17471: ADCOLOR Progresses While Adland Regresses.

 

Adweek reported ADCOLOR is celebrating its 20th anniversary while Adland is celebrating its never-ending commitment—and renewed dedication—to systemic racism.

 

Adding indifference to insult, Adweek couldn’t even bother to spell the organization’s name right—according to the website, ADCOLOR is all caps.

 

This year, ADCOLOR is revamping its program and pushing its annual awards soiree to 2027. Hard to guess if the changes are intentional or resulting from reduced White advertising agencies’ sponsorship. After all, the anti-DEIBA+ vibe impacting Adland—and corporations in general—diminishes any sense of obligation to support heat shields.

 

Additionally, the ADCOLOR website currently lists IPG/FCB as Community Group Partner. Did the Omnicom acquisition of IPG create redundancies affecting partnerships on a financial level?

 

ADCOLOR Founder Tiffany R. Warren’s mood has shifted from Pollyannaish to hopeful melancholy. Although Warren insists her dream of a more diverse creative field—especially at senior levels—has surpassed her original expectations, which indicates delusional thinking or low expectations. Probably a combination of both.

 

Regarding ADCOLOR Nation, the organization’s Vice President of Partnerships gushed, “This is a true community of people who believe in the mission in a way that they’re not just talking about it, they are acting on it.”

 

Okay, except Adland is acting too—that is, the few remaining DEIBA+ initiatives continue to be performative stunts.

 

Adcolor Marks 20 Years With a New Program for a Changed DEI Landscape

 

Year-round events, a new awards approach, and a 2027 conference are among the evolutions to this year’s program

 

By Hannah Bowler

 

As Adcolor celebrates its 20th anniversary, founder Tiffany R. Warren acknowledges there have been “setbacks” in the fight for representation across the industry. That’s why reaching its two-decade milestone is a moment worth celebrating.

 

The organization focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in advertising has unveiled an expanded slate of programming for 2026 that addresses the shifting landscape and evolving needs of its community. 

 

Since its launch two decades ago, Adcolor has built its community around an annual flagship conference and awards hosted in LA. Now, the organization is shifting to year-long event programming and making changes to its awards and mentorship initiatives.

 

“It can’t just be another year that we celebrate, particularly during these times when we have to remind not only our community, but the world how important and how beautiful it is to build and support a diverse community,” Warren said.

 

The activities will kick off at Adcolor’s annual networking event at Cannes Lions in June, followed by gatherings in New York in August and LA in October. The program will culminate with the Adcolor Awards and conference in LA in early 2027, pushed out from its usual early November date.

 

The format of the annual Adcolor Awards has also been updated. Instead of a traditional nomination process, winners will be selected by a jury of alumni. Warren positioned the shift as both a way to thank the community that has supported it over the past 20 years and to spotlight its own alumni. 

 

The nomination process will return in 2027. 

 

“We’re turning 20, and for a good 19 of the 20 years we have been going, going, going, and I’ve not realized how much of a milestone 20 years is,” Warren said. “We needed to take a step back and look at what we created and celebrate that in the way that it deserves.”

 

There will also be changes to the Adcolor Futures (early career) and Leaders (mid to senior-level career) programs. Instead of running within the main conference, both will have dedicated, immersive programming in LA in 2026. Applications for both are already open.

 

The goal is to create a more focused environment for mentorship, professional development, and community-building among the industry’s next generation of diverse leaders, Warren said.

 

Changing winds

 

When ADCOLOR was established in 2006, DEI conversations were “nascent,” Warren told ADWEEK. “Multiculturalism was growing, but it was still very unique, and you didn’t see it in various places within the industry. It was very much marginalized and siloed,” she said.

 

Reflecting on the current pull back on corporate DEI initiatives, Warren said the past two years have been “tough” but that her “dream” back in 2006 of a more diverse creative industry, particularly at senior level, has surpassed her expectations.

 

She said the current moment makes her “a little sad” because of the “swiftness of the change in temperature” of how people feel about “providing opportunities for underrepresented communities.” While she described her outlook as “melancholy,” she added that she has hope this moment is temporary. 

 

“I hope to look back and say that that was a moment in time and that joy returns again and support returns again,” she said.

 

For Adcolor’s part, Ana Leen, vice president of partnerships, said the community is only growing stronger. 

