17052: Performative PR On 3AF Impact 50.

Advertising Age spotlighted the Asian American Advertising Federation (3AF) compiled its inaugural “Impact 50” list, featuring brands that have allegedly “demonstrated exceptional commitment” in connecting with Asian American consumers.

 

The 3AF Impact 50 unveiling coincides with Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

 

Time will tell how President Donald J. Trump’s anti-DEIBA+ executive orders might impact multicultural marketing.

 

It would also be interesting to learn if the “exceptional commitment” from brands translates to cash or crumbs.

 

Toyota, McDonald’s and dozens of other brands are doing Asian American advertising right

 

By Erika Wheless

 

Toyota, McDonald’s and Procter & Gamble are among the 50 brands being recognized for their marketing efforts by the Asian American Advertising Federation.

 

To celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Asian American Advertising Federation (3AF) has released an inaugural “Impact 50” list of brands that have “demonstrated exceptional commitment” in engaging with Asian American consumers through events, investing in media specifically targeting them and creative that resonates.

 

3AF pulled from several data sources to compile the list, including Asian American media reports, community events organizers, agency updates and iSpot video research. Brands did not pay to be on the list. (The full list of brands is below.)

 

According to 3AF, there are 24 million Asian American consumers, and their purchasing power is projected to reach $1.9 trillion next year.

 

The organization pointed to several examples of campaigns that resonated with Asian Americans, including McDonald’s Grandma McFlurry campaign, which included a website that could translate messages for consumers who cannot speak the same language as their grandmother.

 

Another example was the campaign for Procter & Gamble’s Old Spice starring actor Ronny Chieng and dancer Alex Wong.

 

3AF also called out Toyota’s original racing anime series, “Grip,” and Moët Hennessy’s packaging partnership with Chinese landscape painter Yang Yongliang.

 

“According to Nielsen, representation isn’t just important—it’s powerful,” Genny Hom-Franzen, 3AF’s executive director, said in a statement. “Asian American audiences are 46% more likely than the general population to support brands that show up in inclusive content. That’s not just a statistic—that’s a call to action. We thank these brands who are reaching Asian Americans and urge others to step up, be intentional, and reflect the vibrant communities they serve.”

 

The brands on the list are: Acura, Adidas, Amazon Prime Video, Apple, AT&T, Bank of America, BMW, Bristol Myers Squibb, Brown-Forman, Charter Communications, Chase, Citibank, Coca-Cola, Comcast NBCUniversal, Diageo, Fox, General Motors, Gilead Sciences, HBO, Honda, Hulu, Humana, Hyundai, Kia, Las Vegas Sands, Lexus, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, Meta, MGM Resorts International, Moët Hennessy, Nationwide Financial, Netflix, New York Life Insurance, Nike, Nissan, Paramount Global, Pernod Ricard, Procter & Gamble, Sanofi, Sony Pictures, TikTok, Toyota, United Healthcare, Volvo, Walmart, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros., Wells Fargo and YouTube.

16930: How The Fortune Cookie Crumbles At Panda Express.

 

This Panda Express video posted at Ads of the World serves as a DEIBA+ doubleheader, presenting Chinese American culture/casting and Chinese/Lunar New Year.

 

Taking lead credit is White advertising agency Opinionated, who won AOR status for Panda Express in July 2024 by tapping TDW + Co.—a multicrumbtual shop—for cultural competence.

 

It would be interesting to learn how much compensation TDW + Co. received for its creative contributions. Based on the Prime Redlining typically experienced by non-White firms “partnering” with White ad agencies, the fee was likely not a fortune, but rather, fortune cookie crumbs.

 

Honesty is the best policy indeed.

 

16251: Stagwell Not Doing So Well…

Campaign reported White holding company Stagwell posted a Q1 revenue decline, prompting the termination of 300 employees. Buried in the story was a mention of Dyversity Communications—labeled Canada’s leading multicultural agency—which Stagwell acquired in 2022. The firm specializes in targeting Chinese, South Asian, Filipino, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish audiences. In short, Stagwell dumped 300 bodies but will still boast a boost in its DE&I numbers.

