16748: Running On Empty Concepts…?

 

Advertising Age published a report titled, “Why Agencies Are Adopting Sprint Models And How They Work”—spotlighting White advertising agencies taking a speed dating approach to creating campaigns.

 

Churn out an omnichannel conceptual platform in five days for five dollars? No problem.

 

Ad Age’s content was illustrated with the royalty-free stock photograph depicted above. Appropriately enough, the runners appear to be exclusively White men—even though the top sprinters in the world tend to be Black.

16747: Power To The Prey…?

 

This PSA campaign from Brazil is promoting the Maria da Penha Law to fight domestic violence against women. Okay, but is the imagery supposed to symbolize physical assault or is it a power fist? 

 

 

16746: Questioning Interest Rates Of U.S. Banks.

 

Mediapost spotlighted a campaign from The New York Times for U.S. Bank, honoring the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance.

 

Okay, but another publication associated with The New York Times—The 1619 Project—might argue U.S. banks have not historically honored Black culture and Black wealth. And U.S. Bank is not exactly without dishonorable moments involving Blacks.

 

U.S. Bank Salutes Harlem Renaissance In ‘New York Times’ Campaign

 

By Fern Siegel

 

The 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance is honored in a new campaign from New York Times Advertising and its in-house content studio T Brand.

 

The creative, produced for U.S. Bank, is a first for the newspaper.

 

It comprises two 12-page zines that pay tribute to the underground press active during this period. It was known as a vibrant age for Blacks artists, writers and musicians and its influence extended nationwide.

 

The first zine for U.S. Bank focuses on Black wealth and entrepreneurs and debuted in the Sunday edition of The New York Times on August 18.

 

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of rich cultural artistry from 1917 to the 1930s. The zines were filled with poetry, stories, news, cultural information and political essays. Jacob Lawrence, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Duke Ellington and Josephine Baker were all part of that era.

 

“These visionaries paved the way for cultural pride and equality, showcasing the brilliance and beauty of Black culture to the world. The first issue, titled Legacy, focuses on the new Black wealth renaissance, exploring the innovative ways in which Black entrepreneurs and creatives are redefining success and prosperity today,” Greg Cunningham, U.S. Bank’s Chief Diversity Officer, told Agency Daily.

 

The initial issue details how Black communities are creating intergenerational wealth, such as The Bradfords, a fourth-generation family of ranchers in Oklahoma.

 

The custom typography of the new zine is called VTC Sarah and was created by Tré Seals. He was inspired by his great-great grandparents’ marriage certificate.

 

The second zine focuses on the contributions of Black artists in various fields. A paid post and FlexXL units will be displayed across The Times’ homepage.

16745: Compensation Conundrums.

 

Advertising Age published a report on independent advertising agencies introducing different compensation models—such as deliverables-based payments, flat fees, and equity stakes.

 

Multicultural marketing firms can expect continued compensation via crumbs—or maybe inequity stakes.

16744: No Love For Love Has No Labels…?

 

AgencySpy posted on the latest performative propaganda involving Ad Council and its Love Has No Labels campaign.

 

Ad Council President and CEO Lisa Sherman gushed, “No one should face discrimination because of who they are. There is more that unites us than divides us, and this new campaign was designed to empower individuals across the country to see the inequities impacting so many…”

 

Okay, except Ad Council consistently discriminates, handing big-budget projects to White advertising agencies and brushing crumbs to non-White shops.

 

It’s also ironic that the White digital agency responsible for Love Has No Labels—R/GA—is getting no love from White holding company IPG.

 

There is a label for this scenario: Bullshit.

 

The Latest ‘Love Has No Labels’ PSAs Target LGBTQ+ Discrimination

 

By Kyle O'Brien

 

The Ad Council has launched the latest effort in its Emmy-Award-winning “Love Has No Labels” campaign, to raise awareness of the ongoing discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ people and to remind audiences how they can help create a more accepting and inclusive society.

 

The new “American Dreams” PSAs highlight the barriers that exist in achieving equality and protection against discrimination and threats of violence.

