10672: Delayed WTF 54—TRG 2.0 2023.

 

MultiCultClassics is often occupied with real work. As a result, a handful of events occur without the expected blog commentary. This limited series—Delayed WTF—seeks to make belated amends for the absence of malice.

 

A recent social media post from TRG celebrated the White advertising agency winning an AAF District 10 2023 Mosaic Award. What’s more, the honor saluted Workforce Inclusion.

 

Wow, it looks like the erasure of Stan Richards continues. The place has even moved into a different office space and embraced a fresh kumbaya spirit. And now there’s a shiny new trophy for the awards case. Forget that the workforce inclusion was fueled by the founder’s forceful exclusion.

 

A “stan richards” Google search identifies the old man as an author, so the information technology platform is purging and revising his history too.

 

BTW, would Richards think a Mosaic Award was too Black?

 

To keep things in perspective, simply review the “competition” in AAF District 10. Lots of honors went to GSD&M—those wonderful folks who gave you Annie the Chicken Queen. Nuff said. Other victors included Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University, institutions that probably edged out the Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations. Better luck next year.

 

15290: The One Club Drops The F Bomb—aka Fusion Awards.

 

The One Club published a typo-riddled press release announcing the creation of a new awards category—featuring the Fusion Pencil and Fusion Cube—that “extends its decades-long commitment to diversity and inclusion.” There should be quite a few “alleged” qualifiers throughout the statement.

 

The F trophies will salute work “that best incorporates underrepresented groups in both creative content and the team that made it.” It’s probably safe to presume the jurors will also integrate underrepresented groups. Which translates to non-Whites in the advertising industry—and The One Club.

 

Is this really any different than ADCOLOR®, Mosaic Awards or CEBA Awards? Perpetuating segregation does not feel like progress.

 

A true revolutionary breakthrough would be to place similar standards and criteria on all of the baubles doled out by The One Club. Better yet, rescind the pencils given to White advertising agencies that have faked an inclusive spirit with an exclusive workforce. Although such a move would call out the hypocrisy of many of The One Club’s corporate members. Oops.

 

Oh, and don’t ignore the coincidental irony of The One Club inventing a Fusion Pencil to embrace equality while rival D&AD’s most prestigious honor is the Black Pencil.

 

The One Club Brings Diversity to Awards With The One Show Fusion Pencil and ADC Fusion Cube

 

The One Club

 

Jan 25, 2021

 

NEW YORK, January 25, 2021 — The One Club for Creativity extends its decades-long commitment to diversity and inclusion with the launch of The One Show Fusion Pencil and ADC Fusion Cube, the advertising and design industry’s first global initiatives to recognize great work that best incorporates underrepresented groups in both creative content and the team that made it.

 

With the goal of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in both agency/production company staffing and creative work, the new Fusion awards will identify and celebrate great work which also demonstrates how underrepresented groups and DEI issues are utilized both “behind the scenes” -- hiring diverse staff, ensuring equal opportunity, pay and treatment -- and in the creative work itself, as expressed through casting, language, script and narrative.

 

The Fusion awards have three criteria:

 

• The work must first meet The One Show standards for excellence in creativity of ideas and quality of execution, or the ADC Annual Awards focus on brilliance in craft, design and innovation.

 

• Entrants must disclose what percentage of the agency and production company teams directly involved in this work are part of underrepresented groups — including women, racial or ethnic groups, LGBTQ+, and people with cognitive or physical disabilities — and how they implement DEI principles when putting the team together;

 

• How the work itself addresses factors including racial and ethnic diversity, gender diversity, ageism, cognitive or physical abilities, positive body image and sexual orientation through casting, language, script and narrative.

 

“Advertising that features racial diversity in front of the camera but not behind the camera is neither cool nor creative,” said Jimmy Smith, chairman/CEO/CCO at Amusement Park Entertainment, Los Angeles and One Club Board member. “The Fusion Pencil and Cube hope to point the way to a better and brighter future. Let’s get it!”

