13082: IPGobbledygook.

A MultiCultClassics visitor pointed to IPG’s self-promotional hype on its alleged diversity and inclusion achievements. Included is the recent Champions of Diversity Award for Exemplary Best Practices presented to the White holding company by the New York Urban League. Not included is the fact that IPG Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Heide Gardner is on the New York Urban League Board of Directors. Also not included is any mention of Campbell Ewald, Champion of Cultural Cluelessness. Ditto any references to former Draftfcb President and CEO Laurence Boschetto’s vow that “by 2014 [Draftfcb] will be an organization that no longer uses the term ‘diversity and inclusion.’” Hell, Boschetto wasn’t even listed among the ADCOLOR® Award winners, despite his first-ever Advocate Award recognition. Talk about not being very inclusive.

Worth noting are “the numbers” IPG presents as proof of its progress. Unfortunately, the numbers are not really numbers; rather, the information is stated in percentages. Does a 94% increase since 2005 of total minorities with “officials and managers” titles really mean anything without specific figures? For example, a 94% increase of, say, a dozen individuals would not be very impressive. Plus, how many of the “minorities” are actually White women?

IPG could become a pioneer in the category by publicizing EEO-1 data. But that would require integrity—as well as a spine versus spin.

12921: FCB Leader Admits Bias…?

Campaign published a pathetic and patronizing perspective from FCB Global Chief Talent Officer Cynthia Augustine, reprimanding résumé racial profiling and ripping Raven-Symoné. Augustine had the audacity to remark, “Fortunately, most industry leaders are more enlightened than Raven-Symoné. Instead of embracing ignorance and bias, many company leaders actively work against it by creating programs that center around making the unconscious conscious.” Um, which industry leaders is Augustine saluting? They surely can’t be honchos in adland. Additionally, when referencing the recent rants by revolutionary Brad Jakeman and Kat Gordon, Augustine gasped, “What’s happening here? It’s 2015 and we still haven’t solved this.” Augustine also stated, “Most companies, FCB included, have culture and inclusion experts dedicated to adding more diversity to its workforce, ensuring a culture of inclusion and lessening the implicit bias inherent in all of us. After all, bias does indeed live in us all. It is part of what makes us human.” Wow, is that an open admission to the institutionalized discrimination present at White advertising agencies like FCB? Plus, it’s sad for Augustine to display faux dismay that “it’s 2015 and we still haven’t solved this”—seemingly oblivious to former Draftfcb President and CEO Laurence Boschetto’s bold vow that the agency would no longer use the term “diversity and inclusion” by 2014. Augustine should think twice before attacking Raven-Symoné. After all, prorating from a birthdate of December 10, 1985, the former Cosby kid can only have shown bias for less than 30 years. FCB has been unable to shake its cultural cluelessness for at least 140 years.

What’s in a name?

By Cynthia Augustine

Absolutely nothing, says FCB’s global chief talent officer, yet name-based bias happens much too often

Raven-Symoné proudly boasted last month on “The View” that she wouldn’t hire someone with a “ghetto” name. Really? That’s pretty ironic coming from Raven-Symoné. Someone whose first name is uniquely punctuated and uniquely spelled, which — according to the Urban Dictionary — is often the very definition of what’s considered “a ghetto name.”

But who should really care? Because when you think about it, what’s in a name? Absolutely nothing. It’s something someone else decided to call you.

A name doesn’t reveal what a prospective job candidate has done with their life — what they’ve learned and experienced, the skills they’ve developed, the character they have or the obstacles they have possibly overcome. A name doesn’t even reveal a candidate’s ethnicity, no matter what people like Raven-Symoné think. I know a man with the last name Goldstein who was adopted and is actually Chinese. Interviewers are perpetually surprised when they meet him.

Unfortunately, Raven-Symoné is not alone. Many studies conducted between 2003 and today, including those by The University of Chicago and MIT, found that resumes sent out for candidates with African-American-sounding names were 50% less likely to land a job interview than identical resumes sent out under white-sounding names. And, that sorry result is replicated with various other ethnic groups in our country — which does not serve any employer well. Studies like those discussed in Scott Page’s 2008 book The Difference — including one he conducted with Lu Hong of Loyola University Chicago – have consistently shown that diverse teams will outperform and out-innovate homogenous ones.

Fortunately, most industry leaders are more enlightened than Raven-Symoné. Instead of embracing ignorance and bias, many company leaders actively work against it by creating programs that center around making the unconscious conscious.