 

Since the initial launch of the campaign nearly a decade ago, hatred and division are still rampant, with rising discrimination targeting LGBTQ+ people and increasing their risks of experiencing housing and broader discrimination. Many people across the country are unaware of the current threats to the LGBTQ+ community.

 

“American Dreams” was developed pro bono by R/GA, directed by Luke Gilford, and produced by Golden LA highlights the shared humanity, dreams and hopes of people across all walks of life, juxtaposed against the reality for LGBTQ+ people.

 

In “A Place to Call Home,” we see an idyllic suburban home with a diverse, happy cast of people enjoying their home and yard. The tone changes when the front door shuts and the reality of discrimination sets in. It ends with “In over 50% of U.S. states, you could legally be denied housing.”

 

“The Freedom to Live in Safety” shows a same sex family in a diner, with the reality being that LGBTQ+ are four times more likely to be victims of violent crime.

 

A third spot, “The Opportunity to Work for a Better Life” highlights the discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in the workplace.

 

All spots direct audiences to the LoveHasNoLabels.com website, where people are encouraged to learn about the legal protections, or lack thereof, in their state, read stories from LGBTQ+ people about their experiences with discrimination, and access resources to help foster more accepting communities.

 

“No one should face discrimination because of who they are,” said Ad Council president and CEO Lisa Sherman in a statement. “There is more that unites us than divides us, and this new campaign was designed to empower individuals across the country to see the inequities impacting so many and take actions that help ensure that LGBTQ+ people also have the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”

 

The campaign’s latest initiative was funded by California’s Bridge Project Fund, state bill 447, which creates a fund that can be used to create non-partisan, inclusive messaging, discourage discrimination, and help members of the LGBTQ+ community feel less isolated.

 

“The Ad Council’s Love Has No Labels ‘American Dreams’ campaign is more than just a message—it’s a call to action,” said Robin Forbes, global chief executive officer at R/GA. “It’s an urgent reminder that we must all take steps to ensure LGBTQ+ individuals are treated with the respect and equality they deserve. R/GA is proud to partner with The Ad Council to tackle these issues head-on, reinforcing that we’re all human before anything else.”

 

The campaign will appear nationwide through inventory donated by the media industry, including iHeartMedia which also produced audio assets for the campaign.

16743: Burnout, Burning, Burnt.

 

AgencyAgile offers webinar guidance on topics like “How Poor Scoping & Handoffs Fuel Agency Burnout.” Does this really need to be explained to anyone?

 

And don’t forget the impact of bad clients who can’t approve objectives, adhere to scopes, or deliver clear feedback. Not to mention the systemically racist clients whose multicultural marketing initiatives involve underutilization, underfunding, and underrepresentation.

 

Yes, poor scoping and handoffs fuel agency burnout. But bad clients burn agencies too—and even worse.

16742: A Short Story On Storytelling.

 

MediaPost published a perspective from Brennan Nevada Johnson on the value of storytelling to build Black businesses. Okay, but don’t disregard the horror stories of systemic racism that tear down Black businesses.

 

The Importance of Storytelling for Black Businesses

 

By Brennan Nevada Johnson, Op-Ed Contributor

 

I’m in my third year of building a successful business as a Black-owned founder where I represent some of the largest BIPOC-owned brands in the world. I have zero outside investors, or partners, and my agency is entirely independent. I constantly get asked how I achieved this growth in such a short period of time, and the answer lies in one tactic that Black businesses don’t prioritize as much as they should: storytelling.

 

I can’t stress enough the need to leverage storytelling in all its glory if you want your business to go to the next level. The positive impact it can have on how well your organization performs and reaches new customers and members of your community are invaluable.

 

It can transform your business. It’s no secret that there are many challenges that prevent Black-owned businesses from reaching their full potential. As Black founders we are often left out of the equation when it comes to scaling. We face unfair roadblocks in landing new clients, we are overlooked, and securing VC funding to help make our dreams a reality is atrocious.

