15625: I Saw Harry Kissing Santa Claus…

 

This commercial for Norwegian Postal Service Posten presents Santa as gay.

 

Can’t wait to hear what Megyn Kelly has to say…

 

 

15498: JWT Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Rules For Divertsity.

 

Campaign published a view from an employment lawyer blubbering about the JWT sex discrimination lawsuit and its impact on diversity in Adland. Actually, the attorney only focused on gender equality, adding a minor nod for LGBTQI+ equality. In other words, diversity is all about White people.

 

A view from Amanda Lennon

 

A lawyer’s view on JWT sex discrimination case: what’s next for diversity?

 

An employment lawyer explains why Chas Bayfield and Dave Jenner won their JWT sex discrimination case, and where we go next on diversity.

 

When our discrimination laws were introduced, legislators were unlikely to have envisaged them being used by white, middle-aged, straight men. And yet that is what has happened in the landmark sex discrimination case brought by two former employees of advertising agency J Walter Thompson (now Wunderman Thompson).

 

In 2018, JWT had the worst gender pay gap in the industry at 44.7%, and a new creative director at the shop, Jo Wallace, made comments, in a joint presentation with her then boss, Lucas Peon, that JWT’s reputation as lacking in diversity had to be “obliterated”.

 

Chas Bayfield and Dave Jenner made a complaint to HR about the presentation being discriminatory, claiming that in doing so they were making a protected disclosure (whistleblowing) under the Employment Rights Act 1996. Within a week of the complaints being made, redundancies were announced and some of those who made complaints lost their jobs.

 

Employment Tribunal claim

 

Bayfield and Jenner brought Employment Tribunal claims against JWT arguing that the main reason they were dismissed was because they had made a protected disclosure. They also brought alternative claims that, if this argument failed, JWT discriminated against them due to their sex, race, sexual orientation and/or age, and/or victimised them for making a protected disclosure (all covered by the Equality Act 2010).

 

They also claimed against their line manager, Peon, then executive creative director at JWT, and JWT’s HR director, Emma Hoyle (to whom they had originally complained about the presentation).

 

The Tribunal rejected the employees’ claims that they were dismissed for making a protected disclosure and therefore suffered detrimental treatment, and dismissed their claims for race, sexual orientation and age discrimination. However, the claims for sex discrimination and victimisation succeeded. The Tribunal also rejected all claims against Peon and Hoyle.

 

Much was made in the case about the perception within JWT that the claimants were focused on the “traditional”. In agency terms, this means focused on traditional forms of media (TV, radio and print) as opposed to digital. The Tribunal accepted that this phrase does not mean “old, outdated or out of touch”.

 

The Tribunal also agreed that JWT’s plan to address its gender pay gap legitimately included schemes to advance women to senior roles. However, some slides in the presentation proved to be JWT’s downfall. One read: “WHITE, BRITISH, PRIVILEGED, STRAIGHT MEN CREATING TRADITIONAL ABOVE THE LINE ADVERTISING” followed by verbal commentary that “One thing we all agree on is that the reputation JWT once earnt: as being full of “White, British, Privileged... etc.. has to be obliterated.”

 

The Tribunal found that JWT decided to make the claimants redundant two days after an acrimonious meeting with Peon and Hoyle about the claimants’ views on the presentation. Therefore the claimants were pre-selected for redundancy, making the outcome prejudged. As a result, the redundancy consultation was a sham, and the investigation into the grievances they raised wasn’t conducted fairly. The claimants won their victimisation claim on this basis.

 

They succeeded in their claim that they were dismissed because of their sex, because JWT viewed its senior creative team as male-dominated (a key reason for the gender pay gap issue).

 

An influencing factor was Peon’s and Hoyle’s anger at the claimants’ perception of the presentation and subsequent complaints. This, coupled with the claimants falling into the profile JWT wanted to change, meant that they were dismissed due to their gender and, therefore, won their sex discrimination claims.

 

Promoting diversity

 

Despite diversity being proved to drive innovation and better decision-making, the advertising industry has a long way to go. JWT was not alone in needing to improve its diversity, particularly at leadership level. Women comprise just 17% of creative directors and representation of other groups is also low. JWT was right to promote change, but this case shows how hard it can be without alienating some existing employees.

 

It is crucial that HR has a seat – and a strong voice – at board level, which helps ensure that diversity strategies are implemented sensitively. However, this case demonstrates that it is equally important for all complaints to be given due consideration and respect. Agencies should approach diversity by bringing everyone on the journey.

 

Lastly, a perspective on the treatment Wallace has suffered. She has been subjected to severe internet trolling and received death threats. Yet she co-wrote the presentation with Peon (who has had comparatively little media coverage), and the Tribunal accepted the presentation’s content was appropriate.

