Friday, June 20, 2025

17100: How President Trump Celebrates Juneteenth.

 

USA TODAY reported President Donald J. Trump acknowledged Juneteenth by griping there are “too many non-working holidays in America. … It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed.”

 

Looks like somebody’s still smarting over the low turnout for his birthday parade—which, incidentally, cost an estimated $40 million.

 

Donald Trump appears to knock Juneteenth celebrations

 

By Marina Pitofsky

 

President Donald Trump appeared to criticize Juneteenth celebrations in a post on social media, saying there are “too many non-working holidays in America.”

 

“It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed,” Trump said on June 19. “The workers don’t want it either! Soon we’ll end up having a holiday for every once working day of the year.”

 

The president did not specifically name the holiday in his post.

 

Juneteenth commemorates the events of June 19, 1865, when the last Black slaves of the Confederacy were ordered free following the arrival of Union troops in Galveston, Texas.

 

It has long been celebrated by Black Americans, but it rose to national prominence in 2020 amid protests against racial inequities, sparked in part by the police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. It was officially recognized a federal holiday by then-President Joe Biden in 2021.

 

It wasn’t immediately clear what costs Trump was referring to in his post. Private companies are not forced to close on federal holidays, and many don’t.

 

Most national banks, federal offices and the United States Postal Service were closed in honor of Juneteenth. However, major retailers such as Walmart, Costco, Target and Starbucks were open on the holiday.

 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked by reporters earlier in the day whether Trump was expected to commemorate Juneteenth.

 

“I’m not tracking his signature on a proclamation today,” she responded. “I know this is a federal holiday.”

 

Trump has previously honored Juneteenth, including in his first term as president. But Trump created controversy in 2020 after scheduling his first rally since COVID-19 lockdowns in Tulsa, Oklahoma — the site of one of the worst massacres of Black Americans in the country's history — on Juneteenth.

 

He later changed the date of the event.

 

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, Saman Shafiq

Thursday, June 19, 2025

17099: How Adland Celebrates Juneteenth.

 

BET declared the obvious: In Adland, today is Juneteeny.

 

That is, for White advertising agencies and brands alike, Juneteenth generates teeny-tiny enthusiasm.

 

The holiday has always competed for attention with Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and Pride Month—although the latter event has experienced significant abandonment from corporate sponsors too.

 

Black History Month advocates have consistently pleaded—unsuccessfully—that Black culture and accomplishments be celebrated during February and all year long.

 

Juneteenth, in contrast, struggles to garner interest for even a single day. Performative PR has petered out, heat shields have cooled down, and crumbs have crumbled.

 

In short, White ad agencies and brands are free of DEIBA+ accountability on Freedom Day.

 

Juneteenth’s Corporate Sponsorships Fade Just Four Years After Becoming a Holiday

 

With dwindling financial support, advocates warn the holiday risks becoming another overlooked federal observance.

 

By Jasmine Browley

 

Four years after Juneteenth became a federal holiday, many corporations that initially pledged support for its celebrations are quietly scaling back sponsorships or withdrawing entirely, according to a recent HuffPost report. The trend reveals a stark disconnect between the public promises made during the 2020 racial justice movement and the follow-through in 2024.

 

Companies that once sponsored Juneteenth festivals, parades, and educational programs have reduced funding or disappeared altogether. Some brands cited shifting budget priorities, while others offered no explanation. This pullback has left grassroots organizers—many of whom relied on corporate partnerships to expand events—scrambling to fill financial gaps.

 

n 2020, following the murder of George Floyd and nationwide protests, corporations rushed to align themselves with Juneteenth. Brands issued statements celebrating Black freedom, launched themed merchandise, and pledged long-term support for racial equity. However, by 2024, that enthusiasm has dwindled. One organizer noted that securing sponsors now feels like “pulling teeth,” with companies either ignoring requests or offering a fraction of their original contributions.

 

Activists argue that the retreat exposes the performative nature of many corporate diversity initiatives. “They treated Juneteenth like a trend,” one event planner told HuffPost, who requested anonymity to preserve future partnerships. “Once the media spotlight faded, so did the money.” Smaller, Black-led organizations are disproportionately affected, as they lack the resources to self-fund large-scale events.