 

Stagwell cuts 300 staffers as client spend slows, leading to Q1 revenue decline

 

By Sabrina Sanchez

 

The holding company attributed the decline to comparisons with above average results in 2022 and slowing client spend amid a workforce restructuring.

 

In contrast with the rosy outlook from other holding companies’ Q1 reports, Stagwell posted a revenue decline in Q1 as its clients slowed spending, leading the holding company to restructure its workforce.

 

On Tuesday, the holding company shared with investors that it generated $622 million in revenue in Q1, a decline of 3% year over year. First quarter net revenue, excluding costs, represented $522 million, a decrease of 1% versus the prior year.

 

Organic net revenue also declined by 3% year over year, driven by a slowdown in client spending and a reduced new business pipeline. A “cyclical decline” in the company’s advocacy marketing business led to a 9% decline in organic net revenue in digital transformation, its most profitable business unit.

 

As a result of the lackluster performance, Stagwell eliminated more than 300 roles in the first quarter, which “will generate approximately $25 million in annualized savings,” according to chief financial officer Frank Lenuto. It expects to eliminate more roles in Q2 to generate an additional $20 million in savings, CEO Mark Penn confirmed.

 

Stagwell will also continue to monitor general administrative expenses, which increased by $15 million, or 18% year over year. This increase was driven in part by eight acquisitions, which represented $6.2 million dollars in costs, or 41% of the overall increase. Business travel and higher travel and accommodation expenses also contributed to rising expenses, accounting for $3.3 million or 22% of costs.

 

According to Penn, Stagwell has been and will continue to hire in digital transformation roles. Redundancies will be evaluated based on account losses throughout the company versus making cuts to specific departments, he told Campaign US in an interview after the earnings call.

 

Stagwell will continue to consider acquisition targets.

 

“What we're really seeing is that in digital transformation, there were a lot of pullbacks, but both the combination of new business and tech companies coming back into focus should return that to normal growth,” Penn said.

 

Despite the slowdown, the results are consistent with the holding company’s “budgeted expectations that the first half of 2023 would have lighter growth,” said Lanuto.

 

In response to investors’ concerns about the decline in digital transformation, Stagwell CEO Penn characterized it as a “blip,” which he expects will be corrected in Q2 and onward.

 

Meanwhile, Stagwell’s performance media and research business grew 5% organically, while organic net revenue from the creativity and communication segment, which includes agencies such as Allison + Partners and Dyversity Communications, declined 3%. Consumer insights and strategy grew 1%, compared to 56% growth in the prior year.

 

Penn emphasized that when looking at business performance of the creativity and communications segment over the past two years, organic growth clocks in at 6%. Organic net revenue growth for the company is at 21% over two years.

 

Investments continue

 

As Stagwell continues to navigate the economic downturn, it has restructured its business and plans to invest in new capabilities that will position it for success in the future.

 

For instance, it combined its health companies in February under one brand, ConcentricLife, in an effort to “give them greater scale and efficiency,” Penn said in his prepared remarks on the earnings call. It also acquired Huskies in April, a digital creative marketing company in Ireland, to strengthen its European offering.

 

More recently, Stagwell also combined several smaller agencies under the struggling Crispin Porter Bogusky brand, led by Brad Simms and Maggie Malek. According to Penn, CP+B has already started pitching larger clients as a result.

 

Stagwell has also been investing in its “Stagwell Marketing Cloud” group, which plays in software and advanced media platforms. Software services represent approximately $65 million of net revenue and is expected to grow more than 30% this year, Penn said. Advanced media platforms represent about $170 million in net revenue and is expected to grow 12%.

 

Stagwell expects to invest up to $20 million this year in cloud development as it expands the capabilities of its media products. It will make those services available to clients later this year.

 

Like other holding companies, Stagwell also plans to deploy AI tools across all of its agencies, which Penn said will enhance efficiency. Specifically, it will ramp up investments in its augmented reality stadium experience, ARound, which has been deployed to four major stadiums across three sports leagues. It will also invest in The Harris Grand Terminal, which is used by more than 120 clients, and PR-focused generative AI product Prophet.

