Marketing Beat reported Accenture Song/Droga5 was derailed from the Transport for London (TfL) pitch after failing to meet DEIBA+ requirements imposed by the transportation network.
Earlier this year, Accenture Song/Droga5 officially dumped its DEIBA+ goals allegedly set in 2017.
Here’s a sketchy timeline of the White advertising agency’s DEIDICATION:
2016: Proceeds to generate contrived performative PR and heat shields under the guidance of its first-ever Director of Engagement and Inclusion.
2020: Names its first-ever Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion by promoting the aforementioned first-ever Director of Engagement and Inclusion.
2021: Named White AOR for ADCOLOR®.
2025: Aforementioned first-ever Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion bails to assume role of Publicis Groupe US Chief Impact and Equity Officer.
2025: Announces “sunsetting” its DEIBA+ goals (which were likely never publicly defined).
Explaining the decision to eliminate Accenture Song/Droga5 from competing for its business, a TfL spokesperson stated, “We are proud to hold our suppliers to account, making sure they are aligned with our commitments on diversity and inclusivity to help expand opportunities across our supply chain and create equal opportunities for all.”
Looks like TfL saw through the performative PR and heat shields fabricated by Accenture Song/Droga5.
The remaining firms vying for the account should be closely examined to determine if their DEIBA+ initiatives are legitimate—or box-checking bullshit delegated to Chief Diversity Officers, ERGs, and resident representatives of the underrepresented.
TfL removes Accenture Song from creative review after it scraps DEI initiatives
By Tom West
Transport for London (TfL) has taken Accenture Song out of its creative review process following on from the global agency network’s decision to scrap its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals.
Although headquartered in Dublin, Accenture Song has strong ties to the US market and announced earlier this year in a memo sent by CEO Julie Sweet that it would be “sunsetting” its DEI goals set out in 2017.
The move follows the election of Donald Trump as US president, and is in-line with his government’s phasing out of DEI initiatives across the American state machine.
A TfL spokesperson said: “Following our evaluation of Accenture Song/Droga5’s submission, we recently informed them we were unable to continue with their bid for our creative tender contract, as aspects of it no longer met the required criteria.”
“We are proud to hold our suppliers to account, making sure they are aligned with our commitments on diversity and inclusivity to help expand opportunities across our supply chain and create equal opportunities for all,” they added.
“Unfortunately, due to changes in Accenture Song/Droga 5’s priorities in recent months, we were unable to continue with their bid for our creative tender contract as they no longer met the criteria for diversity that we expect from all suppliers.”
According to Campaign, the transport network – which is chaired by London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan – is currently in the process of finalising the results of its creative review.
Accenture Song has so far declined to comment on the news.
However, Shaheen Sayed, head of Accenture UK, Ireland and Africa, said: “I want to be clear that Accenture is fully committed to being a workplace of choice for anyone, across all the countries we operate in, including the UK, Ireland and Africa, free from bias and discrimination. I will ensure we continue to hold ourselves to the highest standards that we have come to expect.”
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