They have to. It’s a business imperative. PepsiCo.’s Brad Jakeman, president of the global beverage group, just a few weeks ago forcefully told attendees at the Association of National Advertisers conference that he’s tired of talking to a group of white males about his business when it is women who make 85% of the purchase decisions in the category. If the marketing community wants to do more disruptive things, Jakeman said, agencies must bring more diversity to the table, especially women. Kat Gordon’s 3% Conference held last week in New York yet again addressed the dearth of female leadership in the business. What’s happening here? It’s 2015 and we still haven’t solved this.

Forcing ourselves to look at why we haven’t — to ensure we challenge ourselves as much as we challenge a Raven-Symoné — must be a daily occurrence.

Most companies, FCB included, have culture and inclusion experts dedicated to adding more diversity to its workforce, ensuring a culture of inclusion and lessening the implicit bias inherent in all of us. After all, bias does indeed live in us all. It is part of what makes us human. Knowing this, we are committed to raising our collective consciousness with regard to how it may play out in all kinds of business decisions, including hiring. Presently, we are exploring changes to our hiring protocol — like removing names from résumés altogether — so people aren’t influenced by factors that have no relevance at all to whether someone can perform a job. We are also working as an organization to understand, and more effectively and objectively manage, everyday assumptions that live in each of us with regard to criteria we consider when making hiring decisions. We’re not interested in prejudging anyone on irrelevant factors like names, race, gender or educational background that could cause us to miss out on a delightful and completely fabulous job candidate.

If we rely on horribly outdated stereotypes and judgments about people, like whether they have a “ghetto” name, we are perpetuating a deep social injustice and closing our eyes to talent that will move our companies and businesses forward.

Perhaps Hollywood and the media could benefit from the same type of unconscious bias training our industry is undertaking. Maybe we wouldn’t have an Academy Awards season like last year ever again, when all 20 acting nominees were white. Also, doing so may help the Raven-Symonés of the world consider the content of someone’s character first before the number of unique syllables and hyphens in their names.

Cynthia Augustine is global chief talent officer of FCB.

12090: Ad Agency Lies From IPG.

The 2014 Official Guide for Advertising Week features a diversity advertisement from IPG—whose flagship agency, FCB, once declared, “…by 2014 we will be an organization that no longer uses the term ‘diversity and inclusion.’” Oh well.

11696: Draftfcb Fades To White…?

Advertising Age reported that Draftfcb may dump the first part of its masthead and return to being called FCB or Foote, Cone & Belding. So much for former Draftfcb President and CEO Laurence Boschetto’s proclamation “that by 2014, we will be an organization that no longer uses the term ‘diversity and inclusion.’” Not only is Boschetto history, but the entire shithole is reverting back to a stodgy, old, White advertising agency.

11434: Carter Murray Exclusive.

AgencySpy posted a letter to the troops from new Draftfcb CEO Carter Murray, who started his first day of work on Monday. The lengthy message covered lots of ground and made plenty of pledges. However, there was no mention of diversity and inclusion. Then again, Murray’s predecessor Laurence Boschetto vowed the agency would no longer use the term “diversity and inclusion” by 2014. So maybe Murray is actually working towards that lofty goal.

11146: IPG Discrimination Suit Update.

Advertising Age revealed the discrimination case against IPG is going to trial. An IPG statement included, “Diversity and inclusion have been long-term priorities for IPG and we’ve made significant strides in this area in recent years. This is especially true at our corporate office. That’s why we are very gratified that the judge has agreed to dismiss the majority of [plaintiff Joy Noel’s] claims. We continue to believe her one remaining claim is equally ‘devoid of facts,’ as the court itself stated in its initial finding, and look forward to demonstrating this at trial.” Wow. Let’s dissect that poppycock. “Diversity and inclusion have been long-term priorities for IPG” really means the holding company and its agencies have completely failed to erase the exclusivity for a loooooong time—at least 60 years. Plus, “long-term priority” should not be mistaken for top priority. Or even top-ten priority. As the defendant in the upcoming case, IPG will not have to prove they’ve “made significant strides in this area in recent years.” Otherwise, they’d have to admit the area they meant is human resources, reception, administrative assistance, security, janitorial or the mailroom. “This is especially true at our corporate office.” And especially false at the C-suite offices. IPG is undoubtedly “very gratified that the judge has agreed to dismiss the majority of [plaintiff Joy Noel’s] claims”—although losing $50 million would have looked good versus the company’s $59.2 million first-quarter net loss. Plus, using the phrase “devoid of facts” is pretty bold when your agencies are virtually devoid of Blacks. IPG better hope outgoing Draftfcb President and CEO Laurence Boschetto isn’t called to the stand to report on his progress in eliminating the term “diversity and inclusion” by 2014. After all, they’ve been long-term priorities for the parent corporation.

