13069: IPG PR BS.

A MultiCultClassics visitor pointed to an IPG press release announcing the White holding company was saluted by the New York Urban League with the Champions of Diversity Award for Exemplary Best Practices. The dubious honor recognized a training program—IDEAL (Interpublic Diverse Emerging and Aspiring Leadership)—designed to develop and promote “high potential” minorities. IPG Chairman and CEO Michael Roth gushed, “IDEAL is unique in its design and the results so far are terrific, with over 60% of IDEAL protégés having been promoted.” The remaining roughly 40% were probably shipped to Campbell Ewald to enjoy Ghetto Day. Most outrageous is the fact that Campbell Ewald—the reigning Champion of Cultural Cluelessness—is actually referenced in the press release footer. Sorry, but IPG deserves to have a big asterisk placed beside its name for the award. IPG Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Heide Gardner boasted, “IPG has been working formally in the D&I space for over a decade.” Okay, but diversity has been an industry issue for at least six decades. And according to Wikipedia, IPG was created in 1960. So to say the White holding company has dragged its feet on matters would be the understatement of, well, the decade.

IPG Honored by New York Urban League

High Potential Training Program Recognized as Exemplary Best Practice

New York, NY – February 11, 2016 ¬ Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) announced that it has been recognized by The New York Urban League with the Champions of Diversity Award for Exemplary Best Practices. IPG was honored for its IDEAL Leadership program that focuses on developing and advancing high potential diverse individuals.

IDEAL (Interpublic Diverse Emerging and Aspiring Leadership) is based on research showing that relationships are central to promotion opportunities, and that career advice varies by demographic group. In addition, research indicates that access to informal networks and mentoring are important factors in upward mobility for diverse talent. The program is unique in that it includes classroom training for protégés and their managers as well as rotating mentoring and intensive career planning.

“IDEAL is a great example of the work we are doing in diversity and inclusion at IPG,” commented Michael Roth, Chairman and CEO, Interpublic. “IDEAL is unique in its design and the results so far are terrific, with over 60% of IDEAL protégés having been promoted. This is another positive step in our diversity and inclusion journey,” he continued.

“IPG has been working formally in the D&I space for over a decade,” said Heide Gardner, Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, IPG. “One of our key goals in this area is to ensure that we are the destination for top diverse talent, and that we retain and promote diverse talent. And IDEAL is doing just that,” she continued.

In 2011, IPG became the first company in the marketing and communications industry to have ever received the New York Urban League’s Champion of Diversity Award. IPG partners with the New York Urban League on initiatives that include the League’s Girls and Boys Empowerment Days that provide mentoring and shadowing opportunities for high school students.

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About the New York Urban League

The New York Urban League was founded by a group of prominent New Yorkers concerned with the poor state of blacks migrating to New York City from the south. From its inception it provided employment and connections for migrating blacks bridging the adjustment from the agricultural/rural life to the industrial urban center. Each decade following, “The League” provided critical services such as emergency aid for the unemployed during the Great Depression; formed the Committee for Interracial Voluntary Hospitals to provide care and work in local hospitals; negotiated the opening of employment for blacks in the airline, brewing, and baking industries; created “Street Academies” which became a national model for high school students; published the first State of Black New York report; and created its signature events including Frederick Douglass Dinner, Whitney M. Young Jr. Classic, and Champion of Diversity Breakfast among many other milestones.

About Interpublic

Interpublic is one of the world’s leading organizations of advertising agencies and marketing services companies. Major global brands include BPN, Craft, FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding), FutureBrand, Golin, Huge, Initiative, Jack Morton Worldwide, MAGNA GLOBAL, McCann, Momentum, MRM//McCann, MullenLowe Group, Octagon, R/GA, UM and Weber Shandwick. Other leading brands include Avrett Free Ginsberg, Campbell Ewald, Carmichael Lynch, Deutsch, Hill Holliday, ID Media and The Martin Agency. For more information, please visit www.interpublic.com.