 

The decline in sponsorship raises questions about how Juneteenth will evolve as a national holiday. Without sustained investment, fears grow that its cultural significance could be diluted, reduced to symbolic gestures rather than meaningful celebrations of emancipation. Some organizers now advocate for local business support or crowdfunding to preserve the holiday’s grassroots spirit.

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

17098: Project Management Poll Projects Mismanagement Of Reality.

 

MediaPost reported the Project Management Institute will attend Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, hyping a survey to promote the value of project managers. Gee, looks like someone is angling for a new Lions trophy category.

 

The MediaPost headline reads: Poll Finds Project Managers ‘Unsung Heroes’ Of Ad Campaigns. No, most project managers in Adland are unstrung zeros. After all, the closing bullet points in the article below show percentages that are barely or less than the majority.

 

At White advertising agencies, project managers are not managing projects; rather, projects are managing them.

 

Poll Finds Project Managers ‘Unsung Heroes’ Of Ad Campaigns

 

By Steve McClellan

 

A new report from the Project Management Institute finds that nearly all creative professionals (97%) encountered significant obstacles in the past year—including budget overruns (55%), missed deadlines (54%), and “constraints on creativity” (47%).  

 

It also found that a third of campaigns (34%) don’t resonate with their target audience or generate new leads (35%). 

 

The report—which PMI is using to demonstrate what it believes is the critical role played by project managers in ad and marketing campaigns—is based on a survey of 130 U.S. marketing and advertising agency professionals that was conducted online by PSB Insights in late April and early May. 

 

PMI will be at the Cannes Lions Festival this week (it has a “cabana” at the Palais des Festivals) to talk up the important roles project managers play in the industry.  

 

“Today’s CMOs are juggling more platforms, priorities, and pressure than ever before—and it’s easy for even the strongest campaigns to lose focus and veer off-track,” said Menaka Gopinath, Chief Marketing Officer at PMI. “Effective project management provides the structure and clarity creative teams need to drive momentum, work collaboratively, and deliver results that align with business goals.” 

 

The report also found that 98% say they’re growing their project management capabilities—32% are training current staff, and 28% are hiring.  

 

Nearly half (48%) of creative leaders say project managers are the “unsung heroes" of campaigns—delivering value from steering complex activations, to aligning teams and keeping everything on track.  

 

90% of those polled agreed that, “Great creative campaigns do not happen without great project management.”   

 

Creative leaders also say project management professionals:

 

  • Allow the organization’s leaders to focus on driving growth (52%) 

 

  • Ensure campaigns contribute positively to the brand over time (52%) 

 

  • Get all the different parts of the campaign working together (50%)

 

  • Manage increasingly complex campaigns (45%)

 

  • Ensure campaigns are long-lasting (45%) 

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

17097: Mickey D’s & Byron Allen Reach A McSettlement.

 

Advertising Age republished Crain’s Chicago Business content reporting Mickey D’s and Byron Allen settled the media mogul’s $10 billion discrimination lawsuit.

 

Reaching a confidential agreement means the public will never learn the amount collected by Allen. The deal includes a McPromise to continue buying advertising from Allen’s Entertainment Studios Network.

 

Expect to see McWeather Reports delivered by Ronald McDonald and Grimace.

 

For now, hopefully, Allen feels Black & Positively Golden®.

 

McDonald’s settles Byron Allen’s $10B ad discrimination lawsuit

 

McDonald’s has settled a $10 billion lawsuit filed by Byron Allen, apparently ending a years-long legal drama between the fast food giant and media mogul over alleged discrimination in advertising practices.

 

In a June 13 press release, McDonald’s announced it reached a confidential agreement in which it will continue to purchase advertising from Allen’s Entertainment Studios Network priced at market value in exchange for the network’s dismissal of the suit.

 

Allen, who owns properties such as The Weather Channel and Justice Central, filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s in 2021, alleging the Chicago-based chain discriminated against his company through racial stereotyping and refusals to contract. Two years later, Allen escalated by buying a full-page ad in the Chicago Tribune soliciting activist investor Carl Icahn to join the legal fight and suing again, alleging McDonald’s was not on track to meet a 2021 commitment to spend more of its advertising budget with Black-owned media companies. That complaint was dismissed in 2024.

 

The original suit filed in 2021 was slated to go to trial next month.