 

“What we’re seeing with these community groups is there is such a hunger to connect to learn from each other to support each other. The networks that the Adcolor community builds are really strong and supportive,” she said. 

 

People are also becoming more vulnerable, Leen added, pointing to individuals asking for help on LinkedIn amid layoffs and job uncertainty. “We are seeing people very willingly help out a stranger just because they’re part of this community,” she said. 

 

This sense of mutual support will sustain Adcolor through challenging periods, she said. 

 

“This is a true community of people who believe in the mission in a way that they’re not just talking about it, they are acting on it,” Leen added.

17329: Delayed WTF 65—On Blackweek Awards.

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.

 

Adweek reported Blackweek partnered with Cannes Lions to launch its first awards program, designed to “celebrate work that moves representation forward, both in the creative itself and the teams behind it.”

 

Blackweek, its founders, and operating crew deserve respect. Full stop.

 

Yet can’t help but feel the awards angle represents a concession of sorts.

 

It’s a common stunt in Adland to generate interest—and income—by introducing trophy contests. Adpeople love shiny hardware more than they love hip hop.

 

Is another non-White awards spectacle necessary? Aren’t matters covered—albeit in segregated, underrepresented style—by ADCOLOR®, ANA Multicultural and Inclusive Marketing Excellence Awards, and 4As MAIP Awards? Not to mention performative PR, pseudo philanthropical propaganda, and heat shields fabricated by prominent White awards sources.

 

Teaming up with Cannes Lions sorta compounds the outrageousness too.

 

Sorry to close on a cynical note, but here it is:

 

In Adland, you can’t beat the system. Or the systemic racism.

 

Blackweek and Cannes Lions Partner on Awards Centering Representation 

 

The awards program will debut at Blackweek 2026.

 

By Alison Weissbrot

 

Blackweek, an industry forum dedicated to advancing business by helping brands, creators, and innovators connect with culture, is launching its first awards program in partnership with Cannes Lions. 

 

Debuting at Blackweek 2026 next October, the awards, which are in the process of being WARC-certified, will celebrate work that moves representation forward, both in the creative itself and the teams behind it. 

 

Blackweek and Cannes plan to announce categories, submission timelines, and an official name for the awards in the coming weeks. Both agency and client teams are eligible to apply. 

 

While some categories will focus directly on representation, others will purely be about the work, Andre Gray, Blackweek founder and chief activation officer, head of culture and entertainment, Havas Lynx.

 

“We want to just be like, ‘This is the best work.’ That’s what we’re geeked about,” he said. 

 

The key difference between these and other industry awards, however, will be the diverse pool of jurors evaluating the work from their different backgrounds and perspectives.

 

“Being in those jury rooms where I have to argue for the cultural relevance, the cultural competency, the nuance—we need something that is going to have that type of integrity,” Gray said. “We’re creating jury rooms where you don’t have to educate.”

 

Cannes Lions will consult closely with Blackweek on the awards, lending its expertise, processes, judging criteria, and other aspects of its blueprint. Both parties are still working out financial and ownership details of the partnership. 

 

“We’re taking the equity, the integrity, and the trust that we have with the Black and Brown community and combining it with the best-in-class awards,” Gray said. “Our strategic partnership and endorsement from Cannes Lions is about soaking up their blueprint, not reinventing the wheel.”

 

In a statement, Simon Cook, CEO of Cannes Lions, added that the organization is “proud to support and endorse the Blackweek Awards, and glad to share our experience in shaping world-class benchmarks that drive economic and societal change.”

 

“The Blackweek Awards are a necessary and powerful evolution in how we celebrate creativity—one that ensures historically marginalized voices are not only heard but celebrated on a global stage,” he continued. 

 

A different starting point

 

The launch of the awards comes on the heels of another successful Blackweek, which drew 2,000 attendees to its annual forum in New York City from Oct. 6-9, which is up from 1,300 attendees at its inaugural event in 2024. According to Gray, Blackweek has grown more than 200% in sponsorship and ticket sales year-over-year. 

 

While Blackweek’s founders didn’t always plan to launch an awards program, the support from Cannes Lions will allow them to provide the rigor needed to create a credible new industry program, Gray said. 

 

“We want to give a Cannes Lions-level experience, but do it with the trust and integrity that we have in our community,” he added. 

 

For Cannes, the awards can help accelerate change more rapidly outside of its jury rooms, which “can only move forward so quickly,” Gray said.

