting $40 million domestically, having opened at No. 1 at the box office last month, and “The Secret Life of Bees” cruising past $20 million, having opened at No. 3.

Mr. Pichirallo oversees film for The Gold Co., a production venture headed by talent manager Eric Gold, whose clients include Jim Carrey and Ellen DeGeneres. But before joining The Gold Co., Mr. Pichirallo was head of feature film production and development for Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment. He’s also been a senior executive at Fox Searchlight Pictures, where he oversaw “Antwone Fisher,” and at Universal’s Focus Features, where he supervised both “Hollywoodland” and “Something New.’

Madison & Vine: Settle this for us: Is there a Bradley Effect at the box office, too?

Joe Pichirallo: Let me put it this way: The conventional wisdom of the Hollywood studios is that films that have primarily African-American themes or actors in them are not are not going to do well, because they don’t do well overseas. And in the last few years, the rule of thumb is that 60% of box office is actually going to come from outside the U.S. So if you look at even the most successful films that cross over, like “Barbershop,” its domestic gross was $70 million, but its foreign box office was, like, $1.2 million. … So if [black films] get made, you’re forced to do them at independent [movie] budget levels, on the theory that you have to make most of your revenue on the domestic side.

M&V: How does that affect how we portray black America on the big screen?

Mr. Pichirallo: If you’re looking at something like “The Secret Life of Bees,” on one level if you didn’t know the business, you’d say, “Well, here’s a best-selling novel. This should be made for the standard Hollywood budgets of $40 million, $50 million, $60 million.” But the concern would be that you’ll never hit those levels in box office, so you’re immediately put into a situation of seeing it made in the $12 million range.

M&V: How soon did race enter the making and marketing of “The Secret Life of Bees”?

Mr. Pichirallo: You start thinking about it right off the bat. Who are going to be the leads? Are we going to be able to get people with name value to play those leads? … We also knew we had two things going for us: The book was a best-seller for a very long time, and the book was not perceived as an exclusively African-American book. The underlying material had an existing appeal to a white audience.

M&V: And so “Bees” isn’t behaving like a typical film with a black cast, is it?

Mr. Pichirallo: No. And let me just say something about the second weekend of the film, that shows it’s playing both ways: In Los Angeles, at The Grove – which couldn’t be more of a white, upscale, affluent theater – it out-grossed the Magic Johnson theater, which is the leading African-American theater in Los Angeles. And so that tells you right there that the movie is really playing. Most theaters aimed at predominantly whiter audiences actually held [onto their “Bees” audiences] better in the second weekend than those with African-American audiences. Seattle had just a 12% drop. Those are phenomenal holds for any kind of movie, and give indication that it’s reaching a diverse audience.

M&V: What can we learn about Americans’ racial attitudes from “Lakeview Terrace”?

Mr. Pichirallo: We knew we had to walk a fine line, because it’s not often that the so-called bad guy in a movie is an African-American. Sam Jackson ultimately is terrorizing this interracial couple who lives next door to him. It’s headed toward $40 million because white [audiences] went to see it, and we didn’t get any real serious complaints from the African-American audience. They embraced the film and saw the film. The danger would have been that they would say, “You’re holding up a negative stereotype.”

M&V: So if all it takes is some forethought about making a movie that’s relatable to everyone, why not make more money by making black films that appeal to white audiences, too?

Mr. Pichirallo: [Studios] don’t want to restrict their gross, but when they sense that the material is not going to cross over – and they may often be wrong about this – they’re not going to waste their money chasing an audience that they don’t think is coming out. And that’s when it gets to be circular: What is the chicken, and what is the egg? Are the audiences not responding because they’re not marketing to them and so they’re not turning out, or are they right that the audience is not finding it appealing, and so was never coming out?

M&V: We’ve talked about how the box office reveals the racial attitudes of moviegoers, but has the marketing of Sen. Barack Obama as a post-racial candidate changed anything about Hollywood’s attitude toward the marketing of black films?

Mr. Pichirallo: You’re going to see that as we get more sophisticated and evolved as a culture, we’re going to have multicultural-themed movies that are going to cross over more. What we’re tying to do is break conventional perception that if you have a black-focused story that it’s only going to appeal to blacks and therefore you should only market to blacks.

M&V: Is the lesson, then, that film ghettos are bad for show business?

Mr. Pichirallo: I think we have to work hard from a cultural and social standpoint to break that, but from an economic standpoint it doesn’t make any sense, either: You don’t want to limit your audience. If you’re going to limit your audience, you end up having to do the films for lower budgets, and therefore it gets harder to get those movies made, because some of the bigger actors won’t do them.

M&V: So, what is the marketing lesson from Obama ‘08?

Mr. Pichirallo: The lesson is, Don’t assume past performance dictates future results. Obama has not run as a “black” candidate. The world is changing. Our culture is changing. You have to change with it.