 

“As a woman of color, I recognize the dramatic impact lack of representation has on individuals and communities,” added One Club Board member Sherina Florence, group creative director, 72andSunny, Los Angeles. “Representation influences how people see themselves, how they translate the opportunities that exist, or in some cases, the opportunities that don’t. The Fusion awards will encourage a more equitable industry and are a step towards redefining standards that have gone unchallenged for much too long.”

 

One Club Board member Keith Cartwright, president, chief creative officer at Cartwright, Los Angeles said “I’m incredibly excited that we’re creating awards that recognize not just the work advancing diversity and inclusion, but also the diverse people who make it.”

 

The name Fusion was selected because it represents the act of blending two or more distinct voices, cultures or perspectives to create a unified message, and a stronger new element resulting from the combination.

 

Dedicated Fusion juries for both The One Show and ADC Annual Awards will be announced shortly.

 

Once considered a long-term business goal, DEI has become an important, proven core strategy for many of today’s successful businesses and organizations. Studies show when a business makes DEI a priority, every facet of the organization benefits, including the bottom line.

 

The new awards also encourage brands to use this criteria as a framework for making their own marketing more diverse. They can serve as a global benchmark, representing a new way for brands to demand accountability from their agencies and partners for providing greater diversity in their work and creative teams.

 

“The industry has a glaring diversity problem, and this initiative is the first one to recognize those who are leading the way and motivate everyone else to get better at it,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club. “The Fusion Pencil and Cube will not be easy to win, the judging criteria is a high bar that many agencies won’t be able to reach today. But it’s critical that the industry improve its level of diversity in both the work and the teams who create it, and we’ve taken action to drive that change.”

 

That push is possible due to The One Club’s extraordinary global reach. The One Show and ADC Annual Awards are among the top tier of leading international awards programs for all forms of advertising and design, and annually receive upwards of a combined 27,000 pieces of work entered from over 70 countries.

 

Entries to The One Show 2021 and historic ADC 100th Annual Awards can be submitted now, with fees increasing after each deadline period. Regular deadlines for both shows are March 12, 2021, extended deadlines are March 19, 2021, and final deadlines are March 26, 2021. Judging will take place online. No physical entries will be accepted this year, eliminating shipping costs for entrants.

 

The new Fusion Pencil and Cube are the latest example of The One Club’s ongoing global nonprofit commitment to pushing diversity and inclusion forward in advertising and design.

 

The effort began more than a decade ago when the organization started its annual Where Are All The Black People diversity conference and career fair, and continued with its global Creative Boot Camps and mentorship programs for diverse college students and other young creatives.

 

Last year, the club launched ONE School, a groundbreaking free portfolio program for Black creatives, and 2nd Skill, which helps address the industry’s ageism problem by providing traditionally-formed creatives with unique UX, UI and Content Strategy training to help them in their second creative career.

 

Unlike for-profit awards shows such as Cannes and others, The One Club is a non-profit organization that puts revenue generated from awards entries back into the industry in the form of programs under its four pillars: Education, Inclusion & Diversity, Gender Equality and Professional Development.

 

The One Club for Creativity, producer of The One Show, ADC Annual Awards and Creative Week, is the world's foremost non-profit organization whose mission is to support and celebrate the success of the global creative community. The One Show is a top global awards show for advertising, design and digital marketing, focusing on the creativity of ideas and quality of execution. The global ADC Annual Awards honors creative excellence in craft, design and innovation across all disciplines. Creative Week takes place in New York every May, and is the preeminent festival celebrating the intersection of advertising and the arts.

15127: Clio Awards Salutes Colored Awards. Sort Of.

 

 

 

Oh, look! There’s a new collection at Ads of the World—ADCOLOR^®: Ad of the Year Nominees and Winners. Whoop dee damn doo. It’s unclear why an awards show is spotlighting an awards show. Not surprisingly, most of the entries came from White advertising agencies. Also peculiar is the hype that claims the organization “is the largest, most recognized cross-discipline diversity and inclusion initiative for creative industries…” Really? ADCOLOR^® is bigger than MAIP or Mosaic?

 

13153: WTF AAF.