 

“We need to create a different room of people, so that they can also look at work and say, ‘From our vantage point, this is the work that should be heralded.’”

 

Like Blackweek, the awards will focus on quality and start from the perspective of underrepresented groups “and their safety, recognition, and community,” instead of “starting de facto from the winners of history, which are white, male, cis, heterosexual,” Gray said. “When you come from a different place, your solutions are very different.”

 

They also aim to give diverse people recognition that can translate into cultural capital in an industry where there’s pressure to stand out while doing more with less. 

 

“The easiest way to get known for your work is to get recognized for your work,” Gray said. “Awards do so much for people. That’s the work that some young person is going to look at today or in 10 years, and say, ‘I need to be like that.’”

 

CORRECTION 10/15/25 at 10:25 am ET: A previous version of this article stated that Blackweek’s awards are WARC-certified. It has been updated to reflect that the awards are in the process of being WARC-certified.

17268: Regarding Redundancies, RIFs & Racism.

 

Much has been discussed on redundancies in the Omnicom acquisition of IPG, especially given the two White holding companies share many similarities regarding talent, services, practices, and property.

 

Yet it seems no one has examined addressing the DEIBA+ duplications.

 

The scheme combined one White holding company led by a Pioneer of Diversity with another White holding company regularly spewing gobbledygook about being “recognized for leadership in diversity and inclusion.”

 

Why, it’s a cornucopia of commitment to cultural competence via performative PR, heat shields, divertsity, and faux philanthropy.

 

So, how many Chief Diversity Officers and Human Heat Shields does one White holding company need? Will ERGs be downsized, eliminated, or blended? What about proprietary programs like ADCOLOR®? Or delegating drafting the global DEIBA+ dedication declaration?

 

DEIBA+ has historically been relegated well below pressing professional priorities. Right now, AI (Artificial Intelligence) trumps AI (Artificial Inclusivity).

 

Will the Omnicom-IPG scenario present an opportunity to make progress or maintain the status quo/systemic racism?

 

The current anti-DEIBA+ vibe in the industry hints at the answer. Don’t expect transparency, tactics, or truth in the execution. Accountability and integrity will be in short supply too.

16837: ADCOLOR® Dreamgirls Event One Night Only…?

 

ADCOLOR^® is “Turning Up The Volume In The Fight For DEI” at its annual soirée, which sports an “Off Mute” theme. The promotional hype includes:

 

In this fight for DEI,

we need everyone to get loud.

Raise hell. Make good noise.

Lift every voice.

Now’s our cue. Mic on.

We’re all going OFF MUTE.

 

The conference events will feature a first-ever confab starring every sitting advertising holding company Chief Diversity Officer—although the executives’ titles are far more diverse than the White advertising agencies they represent.

 

Given DEIBA+ initiatives in Adland are receiving diminishing interest, dwindling dedication, and divested diversity budgets, it could be the women’s last joint appearance.

 

If Kamala Harris had succeeded in her presidential quest, the girlfriend get-together would’ve sounded very different.

Instead, the election outcome might mean any ADCOLOR^®-sponsored joyous noise is a swan song.

16556: BHM 2024—ADCOLOR®.

For BHM 2024, ADCOLOR® managed to churn out two promotional social media posts. Maybe the awards show organization is also feeling diminishing interest for Black culture…?

 

16514: DEI Forecast Shows No Seasonal Or Sea Change In Adland.

 

Adweek’s Forecast for 2024 features videos with editors discussing trends and events in various industry categories.

 

DEI Forecast 2024—which rolls about 2.5 minutes—shows Community Editor Luz Corona claiming the following:

 

• “You have people in leadership roles who are really focused on an affirming diversity climate—an atmosphere where diversity is valued at a company. Our ADCOLOR^® Beacon honorees are a great example of lifting as they rise.” Or a great example of the last Human Heat Shields standing.

 

• “Updated terminology: Reframing the whole approach to targeting non-White audiences as an opportunity rather than a check-the-box exercise. The team at Worthi uses ‘underestimated audiences’ companywide.” Okay, but underestimated audiences continue to be undervalued, underserved, and underfunded.

 

• “Multi-hyphenate audiences coined by The Community—our Multicultural Agency of the Year—highlight the intersectionality of today’s world.” Multicrumbtual agencies always come up with new ways to say the same things.