Discrimination Claim Against Interpublic Heads to Trial

Most of Plaintiff’s Claims Tossed, but Jury Will Decide if She Wasn’t Promoted Because of Skin Color

By Rupal Parekh

Various claims filed in April 2012 as part of a race discrimination lawsuit against Interpublic Group of Cos. have been tossed out by a New York district judge. However, one claim made by Trinidadian employee Joy C. Noel—that Interpublic failed to promote due to her skin color—has been permitted to proceed to trial.

The trial begins on June 3, according to court documents.

When Ms. Noel filed suit in Manhattan federal court last spring, she sought a whopping $50 million in damages. She claimed that in her many years working for the company, Interpublic fostered an environment where discrimination based on race and color is condoned. She alleged that she was passed over for promotions because Caucasian and light-skinned Hispanics are treated more favorably than African-Americans or other dark-skinned employees. Ms. Noel has been at Interpublic since 1993 and is still an employee there.

Also named in the original suit were several high-ranking executives, including Interpublic Chairman-CEO Michael Roth. His name was later removed from the suit.

Interpublic in a statement told Ad Age it is pleased that most of the claims have been thrown out and it expects her remaining claim will be too. “Diversity and inclusion have been long-term priorities for IPG and we’ve made significant strides in this area in recent years,” the company said. “This is especially true at our corporate office. That’s why we are very gratified that the judge has agreed to dismiss the majority of Ms. Noel’s claims. We continue to believe her one remaining claim is equally ‘devoid of facts,’ as the court itself stated in its initial finding, and look forward to demonstrating this at trial.”

But unless something changes in the proceedings in the next couple of weeks, District Judge Harold Baer Jr. has ruled that it’s up to a jury whether Ms. Noel was really passed over for a job unfairly.

Said Mr. Baer in an opinion issued on the matter: “Prior experience interacting with Board members is hardly a ‘basic skill’ necessary to perform these administrative tasks. By contrast, Plaintiff has worked at IPG in an administrative capacity for over 20 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting. This experience demonstrates that Plaintiff was at least minimally qualified for the promotion to Executive Assistant.” He added: “The true significance of this ‘Board experience’ is thus a credibility issue that only a jury may decide.”

11089: Draftfcb In Waiting Mode.

Adweek reported Young & Rubicam refuses to release Carter Murray from his contract, delaying the executive’s official appearance as new Draftfcb global CEO. Why, it only seems like a year ago when Draftfcb accused Digitas of poaching talent. Oh, wait a minute. It was a year ago. At least the move gives Draftfcb President and CEO Laurence Boschetto a few more months to execute his vision to erase “diversity and inclusion” from the company lexicon.

Young & Rubicam Refuses to Let Carter Murray Out of His Contract

New Draftfcb CEO must wait it out

By Andrew McMains

Four weeks after Carter Murray took the Draftfcb CEO job, he’s still walking the halls of Young & Rubicam, and it could be September before he joins his new agency.

Why? Because Y&R parent company WPP Group is holding him to the six-month notice period in his contract—at least for now, according to sources.

Historically, notice periods were designed to give an agency losing an executive time to find a successor. Also, a cooling-off period between jobs, in theory, keeps an outgoing exec from using client business information in his new post. In Murray’s case, however, Y&R has already filled his North American CEO role with insider Matt Anthony, and the bigger brands that Y&R and Draftfcb handle don’t compete head-to-head. In other words, there’s little Y&R client information that Murray can exploit at Draftfcb, a unit of Interpublic Group. Yet, there he sits as a lame duck at Y&R.

Whether Murray shifts to “garden leave,” or getting paid to not even show up, is beside the point. WPP is paying someone who has resigned and wants to leave. Other holding companies block such exits as well. Publicis Groupe made Tony Granger wait six months before he could exit Saatchi & Saatchi and join Y&R in 2009, even after Saatchi had filled his chief creative officer job with Gerry Graf. It could have been longer, though, given that Granger had a one-year notice period in his Saatchi contract.

Competitive wrangling aside, some say the practice seems like a waste of time and money.

“If the employee gives notice, the company has the option to cut them loose and stop paying them or to keep them from taking the new job but have to pay them,” said attorney Rick Kurnit, a partner at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz who represents both ad execs and agencies. “The question is, is it really in the shareholders’ interest to pay somebody just to obstruct them from moving on, or is that done out of pique?”

While he declined to talk specifically about Murray, Y&R global CEO David Sable framed the broader issue of notice periods in simple, legal terms: “People sign contracts. They have no right to sign a contract that they don’t intend to keep.”