 

“We are pleased that Mr. Allen has come to appreciate McDonald’s unwavering commitment to inclusion, and has agreed to refocus his energies on a mutually beneficial commercial arrangement that is consistent with other McDonald’s supplier relationships,” McDonald’s said in the release.

 

“During the course of this litigation, many of our preconceptions have been clarified, and we acknowledge McDonald’s commitment to investing in Black-owned media properties and increasing access to opportunity,” Entertainment Studios Network said in the McDonald’s release. “Our differences are behind us, and we look forward to working together.”

 

—Crain’s Chicago Business

Monday, June 16, 2025

17096: Protests, Demonstrations, And Corporate Concerns.

 

As a follow-up to the previous post on how LA-based Latino advertising agencies are responding to the current protests and political proceedings, here’s an example of how White advertising agencies in global holding companies are responding—offering a cultural contrast that also distinguishes independent shops and network firms.

 

The Latino ad agencies proactively provide support to coworkers, clients, and communities, demonstrating concern and delivering caring response to issues directly impacting people.

 

The global holding companies—by virtue of communicating to a broader audience—cover all and any protests, planned protests, and demonstrations via a message from Real Estate & Facilities Operations. If an employee feels adversely affected, they are encouraged to connect with the Employee Assistance Program (or, presumably, relevant ERGs).

 

Of course, the corporation spouts, “Your safety and well-being are our top priorities.” Yet protests and demonstrations are essentially positioned as nuisances posing challenges to getting to the office—that is, it’s a hassle for commuting vs communities.

Sunday, June 15, 2025

17095: Building Inclusive Communities—Or Op-Eds—Via AI…?

 

Advertising Age published yet another DEIBA+ LGBTQ+ perspective—that’s two in one week (or one Pride Month)—emphasizing the imperative for inclusion. It’s virtually a carbon copy of the other one—albeit taking an experiential angle—churning out the same suggestions to create authenticity.

 

At this point, it would probably be easy to devise an algorithm so these Op-Eds could be generated via AI.

 

5 ways to build inclusive communities that actually work

 

By Rudy Blanco

 

Marginalized communities have been pushing back against corporate activism for years, and I can understand why. I’m a gay Dominican from the Bronx, but that’s not the only part of me that needs recognition.

 

So, when companies hit me up in June like I’m a seasonal subscription, it’s hard not to feel like a diversity Groupon. And audiences of these pony shows can see the inauthenticity.

 

As someone who plans community events for private agencies, nonprofits and gaming, I know that no one gets “credit” for attending. So, if it doesn’t land, they just close the tab. After three years of testing ways to honor culture, heritage and identity in ways that feel real, here are five ways to build truly inclusive communities:

 

Stop scheduling people’s identities

 

Pride in June. Black History in February. Women’s History in March. Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian Heritage Month in April—you’ve seen the calendar.

In my many roles, these cultural or identity events were a core part of my work. For years, I followed the traditional calendar structure. It made planning easy, but the engagement was surface-level at best.

 

However, most of those events don’t encourage engagement, so we started celebrating identities outside their assigned months. A women’s entrepreneurship event in April. A Black art showcase during Pride. If the only time someone’s story is told is when the calendar says so, that’s not inclusion—it’s programming.

 

This doesn’t mean we should stop celebrating heritage months. But we must celebrate with more care and intention than simply following a schedule. That’s when people will feel the difference.

 

Design with, not for

 

In the past, I designed every event on my own, especially in spaces that were predominantly white, wealthy or outside of the identities being celebrated. The work of my one-man shop came from a good place, but when you’re not part of the identity being celebrated, even your best ideas can miss the landing.

 

So, I started co-creating. I asked for feedback from peers and friends I trusted within the circles being celebrated, while being careful not to tokenize. Whenever we plan something around a specific culture or identity, I invite two people to help shape it: one from inside the community, when possible, and one from outside it.

 

The goal isn’t just representation, but a collaboration. It’s real-time, mutual learning, where people with different lived experiences build something together, so the result feels layered, intentional and real. And remember to reward them. Pay them, shout them out, give them something meaningful. As a former teacher, I’ll tell you: Intrinsic motivation matters, but appreciation matters more.

