MediaPost Agency Daily reported 72andSunny is making the most of “The 72andSunny Playbook”—which now looks a lot like the same playbook used by just about every White advertising agency feigning a commitment to diversity. First, the shop is upgrading 72U, the minority internship program that 72andSunny insists is not a minority internship program. Okay, but it’s based on the same old thinking that non-Whites require special education to succeed in the business—unless they’re seeking roles in reception, security, janitorial maintenance or the mailroom. Don’t expect 72andSunny to enlist Derek Walker as a 72U instructor. However, 72andSunny is delegating diversity by bringing in a minority to oversee the patronizing activities. Recruiting former diversity director of The One Club, Tracey Smith, allows 72andSunny to check off the minority and gender boxes of their inclusion quota, executing a diversity double whammy! Gee, it seems as if the only senior-level minorities being courted in adland these days are Chief Diversity Officers. Except at Deutsch. Whatever. In the end, White advertising agencies continue to play the same old games, filling their trophy cases with ADCOLOR® awards, Glass Lions and 3% Conference Certifications—yet never filling their offices with U.S. minorities.
72andSunny Upgrades Residency Program
By Larissa Faw
72andSunny is revamping its residency program 72U to better align with its global mission to expand and diversify its potential participants.
“We want 72U to be a platform that delivers on our company’s purpose, and benefits culture, knowing that it will also benefit our company and our industry at large,” says John Boiler, founder /creative co-chair, 72andSunny. “We pride ourselves on being builders of opportunities, and believe that a wider, more diverse creative industry starts with access.”
This change follows the appointment of Tracey Smith to head the unit as director. She joins 72U from The One Club, where she was director of diversity. In her new role, she will help the creative residency source and develop fresh new talent that might not otherwise have access to creative careers.
72U will host three 12-week sessions a year; two sessions will be in-house at 72andSunny Los Angeles, while the third session will take place off-site, in a city, either domestically or internationally.
The program also includes mentoring, real-world experience and a speaker series.
As a creative residency located inside 72andSunny’s offices, 72U will invite eight to 10 participants from a variety of backgrounds and introduce them to careers in the creative industry.
The deadline to apply is November 28. Applications are available at 72u.org.
1 comment:
Thing is, you don't really have to hire anyone of color to show you're promoting diversity these days, and agencies like 72 and Sunny know that.
You can do everything BUT hire, by "creating diversity playbooks" or "sponsoring sporadic mentoring sessions" or "hosting a workshop about unconscious bias" or "hiring white Brazilians instead of POC" or "collecting your Adcolor Award for casting someone ambiguously brown" and clients eat it right up.
Meanwhile the whole industry is blanching as every minority who has been turned away from the door finds something better to do than join the increasingly all white ranks.
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