 

According to recent Crunchbase data, venture capital for Black entrepreneurs dropped a staggering 71% compared to last year, amounting to less than 1% of the overall dollars invested. So why do so many still end up relying on these alternatives over and over again expecting a different result? You’re only setting yourself up to fail. Black entrepreneurs need to adapt to new strategies and move away from trying to make VC funding happen. It’s not going to happen.

 

If you haven’t noticed by now, content is king. The founder who shares the details and behind the scenes of their journey are the ones who come out on top. It’s simple really. When shopping for a product or service, almost always a buyer is going to purchase when they know more about the origins and background, and why something was started in the first place.

 

They need to resonate with what’s being sold to them in a way that is organic and not forced. It goes far beyond marketing and commercializing, so ditch that mindset altogether. Storytelling is truly the only way for you to tap into someone’s emotions, make them feel seen, and persuade them to take action. It’s a great way to get attention and recognition that differentiates you from competitors in the industry. Without it, you’re just another brand in an already cluttered market that will soon be forgotten.

 

As a leader it’s your job to motivate and get access to what moves people. It doesn’t matter the size of your business either, whether you’re a solopreneur, SMB or a large enterprise, storytelling can help you do this.

 

But it’s important to share what’s compelling versus pumping out useless content that really isn’t saying anything at all. You need to have a framework in place beforehand. This should start with a conflict, then a complication, and finally a resolution. Think about what gets people talking — it’s books, it’s speeches, it’s movies, it’s a news article that you feel connected to.

 

Too many businesses believe that they should focus only on their wins and shout it from the rooftop. Don’t. It will only make people tune you out even more. Being vulnerable and honest in your approach is necessary when it comes to storytelling. And let’s face it, Black founders are not always given the space to do so, which could be why they aren’t taking advantage of this skill.

 

Disclosing the trials and tribulations will make you more relatable to someone who has never heard of your business before. One of my highest performing articles was when I wrote about being fired. Afterwards, I had people reach out to me saying that they appreciate my honesty and courage to discuss something that most shy away from. Storytelling allows you to engage and foster community, build trust, become a thought leader, and eventually secure brand loyalty. It’s your chance to interact and become more than just a faceless product. And yes, it can help drive sales and conversions.

 

Storytelling gives you the opportunity to be the author of your brand and control the narrative. Owning your voice is crucial, and as a Black founder you can use storytelling to fight stereotypes against you by sharing your unique viewpoints. All of this is possible when you give others a chance to step into your shoes. It bridges gaps and misunderstandings which many brands face in today’s cancel culture.

 

Storytelling is not a new concept. It’s been used throughout history across many different races, cultures and backgrounds. Look at Martin Luther King Jr, former President Barack Obama, and Oprah — all of these remarkable individuals have mastered the art of leadership storytelling. Black founders need to follow suit and integrate storytelling into their overall go-to-market strategies if they want to showcase authenticity and build a business that will stand the test of time.

16741: Performative Primer On Supplier Diversity.

 

While Northwestern Kellogg School of Management offers a Chief Marketing Officer Program for 12 months, University of Chicago offers an Inclusive Business and Supplier Diversity Strategies Course in one day. Yep, sounds about right in terms of dedication and prioritization.

 

Although Chief Marketing Officers and advertisers will continue to perpetuate non-White suppliers’ underutilization, underfunding, and underrepresentation—while White advertising agencies will continue to fabricate performative heat shields to check boxes on the subject.

 

In Adland, systemic racism is in endless supply—and needs no formal instruction.

16740: Cast & Castoffs.

For AMC series Mad Men, Wikipedia lists the “Cast and characters”—even including figures who made minor appearances in the TV program—yet there’s no mention of Dawn Chambers or Hollis the elevator attendant.

 

16739: Color Commentary On Olympic Campaigns.

MediaPost reported on an analysis claiming people of color were well-represented in Olympic advertising.

 

Okay, but the story didn’t clarify the representation in terms of specifics and percentages, such as how many of the ads featured athletes of color—which would certainly spike the numbers.

 

Of course, the examination didn’t probe if people of color were well-represented in the White advertising agencies that produced Olympic campaigns. It’s safe to say no advertising agency would earn a medal—or even compete—in such a category.