The stakes are high in the latest episode of sabre rattling. Draftfcb, set back by major client erosion in the past two years (SC Johnson, MillerCoors, Kraft, etc.), spent six months looking for a new global leader and sees in Murray, a seasoned account handler, an opportunity to reverse the slide. For now, existing leaders like outgoing CEO Laurence Boschetto will run the 8,800-person shop. Murray, Draftfcb and WPP declined to comment, and IPG could not be reached.

Other industry leaders appreciate concerns about ex-employees exploiting marketer information, but nonetheless question the wisdom of paying money for nothing. “I’m not sure what the point is,” said TBWA worldwide CEO Tom Carroll. “You have to try to protect your clients. On the other hand, if that’s not the case, I think it’s a little overreaching” to keep someone who wants to leave.

Blocking an exit may also create ill will with the departing exec, making the person unlikely to ever return, added Mark O’Brien, North American president of DDB. And, in an industry that places a premium on talent, that’s a competitive disadvantage. As O’Brien put it, “It doesn’t pay in the long run to pay someone to do nothing for spite.”

11061: Draftfcb Diversity Disasters.

AgencySpy reported Draftfcb SVP/Group Creative Director of the Multicultural Department Michel Rothschild has left the Chicago office. The agency that proclaimed it would no longer use the term “diversity and inclusion” by 2014—and hypes a cross-cultural con artistry philosophy—separated from its multicultural leader as well as its diversity champion in about 6.5 seconds that really don’t matter. Is it a sign of the Apocalypse or just business as usual?

11036: Buh-Bye, Boschetto.

Advertising Age reported former Draftfcb President and CEO Laurence Boschetto has been replaced by former Y&R Advertising North America CEO Carter Murray. Current IPG Chairman CEO Michael Roth said, “We wish [Boschetto] well in his ongoing industry activity, particularly in the area of diversity and inclusion, where we will continue to work together.” Right. Why, Boschetto was a mere nine months shy of realizing his dream that by 2014 Draftfcb would be an organization that no longer used the term “diversity and inclusion.” Look for Murray to take the reins with the bold initiative. When hell freezes over.

DraftFCB’s New Global CEO Is 38-Year-Old Carter Murray

Energetic British Exec Will Replace Laurence Boschetto

By Rupal Parekh, Maureen Morrison

DraftFCB’s next global CEO will be 38-year-old Carter Murray, who for the past year has been head of Y&R’s North American operations.

Not only is the embattled Interpublic Group of Cos. agency getting a new leader, it’s poised for a major cultural shift under Mr. Murray. He has spent most of his career in Europe and been referred to as charming and super energetic by those who’ve worked with him in the past. It’s not only a quick ascent up the ladder to lead one of the biggest advertising agencies in the world, it’s also a formidable challenge.

Mr. Murray has signed on to take the reins from Laurence Boschetto, DraftFCB’s CEO of four years, after a brief transition period. A start date for the newly-anointed chief has not yet been determined however.

A formal search began last summer for a leader to succeed Mr. Boschetto, who’s overseen the network during a tumultuous three-and-a-half years that have been marked by significant client departures. (Mr. Boschetto joined the search process as part of an attempt at a smooth succession and will continue in a consulting role.)

The selection has been a huge focus for Interpublic senior management including Chairman-CEO Michael Roth, who’s acutely aware of the need to turn around the ship at DraftFCB. Mr. Murray is likely getting some broad leeway to make the changes he sees fit to improve the shop’s standing in adland.

Howard Draft will retain his executive-chairman post at DraftFCB, working with a number of the agency’s major clients and on special projects, but he’ll report to Mr. Murray, who’ll be based in New York.

“[Mr. Murray] understands consumer advertising and brands, has demonstrated the ability to motivate diverse teams and raise the quality of creative work, nurture client relationships and win global business,” Mr. Roth said in a statement. “This combination of skills and experience in a dynamic new leader is what the agency needs in order to evolve its integrated model and drive growth.”

Mr. Roth added: “We thank Laurence for his contributions to our search for his successor. … We wish him well in his ongoing industry activity, particularly in the area of diversity and inclusion, where we will continue to work together.”

“Carter brings energy, a new perspective and range of talents that will take us to the next level,” Mr. Boschetto said in a statement. “I’ll do everything to help him step into the CEO role seamlessly.”

In the wake of Mr. Murray’s his departure, Y&R named Matt Anthony CEO of Y&R Advertising North America. Mr. Anthony is a member of Y&R’s executive committee and founding partner of VML. He had for the last six months been running Y&R Australia.

