17405: On YABs, YACs, YAPs, YUCK.

 

Advertising Age and PR Newswire spotlighted YABs, YACs, and YAPs—Youth Advisory Boards, Youth Advisory Councils, and Youth Advisory Panels—which are described as follows:

 

Youth advisory panels (YAPs) are groups of Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers (e.g., SuperHeroes’ 80-member panel) employed by advertising agencies to provide direct, authentic insights for marketing strategies, creative development, and client pitches. These panels help brands connect with younger demographics by providing feedback, producing content, and identifying emerging trends. They are increasingly used to ensure authentic youth engagement, particularly in social media and brand strategy.

 

Based on the images above and below, YABs, YACs, and YAPs appear to be consultants of color.

 

White advertising agencies routinely appoint committees for cultural appropriation and approval, a storied tradition of delegating diversity started by tapping mailroom staff, cafeteria workers, security personnel, custodial services, and elevator attendants.

 

In recent years, White ad agencies have used such schemes to win pitches and prizes.

 

Seems like a slick workaround to conceal diminishing employment opportunities for entry-level youth in Adland.

 

Do YABs, YACs, and YAPs experience forms of Prime Redlining and crumbs compensation?

 

Probably YES.

 

YIPPEE-KI-YAY.

17302: One Big Beautiful Recruitment Campaign For ICE…?

MediaPost reported ICE will run a $100 million recruitment campaign in the next year.

 

Looks like President Donald J. Trump is out to repeat as White Man Of The Year 2026.

 

ICE Plans $100M Recruitment Campaign

 

By Tanya Gazdik

 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are planning to spend $100 million over the next year on recruitment. 

 

“A strategy document shared among immigration officials details plans to use influencers and geo-targeted ads to supercharge their push to hire thousands of deportation officers nationwide,” according to an internal document reviewed by The Washington Post. “The spending would help President Donald Trump’s mass-deportation agenda dominate media networks and recruitment channels, including through ads targeting people who have attended UFC fights, listened to patriotic podcasts or shown an interest in guns and tactical gear, according to a 30-page document distributed among officials in this summer detailing ICE’s ‘surge hiring marketing strategy.’”

 

The 30-page strategy “calls for ICE to ‘flood the market’ with recruitment messaging across platforms ranging from Snapchat to conservative-friendly video services like Rumble, while also leaning on an ad-industry tactic known as ‘geofencing’—pushing ads to phones that pass through designated locations,” notes The Daily Beast. “The targeted zones include military bases, NASCAR races, college campuses, and gun and trade shows, the outlet says.”

 

The aggressive recruitment campaign is at a scale never seen before. It is being promoted on social media with calls for recruits willing to perform their “sacred duty” and “defend the homeland” by repelling “foreign invaders.” ICE is working with People Who Think, a Louisiana-based creative agency, which received the contract in August.

 

“The agency is reportedly signing on nearly 10,000 new agents in an effort to meet the demands of President Trump's immigration agenda,” according to PBS. “But some critics are concerned about the recruitment tactics and changes ICE has made to hiring and training standards.”

 

The new hires would more than double the number of deportation officers, from roughly 6,000 to 16,000.

 

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in July included almost $75 billion extra for ICE, making it the highest funded law enforcement agency in the U.S. government, outstripping the FBI, notes PBS. 

 

“DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin called the recruitment campaign ‘wildly successful’ and ‘under budget and ahead of schedule,’” according to The Latin Times. “She went on to say that ICE has received more than 220,000 job applications in five months and made over 18,000 tentative job offers. More than 85% of new hires had experience in law enforcement, McLaughlin added.”

 

The agency has removed age limits for applicants and has offered signing bonuses of up to $50,000.

17177: Bordering On Bullshit.

 

President Donald J. Trump and his political cronies banned DEIBA+ hiring, yet this U.S. Border Patrol promotional message sure looks like minority recruitment advertising. Applicants appear to have an equal opportunity to “Earn The Badge”…

 

Is the administration breaking the laws it enacted?

17144: Chilling Thoughts On ICE Recruitment Campaigns.

 

USA TODAY reported ICE is recruiting agents with extensive advertising campaigns.

 

The marketing maneuvers pose dizzying issues, dilemmas, and dark comedy.

