Adweek reported advertising agencies will be vying for the U.S. Census contract for 2020 work. In 2010, IPG dominated with Draftfcb taking the lead over other below-the-line and minority shops. It’s a safe bet IPG won’t serve up Campbell Ewald as a contender. But will the U.S. Census Bureau hire a White advertising agency to handle the top role? Or will the governmental client seek a partner whose staff reflects the diversity of the country? If so, they may have to wait until 2079 for a qualified agency to emerge.
Agencies Are About to Start Vying for the $415 Million U.S. Census Contract
Deadline looms for 2020 communications work
By Noreen O’Leary
It’s hard to believe another census count is nearly upon us. For agencies wanting to work on the estimated $415 million 2020 census multi-year contract, RFP responses are due Feb. 22.
This time around the Census Bureau is putting more emphasis on digital technology as the government wants to trim costs through greater use of mobile and social.
“The communications industry has changed dramatically since the conduct of the 2010 census, principally due to changes and advances in technology, communications mechanisms and consumer expectations,” according to the RFP. “The Internet, wireless technologies and mobile personal devices have opened new communications channels and media that have empowered consumers with increased connectivity to marketers. The Census Bureau fully intends to harness these emerging technologies and channels as part of the 2020 census integrated communications contract. …The [agency] contractor [selected] shall use an appropriate mix of communications tools with an emphasis on using new technology.”
The final RFP was issued in late January, and agency selections are expected in August. For the 2010 census, Interpublic agencies heavily dominated the team behind the census advertising. Draftfcb, now FCB, was the creative lead, accompanied by agencies GlobalHue, GlobalHue Latino, D’Exposito & Partners, Allied Media, G+G Advertising, IW Group, Plum Agency, Weber Shandwick, Jack Morton, Scholastic, Initiative and Draftfcb Puerto Rico.
3 comments:
The holding companies are going to do what they always do, which is shove some poor minority owned agency in front of the pack, get their hopes up that actual work will come their way, put their name on all of the documents for the US government, land the job, and then have the white agencies take the lead.
Know who's famous for having done this on a recent account?
That's right, Campbell Ewald and its parent company. Ask the minority agencies how that worked out for them in the end.
Then when you finish untangling the web they created, go ask the minority agencies that got shoved aside by FCB how THEIR crumbs tasted.
The IPG spin machine has already started working.
http://inpublic.globenewswire.com/releaseDetails.faces?rId=1985732
It takes balls for IPG to say, "This is another positive step in our diversity and inclusion journey," AND mention Campbell Ewald in the same damn press release.
Zero chance any minority firms or teams are going to have a taste of this pie. The holding companies will put their names down on paper, but they'll be relegated to working on tiny pieces of inconsequential materials in the end. Korean language brochures, legal copy that has to be translated into Spanish, and promotional pencils and t-shirts and stuff.
The white agency "partners" will become the dominant players on the account, and THEY are the ones who'll gobble up all the multimillion dollar creative work that gets to Cannes. That's just how the industry scam works.
Post a Comment