Finding someone willing to take the challenge of re-energizing DraftFCB was no simple task. In November, Mr. Roth remarked during a Wall Street investor conference: “Hopefully we’ll be able to find someone.”

After a lengthy process—during which a number of Madison Avenue execs were approached, some who felt the fix-it job was too tall an order—the search was narrowed to three last month. Mr. Murray resigned from Y&R yesterday after just a year there.

“I like big challenges and I like big opportunities,” Mr. Murray told Ad Age. “And it would take a challenge and an opportunity as large as this for me to leave my current position. I do love [Y&R CEO] David Sable, and I’m really proud of the people I work with at Y&R. But it’s not every day that you get this kind of opportunity [at an agency] that we know has had some challenges but also has had some great client relationships. It’s one of those jobs that doesn’t come up every day.

“If you look at DraftFCB, the last thing they need is someone who comes charging in and tells them exactly how to do their jobs at the outset. I have a point of view on marketing and what I think is important, and am particularly passionate about the creative product and defining groundbreaking work. And that’s something I want to infuse more throughout the organization.”

A Brit who was educated in in the U.S.—he attended Duke University—Mr. Murray started his career at Leo Burnett in Chicago. He soon moved to Europe, where he’s spent most of his career. He worked for Leo Burnett in Germany as a regional account director and in London as a regional new-business director for Europe.

He joined Publicis in 2007. That’s where he really made his mark. During his tenure at the French holding company, he took Nestle from being Publicis’ fourth-largest account, and one that was declining in size, to the agency’s biggest account.

With experience in markets from Russia to Korea to Kenya to Switzerland, and with clients such as Nestle, P&G, Barclays, Coke and Ikea, Mr. Murray’s pedigree is far different than his predecessor’s.

Mr. Boschetto joined Draft in the agency’s New York office in 1997, a move prompted by his sale of Adler Boschetto Peebles—a Big Apple shop he founded—to Draft. He worked his way up from general manager to more senior roles. It was only a matter of years before he was being touted as Howard Draft’s heir apparent, and was promoted to president and chief operating officer, first of New York, and then (around the same time as the agency’s very public win-and-loss of the Walmart account) across the network. He’s been especially close to some clients, among them Beiersdorf.

His ascension to CEO came more than two years after the merger of Draft and Foote Cone & Belding. The marriage was a move that Interpublic touted as a way to combine the direct-marketing prowess of Draft with the creative abilities of FCB, but many industry executives said they predicted the merger was doomed because of clashing cultures and disciplines.

Initially there were some indications that the critics were wrong, given sizable new-business wins from the U.S. Census, Kraft, MillerCoors and Kmart. Above all, the shop was profitable.

But while Mr. Boschetto was at the helm, the shop’s fortunes turned. The past couple of years in North America have been incredibly rocky, marked by a string of account losses—prompting speculation that it was only a matter of time before there would be a change at the top.

The biggest hit came with the exit of one of DraftFCB’s biggest and oldest accounts: SC Johnson. The agency failed to hang on to the business after a review, losing to WPP’s Ogilvy and Omnicom Group’s EnergyBBDO. The loss stripped several global outposts of their biggest client and shuttered other international offices. The agency laid off about 10% of it staffers in its Chicago office, and 3% globally.

When the massive packaged-goods account departed after 58 years, SC Johnson was estimated to be worth $65 million in global revenue. But at its height years earlier, the account was believed to bring in as much as $80 million in global revenue for the agency. Though it was a small percentage—about 5 to 6%—of the agency’s global revenue at the time of the loss, the agency has been unable to recover the revenue with another large account win.

That loss was devastating, but another blow came with the loss of its MillerCoors business without a review. The brewer’s account went to Publicis Groupe’s Saatchi & Saatchi, which picked up Miller Lite, and a new WPP agency dubbed Cavalry was formed to handle Coors brands and new products. Layoffs again followed at DraftFCB, with the agency confirming about 5% of its Chicago office employees were affected.

Another marquee account, Taco Bell, has brought other Interpublic agencies such as Deutsch into the fold to handle creative work. While DraftFCB remains on the roster as the lead agency, TV work—part of a campaign Taco Bell said was its biggest—for the chain’s new Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco was created by Deutsch.

DraftFCB is facing yet another potential significant account defection from Kmart, a client since 2007. The struggling retailer began circulating requests for proposal in January; DraftFCB is said to be defending the business. That same month, DrafFCB shed its media operation, which was shifted to sibling Mediabrands.