 

For starters, candidates might ideally be required to have bilingual skills, presenting DEIBA+ recruitment opportunities. However, President Donald J. Trump’s administration instituted measures to ban such targeted practices. On the flipside, it’s unlikely minorities would be eager to apply for ICE jobs.

 

Are the campaigns being handled by a White advertising agency? Per the previously mentioned political mandates, it’s safe to say minority advertising agencies are effectively banned from offering services. Then again, Latino advertising agencies have already demonstrated countering responses to ICE operations. But at least such shops won’t experience Prime Redlining.

 

To summarize, the ICE campaigns will probably be produced by an exclusively White advertising agency—ultimately creating an exclusively White ICE force.

 

It all presents more reasons to believe ICE is not cool.

 

ICE is recruiting agents with incentives, massive ad campaigns. Sheriffs aren’t happy.

 

ICE just made it more attractive to become an immigration agent, with a $50k signing bonus. But are they hurting local law enforcement in the process?

 

By Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY

 

Get ready for ICE to flood your social media feeds.

 

Dangling bonuses of up to $50,000, federal officials are launching a massive recruitment campaign to hire more than 14,000 immigration agents, attorneys and other workers to help execute President Donald Trump’s border crackdown. The president is newly flush with billions in funding and wants to deport 1 million people annually with the help of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

 

“America needs you,” reads one of the ICE recruiting ads, featuring a finger-pointing Uncle Sam, evoking WWI recruiting posters. “America has been invaded by criminals and predators. We need YOU to get them out.”

 

The federal spending plan funds the hiring of 10,000 new ICE agents, making ICE the single-largest law enforcement agency in the country, larger than the FBI, DEA, ATF and other agencies combined. For comparison, the FBI only has about 13,700 special agents, according to the Department of Justice.

 

Even before the new hires take their posts, the dramatic expansion of public ICE operations has upset communities from coast to coast, and raised questions about the tactics agents have used as they’ve chased suspects across Home Depot parking lots, farm fields and into medical buildings.

 

The aggressive recruitment efforts have also angered local sheriffs worried that deputies in already understaffed offices will be lured away by the big bonuses and higher pay.

 

“It is tone deaf and reflects a total lack of judgment and character on their part,” Jonathan Thompson, the executive director and CEO of the National Sheriff’s Association, said of a recruiting offer emailed to local deputies nationwide. “This is either galactically stupid or purposefully malicious. You’re just robbing Peter to pay Paul. And in this case, you’re robbing the poorest of Peter to pay the richest of Paul.”

 

Massive media blitz, incentives and job offers

 

Bolstered by new staffing, federal officials have promised to further flood Democrat-run cities with deportation officers in response to a lack of cooperation in executing Trump’s get-tough approach that has targeted undocumented immigrations with or without criminal records.

 

The Department of Homeland Security has already begun hiring for the new jobs. Federal officials are planning a massive social media blitz to reach recruits, potentially advertising on YouTube and SnapChat, but also on connected TVs via Hulu and Amazon Prime.

 

In addition to the signing bonuses, ICE is offering up to $60,000 in student loan forgiveness, although applicants don’t need to have college degrees to be considered for some of the jobs.

 

ICE officials on July 31 announced they’ve made 1,000 job offers since Trump signed the funding law. Among those receiving job offers are retired ICE agents who quit during the Biden administration, said acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons in a statement.

 

“They couldn’t do the jobs they signed up to do,” Lyons said. “Now, people are lining up to work with us because they know our officers and agents are allowed to enforce immigration law fairly and across the board, and that’s a cause people really believe in.”

 

Applicants ‘should expect a certain level of risk’

 

White House officials say there’s been an 830% increase in assaults against agents through July 14th, compared with the same period last year, and the recruiting materials say applicants “should expect a certain level of risk,” but that they will be trained to take “every precaution” in remaining safe.

 

How quickly ICE can bring aboard the new employees remains uncertain. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has long struggled to hire Border Patrol agents, who typically take more than 300 days to bring aboard, according to a 2024 GAO study.

 

Joe Gamaldi, the national vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police union, said he suspects ICE will face the same recruiting challenges as local departments. He said years of demonizing law enforcement by some politicians, activists and media has created a “toxic cocktail” that will make hiring challenging.

 

“Truth be told, all police agencies are competing for a small pool of people who are still willing to serve and literally die for their communities,” he said. “Bonuses and better pay will help, but ultimately police officers, and those interested in police work, want to serve for an agency and communities that appreciate them and don’t treat them like scum.”

