6700: Cotton Comes To Mad Ave.

The ever-opinionated Sanford Moore commented on Dan Wieden’s speech via AdAge.com…

More obfuscation and mendacity in the form of hiring kids, mentoring and college programs—rather than hiring professionals and promoting those within the ranks. At least Dan Wieden was honest that Mad Ave is filled with “middle-class, white kids making enormous sums of money to target inner-city consumers.” This is not irony, it is racial arrogance of the highest form which makes it permissible to have creatives who only know about inner-city consumers vicariously. These same agencies use this talent to pilfer, to “carpetbag” urban/ethnic assignments to the exclusion of Black ad agencies and Black creative talent.

It is not irony, it is “Whiteploitation” of Black culture, lifestyle and creativity just like it was in the music industry when white artists like Elvis, Pat Boone, Tom Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, ad nauseum copied, stole, “covered” original Black recording artists who were banned from white radio stations. These and numerous other white artists made their careers on the backs of Black creative and performing genius. The same exclusion happened in pro-sports permitting generations of white players to become stars while Blacks of superior talent were banned from competing.

This is not irony, it’s called “Jim Crow” and is the foremost cultural exponent of America’s artistic and creative footprint. Let’s quit the crap and call it for what it is. The Mad Men on Mad Ave have excluded Black talent, appropriated Black culture and reaped the financial, career rewards of this exploitation for generations. But nothing lasts forever…and that’s why the Mad Men are going to face financial and reputational “clawback” for the blatant “picking of Black minds” while leaving Black talent to pick cotton. Indeed, “Cotton” has come to Mad Ave and as the late, great James Brown said, “It’s the Big Payback.” Steal that!

Sanford Moore