 

Wallace was neither involved in the decision to dismiss the claimant nor as a witness in the Tribunal case. However, she has been singled out for criticism and some tabloid coverage has made much of the fact that she is gay.

 

That Wallace is open about this to encourage others should be embraced and respected. It is extremely alarming that she should be scapegoated for the failings of others outside her control.

 

Amanda Lennon is an experienced HR director and employment partner with city law firm Spencer West.

14748: The Pride Of PowerPoint.

This campaign of divertisements looks like it was produced by an account person using PowerPoint.

14711: Have A Coke And A Patronizing, Hypocritical, Lying Smile.

This Coke ad from Austria salutes Pride and proclaims, “We love every lips the same.” Um, not buying it.

14432: Certain Stereotypes Come From Certain Types Of People.

Campaign published ODD Strategist Arif Miah’s stereotypical rant on racial and ethnic stereotyping in advertising. No offense, but Miah failed to address the root cause of the issue: racial and ethnic underrepresentation/misrepresentation in advertising is the result of racial and ethnic underrepresentation/misrepresentation in advertising agencies. Miah also noted the Advertising Standards Authority will kick off its ban on gender-stereotyping depictions in adverts next year, and he hoped that a similar initiative would follow for racial-and-ethnic-stereotyping depictions. Yes, adland’s ruling majority will get right on it—after instituting bans for stereotypical depictions of LGBTQ, elderly, disabled, neurodiverse, conservative and house-pet-loving segments.

Advertising must take on board Raheem Sterling’s comments on race

We can do far better in how we portray people from BAME backgrounds in our campaigns.

By Arif Miah

Racism. In a post-Trump world, it’s a topic that has pervaded worldwide conversation (for the good and bad) more than many of us ever thought it would in 2018.

In the UK, the latest story that has dominated both the front and back pages of our newspapers follows reports that footballer Raheem Sterling faced racist abuse from an angry fan at the recent Chelsea vs Manchester City game.

Sterling, who stoically brushed off comments with a smile on the pitch, later took to Instagram to call out the British media and its negative portrayal of young black footballers that, in his opinion, only fuels the racist behaviour witnessed at the game.

Since then, footballing legends from John Barnes to Gary Neville have discussed the broader coverage of ethnic minorities in the press that implicitly, through language and tone, provides rich fodder for modern-day racism. And, I’m afraid to say, I agree.

But this issue is not isolated to newspapers and football. The creative industries, like many others, also have their part to play. They are guilty of failing to cast people from ethnic backgrounds in empowering roles and often presenting them as subordinate to the white protagonist. The representation is, at best, plain lazy and, at worst, a scary view into the colonial lens that still pervades our industry.

In advertising, we’re used to seeing the Asian shopkeeper or a massive Bollywood-themed party; when black people dominate ads, it’s usually in the world of streetwear, rap and bling.

In the film industry, they check the diversity box by casting stereotypical roles such as terrorist, gang member, drug dealer, tech geek, cab driver or that sassy friend with attitude that’s always causing a scene.

Actors have long been vocal about the massive typecasting barrier they face from the roles they’re invited to audition for — usually stereotypical or specifically ethnic — while their white counterparts are free to stretch and challenge themselves within their craft.

Yes, one could argue that progress is being made. What about Black Panther, I hear you say? But Black Panther was a black movie, written for a black cast. Why can’t we have people of different ethnic backgrounds as lead protagonists in movies, TV shows, content and ads, regardless of their ethnicity, not just for it?

This lack of opportunity and prohibitive representation is fuelling prejudice and unconscious bias in our society. Whether we like it or not, what we see on screen enters our subconscious database and shapes our viewpoints. And this skewed presentation of ethnic minorities strengthens stereotypical associations and has limiting consequences on how they’re perceived by society.

If all we see is young black kids flexing or trying to become rappers, or Asian kids assuming the extremes of reclusive consumer geek or terrorist, it only reinforces existing race structures and inferiority complexes. How can young black and Asian kids confidently and proudly stretch themselves when the screens they watch prescribe what they should or expect to be?

The Ethnicity in Advertising report showed improvements in representation, but statistics show that they are predominantly in supporting or clichéd roles — that’s why a large proportion of people from ethnic backgrounds still feel inaccurately portrayed in advertising.

Next year, the Advertising Standards Authority’s ban on ads depicting gender-stereotyping will come into effect in an attempt to shift social attitudes and tackle the negative social impact of stereotypical representation.

Let’s hope, and lobby for, a similar ban for ethnic representation to follow suit. Because we cannot afford to wait. Government reports show racial and religious hate crimes growing at 14% and 40% year on year respectively. As an industry, we must to do our part to help change the negative social attitudes that affect the lives and careers of everyday Brits.

Arif Miah is a strategist at ODD

14379: JWT London Falling Down On White Men.