The AAF boasts a commitment to diversity via smokescreens like The Mosaic Awards, the Most Promising Multicultural Students Program and clichéd stock photography on its website. Yet the organization shows its true colors by honoring All-White inductees for the 2016 Advertising Hall of Fame. And now comes a press release announcing four new members to the AAF’s Board of Directors—and the quartet appears to be another All-White extravaganza. Brilliant.

Leaders from PepsiCo, Quantcast, The New York Times, ICM Partners Join the AAF’s Board of Directors

Seth Kaufman, Jonathan Perelman, Marcus Harper and Lisa Ryan Howard join the National AAF’s leadership.

NEW YORK, NY, Apr. 11, 2016—The American Advertising Federation (AAF) announced the election of four new members to its Board of Directors earlier today. The announcement was made in conjunction with one of the industry’s most prestigious events, the Advertising Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and gala dinner, which is being held at the Waldorf Astoria New York.

The AAF elected four new leaders to its Board of Directors. Marcus Harper, Head of Global Partnerships, Quantcast; Lisa Ryan Howard, Senior Vice President, Advertising, The New York Times; Seth Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer, PepsiCo North America Beverages; and Jonathan Perelman, Head of Digital Ventures, ICM Partners join the AAF’s National Board.

The AAF’s Board of Directors guides and oversees the Federation’s signature events and initiatives, including the Advertising Hall of Fame, Advertising Hall of Achievement, Mosaic Center for Multiculturalism, National Student Advertising Competition, ADMERICA and the Institute for Advertising Ethics—all serving the Federation’s 40,000 professional members nationwide, 5,000 student members and more than 100 corporate members spanning media, clients and agencies.

“This is an amazing slate of industry leaders joining our Board, representing all parts of the advertising ecosystem and from different facets of our Membership,” said AAF President & CEO, James Edmund Datri. “I look forward to working with them and the entire AAF Board to continue to grow and innovate the Federation in the years ahead in exciting new ways.”

The AAF’s Board of Directors includes leaders from the most well-known and well-respected brands, media companies and agencies spearheading the advertising industry. These members support the AAF’s initiatives through partnerships, speaking engagements and thought leadership. The four new members join a Board led by Chairman Jim Norton, Global Head of Media Sales, AOL; Vice Chairman David Messinger, Co-Head, CAA Marketing, Creative Artists Agency; and Immediate Past Chairman Rich Stoddart, CEO, Leo Burnett Worldwide. During their tenure with the AAF, these leaders shape the AAF’s daily business, expansion efforts and innovation.

For more information about the AAF’s Board of Directors and partnership opportunities, please visit www.aaf.org or contact Linda Moore via email or by phone at (202) 898-0089.

11450: Advertising Week Peek 2.

On September 25, it seems like Advertising Week 2013 will take a short break from feigning interest for people of color, as only the annual AAF Mosaic Forum and Diversity Achievement and Mosaic Awards are slated to happen. This year’s Mosaic Forum is hyped as follows:

The American Advertising Federation would like to invite you to the 2013 Mosaic Forum “Get Inspired: Turning Diversity Tension Into Creative Gold.” The forum will be a 90-minute discussion featuring risk-taking organizations that have learned to embrace diversity tension (the good, bad, ugly and beautiful) and their resulting innovations.

It must be noted that the five participating organizations include Leo Burnett and Razorfish. Perhaps the two representatives from the Publicis-owned companies will focus on the bad and ugly. They certainly have few to no positive achievements to brag about.

Speaking of having few to no positive achievements, Omnicom CEO John Wren is scheduled to pick up his Pioneer of Diversity trophy at the Diversity Achievement and Mosaic Awards. Anyone capable of explaining this tribute deserves an honorary Mosaic Award—or an Oscar for outstanding acting.

11304: John Wren—Pioneer Of Diversity…?