 

Prophet recently partnered with LexisNexis to expand its journalist and content database. Stagwell agency Code + Theory also partnered with Oracle to develop generative AI apps across verticals.

15387: Omnicom Seeks Better Asian Orientation—Er, Representation—In Advertising.

 

Advertising Age reported on the latest heat shield from Omnicom—a contest whereby entrants can submit PSA announcements advocating for better representation of Asian Americans in advertisements. The “3 in 5” contest name is inspired by poll results that showed over three in five Asian Americans claim they rarely spot characters who look like them in U.S. advertising. Hey, they’d see equally appalling underrepresentation in U.S. advertising agencies. And that’s no ancient Chinese secret. It’s unclear too if contestants must be of Asian descent. It would be odd—but not surprising—if the ultimate winners turn out to be the ruling denizens at White advertising agencies.

 

Omnicom PSA Contest Will Advocate Increased Representation Of Asians In Advertising

 

The winning entry will run across more than 35 national media platforms in May, which is AAPI Heritage Month

 

By Ethan Jakob Craft

 

More than three in five Asian Americans say they rarely see people who look like them in U.S. advertising, according to Morning Consult polling. That finding has inspired Omnicom to launch a public service announcement initiative to increase representation of Asians in advertising and to stop anti-Asian racism.

 

Starting Friday, April 9, Omnicom will begin inviting creatives to submit completed PSAs that recognize the underrepresentation of Asians in American ad media and foster AAPI storytelling as part its new “3 in 5” contest, spearheaded by employee resource group Omnicom People Engagement Network.

 

Entrants will have until April 23 to submit their work via a dedicated website, with a winner announced the following week, in time for the PSA to begin rolling in May, which is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

 

The winning PSA will be selected by a trio of AAPI creative leaders: Musa Tariq, the chief marketing officer at GoFundMe; Eric Toda, global head of social marketing at Facebook; and Daniel Oh, senior VP, creative director of copy at Marina Maher Communications.

 

Participants will be tasked with creating 15- and 30-second PSAs, as well as standard IAB banners and digital out-of-home elements, “to create awareness around the fact that 3 in 5 Asians feel underrepresented in the media,” according to the initiative’s brief. “The CTA for our target must be to implement the ‘3 in 5’ rule in their next communications campaign.”

 

The winner will be compensated in exposure, with their PSA running across more than 35 national media partners who have donated ad space for the contest, including the Washington Post, Verizon Media, Buzzfeed and Meredith. The campaign will be live until May 31.

 

Omnicom’s “3 in 5” contest also calls on agencies to pledge to represent the country’s diverse populations adequately and suggests they ask their clients to similarly participate in the initiative. The contest tool kit outlines some steps interested parties can take to adopt the rule, such as casting three out of every 5 characters with Asian actors or partnering with three-in-five influencers of Asian heritage.

 

“By using a simple 3 in 5 reminder in May, we can form new muscle and new habits to extend beyond one month or moment in time. It’s imperative to use marketing as an empathy and humanity machine to create understanding of people and their stories,” the tool kit reads.

 

Participants can submit their work at www.threeinfive.com, which will go live when the contest opens on Friday.

15199: Oily Guy For Pond’s Men.

DAVID in Madrid, Spain, is responsible for this Pond’s Men commercial. The main character’s actions are not only disgusting, but in these times, might be categorized as sexual harassment. Oh, and what’s with the all-Asian casting for Spain?

 

14968: Prejudiced Pandemic Prompts Hand Washing And Hand Wringing.

Adweek reported on the #WashTheHate campaign launched by IW Group to address the anti-Asian hate and racism fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The story’s key insights include:

• IW Group leveraged existing relationships with influencers who had experienced hate incidents firsthand.

• Harassment hits home as Asian Americans in marketing and advertising encounter bias, too.

• Brands are missing out on support from a major global—and notoriously loyal—consumer base.

