10128: White Space Misses Target…?

At The Big Tent, Advertising Age Editor Ken Wheaton spotlighted the Muse Communications White Space video, which prompted a mini-debate in the comments section.

Russell Bynum of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, wrote:

It is 2012 and this fight has not [begun] to be over. The minority consumer needs to understand [its] purchasing power and refuse to shop at companies that will not hire black-owned and operated ad agencies. This industry is made up of mostly small shops that are more likely to hire those who look like them. Diversity must be intentional and must be driven by the client. The industry has no compelling reason to do it.

Mark Robinson of Ridgefield, Connecticut, countered by stating:

Minority consumers don’t “need to understand” anything. Please don’t put the burden of fixing this problem on their shoulders. They didn’t create the problem. Likewise, ad agency diversity should not be driven by the client. That simply positions a positive (diversity) as a negative being imposed on the system. Madison Avenue loves deflecting responsibility and action onto others. Ad agencies need to learn and grow and wake up and recognize that diversity is smart and in their self-interest.

Both Bynum and Robinson make valid points, although they’re regurgitating perspectives that have inspired little to zero meaningful change over the past 50+ years.

Attempting to ignite the ire of minority consumers has never gained much traction. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have not shown sustained interest in launching boycotts or protests. Plus, the industry remains private and hidden from the public, hampering any effort to rouse the masses.

The typically smart Robinson appears a tad delusional in thinking Madison Avenue should gain professional and spiritual enlightenment on its own. In contrast to other fields like, say, professional sports, the ad game doesn’t have official ruling bodies with the authority to mandate action. The concept of self-regulation is a joke. And again, because the industry operates in privacy and anonymity, the public is oblivious to the problems. On the Darwinian chart, Mad Men have not evolved a bit in regards to diversity—and there are no signs that progress is on anyone’s to-do list.

All of this makes one wonder about the potential effectiveness of the White Space spot. For starters, running a commercial on a program with low ratings is rarely a good idea—despite the fact that Muse may be getting more play on the message via outlets such as Ad Age and Agency Spy versus AMC. But what audience is White Space really targeting? Will the communication truly resonate with White adpeople? Hell, will the industry majority even understand it? On the other hand, will any non-advertising viewers comprehend what’s being stated?

Stay tuned.