Campaign reported JWT is facing another discrimination lawsuit, except this one involves JWT London being accused of discriminating against straight White men. Sorry, Gustavo Martinez, you’re no longer eligible to join the legal fight as a plaintiff.

The latest fiasco started when JWT Creative Director Jo Wallace reportedly spoke at a Creative Equals event, introducing herself as a lesbian and declaring her mission to “obliterate” JWT’s reputation as a “Knightsbridge boys’ club” for White, British, privileged, straight men. A few days later, a group of White, British, privileged and straight male employees allegedly met with the JWT HR department to voice their concerns. Within days of the HR powwow, the group was obliterated and made redundant—that is, the guys were fired.

For the initial news stories, JWT London declined to respond, opting for the standard line: “It’s not appropriate for us to comment on individuals in an ongoing process. Any redundancies at JWT London are handled fairly, lawfully and without any form of discrimination.”

Okay, people are allegedly treated fairly when fired, but what about when hired? Given the earlier revelation that JWT London has a terrible gender pay gap problem, it’s safe to say the White advertising agency engages in discriminatory practices—so it’s reasonable to presume the place is capable of wrongdoing in any employment-related area.

Additionally, once the news spread—and Wallace likely started getting targeted with criticism—JWT London sources proceeded to inappropriately comment. The sources even remarked that seemingly disproportionate firings of White men were to be expected, as White men are disproportionately in the majority at JWT London.

Yet the bigger news bomb came when clarifying that Wallace was not delivering a monologue at the Creative Equals event. Rather, she shared the stage with JWT London Executive Creative Director Lucas Peon; plus, JWT London CEO James Whitehead was in the audience. Um, Peon and Whitehead—whose last names are wildly appropriate in the overall scenario—actually deserve the most flak, as they had to be aware of the gender discrimination at JWT London long before Wallace realized she was getting screwed by her employer. And the two male leaders had to be directly involved with the decisions that sparked the redundancy of White men.

BTW, if the redundant White men ultimately take their former employer to court, they can offer the JWT Female Tribes gender pay gap campaign as evidence of a pro-White-women workplace. Hell, they could toss in JWT Worldwide CEO Tamara Ingram’s tampon crusade too.

At this point, WPP CEO Mark Read is probably wondering if he can institute a lawsuit freeze.

Finally, look forward to JWT London positioning itself as innocent and progressive by having the Commodore replace Victoria Beckham for the Spice Girls Reunion Tour. Or he could join Village People, as the group has never really featured a Commodore character.

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).

14200: False Pride.

Havas Chicago created posters and gave out free ice cream to celebrate Pride Month 2018. Can’t help but think this White advertising agency is more interested in patronizing self-promotion than progressiveness. Havas has a lot of self-pride, yet lacks self-respect.

13968: Omnicom Settles Anti-Gay Suit.

Adweek reported Omnicom settled an anti-gay discrimination lawsuit, despite a 2017 statement from an Omnicom representative insisting, “…[W]e believe the claims in this individual case are without merit…” Hey, Bob Garfield would vehemently dispute that belief. Maybe Omnicom President-CEO-Pioneer of Diversity John Wren will pledge to double the number of LGBT creative directors in 2018. And if Wren is a Pioneer of Diversity, the former creative director in the case has earned the privilege to be called a Pioneer of Adversity.

Omnicom Reaches Settlement in Anti-Gay Discrimination Case

DDB creative director alleged harassment

By Patrick Coffee

After more than two and a half years of legal developments, holding company Omnicom has reached a settlement in a discrimination suit brought by a now-former employee of its agency DDB.

The case went through a series of dramatic turns, including a dismissal by a U.S. District Court Judge in 2016, before the plaintiff successfully appealed earlier this year. It also served as a study in whether matters of sexual stereotyping may be applied to sexual orientation.

Conditions of the settlement have not been made public.

In May 2015, lawyer Susan Chana Lask, Esq. filed a civil complaint in the Southern District Court of New York seeking $20 million in damages on behalf of her client, DDB creative director Matthew Christiansen, for “discrimination, harassment and victimization … because of an HIV disability,” as stated in the complaint. She claimed violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects employees against discrimination based on sex, race, nationality or religion.

The defendants named in the case were Omnicom; DDB New York; that agency’s former chief digital officer Joe Cianciotto; its current CEO, Chris Brown; and its former CEO Peter Hempel.

This week, a holding company representative confirmed the settlement, writing, “the matter has been resolved amicably, and Matt is not returning to the agency.”

“Since I obtained the positive Second Circuit concurring decision now clarifying sexual orientation discrimination under Title VII, I then settled this matter amicably for all of the parties,” attorney Lask told Adweek. “Matt has happily moved on in his career, with the best wishes of all involved.”