While agencies are prone to going through up-and-down periods, two of the biggest criticisms of DraftFCB under Mr. Boschetto’s watch has been its failure to attract new business and inability to realize the promise of the benefits touted at the time of the merger. The agency has scored a string of small and midsize wins to help offset the loss of major legacy accounts—such as agency-of-record account for SeaWorld, Discover Card and Cox Communications—but it hasn’t picked up a major blue-chip lead creative account in some time.

That responsibility will now fall on the young Mr. Murray’s shoulders. The question is: Is he up to the challenge? One of the most powerful marketers in the world says Mr. Murray has a decent chance.

Tom Buday, head of marketing and consumer communication at Nestle, endorses Mr. Murray thusly on LinkedIn: “Carter is a highly committed professional who puts client needs at the top of his priorities, and brings valuable insight and perspective to the challenges at hand. Put simply, Carter is someone you can count on to deliver.”

10868: New Discrimination Charges For IPG.

For IPG, “Joy Noel” is a totally different form of holiday greeting. Specifically, IPG legal staffer Joy Noel presented her employer with a re-filed discrimination lawsuit. MediaPost News reported Noel submitted a new complaint after a judge tossed her original $50 million legal action. IPG insists the claims in the case “remain without merit.” At the same time, IPG Chairman and CEO Michael Roth and Draftfcb President and CEO Laurence Boschetto admit the industry has struggled with diversity and discrimination, so there will almost always be merit to any claim of wrongdoing pertaining to unfair employment practices.

IPG Staffer Refiles Discrimination Suit

By Steve McClellan

Interpublic Group legal staffer Joy Noel has re-filed her racial discrimination lawsuit against the holding company and two of its former executives with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

The re-filing was submitted about three weeks after Judge Harold Baer Jr. threw out her original complaint, calling her charges “a variety of broad but meatless allegations, including lesser salaries and fewer benefits for blacks as opposed to less-qualified Caucasian and light-skinned employees.”

However, Baer offered Noel the opportunity to re-file, focusing on a retaliation claim and an allegation that the holding company unlawfully passed her over for promotion.

In the new complaint, Noel is seeking unspecified damages. By contrast, in the complaint that Baer tossed out Noel sought $50 million. Also, she is suing two fewer people this time around; those left out of the second complaint include IPG CEO Michael Roth and IPG Human Resources Director Carolyn Harding. The remaining defendants include IPG and two former legal department executives, including former general counsel Nicholas Camera and former associate general counsel Marjorie Hoey.

Noel claims she was unlawfully passed over for the position of executive assistant to Camera when the position became available in March 2011. She also alleged that it was Hoey’s decision to pass her over and that Hoey, described in the suit as a “Caucasian female,” has “never promoted [Noel] or any other person of color to a front office position.

Noel also alleged that the person who was selected for the job, Theresa Muller, was “not qualified for the position because of her past poor performance as an employee.” The complaint does not describe in detail Muller's lack of qualifications, but does note that she didn’t last long in the position and that she was replaced by an African-American female not named in the suit. Noel is Trinidadian, per her complaint.

Noel also alleged that when she complained about being passed over, her workload was reduced and she was re-assigned to a lower-ranking attorney within the IPG legal department. In addition, she was “isolated in such a manner that other employees do not interact with her out of fear of losing their jobs.”

After the initial complaint was dismissed, IPG said that “the claims in this case remain without merit.”

10611: A Few ADCOLOR® Ads For 2012.

Would love to see clear evidence to counter the perception that Deutsch deserves a “D” grade for its diversity.

The agency committed to no longer using the term diversity and inclusion by 2014 prominently displays the words in its congratulatory ad.

McCann celebrates 100 years of “Truth Well Told”—and diversity well ignored.

Team Detroit declares, “Work is more fun when you include everyone.” Yet the joint hired the man who replaced minority advertising agencies with White agencies when leading General Motors’ marketing.

Foot Locker salutes diversity while selling Nikes. Nice.

10536: Draftfcb Employees Plan Mass Exodus.

You know your agency is in trouble when the only positive news in recent years involves the consolidation and relocation of your headquarters. The move is scheduled for early 2014—the same year Draftfcb will no longer use the term “diversity and inclusion,” according to President and CEO Laurence Boschetto. Oh boy, it’s going to be exciting times for anyone left at the cross-cultural shithole. Although the staffers must flinch whenever they see moving boxes.

10420: Draftfcb & Jamaica—Opposites Attract.

The New York and London offices of Draftfcb retained the Jamaica Tourism Board account. Look for Diversity Champion Laurence Boschetto to erect an advertising high school for underserved islanders.