 

Report: People Of Color Well-Represented In Olympic Ads

 

By Steve McClellan

 

Video ad platform Extreme Reach, which has partnered with NBCU to deliver linear + digital ads for NBC’s coverage of the Paris Olympics, has been analyzing the ads in the games for DEI representation, specifically based on skin tone and gender.

 

Compared to this year’s Super Bowl ads (which only showed 14.3% for dark skin representation in ads), darker skin tones are significantly more represented in this year’s Olympics ads, according to the analysis.

 

Ads during the first weekend of the games, based on skin tone representation, performed above the total number of US TV ads shown in the first half of the year, with darker skin tones represented in 38% of the Olympic ads versus 28% for all H1 ads.

 

By gender however, ads fell 3% below the total H1 benchmark of 43%.

 

Top performing categories by skin tone included telecommunications, home & garden, and apparel/footwear/accessories. Lower performers included retail, automotive, travel, consumer products and services.

 

Top performing categories by gender included cosmetic hygiene and home and garden. Laggards included entertainment/media/leisure, legal/financial, automotive, travel and telecommunications.

 

The company offered some guidance to advertisers: “Keep track of evolving benchmarks and audience feedback to continuously adapt advertising strategies and maintain alignment of creative to the broader audiences and communities we serve.”

16738: Comparing Compensation Compounds Systemic Racism In Adland

 

Adweek reported on the multimillion-dollar salaries enjoyed by CEOs at White holding companies, comparing the obscene annual amounts to the average pay of regular workers at White advertising agencies within the global networks.

 

For example, Omnicom Chairman-CEO-Pioneer of Diversity John Wren pocketed $20.2 million in 2023—382 times more than the median wages of the corporation’s 75,900 drones.

 

Management expert Peter Drucker is probably spinning in his grave over the extreme disparities. The Drucker Principle on the topic was summarized by his following quotes: “I have often advised managers that a 20 to 1 salary ratio is the limit beyond which they can not go if they don’t want resentment and falling morale to hit their companies. … I’m not talking about the bitter feelings of the people on the plant floor… It’s the midlevel management that is incredibly disillusioned” by ginormous CEO compensation.

 

To be fair regarding the unfairness, Wren’s 2023 paycheck is low compared to the salary of former WPP Overlord Martin Sorrell, who took home $65 million in 2014—which translated to 780 times more than WPP drones in that period. Hell, Sir Peanut was awarded an exit package from WPP that wildly surpassed the money most Adland peons will see in their lifetimes.

 

Of course, such examinations rarely consider the financial inequality that might be exposed via weighing CEO wallets to the money sacks carried by people of color and Human Heat Shields in the industry. The 1619 Project would undoubtedly liken matters to the racist relationship between plantation owners and slaves.

16737: IPG Braking & Breaking Commonwealth/McCann.

 

Advertising Age reported IPG White advertising agency Commonwealth/McCann in Detroit is executing layoffs—up to 56 employees—resulting from the recent General Motors decision to roll with new White advertising agencies based outside of the Midwest region.

 

The shop originally launched in early 2012 as a joint venture between White advertising agencies from different White holding companies—Omnicom’s Goodby Silverstein & Partners and IPG’s McCann. The honeymoon didn’t last long, as GM drove Chevy business from GS&P to Leo Burnett months later, prompted by shifting CMOs at the automaker. The latest GM maneuver, incidentally, was also accelerated by a new CMO.

 

It all just goes to show that White holding companies, White advertising agencies, White car companies, and White CMOs create total wrecks that injure lots of White people. Indeed, GM appears to have an assembly line churning out Mark LaNeve models as crummy as the produced vehicles.

 

In short, it’s common chaos—and the wealth is rarely shared with common workers.

16736: EYLEA Eyesore.

 

This EYLEA^® HD commercial featuring Dancing in the Moonlight as the musical theme demonstrates two things: 1) Pharmaceutical advertising sucks, and; 2) King Harvest is desperately milking its one hit.

 

16735: S’Mores Or Less.

 

Today is National S’mores Day—perhaps the only day in Adland when Brown and Chocolate dominate Whites. Or maybe not…