Both parties declined to elaborate further.

Adweek reached out to Cianciotto on social media but has yet to receive a response. Davis & Gilbert and Leeds Brown Law, the law firms that represented Omnicom and Cianciotto, respectively, have not responded to emails seeking comment.

Allegations of harassment

In the initial filing, Christiansen, who was identified only as “Anonymous,” claimed that he had been “emotionally and physically paralyzed with fear as a gay man being discriminated by his own supervisor” while working under Cianciotto. According to that document, the other current and former DDB executives named in the case failed to act to prevent this behavior despite receiving complaints from Christiansen and other employees.

“The alleged conduct in this complaint occurred years ago and the employee who filed the lawsuit did not previously file a complaint with DDB about any of the actions cited,” an agency representative told Adweek the month after the case was filed in 2015. “We do not believe the lawsuit has merit and we will defend ourselves vigorously.”

Lask later provided Adweek with a statement calling those claims “inaccurate” before publishing a LinkedIn post that named her client and publicly detailed the allegations in the suit. That post claimed that Cianciotto “commenced a harassment campaign against [Christiansen] by repeatedly accusing Matthew of having AIDS just because he was gay” as soon as he joined DDB in 2011.

More specifically, Lask wrote that her client’s manager had referred to him as “super gay” and told another gay employee, “He sleeps with everyone. He must have HIV, right?” The post alleged that Cianciotto created drawings of “gay employees fornicating” in the agency’s New York office and included an image of another drawing, also allegedly created by Cianciotto, that depicted Christiansen “defecating, urinating and with an erect penis with comments on gay equality.”

The post went on to claim that Cianciotto had “accused [Christiansen] of having AIDS” during a meeting between colleagues and representatives of DDB client State Farm.

Christiansen was HIV-positive but did not have AIDS, according to his attorney’s initial filing.

Lask’s LinkedIn post, which went live in June 2015, also claimed that Christiansen and other employees complained to leadership, and that leadership “defended Joe [Cianciotto] and would threaten them.” In response to that claim, an agency spokesperson told Adweek, “The plaintiff in this action remains employed by DDB and has never been asked to leave the agency nor threatened with litigation by DDB.”

A new twist in the case

In early 2016, the case was closed after a U.S. district judge approved the defendants’ motion to dismiss, finding that the protections of Title VII do not apply to sexual orientation or gender identity.

In her ruling, as reported by Gay City News, Judge Katherine Polk Failla “reluctantly” wrote that Christiansen and Lask had not demonstrated a violation of the Civil Rights Act despite the fact that Cianciotto was “openly resentful and hostile toward Plaintiff because of his sexual orientation.”

The plaintiff appealed, and nearly one year later, chief judge Robert A. Katzmann of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York ruled in his favor. In that decision, Katzmann cited the 1989 case of Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, which concerned executives at the professional services network who allegedly told a female senior manager that she needed to “walk more femininely, talk more femininely, dress more femininely, wear make-up, have her hair styled and wear jewelry” if she wanted to become a partner.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against PwC in that case, and judge Katzmann’s ruling overturning the earlier dismissal cited the decision, noting: “We disagree with the district court’s conclusion that Christiansen failed to plausibly allege a Title VII claim based on the … stereotyping theory of sex discrimination articulated in Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins.”

Katzmann wrote, “The gender stereotyping allegations in Christiansen’s complaint are cognizable under Price Waterhouse and our precedents,” implying that the earlier case had conclusively established discrimination related to gender identity and sexual orientation as a potential violation of Title VII.

In March 2017, an Omnicom representative responded, “While we believe the claims in this individual case are without merit, Omnicom supports any change to the applicable federal law that would extend protection to employees who experience harassment on the basis of sexual orientation.”

13648: LGBT CTA.

Adweek published the latest cry for LGBT equality, representing another segment leapfrogging over racial and ethnic equality in the advertising industry. Hey, even AMC series Mad Men featured LGBT characters in leadership roles—versus the subservient Blacks relegated to support staff positions.

Why Committing to LGBT Equality and Embracing a Diverse Workplace Is So Good for Brands

It’s a powerful signal that companies care about doing what’s right

By Phil Schraeder

The teenage years are rarely easy, and that’s especially true for those of us in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

When I was growing up in the Midwest, I had a passion for business. However, there were very few LGBT role models I could look up to in corporate America. I knew that when I started my own career, I wanted to find a job where I could be the same person at work that I was at home; yet, I wasn’t sure if such a job existed.

Finding that job took a lot of perseverance. After graduating from college, I moved to Los Angeles and started my career in entertainment because I thought it would be the most accepting environment. However, even in that industry, which is known to be more LGBT-friendly than most, it was a struggle to find a job where I could be entirely open about my life without any fear of discrimination.