The 2013 AAF Diversity Achievement and Mosaic Awards & Forum named Omnicom President-CEO John Wren a Pioneer of Diversity. It’s not clear what criteria was used to justify the honor. Wren has consistently delegated diversity via stereotypical solutions like launching a Diversity Development Advisory Committee, hiring a Chief Diversity Officer, sponsoring ADCOLOR® and approving obligatory contributions to minority scholarships, minority internships and minority youth outreach programs. Additionally, Omnicom originally balked at dealing with the New York City Commission on Human Rights back in 2006. Wren later ordered his agencies to come into compliance with the diversity agreements by the end of 2008. Didn’t happen. Of course, Wren has mastered the fine art of Corporate Cultural Collusion—and he even created a minority advertising agency in order to win multicultural business from Nissan.

Yep, the guy’s a bona fide pioneer.

9382: The Diversity of Mosaic Awards.

The 2011 Diversity Achievement and Mosaic Awards inspired stereotypical congratulatory ads.


Nothing expresses sincere appreciation like a stock photography floral arrangement…


…except maybe a logo built from brand images.


Deutsch proclaimed, “Diverging Perspectives are a work of art”—with an image that is an ugly work of art.


Draftfcb produced a Black version of its ADCOLOR® Awards ad.

9323: AAF Checks And Balances.

The American Advertising Federation has scheduled its annual Diversity Achievement and Mosaic Awards & Forum for October 6, 2011. On November 2, 2011, the AAF will induct a predominately White group into the Advertising Hall of Achievement.

8487: Delayed WTF 12—What’s Being Done?

MultiCultClassics is often occupied with real work. As a result, a handful of events occur without the expected blog commentary. This limited series—Delayed WTF—seeks to make belated amends for the absence of malice.

The recent Advertising Age coverage on diversity-related topics featured a section spotlighting the efforts designed to foster industry inclusiveness. The initiatives essentially fall into three categories: minority youth outreach programs, segregated award shows and bullshit.

It’s worth noting that most of the efforts are barely five years old, despite the fact that the dearth of diversity on Madison Avenue has been publicly recognized since at least the 1950s.

Also worth noting is the lack of White participation. Yeah, some of the organizations might claim to have White people lending support, but it all appears to be more examples of delegating diversity. And, of course, there are no programs to reprogram Whites, whether through diversity training or electro-shock therapy.

A better headline for the Ad Age section might have been “WTF?”—or maybe “What’s Going On?”

8282: AAF HOF® WTF.

The American Advertising Federation is hyping the 62nd Advertising Hall of Fame® scheduled for March 30, 2011. The gala event features a lot of first-time elements.

For example, “the AAF will present for the first time ever the President’s Award for Special Lifetime Contributions to Advertising, an honor to be given to those whose primary career was not in advertising, but whose work has made enormous contributions to our industry. The inaugural recipient of the President’s Award is Bill Cosby.” Gee, it seems like the AAF is taking a page from the ADCOLOR® Awards by saluting a celebrity. BTW, it’s astonishing that Cosby has not won an ADCOLOR® Award, while Steve Stoute, Queen Latifah and Earvin “Magic” Johnson have.

The seven advertising legends slated for induction includes Earl G. Graves, Sr., Chairman, Founder and Publisher of Black Enterprise. Can’t wait to see the congratulatory ads that will likely run in the iconic magazine.

Another inductee is Eduardo Caballero, Founder of Caballero Radio and Television. Caballero’s induction will mark the first time that the Advertising Hall of Fame® has allowed a Latino to enter its exclusive ranks. Wow. Just wow. The organization behind the AAF Mosaic Center on Multiculturalism needed 62 years to find a worthy Latino? Couldn’t the AAF have at least handed an honorable trophy to the Frito Bandito?

The AAF’s current tagline reads: The Unifying Voice for Advertising. The unifiers still appear to speak primarily White.

8027: Does Madison Avenue Need AA Program?

Advertising Age managed to include a single diversity-related note in its coverage of last week’s Advertising Week.

On diversity: As Roy Eaton—former music director for Benton & Bowles—accepted an honor as a pioneer in diversity at the American Advertising Federation’s Mosaic awards, held at the New York Athletic Club, he noted the irony of where he was. Mr. Eaton was the first black man at a major agency to work on a general-market account and, in 1955 when he was hired as a copywriter and jingle composer for Young & Rubicam, he would not have been allowed to enter the club. In his view, the ad industry has made some progress, but should take a page from Alcoholic Anonymous’ 12-step program. “God, Give us the grace to accept the things we cannot change,” he said. “Courage to change the things we can—and yes, racism is one of them—and the wisdom to tell the difference.”