10400: New IPG Race Discrimination Suit.

Advertising Age reported IPG is about to get hit with another race discrimination lawsuit—this time from a former HR employee. Has anyone read the Multicultural Manifesto drafted by Laurence Boschetto? The Promised Land is only about 15 months away, people!

Another Race Discrimination Suit Against Interpublic On the Way

Former HR Staffer Will Allege Widespread Bias Against African Americans and Other ‘Dark-Skinned’ Employees

By Rupal Parekh

A second federal lawsuit alleging widespread race discrimination at Interpublic Group of Cos. is being readied and could be brought against the ad holding company as soon as next week, Ad Age has learned.

This time, the plaintiff will be a former employee who worked in the Human Resources department at the world’s fourth-largest agency holding company. Her lawyer, Eric Sanders—who is the same lawyer in a similar case brought against Interpublic earlier this year—declined to share the name of the new plaintiff until the filing of her suit.

But, he did tell Ad Age: “I can tell you that she supports Joy C. Noel’s contention that racial discrimination in the employment practices at IPG is a widespread problem affecting hiring, firing, discipline, bonuses and promotional opportunities, particularly to African Americans and other dark-skinned people of color…this lawsuit will detail the widespread practices in great detail.”

Interpublic in a statement told Ad Age that it “has not seen the lawsuit and cannot comment on any details until we have had an opportunity to review it.”

The forthcoming lawsuit against Interpublic will follow the filing of a suit in a Manhattan federal court in April seeking $50 million in damages. It was brought by a Trinidadian employee, Joy C. Noel, who in her complaint stated that she was denied promotions because of race and faced retaliation for speaking out against discrimination. She also claimed she was paid less than her white counterparts.

She named several senior executives in the suit, including Interpublic Chairman-CEO Michael Roth. He has since been dropped from the proceedings.

The original suit is proceeding, with oral arguments slated to begin next month. Ms. Noel still works at Interpublic.

10312: Dumping Draftfcb Diversity Defender…?

George Parker at AdScam claims that Draftfcb CEO and President Laurence Boschetto is about to lose his job. MultiCultClassics had predicted the man would not be around long enough to realize his Draftfcb dream “that by 2014 we will be an organization that no longer uses the term ‘diversity and inclusion.’” If Parker’s rumor is true, who will continue the charge to create the Multicultural Mecca on Madison Avenue? Boschetto’s online bio includes, “In and out of the workplace he has become a passionate supporter of diversity initiatives designed to provide equality and acceptance for all.” The “passionate supporter” part likely means he’s delegating diversity to Chief Diversity Officers and token HR executives. Although he did win an Advocate Award presented by GLAAD at the 2011 ADCOLOR® Awards. Fortunately, IPG Chairman and CEO Michael Roth has made diversity and inclusion a personal priority—so rest assured the 2014 deadline will be met. Set your calendars now.

Hey, if the organization truly is committed to progress, Boschetto should be replaced with a minority executive.

10132: Draftfcb Redefines Memorial Day.

Memorial Day Weekend 2012 commemorates special fallen service people—namely, the Draftfcb employees axed in response to the MillerCoors account shifts announced earlier this month. Razorfish might have also trimmed workers, as the beer maker fired the digital shop too.

The trade press has been oddly quiet about the scenario, perhaps deciding to stop publishing news on advertising bloodbaths. Agency Spy reported up to 40 people were cut, while AdScam declared at least 200 staffers were dumped. The AdScam numbers are probably more accurate. Losing a multi-brand beer account translates to lots of billings and bodies. Plus, Draftfcb is notorious for trickling pink slips, quietly letting employees go in small spurts over an extended period of time.

It’s bad news overall for the Chicago job market. New York-based Saatchi & Saatchi picked up the Miller Lite account, while a Chicago-based coalition of WPP shops will handle Coors. Agencies often avoid hiring former staffers from ex-AORs, so the newly unemployed will face a tough road ahead.

Add the MillerCoors departure to the SC Johnson dismissal of roughly a year ago, and it’s safe to say Draftfcb is reeling. Management shuffles can’t be helping matters or morale. Draftfcb Chairman Howard Draft’s dream of running a small shop may come true sooner than later.

The self-proclaimed Agency of the Future has a fuzzy future, mostly because it ultimately acts like a relic of the past. That is, Draftfcb features all the characteristics of a standard BDA—politics, egos, bureaucracies, silos, outdated processes, lumbering structures, contrived catchphrases and White men. The breakthrough model is a Model T. A New Brand Agency is an old brontosaurus. And accountability apparently does not apply to the powers that be.