When I did eventually find a job that made me feel truly comfortable, at in-image advertising pioneer GumGum, my world opened and everything changed. The more relaxed I felt about my LGBT identity in the office, the happier I felt in general and the better I performed at work. I found myself quickly climbing the corporate ladder, and I’m now GumGum’s president and COO, where I have the great pleasure of leading a thriving company.

I share this story not because of my personal success, but rather because I could not have succeeded in this way in a company that was not committed to LGBT equality. That’s why I have mixed feelings about the 2016 edition of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI), which set a new record for the number of businesses that earned a top score of 100 percent in equality. While it is remarkable that the CEI set a new record for truly inclusive companies, that record-breaking number is only 366—366 companies in all of America that were found to be fully inclusive. While it’s a start, it’s also a reminder of how far we have to go.

This isn’t to deny the real progress that has been made. Quite a few corporate executives spoke out against bills designed to legalize discrimination in Indiana and Arizona, and they were rightfully applauded for their bravery and leadership. But, as I hope my own story indicates, corporate executives should focus on LGBT inclusion and equality not only because it’s the right thing to do. They should also do so because it’s good for their businesses.

The best and brightest LGBT millennials will have their choice of jobs, and they will choose the companies where they feel they can truly be themselves—companies where all employees can happily put a family photo on their desks, regardless of their sexual orientation. And when these LGBT employees arrive at their new jobs, they will make their new companies stronger not only directly through their work, but also indirectly through the creation of a more diverse and creative workforce.

The benefits to companies that reach out to the LGBT community won’t end there. Whether they’re members of the LGBT community or not, millennials want to work for socially responsible companies. When a corporation institutes new nondiscrimination protections or updates its benefits and diversity practices to be more inclusive, it sends a powerful signal to an entire generation that the company cares about doing what’s right. In many cases, that signal can be more powerful for recruiting than even the promise of big paychecks.

Change, of course, will only come when more of us speak out about the need for it. To this day, many states still have laws that make it possible to use a person’s sexual orientation as grounds for dismissal. That’s why it was so important for Tim Cook to publish his essay in Bloomberg Businessweek in 2014. And Cook is a great example of the larger point. As Cook put it, “I’ve had the good fortune to work at a company that loves creativity and innovation and knows it can only flourish when you embrace people’s differences. Not everyone is so lucky.” Imagine the enormous loss to Apple if Cook had not felt comfortable at the company and had left to work somewhere else.

But Tim Cook is only one person. The next generation of LGBT employees deserves corporate role models not just at Apple, but also at every other major company. It’s for this reason that I’m currently involved in a program that sends executives in the LGBT community to high schools to discuss career options for LGBT students. And it’s for this reason that every corporation that wants to rise to the top should be getting in front of LGBT groups at colleges and high schools across the country.

If corporate America can reach the LGBT community and demonstrate genuine support, it will have a huge impact on business and equality all at once. It’s great that there are now 366 fully inclusive and equal companies in America—but there are many thousands more to go.

Phil Schraeder is the president and COO at GumGum (@GumGum). He is based in Los Angeles.

13639: Scarcity & Scarier.

Digiday interviewed Karmarama Chief Strategy Officer and PrideAM Founder Mark Runacus, who stated, “…People often fear the bigoted minority who will create a backlash.” Okay, but the scarier problems usually come from the bigoted majority. Digiday also pointed to research indicating LGBT people constitute only .06% of people in ads. Not sure how the figure could be valid, as commercial actors are not typically required to supply such personal data. Wonder how the true percentage compares to similar stats for racial and ethnic minorities underrepresented in adverts.

Agency exec on scarcity of LGBT people in ads: ‘People fear the bigoted minority’

By Grace Caffyn

As Kendall Jenner’s ad catastrophe at Pepsi illustrates, those who hitch their wagon to socio-political causes (however vague) can, and do, get burned.

Agencies’ fear of this, according to chief strategy officer at Karmarama and PrideAM founder Mark Runacus, is what’s holding the industry back from better representing its audiences, including those lumped together in the LGBT umbrella: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and other variations of sexual and gender identity.

Case in point: According to research from Lloyd’s Banking Group, which examined 1,300 ads from 40 top-spending brands, LGBT people make up just .06 percent of people in ads.

We spoke to Runacus about his thoughts on the issue. Answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

You’ve said previously that agency planners are holding back representation of LGBT people in advertising. Tell me more.

It comes from both sides, but agencies are more often the blockage than the client. This happens for two reasons: ignorance and fear. First, there is an expectation you only include LGBT content if you’re targeting the so-called “pink pound.” But the community doesn’t like being ghettoized, and that term is actually offensive. We don’t think of ourselves in that way. Second, people often fear the bigoted minority who will create a backlash.