7115: When Racists Relax.

Read this Chicago Sun-Times editorial quickly, then peruse the brief MultiCultClassics commentary immediately following…

Racism debate takes focus off real issues

Jimmy Carter is probably on to something. “There’s an inherent feeling among many people in this country that an African American ought not to be the president,” the former president said last week.

That might help explain why Rep. Joe Wilson tried to shout the president down during his speech to Congress on health care. It might also help explain some of the scary vitriol aimed at Obama during the health-care debates this summer.

But that doesn’t mean we’re due for a national conversation on race.

Obama is keeping his focus where it belongs—on health-care reform.

Wading into the racism debate won’t get health-care reform through Congress. It won’t bridge the partisan divide. It will only distract us—as opponents would love to do—from hammering out a deal on one of the most important challenges of our time.

In the end, a successful Obama presidency—featuring bills to reform health care, stem global warming and improve schools—will do more to counter real racism than anything he or we or you might say now.

Obama loves his “teachable moments,” and he has used them well.

When the Rev. Jeremiah Wright surfaced during the presidential campaign, Obama was right to pause—against the advice of several top aides—to deliver a historic speech on race.

When Obama inelegantly stepped into the middle of a dispute between the Cambridge Police and Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., he was wise to invite both sides to the White House for a beer and a debriefing.

But this is not such a moment.

The charge of racism this time is too much in debate. President Carter holds one view. Plenty of reasonable people hold another.

And the risk of distraction is too high.

There’s something about this editorial that seems cowardly per Eric Holder’s contention. It doesn’t help that the bizarro times present a White President seeing racial bias while the Black President insists it’s not the cause of conflict. And why would it be so difficult to discuss race while also addressing the other issues of the moment?

This stall tactic is so typical on Madison Avenue too, where it’s been executed to perfection since at least the 1930s. As Advertising Week commences, it will be interesting to see how the patronizing prioritizing continues.

Given his political problems, it seems unlikely that New York City Councilman Larry Seabrook will make his annual appearance. Adweek recently published Sanford Moore’s accusations of apartheid, so the fiery activist might be quiet as well. Haven’t heard much from Cyrus Mehri lately either.

Let’s hope the celebrations don’t turn into a staged lovefest via the yearly AAF Mosaic Awards and probable support for the ADCOLOR® Coalition. The Advertising Week schedule includes a handful of events MultiCultClassics will attempt to spotlight in the days ahead—including a diversity soiree sponsored by Draftfcb. Um, Draftfcb hosting a diversity bash is like the KKK partying for Kwanzaa.

MultiCultClassics predicts industry leaders will seek to emphasize the importance of solving agency downsizings, countering reduced client billings and obsessing over the imperative for embracing digital.

As for diversity, well, the risk of distraction is too high.

Essay 4561

The Advertising Age interview with retiring AAF president-CEO Wally Snyder (see Essay 4556) warrants a few responses, particularly regarding the comments on multicultural marketing and diversity. First, let’s review the excerpt…

Ad Age: Over the course of your time at the AAF, what is your proudest achievement?

Mr. Snyder: The one thing I am most proud of is what we’ve accomplished in multicultural marketing and diversity. We started about 15 years ago when I think there wasn’t a real appreciation of the benefits of reaching different cultures in advertising. We have three programs that I think really stand out. The Most Promising Minority Students program, where we have brought talented students of color to the industry; over the last 12 years we’ve been doing the program, 70% of them are still in the business and making a contribution. Also, our Mosaic Awards have really recognized the companies and individuals that have contributed successfully in this area of multicultural marketing, so that’s a real accomplishment. And we put together a task force of leading clients like Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson. … [T]ogether over the years they came up with the multicultural guidelines for advertising.

Ad Age: How would you estimate the pace of progress when it comes to minority representation in the industry?