Don’t forget that Draftfcb President and CEO Laurence Boschetto promised, “…by 2014 we will be an organization that no longer uses the term ‘diversity and inclusion.’ We are working tirelessly, from the C-suite to the intern ranks, to foster an atmosphere of inclusion, where everyone is empowered to reach great heights.” Um, by 2014 Draftfcb may no longer be an organization—period.

9931: Living Up To The Hype…?

If Draftfcb Global Chief Talent Officer Cindy Augustine makes good on Draftfcb President and CEO Laurence Boschetto’s multicultural manifesto, she’ll deserve to be named the Most Influential Black in Corporate America.

9854: Madison Avenue Manifesto…?

The New America series brought to you by Adweek, Draftfcb and the U.S. Census Bureau closed out February with a Black History Month perspective from Draftfcb President and CEO Laurence Boschetto titled, “Dignified Intolerance: Creating a diverse and inclusive world is not something that should be debated but embraced.” Following a lengthy gushing over Black women in American history, Boschetto dropped the gauntlet:

I recently proclaimed at Draftfcb that by 2014 we will be an organization that no longer uses the term “diversity and inclusion.” We are working tirelessly, from the C-suite to the intern ranks, to foster an atmosphere of inclusion, where everyone is empowered to reach great heights.

As an industry, we all need to embrace diversity and make sure inclusion becomes our rallying cry. A new generation is already recognizing that the “new mass” rejects outdated stereotypes regarding color, gender and sexual orientation. They are cross-cultural and cross-behavioral. Our industry needs to follow suit. It’s not just the right thing to do; it will also boost our bottom line. Companies that don’t mirror the dramatic shifts in our population simply will not survive.

To my fellow CEOs and C-suite executives, change starts with us. We must work together to start a joint uprising that will not tolerate discrimination and exclusion. We must lead by example and mentor our future leaders, instilling in them the knowledge that they should pursue paths they might have thought closed to them. We must tirelessly practice what we preach and prove to the marketplace that we are current, relevant and represent the diverse constituents in the New America we are trying to influence.

That is my stake in the ground. Please add your stakes to mine. Let’s get this movement rolling. It would be an achievement that might just prove to matter most.

In some ways, it’s easy for Boschetto to make such a bold statement, as his agency—or at least his role as Draftfcb President and CEO—will probably be gone by 2014.

But seriously, is it sane for the man to claim his agency will achieve within two years what the industry has failed to accomplish in over 70 years—especially when his own company has demonstrated an absolute inability to simply stop producing offensive and culturally clueless advertising? Boschetto also hollered Draftfcb was “The Agency of the Future” a few years ago, and the world is still waiting for that label to be realized.

Give Boschetto credit for making perhaps the most revolutionary declaration on diversity by a White man in the industry. Too bad that few people will have read his words, as the perspective only appeared in a self-promotional section of a third-rate trade publication. The majority of Madison Avenue leaders can just admit they never got a copy of the memo-manifesto.

9317: ADCOLOR® Agency Diversity Ads.

MultiCultClassics doesn’t regularly read the print edition of Adweek anymore, and missed the agency advertisements commemorating the latest ADCOLOR® soiree. As a result, the images below were lifted from copyranter, who was actually quite generous in his appraisal of the work. Perhaps he graded the stuff on a bell curve. Anyway, here are MultiCultClassics’ one-liner reactions.


This TBWA ad is all just a bunch of fuckingshitcontriveddamnhackneyedcocksuckingclichédasslickingcrap.


What?! Draftfcb CEO Laurence Boschetto is a Bostonian?!!!


Called this one in 2009.


Wonder if BBH bought a table at the gala diversity event and left it unattended.

9264: Firing And Hiring At Draftfcb Chicago.

Labor Day News: Draftfcb in Chicago was fired by longtime client SC Johnson, and subsequently axed at least 100 employees. Yet the Agency of the Future is still recruiting for fresh candidates via TalentZoo and other job sites. After dumping workers into the Windy City streets, Draftfcb President-CEO Laurence Boschetto declared, “We consider ourselves a ‘human organization,’ one that deeply cares for the well-being of all our employees, even those for whom we don’t currently have a place in our company. That is why we wanted to help as many of them as possible get jobs within the industry. This will hopefully result in an easier transition for them and for the SC Johnson business. We realize that providing such assistance on the heels of a long, arduous review is certainly not typical, but it underscores why our Chicago agency has been named one of the best places to work in the city and state 15 times over the past five years.” Right. Wonder if the ‘human organization’ is spending as much time helping the terminated as they are seeking newbies to join one of the best places to work in the city and state.