 

Move from panels to practice

 

I’ve planned the panels, sat through the town halls and booked the “DEI speaker.” I’ve been the DEI speaker. Sometimes panels work—but more often, they land like a corporate memo with better lighting. People don’t change from watching. They change from doing.

 

Instead, try everything but a traditional panel. Try an “un-panel.” Rotate speakers between small groups. Have them play a game—anything that makes the audience part of the moment, not just witnesses to it.

 

I create spaces for participation instead of consumption. One month, we set up a “smell table” tied to cultural food traditions. Another time, we offered teas from different countries, each with a short story or history attached.

 

The more people get to create—even in low-stakes ways—the more they feel like they belong. When you swap panels for practices, you stop performing culture and start experiencing it. That’s when it becomes real.

 

Let people do their own work

 

When I had just come out to myself and the world, I loved being the explainer. I was the helpful token gay kid—the one who answered every question, no matter how wild. I regularly fielded questions like “What’s it like being gay?” “Is saying ‘no homo’ offensive?” “Can I wear a rainbow flag if I’m straight?” Or my personal favorite: “Which one of you is the man in the relationship?” ... Cringe.

 

At the time, I believed answering those questions was activism. And for where I was in my journey, it was. But eventually, I got tired of being the spokesperson. I realized that constantly educating others about my identity and others’ wasn’t sustainable, and it definitely wasn’t fair. Especially in professional spaces, where the people doing the “learning” often had more pay, more power and more protection than those doing the explaining.

 

These days, I’ve set a boundary: Do your own work. People are more capable than we give them credit for. They’ll watch the doc, read the book and follow the creators. What they need isn’t handholding—it’s accountability.

 

If you want your workplace culture to grow, stop asking marginalized folks to carry the emotional weight of your curiosity. Build systems where the responsibility to learn falls on the asker—not the one being asked. Because culture doesn’t deepen when people ask better questions. It deepens when they stop expecting someone else to answer them.

 

Track the right data

 

We don’t always say it out loud, but whoever’s funding your culture work is expecting ROI. Usually, that means engagement numbers compared to dollars spent. But the way we define impact needs to shift. If your only success metric is how many people showed up, you’re measuring the wrong thing.

 

Don’t define what success looks like for a group you’re not part of. Define that with them. Let them tell you what matters. And then, as the culture builder, work within those parameters.

 

In spaces where no one’s required to attend, engagement looks different. I track who lingers, who volunteers, who says, “I didn’t know that,” or who makes new connections outside their usual circle. I’ve run events with barely any attendance, then watched the follow-up Slack thread blow up with the deepest conversations we’d had all quarter. Or seen a self-identity art-making session spark a new cross-team workshop two weeks later. Those are receipts.

 

Track the aftershocks, not just the RSVPs. That’s how you know the culture is real.

Saturday, June 14, 2025

17094: Protests, Politics & People-Powered Proactivity.

 

Adweek reported on how Los Angeles-based Latino advertising agencies are responding to the current protests and political proceedings, providing support to coworkers, clients, and communities.

 

The engagement likely presents a sharp contrast to the responses of White advertising agencies in LA and beyond.

 

‘This is About Humanity’: How LA’s Hispanic Agencies are Responding to ICE Raids 

 

As fear spreads across Los Angeles, multicultural agencies are offering safety, support, and a message to brands: now is the time to show up

 

By Audrey Kemp

 

Downtown Los Angeles is under curfew as military vehicles rumble down Olympic Boulevard and protests continue across the city.

 

At LA’s ad agencies—particularly those led by and built to serve the Hispanic community—the fear is both intense and deeply personal.

 

Since June 6, when the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched coordinated raids across LA and into Orange County, dozens of undocumented immigrants have been detained at worksites including warehouses, car washes, and Home Depot parking lots.

 

Meanwhile, hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets, protesting what they describe as racially motivated attacks on Hispanic and immigrant communities.

 

In a federal intervention not seen since the 1992 Rodney King riots, National Guard troops have been deployed—without the governor’s request—to support ICE operations. As of Friday morning, June 13, President Trump has maintained temporary control of the National Guard in LA, after an appeals court ruling the night prior. Officials have indicated that the military-backed raids could continue for up to 60 days.