Mr. Snyder: The progress can be measured in the fact that first, clients understood the importance of multicultural advertising, but have moved beyond that to know how to effectively do that. The other progress is that in order to do it effectively, we’ve all learned that we [have] to surround ourselves with diversity, and I think there is a real effort now to hire minority professionals. Having said all that, I think we have a long way to go.

Snyder said, “We started about 15 years ago when I think there wasn’t a real appreciation of the benefits of reaching different cultures in advertising.” Wow. The leading multicultural advertising agencies launched in the 1970s and 1980s. Is Snyder implying these shops toiled for decades without being appreciated? Then again, it could be argued that minority shops continue to be unappreciated.

The Mosaic Awards, according to Snyder, have “really recognized the companies and individuals that have contributed successfully in this area of multicultural marketing.” Wonder how many non-minority adpeople have ever heard of these awards.

As for “the multicultural guidelines for advertising,” also known as the Mosaic Principles and Practical Guidelines, well, you be the judge. Click on the essay title above to download the document. The objectives and strategies make total sense. But is anyone following, enforcing or even acknowledging it all? The value of this minority manifesto is diminished if it remains a dream deferred and unread.

Snyder exhibits his experience as a lawyer and huckster in answering the second question. Everyone is welcome to try deciphering the statements. If the industry has made progress by recognizing “we’ve all learned that we [have] to surround ourselves with diversity,” why does the issue remain a major problem? The only time it’s seriously addressed is when Madison Avenue is faced with the threat of legal action from organizations like the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Snyder admits, “I think we have a long way to go.”

You think?

Essay 4526

From AdAge.com…

--------------------------

Making Strides in Diversifying the Workplace

Talk at AAF’s Mosaic Awards Shows a Cautious Optimism for Change in Ad Industry

By Megan Mcilroy

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Workplace diversity is a journey, not a destination, said the panelists at this year’s American Advertising Federation’s Diversity Achievement and Mosaic Awards.

“One of the key things about diversity is that it’s a progression,” said Constance Cannon Frazier, exec VP of the AAF’s Mosaic Center and Education Service. The AAF celebrated this year’s winners yesterday with two forums on diversity in the workplace and a luncheon in their honor, part of Advertising Week 2007.

In the morning panel, Rochelle Larkin Ford, associate professor of advertising and public relations at Howard University, presented preliminary findings on a diversity study underwritten by the Mosaic Center. The results, based on surveys and interviews with the AAF's most promising minority student honorees of 2007, advertising recruiters, human resources departments and C-suite executives from media and advertising companies and marketers, showed cautious optimism about diversity in the advertising industry.

While perceptions about inclusiveness and acceptance are changing, Ms. Ford found that a more holistic approach to is needed. She noted that while 87% of companies interviewed had diversity programs, only 12% were fully developed. The full results of the study will be released in February.

“We’re on the road, but we need to pay more attention,” Ms. Ford said.

This year’s winners, listed below, were honored at a luncheon later Wednesday afternoon.

Industry Career Achiever: Beatriz R. Perez, senior VP-integrated marketing Coca-Cola Co. North America
Industry Influential: Diego Scotti, VP-global advertising, American Express
Role Model: Madhu Malhan, minister of culture, Ogilvy
Trendsetter: Julius Pryor III, VP-global diversity, consumer and personal care group, Johnson & Johnson
Educator: Baruch College
Corporate Leader Agency: DDB Worldwide
Pioneers of Diversity: Tom Burrell, Founder, Burrell Communications Group, Earl Graves Sr., founder, chairman-CEO of Black Enterprise Magazine, John H. Johnson, founder Johnson Publishing Co.

Essay 4289

Diversity Achievement And Mosaic Awards 2007 is slated for September 26, during Advertising Week in New York City. The gala extravaganza includes the “Keys to Inclusion” forum. The advertisement above announces, “Diverse Minds Converge to Find the Key to Inclusion.” Yet the group depicted lacks robust representation from White adfolks. It’s tough to uncover the key to inclusion when everyone’s locked in traditional segregation and exclusivity.