Give me an example.

They know who they are, and they’ll have heard my comments. Hopefully they have managed to work through that ignorance.

So some planners still see LGBT audiences as niche?

Often it’s because they think their brand isn’t relevant to LGBT audiences. It’s right that as planners we should think of how to target and better communicate with an audience, but it’s wrong to only include LGBT content if you are targeting LGBT people. We know that 49 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds don’t identify as straight or gay; this is part of everyday life for them. So for modern brands with purpose, it’s important to use this diverse content to create better engagement.

What are the challenges for agencies wanting to get this right?

The main challenge is understanding how to communicate without falling into stereotypes. But LGBT people don’t always have to be front and center, just part of real life. When it’s done well, like the recent Lloyd’s Bank advert, it’s fantastic. It can be done.

Does a lack of diversity inside agencies make this harder? You’ve mentioned before that the ‘scariness’ of making inclusive ads is amplified by agencies that aren’t diverse.

Agencies are still not inclusive enough. There are leaders in the advertising community who are predominantly white, middle-class men. It’s proven that when you remove homogeneity, you create an environment that’s more creative. If we’re reflective of our target audience, I’m confident we’re much less likely to witness this fear and ignorance I’ve talked about.

How so?

Agencies should challenge the existing recruitment process, for example, by reviewing CVs anonymously and doing one-on-one interviews. Young people aren’t convinced in you saying you’re actually doing it; they want to see it. For instance, does your website look inclusive? Do you have gender-neutral toilets? This all shows you’ve paid attention to the detail. However, I’m optimistic as I’m surrounded by young people who believe we have to change.

Do brands care enough?

There are loads of people who want to do this because trust in advertising is at an all-time low. Brands are vying for attention, and if they do this authentically and sensitively, they will connect better with consumers. But brands aren’t challenging agencies enough to accurately reflect their current and aspirational audience with an understanding of how progressive the U.K. population is today. In their briefs, brands need to include a challenge. Agencies will then be empowered to respond.

What’s your advice to brands?

It’s important that you’re authentic, which starts by looking within. If consumers can see that the brand’s external manifestation is a genuine representation of what happens inside its walls, they shouldn’t be fearful. If companies have an LGBT network, they should ask how they want to be portrayed and use them as a powerful insight and advocacy tool. Then, in an unlikely event of a backlash, they’ll have ready-made supporters.

13563: Tinny Titanium.

Campaign reported Titanium Worldwide (a minority-owned collective headquartered in New York City) tapped member Ten35 (a shop with offices in Chicago and Houston that focuses on multicultural and generational audiences) to help Mercedes-Benz woo Blacks in Atlanta. The scenario underscores the advertising industry’s diversity zaniness on multiple levels. That is, a minority-owned collective headquartered in New York City—which has a Black population of about 25%—must recruit a shop with offices in Chicago and Houston—which have respective Black populations of about 36% and 25%—to service a client in Atlanta—which has a Black population of about 54%. Mercedes-Benz couldn’t find a qualified agency in Atlanta, where Blacks essentially dominate? To top it all off, the photo illustrating this news story featured a White woman. Perfect.

Meet the minority-owned collective fueling Mercedes-Benz’s African-American outreach

By Kathryn Luttner

Titanium Worldwide catered to the LGBT community first; now, it’s after Atlanta residents for the automaker.

It’s not often that a football team gets to play their first game in a new stadium as reigning world champions. But with their appearance in the Super Bowl this Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons could be exactly that when they christen Mercedes-Benz Stadium next season. This stroke of luck wasn’t part of Mercedes-Benz USA’s original plan to win over Atlanta residents, but for VP of Marketing Drew Slaven, it doesn’t hurt the brand’s chances in a town where the automaker is planting some serious roots.

The initiative, titled “Take Back Atlanta,” began two years ago when Mercedes-Benz moved its American headquarters from Montvale, N.J., to an Atlanta suburb. That same year, the brand bought the naming rights to the Falcons’ new stadium, making it the second to bear the Mercedes-Benz name (the other is the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans). Now, the automaker has tapped Chicago and Houston-based marketing agency Ten35 (part of minority-owned collective Titanium Worldwide) to connect with African Americans in its new hometown.

To be clear, Slaven doesn’t like the term “Take Back Atlanta”—even though the phrase originated from the automaker—because he said, Mercedes-Benz is the best-selling luxury automotive brand in town, so “there’s nothing to take back.” Although it isn’t entirely focused on the African American community, that is a big factor. “In our new home, we want to not simply be No. 1, we really want Atlanta and Mercedes-Benz to go hand-in-hand,” Slaven said.