 

“They are us,” said Marina Filipelli, CEO of LA-based creative agency Orci, of those being detained. “They are our neighbors, our friends, and our family members. It’s really close to home.”

 

The situation, she said, has “shaken us to the core.”

 

“This is about humanity,” Filipelli continued. “Everyone deserves, in our country, to be treated with a certain level of respect and with due process.”

 

Here’s how LA’s advertising scene is responding to the situation on the ground. 

 

Addressing staff needs

 

When the raids began, Orci, which was founded by Mexican American immigrants in 1986, immediately addressed staff and offered the option to work remotely, despite the agency’s two-day in-office policy. Those who wanted to come in were invited to an open forum to talk about how they were feeling.

 

“We’ve always heard from people that come from other agencies or other workplaces that when these things happen, [they] feel very alienated when they go to work,” said Filipelli.

 

Acento, another LA-based agency founded by Mexican immigrants, is also allowing employees to work remotely, as many have to cross curfew zones or navigate public transit to get to work. The agency has an internal channel where team members share news and resources, and which offers safe space to connect. 

 

“We enjoy that kind of culture of flexibility, but also mutual support,” said Acento CEO Donnie Broxson.

 

Casanova//McCann, based in Costa Mesa, has remained open, but employees don’t have to come in. While most staff are legal residents or citizens, many still carry paperwork with them daily. 

 

“We’ve continued to remind people: keep your paperwork with you at all times,” said CEO Ingrid Smart. “It’s sad that we have to do that, but better safe than sorry.”

 

Smart, who owns the now-independent agency, which is certified as both minority- and female-owned, said Casanova is offering counseling support, mental wellness perks, and even a sound bath to help staff cope. 

 

“Our vision is to be the most caring agency, and we have to prove that to our employees on a daily basis,” she said.

 

At Relevant+, a Hispanic-owned media agency in LA, staff are being offered fully paid mental health days. The agency also shared know-your-rights guides and immigrant protection resources from trusted organizations, including the Immigrant Defense Project and Informed Immigrant.

 

“We didn’t want anyone to ‘power through’ this moment,” said CEO Jonathan Patton. “We wanted them to feel seen, supported, and held.”

 

Engaging clients and community—and speaking out

 

Acento has been bracing for this moment since Trump returned to the oval office January, Broxson said. 

 

Prior to the raids, the agency had already begun advising clients—including LA Metro, Banner Health, and Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)—on how to adjust their marketing campaigns to communicate safety and care in light of heightened fear among immigrant communities. 

 

The agency advised clients to adjust in-market messaging to emphasize security and proactively assure people that their brands were supportive to immigrants, and not a risk.

 

“The fear pervades all aspects of your life,” said Broxson. “It impacts your purchase decisions… We had already started adjusting our shopping and purchasing habits based on an uncertain economy and the tariff war. It adds an extra layer.”

 

Other agencies are supporting their communities. Orci, for its part, is matching employee donations to organizations like CHIRLA, which helps detainees and their families. And Casanova//McCann is encouraging staff to use their three paid annual volunteer days now, while also developing a community-focused pro bono initiative.

 

For Relevant+, standing up is about speaking up. The agency underscored its mission to empower the U.S. Hispanic community in a LinkedIn post that emphasized how many of its team members come from immigrant families shaped by sacrifice and that cultural advocacy is core to its identity.

 

“When dignity is on the line, we don’t look away,” the post read. “It’s not about left or right. It’s about human rights.”

 

“This particular wave of ICE raids felt especially cruel,” Patton added. “And what hit even harder was the silence that followed.”

 

Staying resilient

 

While agencies are doing what they can to support their talent in a turbulent situation, they underscored the role brands can play in showing up to support diverse audiences.

 

“This work can’t just exist when it fits a campaign cycle,” Patton said. “If you claim to stand with these communities, that has to mean something when it’s uncomfortable, when it actually costs something.”

 

Filipelli agreed: “To target U.S. Hispanics as an audience, to sell them products and services, but then turn your back on them when they’re being vilified in certain ways… just doesn’t sit quite right with me.”

 

As the protests continue on, all four agency leaders underscored the unique resilience of immigrant communities during times of crisis. 

 

“The immigrant mind is resilient, is strong, is fearless—and we are staying strong for our people and our consumers,” Smart said. “And we’re not going away anytime soon.”