 

Local sheriffs furious about ICE recruitment efforts

 

The aggressive hiring efforts have frustrated local law enforcement leaders who worry their officers will flock to better-paying federal jobs. Without telling local sheriffs in advance, ICE officials directly emailed recruitment offers to hundreds of deputies across the country.

 

Thompson, of the National Sheriff’s Association, said sheriffs feel betrayed by the move. Thompson said sheriffs agreed to send deputies to special immigration enforcement training designed for local police, only to then have ICE try to simply poach them away.

 

“It’s become a wildfire of discontent, and not how partners treat partners,” he said. “This is an embarrassment to this president, and it’s sad.”

 

Thompson said some sheriff’s offices currently have vacancies of 40% and predicted the ICE hiring spree could further winnow the ranks of local law enforcement.

 

Other policing experts have raised concerns about the risks of hiring so quickly.

 

National-security expert and commentator Garrett Graf, who investigated Border Patrol hiring surges after 9/11, said in a Substack post that ICE risks a surge of applications from Americans “specifically attracted by the rough-em-up, masked secret police tactics, no-holds-barred lawlessness that ICE has pursued since January.”

 

Graff added: “If you’re excited to dress up like you’re taking Fallujah for a raid of hard-working roofers in the Home Depot parking lot, working for ICE or CBP shouldn’t be for you.”

17084: RIP Governmental Recruitment Advertising.

 

The anti-DEIBA+ executive order signed by President Donald J. Trump effectively eliminates the advertising depicted here—and impacts the non-White advertising agencies historically charged with executing such recruitment promotions.

 

Given the shops producing DEIBA+ recruitment advertising receive crumbs as compensation, the loss might seem insignificant. Yet when an enterprise is dependent on crumbs—just as White advertising agencies are dependent on client cash—any reduction is, well, crumby.

 

Nixing DEIBA+ recruiting adversely affects fair representation in the workforce and revenue for non-White firms—a double whammy for the underrepresented.

 

In the end, the scheme creates a powerful campaign for systemic racism.

17029: Skeletons & Ghosts.

 

Headhunters dissing headhunters sets a new standard for hypocrisy. Also, a ghost would have made a better visual metaphor than a skeleton.

16986: Ordering The End Of Government Recruitment Advertising…?

 

On January 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order titled: Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.

 

How exactly does the executive order impact recruitment advertisements like the ones depicted here—as well as multicultural marketing agencies tasked with producing such messages?

 

It could mark the end of crummy ads and crumbs.

16794: Workout For The Out-Of-Work.

UPS is offering an opportunity to work out and get paid…? Does the interview process include strength tests and endurance exercises?

16787: What To Expect When Job Hunting Online.

 

The actual LinkedIn Jobs post depicted above should be revised to reflect reality as depicted below.

 

16784: Systematic Systemic Racism From VML.

 

Take a close look at this actual LinkedIn job listing from White advertising agency VML—it exposes all that is wrong with hiring practices in Adland.

 

The post appears to be a raw template, literally including phrases such as:

 

*Insert Intro paragraph about the role*

 

(PLACEHOLDER)

 

Top 3–5 attributes on scorecard go here

 

First, the job listing underscores that agency talent recruiters are stupid, lazy, or useless—and they’re often all three. In these times of AI, it’s a wonder such roles aren’t replaced by automated technology. It would be so fitting for Artificial Intelligence to handle Artificial Inclusivity.

 

Second, the base salary range is indicated as $60,000–$140,000. That’s quite expansive, and final pay offers—in terms of receiving crumbs versus cold cash—are undoubtedly tiered based on candidates’ gender, race, and ethnicity.

 

Third, the scenario feels like a deceptive stunt routinely executed by White advertising agencies. Specifically, firms will post job listings when no real jobs exist in order to satisfy faux DEIBA+ goals; ie, VML can now report to watchdog entities (eg, the EEOC) that they’ve opened opportunities to applicants of color.

 

Fourth, it’s most outrageous how VML engages in sneaky and systemically racist tactics—aka box-checking bullshit—while positioning itself as pioneering and culturally competent. The pathetic practices are performative, not progressive.

 

Finally, that 38 people applied for the fuzzy position presents a sad statement on the employment situation in Adland—even sadder if the job seekers include minorities.

16715: Recruitment & Retirement.