If you haven’t heard of Titanium Worldwide or read about Mercedes-Benz’s big push into the African American community, it’s all part of Titanium CEO Robyn Streisand’s plan. She takes a “walk, crawl, run” strategy to business—and her own collective of minority-owned agencies is a testament. Titanium Worldwide soft launched in 2013, but Streisand, an LGBT entrepreneur (and Barbara’s second cousin), didn’t announce it until last year, because she wanted to “prove the model. Holding companies are watching us.”

That model, she said, bloomed from a frustration she encountered after 20 years at her own marketing agency The Mixx. Fortune 500 companies regularly approached for small jobs, she said, but when it came to the big campaigns, the argument was always the same: minority-owned businesses simply didn’t have the depth—in talent, money and resources—to do the job. So Streisand interviewed more than 150 agencies across the United States and landed on 17 to form Titanium. “There’s no overlap in skill sets,” Streisand said proudly. “Everyone has their own lane.”

And yet, there’s one point of contact and one P&L (while maintaining 17 individual agencies), which was one of the attractions for Mercedes-Benz who had been a client of The Mixx for 10 years. (The other, Slaven said, was authenticity. “When you want to talk to a community, to work with a provider that understands that [community]—that lives that [community]—is really important,” he said.) That single point of contact is something agencies are increasingly looking to provide, as witnessed by recent client-centric restructurings from Publicis and Ogilvy.

In 2015, the community that Mercedes-Benz zeroed in on was LGBT. That same year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to legalize same-sex marriages, so the timing was no coincidence. Titanium developed a year-long strategy of print and digital advertising, in addition to paid social media and an event at the New York International Auto Show, to deliver 2.2 million digital impressions and 135 percent increase in brand mentions on gay news websites.

Plus, the National Gay Media Association awarded Mercedes-Benz the top honor in its automotive category at its first Ad POP Awards (POP stands for Pride in Online and Print). In the end, Streisand said marketers have thanked her for “getting corporate to wake up and smell the coffee.”

“It can’t be that you’re just advertising at Gay Pride,” she said. “You want 100 percent on the HRC Equality Index. One and done at Pride is not enough anymore.”

Fast forward to 2017, and Ten35 is implementing Streisand’s “walk, crawl, run” strategy to its Take Atlanta Back initiative. Sherman Wright, managing partner and COO of the agency, said the campaign won’t be a one-off effort. While it’s still in development, Wright said to expect “heavy digital components and an experiential element” that connects personally with the communities of Atlanta.

“What’s important to understand is the African American community is not this monolithic community,” Wright said, adding that it’s important for marketers to understand the nuances. “You look at things such as accomplishments and that values are placed in achievement. Making sure the idea of luxury comes through this idea of achievement” is extremely important to African Americans, so look for Mercedes-Benz and Ten35’s work to pay “homage to that journey and the hard work and commitment that goes into it.”

If successful, Wright said the carmaker will expand this African American initiative nationwide, taking the minority-owned collective along with them—proving that together, minority-owned agencies can tackle the big jobs.

13555: Give A Hand For Diversity.

A Canadian Saatchi & Saatchi campaign advocating for Gender + Sexual Diversity only features White hands. Perfect.

13544: BHM 2017—Macy’s.

Macy’s salutes Black History Month—and damn near every other minority celebration.

13502: MLK On Advertising 2017.

I have a dream that one day on Madison Avenue, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the conference table of brotherhood. Granted, it looks like the dream will happen after White women, White senior citizens, White LGBT, White people with disabilities, A-list celebrities and non-U.S. minorities secure their seats at the table.

13157: White Pride.

Campaign reported on promotions at Ogilvy Pride, the LGBT shop in the Ogilvy family. Ogilvy and WPP likely use the enterprise to boost the holding company’s global diversity figures—establishing WPP as perhaps the most diverse example of diversity of any single organisation. Yet based on the photo above, is there any racial and ethnic diversity at Ogilvy Pride?

Ogilvy Pride hires Pierce to head senior team

by Gurjit Degun

Ogilvy Pride, the LGBT agency in the Ogilvy Group, has unveiled its senior team after hiring a new head and two deputies.

Sam Pierce, the global business partner for Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, joins as the head of Ogilvy Pride. He has been tasked with the overall leadership and to drive commercial opportunities.

Having joined Ogilvy & Mather in 2008 as management supervisor, Pierce became the worldwide account director in 2011.

Pierce replaces Andrew Barratt, an account executive at Ogilvy PR who founded the agency last year.

Ogilvy Pride was launched to help clients aim their ads at LBGT consumers and help brands reach a wider audience worth £1.9 trillion globally, the agency said.

Michael Breen, the digital account director at Geometry Global, and Alex Canthal, a business director at O&M, have joined as joint deputy heads of Ogilvy Pride.

Breen has been asked to focus on “external promotion and networking” while Canthal will work on thought leadership, including setting up a Pride think tank.

