15453: Systemic Racism Examined By Systemic Racists…?

 

The White advertising agency responsible for this concept on systemic racism assigned the project to a junior creative and intern of color—probably because the shop’s leadership appears to be lacking color and cultural competence.

 

15452: Peroni Pooh-Poohs Precautions.

 

Saatchi & Saatchi in Italy is responsible for this feel-good message for Peroni. Okay, but keep in mind that the country is seriously struggling with COVID-19…

15451: Uber Ubullshit.

 

Uber is fully becoming the new taxi company. What’s next? Vomit in the back seat of every ride?

15450: Havas Is Shrinking.

 

Adweek published a story titled, “How Havas Plans to Shrink the Advertising Group’s Environmental Footprint by 2025.” Um, via downsizing sparked by client defections and cost-cutting executions? Or maybe firing non-family members…?

15449: Beyoncé & Annié.

 

Advertising Age reported on how Beyoncé inspired a uniform promotion for Popeyes. Annie the Chicken Queen gets no credit for generating interest in crew gear…?

 

How Popeyes Staked Its Claim On A Popular Beyoncé Look

 

‘That Look’ uniform stunt from Gut wins Ad Age’s Creativity Awards Tiny But Mighty honor

 

By Ann-Christine Diaz

 

Back in 2003, Beyoncé admitted to Oprah Winfrey that she was a huge fan of Popeye’s, so much so that the chain gave her a lifetime free pass to anything on its menu. At the time Beyoncé also revealed she no longer indulged in the chain’s food, but more than a decade later, fans started to suspect that her passion for the restaurant still burned. In January 2020, the music star debuted the limited-edition sportswear line Ivy Park x Adidas. It featured a distinctive maroon and orange palette that some quickly noticed bore a striking resemblance to the uniforms of the Louisiana chicken purveyor.

 

The brand and its agency Gut jumped on the pop culture moment and immediately put Popeye’s line of worker attire up for sale for a limited time, highlighting their similarities to Beyoncé’s wares. The brand ultimately raking in $30K from fans wanting to get in on “That Look,” and the social stunt went on to get coverage in major outlets around the globe, from Billboard, to Good Morning America to the Wall Street Journal. Ultimately, it generated more than 703 million media impressions, the equivalent of $6.3 million in ad value.

 

15448: Rosapark Drives Away From A Busload Of Trouble…

 

Adweek reported French advertising agency Rosapark changed its name to Rosa Paris after taking heat for displaying cultural cluelessness. The White leaders of the firm also pledged to set up a diversity committee and more inclusive recruitment campaign. Of course they did. They undoubtedly hope to close the Booker T. on the scenario.

 

French Ad Agency Rosapark Changes Name to Rosa Paris a Year After Facing Criticism

 

The firm’s white leadership has claimed the name was unrelated to civil rights icon Rosa Parks

 

By Stephen Lepitak

 

Havas-owned creative agency Rosapark has rebranded to Rosa Paris, following through on a pledge made a year ago amid criticism from diversity advocates who felt the agency’s white leadership was using a name referencing U.S. civil rights icon Rosa Parks without demonstrating actual racial inclusiveness.

 

In the wake of 2020’s murder of unarmed Minneapolis resident George Floyd by police, advocacy group 600 & Rising’s co-founder Nathan Young tweeted an image of the agency’s leadership standing in front of the name Rosapark and called it “advertising’s race problem in one image.”

 

As more voices joined in the criticism, the agency—which has long claimed its name is unrelated to Montgomery Bus Boycott initiator Parks—last June released a statement saying its leaders would be “rethinking the name of our agency.”

 

The agency was co-founded by Gilles Fichteberg, Jean-Patrick Chiquiar and Jean-François Sacco, who have said over the agency’s nearly decadelong life that the name was meant to reflect a combination of urban Paris lifestyle and skater culture, tinted with softness. In 2018, it was named Adweek’s International Agency of the Year.

 

Along with a new name, the agency has also revealed a new logo, symbolizing a rose, the petals of which form the letters of Rosa.

 

While the agency’s lengthy announcement of its new branding does not directly address criticisms around its similarity to Rosa Parks or lack of inclusive leadership, the agency did write that it had “measured the possible sense of appropriation that could be generated by [the] name of our agency, particularly on the American market and decided to rename the agency Rosa Paris in order to avoid any confusion.”

 

In 2020, the agency had more directly addressed its critics by issuing a statement that said: “We are aware of the various comments on social media related to the name Rosapark, and we would like to assure you we are taking them very seriously. We are sincerely sorry if the name of our agency, which we chose eight years ago, has caused any offense. In the current climate and in light of recent world events, we fully understand why.”

 

Alongside its visual and name changes, the agency has also announced it will set up a diversity committee and develop a more inclusive recruitment campaign.

15447: GroupM Gives 2% Effort For Diversity.

 

Advertising Age reported GroupM is making a 2% pledge to invest in Black-owned media. “We don’t have enough Black-owned media, which is a bigger issue,” said GroupM North America CEO Kirk McDonald. “We don’t want to just share up the pie differently, we want the pie to grow.” Okay, but it sounds like Black-owned enterprises will still be served crumbs—and get a pie in the face.

 

Exclusive: GroupM Makes 2% Pledge To Invest In Black-Owned Media Over The Next Year

 

Agency looks to support diverse and Black creators, producers and studios with accelerator program

 

By Jeanine Poggi

 

GroupM is the latest agency to unveil efforts tied to helping to grow and support diverse and Black-owned media companies.

 

The WPP-owned media giant is making a 2% pledge, calling on its clients to invest at least that amount of their annual media spend in diverse and Black-owned media. While GroupM is planning these investments now, the goal is to start these activations in the next 12 to 18 months.

 

“We wanted something that could start now and not point too far into the future,” says Kirk McDonald, GroupM North America CEO. “We wanted to move investment into Black-owned media companies now and give them a chance of being included in economic opportunity now.”

 

The other part of GroupM’s new Media Inclusion Initiative is a “diverse voices accelerator,” which serves as a positive-impact fund to support diverse and Black creators, writers, producers, directors, talent and studios. The platform will look to support Black people and groups in the development, funding, distribution and marketing of content for GroupM’s clients. The “diverse voices accelerator” will initially focus on Black-owned initiatives and companies and will subsequently expand its reach.

 

“We don’t have enough Black-owned media, which is a bigger issue,” McDonald says, adding that GroupM’s 2% commitment could represent support and investment in up to 30% of all available Black-owned media.

 

“We don’t want to just share up the pie differently, we want the pie to grow,” McDonald says. “We need to find a way to support more diverse media ownership, not just support what’s out there.”

 

To this end, the Media Inclusion Initiative is designed to invest in the Black-owned media companies and creators that exist today and invest in supporting new Black-owned media companies and creators for tomorrow, McDonald says.

 

This initiative falls under GroupM’s “responsible investment” buying framework, which focuses on brand safety, data ethics, diversity, equity and inclusion, responsible journalism and sustainability. In February, the agency struck a two-year deal with OZY, a multi-platform media and entertainment company that boasts a connection with diverse audiences and is owned by Carlos Watson.

 

The announcement comes ahead of the Black Owned Media Upfront this week, which will put the spotlight on Black-owned media companies including Revolt, Ebony Magazine, Urban Edge Networks and The African Channel. Black-owned media companies, led by media mogul Byron Allen, have rallied together in recent months to call for brands to spend a minimum of 2% of their ad budgets in Black-owned media.

 

Last week, IPG Mediabrands announced it is committing to invest a minimum of 5% in Black-owned media across all of its clients in aggregate by 2023.