 

• Corona also touched on the increased usage of Spanish and Spanglish in advertising and media. ¡Ay caramba!

 

• “Brands are finally starting to take note of the intersectionality in the industry and adjusting their messaging to connect with different audiences.” So long as the connections cost crumbs.

 

• “Breaking stigmas around neurodiversity: More and more marketers are opening up about being neurodivergent. How ADHD is a strong leadership asset and how to navigate workplace situations as someone with dyslexia. 2024 will bring on more openness and vulnerability that can help the next wave of young, neurodivergent marketers.” Of course, primary emphasis, empathy, and enthusiasm will be for the White neurodivergent.

 

The Net Takeaway: For DEI in Adland, 2024 will look like 1924. Expect more publishing performative PR, building heat shields, breaking promises and pledges, and fortifying systemic racism.

 

16457: Pseudo Revolutionary Reboots.

 

Adweek reported Antonio Lucio is returning to HP, reclaiming the CMO role and succeeding his successor.

 

Here are a few rewinding predictions:

 

• HP will have no recorded measurable progress in DEI initiatives since Lucio’s 2018 departure.

 

• The White advertising agency that Lucio partners with will have no recorded measurable progress in DEI initiatives.

 

• Lucio will take a performative stand with DEI demands for his White advertising agency—but will make no effort to enforce the demands.

 

• ADCOLOR^® will honor Lucio with a Comeback Human Heat Shield of the Year award.

16456: DE&I Has Dire Need For Responsibility.

 

The ADCOLOR^® State Of The Workplace Study made reference to yet another DEI acronym—DIRE, which stands for Diversity, Inclusion, Respect, and Equity.

 

In real-life context, companies draft DIRE policy statements to communicate faux commitment to progress. At most White advertising agencies, the letters could mean Deceptively Insincere Rhetorical Excrement.

 

The semi-clever term injects a performative sense of urgency, as well as a disingenuous challenge to counter the disrespect inherent with inequality and systemic racism.

 

For Adland, however, a better R-word might be Responsibility. That is, authentic dedication demands accountability. Firms barely view DEI as a business imperative—and steadfastly refuse to consider the moral and ethical implications. Yet resisting responsibility is a denial of reality.

 

As Spider-Man recognized, “With great power comes great responsibility.” The ruling majority in Adland has enjoyed its position of power forever. Regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, respect, belonging, or any other phrase in the lexicon, there has been an abject lack of responsibility.

 

With White power comes great irresponsibility.

 

16439: ADCOLOR® White Paper White Noise.

Stumbled across the ADCOLOR® State Of The Workplace Study, which warrants color commentary including:

 

• The downloadable pdf is titled, “White Paper Master.” Perfect.

 

• The “study” makes ample use of quotes from the Digiday confessions series. Anonymous rants—from a publisher who has openly expressed disdain and disinterest with Adland to boot—are hardly suitable sources for a credible exposition, no?

 

• The credited “Research and Management Team” behind the “study” is entirely comprised of women—and predominately women of color. So much for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

 

• Half of the “Research and Management Team” is from a single consultancy. While the consultants undoubtedly delivered professional services, it looks like ADCOLOR® delegated diversity documentation.

 

• The “study” seemingly regurgitates the same data, content, opinions, suggestions, and action plans that have been forwarded by every DE&I report ever published. It’s always amazing how common knowledge and common sense are routinely presented as breakthrough exposé on the topic.

 

• The most outrageous part? The ADCOLOR® State Of The Workplace Study covers the first segment of a three-part examination. Which means there will be at least two more white papers—with zero effect on White privilege in Adland.

16270: Delayed WTF 55—Mad Men On Memorial Day.

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 2023 Memorial Day post inspired additional thinking.

 

In the AMC series Mad Men, lead character Don Draper was a military veteran. Apparently, the man’s real name was Dick Whitman, who served in the Korean War. When a comrade—Lt. Don Draper—was killed in an explosion, Whitman swapped dog tags and assumed Draper’s identity in order to desert the conflict. Hell, he even accepted an undeserved medal.

 

This is symbolically reflective of contemporary Mad Men who have found the DE&I battle too much to handle—abandoning their duties and pledges for justice in deliberately deceptive style. And many are deserting after receiving undeserved accolades including ADCOLOR^® Awards.

 

In short, most Mad Men are cowardly, opportunistic, and racist Dicks.