Annette King, the chief executive at Ogilvy & Mather Group UK, said: “We’re committed to Pride’s continued growth and development, both as a community across Ogilvy & Mather Group UK and as a commercial proposition for our clients.”

13091: Patronizing With Pride.

Can’t help but think JWT in Australia is angling for a PrideAM Award.

From Ads Of The World.

12888: New Award, Old Idea.

Brand Republic reported the UK advertising industry is launching its first LGBT award via the Marketing Agencies Association (MAA) and PrideAM. PrideAM President Scott Knox reiterated, “I began the PrideAM project saying that I wanted it to have bite.” So the inaugural initiative involves creating an award…? Yep, that bites all right. In lieu of actual, measurable and revolutionary change, let’s hand out more trophies.

MAA launches ad industry’s first LGBT award

By Omar Oakes

The Marketing Agencies Association has created the adverting industry’s first award to celebrate work supporting equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Following last month’s launch of PrideAM, the ad industry’s leadership group for LGBT people, a new PrideAM award as been incorporated into the annual MAA Best Awards.

PrideAM was co-founded by Scott Knox, the managing director of the MAA.

Knox said: “I began the PrideAM project saying that I wanted it to have bite.

“By building an award that celebrates work that reflects and targets LGBT people in a way they want, should be rewarded and heroed.

“I am truly proud that this will be the UK industry’s first ever advertising and marketing award for LGBT strategy judged by senior LGBT people.”

The award will be given to a campaign or project that shows a brand representing or targeting the LGBT community in a different way.

The MAA said the judges will be LGBT marketing and advertising professionals who will be looking for fair, accurate, inclusive and genuine representations of LGBT people in the work submitted.

They are also looking for work that could challenge and support LGBT equality.

The deadline for entries for the PrideAM award is Tuesday, 20 October. The MAA Best Awards ceremony will take place on 3 March 2016.

12880: Cheerios Diversity…?

Oh, look! The latest Cheerios commercial features an all-Black cast, with no over-the-top interracial or lifestyle quirkiness. The only quirky thing: it’s highly unlikely that an all-Black creative team hatched the spot.

12857: Feeling Chipper.

Adweek reported Doritos and Goodby Silverstein & Partners teamed up to salute the LGBT community with limited-edition Rainbows chips. It’s not the first time GSP has produced patronizing pap for the audience. Hey, if Doritos ever burns a batch of product, look for the snack maker and GSP to introduce limited-edition Black History Month chips—followed by Goodby launching a conference titled, “Where Are All The Black Doritos?”

Doritos Has Launched Limited-Time Rainbow Chips in Support of the LGBT Community

All proceeds go to the It Gets Better Project

By Kristina Monllos

Now it’s not just Skittles that wants you to taste the rainbow.

Today, Doritos launched its product celebrating LGBT pride: Doritos Rainbows, created in partnership with the It Gets Better Project. The multi-colored chips, inspired by the Pride flag, were designed to raise awareness and funds for It Gets Better, which supports young people struggling with their sexual identity or bullying.

The new chips’ branding, packing, website and all other branding materials associated with the launch were created by Goodby Silverstein & Partners, which also has worked on the brand’s Crash the Super Bowl contest. While there won’t be a national campaign for Doritos Rainbows, GS&P did create a small set of advertisements, specific to the Dallas Pride Festival, which ran in the Dallas Pride Guide.

“In creating the product we did a lot of work internally, in working on the bag and working with the designer to come up with a design that was equally bold and beautiful,” said Margaret Johnson, ecd and partner at GS&P. “It’s a clear design and it speaks in a real graphic, bold way.”

Doritos Rainbows are only available to consumers through a $10 (or more) donation to the non-profit. All proceeds from the chips go to the nonprofit. They are available through National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, and Doritos’ social media accounts will host the Doritos Rainbow logo until then.

“By creating a limited-edition product available only through donations, we are hopeful that we will make a strong collective impact and raise funds for the important programmatic work that the It Gets Better Project is doing every day,” said Ram Krishnan, chief marketing officer of Frito-Lay, in an email.

The It Gets Better Project was created in 2010 by activist Dan Savage and his partner, Terry Miller, in an effort to inspire young people facing harassment in the LGBT community. The nonprofit has partnered with brands like Wells Fargo, West Elm, Gap, Uber and now Pepsi Co.

“The international reach of Doritos gives us the ability to connect with more LGBT youth than ever before,” said Brett Peters, spokesman for the It Gets Better Project, in an email. “For an LGBT young person to see that their favorite chip is on their side will show them that they have friends in more places than they know.”

As for Doritos, “this move is simply a demonstration of Doritos’ expression of inclusion and support of individuality,” said Krishnan. “We’re always looking for unique ways to give back to communities, and this is just one of those ways.”