 

Job Leads is diversifying, now offering its services to Old White Guys…?

16703: Tearing Into Tear The Paper Ceiling.

 

Continue to be annoyed by the hypocrisy of the Tear The Paper Ceiling campaign. Sure, the endeavor is positive, praise-worthy, and progressive. But are the high-paid executives at the Ad Council and White advertising agency behind the concept hiring degree-free people of color?

 

There’s probably no ceiling to the stacks of paper being collected by the culturally clueless creators—while the depicted job seekers receive crumbs.

 

16672: Amazing Exclusivity.

 

Job Leads says 80% of jobs aren’t advertised. How does that figure apply to Adland, where candidates of color aren’t allowed into—or even aware of—the metaphorical maze?

16644: More Jobs, More Systemic Racism.

Job Leads is promoting, “More Jobs, More Opportunities!” The service even offers access to a hidden market with exclusive positions. Based on the images in the advertisement, the jobs and opportunities are mostly for White men.

16609: Women At Work.

 

JobLeads declares to White women, “Headhunters Are Looking For You.” Must be recruiting for exclusive opportunities in Adland.

16587: Job Hunters, Beware Of Headhunters.

 

Headhunters are looking for Graphic Designers too—apparently with the same White male requirements as Creative Directors. And why connect with thousands of headhunters who will probably ghost candidates en masse?

 

Also, isn’t “headhunters” an outdated term?

16213: Backstage At Backstage.

 

Backstage appears to be oh-so-progressive with its diverse depictions of creative talent. Yet the company’s leadership shows a different scene—right down to including a White dog. All of which makes the promotional propaganda feel, well, performative.

 

16208: A Recruitment Video For The Ages…?

Branding In Asia and other trade sources reported on a video produced by the Federation Against Ageism Towards Ad Creatives (FAAAC) and directed by Kiran Koshy, the author of a recent rant on ageism in Adland published at Advertising Age.

 

Gee, there’s an anti-ageism federation for the industry—yet no anti-racist coalition in sight.

 

Regarding the silly video, its director declared, “Every line is rooted in the truth, and it’s a dark piece because the truth is dark, and we should all be outraged.”

 

Okay, but wanna know what’s not dark? The exclusively White advertising industry. Very few Old White Guys and Gals appear to be outraged about that historical truth.

 

Addressing Ageism in the Ad World – ‘The Last March of an Ad Creative’

 

“We worked on making sure the script didn’t rely on hyperbole as the truth was shocking enough and just needed to be told well.”

 

By Bobby McGill

 

Kiran Koshy of broadcasting & media production company Raucous Content has directed a new film in collaboration with the Federation Against Ageism Towards Ad Creatives (FAAAC), highlighting the Anti-Ageism Movement in the advertising space.

 

The dark yet comedic film exposes “the truth of ageism within creative departments,” with a Koshy and agency creatives teaming up to tackle an issue that hits close to home through the creation of the 2-minute and 30-second film that examines what it means to have a creative career in advertising today.

 

Koshy said the film was released with the intention to call attention to a worthy problem plaguing the industry.

 

“As a former agency creative, I’m very aware of this issue, and it’s something I care about deeply as most of my friends are still agency creatives,” said Koshy.

 

“I really gravitated towards the idea the FAAAC team had about creating the most honest recruitment ad for the ad industry ever, to expose the guts of the problem. We worked on making sure the script didn’t rely on hyperbole as the truth was shocking enough and just needed to be told well.”

 

Koshy adds that “Every line is rooted in the truth, and it’s a dark piece because the truth is dark, and we should all be outraged. However, we did balance it with deliberate humor to make for a more engaging piece.”

 

According to its website, the FAAAC was founded “to speak the truth about ageism towards creative people in advertising, build awareness about the problem—especially amongst those considering it as a career—and work on solutions to remedy it.” They add that “the industry owes creative people careers that last long enough to be considered a career.”

 

Koshy said: “I’ve seen a lot of my incredibly talented friends be discarded by the industry in their prime, and I’ve seen how it’s affected their mental well-being and family life.”

 

“Almost everyone in their 40s questions if they made the right choice in getting into the business and the industry has quite consciously promoted the myth that younger people are more creative because it lets them lower salaries and squeeze margins.”

 

The entire crew, and post, including Charlie Uniform Tango and Nice Shoes, donated time and resources to make the film. “It’s something they all believed in,” said Koshy.