The campaign warrants consideration, as it appears to underscore a disturbing phenomenon that routinely erupts during U.S. disasters. That is, disasters expose and ignite latent—or hidden—racism and hate.

Sure, the Pollyannaish might insist disasters bring everyone together, creating a common bond and singular purpose. But reality writes a different script. Think about it. The terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, inspired ugliness towards Arabs, Muslims and South Asians among others. Hurricane Katrina spotlighted the segregation and discrimination faced by Blacks in Louisiana. And now, COVID-19 is spreading a prejudiced pandemic for people of Asian descent.

The second key insight—Harassment hits home as Asian Americans in marketing and advertising encounter bias, too—is worth misinterpreting as well. The initial read sounded like Asian Americans were experiencing bias in the marketing and advertising community. Well, it could be argued that agencies such as IW Group are second-class citizens in the multicultural ghettos of Adland—and that’s no ancient Chinese secret to be washed away.

14373: BMW Picks POC + LGBT.

Advertising Age reported BMW completed its colored competition, committing to Cashmere Agency for collecting the crumbs formerly consigned to The Community. The Cashmere Agency will cover Black, Latino, Asian and LGBT audiences. Given Blacks, Latinos and Asians combine to comprise roughly 36% of the U.S. population, shouldn’t Cashmere Agency receive a proportional amount of the overall marketing budget? Cue the cricket chirping.

BMW taps new multicultural agency

Published on November 07, 2018

BMW said today it has tapped Cashmere, Los Angeles, as its multicultural U.S. agency lead after a competitive review. The automaker said the shop will handle programs aimed at African-American, Asian and Latino audiences.

“BMW’s U.S. customer base is as broad and diverse as the country itself,” said Kevin Williams, multicultural marketing manager of BMW of North America in a statement. “In addition to their expertise among the three largest U.S. ethnic segments, Cashmere Agency also has a unique understanding of the LGBTQ consumer segments — all of which will enable us to better serve our growing clientele.”

The incumbent was The Community, which said it declined to participate in the review.

Among BMW’s other agencies are Goodby, Silverstein & Partners (lead creative agency); Universal McCann (national and regional media planning and buying); and Critical Mass (digital and social media).

12358: Interracial Luxury Bedmates.

Chicago Luxury Beds ran the advertisement above in Mandarin Quarterly. Interesting casting choice to show an Asian guy with his blonde trophy wife. Below is another image from the photo shoot.

Hallie Duesenberg Photography

12167: Trashing Total Toyota.

Caught three Camry commercials that are presumably part of the inaugural Total Toyota campaign.

The Bucket List Trip appears to be targeting Whites and maybe baby boomers, as a son and father (?) drive through a predominately White version of New Orleans.

The Fix fixates on the Asian market, taking a Jackie Chan-action-adventure approach to chasing down an ice cream truck for one’s pregnant wife.

Time to Celebrate caters to Latinos, with a husband celebrating his wife’s MBA (because education is so important to Latinos!) by staging an after-hours joyride through a carnival. Oh, how those Latinos love to break the law.

It’s still totally unclear how the minority agencies collaborated with the lead White agency—Saatchi & Saatchi—to create this shit. Across the board, it looks like Whites selected the talent. The film quality is consistent, indicating a single director and/or production house may have handled everything.

Exactly how does everyone—from agencies to clients to dealers to consumers—benefit from Total Toyota? Right now, things smell like total bullshit.

10653: Dyversity Advertising.

Dyversity in Canada presents diversity advertising.

From Ads of the World.

10173: Multilingual Mediocrity From Verizon.

Verizon translates one commercial in Korean, Cantonese and Mandarin—although it looks lame in any language.

10118: APAHModels.

9754: Enter The Dragon.

At The Big Tent, Bill Imada presents a perspective on “what the Year of the Dragon will mean to the world of advertising,” along with a series of advertisements celebrating the Lunar New Year.

9722: Chicken McBites McSucks.

This Mickey D’s Chicken McBites commercial demonstrates why multicultural advertising agencies should avoid doing vignette-style spots. It’s like, why are all the Asian Americans getting more excited over fried chicken than, say, African Americans?