Is Mickey D’s celebrating BHM 2026 at all? A search on McDonalds.com yielded no results. And Black & Positively Golden features content from 2024—although students can apply for the annual HBCU scholarships.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
17362: 2025 IPA Agency Census Data Exposes Delusional Denial.
The 2025 IPA Agency Census yields both obvious and obviously crazy results, demonstrating how data can be craftily interpreted and twisted—especially by those purporting to be data-driven enthusiasts.
Granted, IPA focuses on UK Adland; however, White advertising agencies in the UK and US tend to share fundamental characteristics.
The official report headline reads:
IPA Agency Census 2025 shows workforce declines while diversity improves
Wow. That’s a sparkling example of performative PR, warranting a deconstruction of delusional denial.
First, the data shows the obvious: jobs in Adland are going down the toilet.
Not stated is another obvious point: fewer jobs for White people will lead to waaaay fewer jobs for non-White people in Adland.
As for the alleged DEIBA+ improvement, the data analysis reflects a common ploy practiced by White advertising agencies and White media firms.
That is, declaring an increase in the historically underrepresented does not equate to fair and equitable representation; rather, it underscores the persistence of underrepresentation.
Additionally, keeping the associated numbers unspecific (i.e., no breakdown of racial and ethnic segments) makes the progress fuzzy and misleading. It’s a safe bet White women experienced the greatest benefits.
Declines in retention, student recruitment, and apprenticeships—key inspirations for philanthropic propaganda and heat shields—surely adversely impacts DEIBA+ initiatives.
Commentary from IPA honchos (included below) qualify as gobbledygook and bullshit.
In summation, the 2025 IPA Agency Census shows the only thing bound to significantly increase in Adland is systemic racism.
IPA Agency Census 2025 shows workforce declines while diversity improves
The IPA Agency Census 2025, published today (11 February 2026), shows that the number of employees in IPA member agencies has fallen year-on-year while progress continues in gender and ethnic representation across the industry.
According to the 2025 IPA Agency Census, now in its 66th year, on 1 September 2025, IPA member agencies employed 24,963 people, representing a 6.8% decrease from 26,787 in 2024. This reduction was driven by a considerable contraction in creative and other non-media agencies, where employment fell by 14.3% from 14,775 to 12,659. By contrast, employment in media agencies increased by 2.4%, rising from 12,012 to 12,304.
Further key 2025 IPA Agency Census findings
The decline in employment was more pronounced among part-time employees, men and those aged 25 and under
Full-time staff numbers fell by 6.7%, from 25,065 to 23,396, while part-time roles declined by 9% to 1,567.
The number of men employed fell by 7.3% y-o-y to 10,820, while the number of women employed decreased by 6.2% to 13,966. In overall percentage terms, men comprised 43.3% of employees and women 55.9%.
Numbers of employees aged 25 and under declined by 19.2% from 3,632 to 2,936. This shift contributed to an increase in the average employee age, rising from 35.2 years in 2024 to 35.6 years in 2025.
Staff turnover increased across IPA member agencies in the 12 months to 1 September 2025, while staff retention declined.
Overall turnover rose to 24.8%, up from 24.1% in 2024, and increased from 21.2% to 24.2% when redundancies were excluded. Turnover in creative and other non-media agencies rose to 27.6%, while turnover in media agencies fell to 21.7%. Overall staff retention declined to 68.6%, down from 74.9% in 2024. Where detailed data was available, resignations accounted for 58.5% of departures, with redundancies responsible for 14.3%.
Reflecting the overall reduction in workforce size, reported employee vacancies fell considerably
Agencies reported 680 open roles across all levels of seniority, down from 1,149 in 2024, a decrease of 40.8%. Vacancies declined by 47.2% in creative and other non-media agencies and by 34.7% in media agencies.
Progress continued in senior gender representation
Women now hold more than 40% of C-suite roles for the first time, accounting for 40.8% of senior positions, up from 39.9% in 2024. In creative and other non-media agencies, women’s C-suite representation rose to 39.7%, while in media agencies it increased to 42%.
Ethnic diversity across IPA member agencies also improved
Among agencies reporting ethnicity data, 25.5% of employees identified as being from a non-white background, up from 23.9% in 2024 and more than four times the level recorded in 2007. Representation was highest at entry level, with 45.5% of trainees and apprentices and 36.8% of juniors and executives from non-white backgrounds. At C-suite level, non-white representation increased to 12.7%, up from 10.5%.
Gender and ethnicity pay gaps narrowed slightly but remain substantial
Based on those who supplied gender and salary data, women represent 58.2% of employees but receive 52.9% of salaries, resulting in a gender pay gap of 19.5%, down slightly on 19.7% in 2024. The gender pay gap was wider in creative and other non-media agencies at 22.6% than in media agencies at 16.6%. Employees from non-white backgrounds account for 22% of employees and receive 18.5% of salaries, with the ethnicity pay gap falling to 19.4%, down considerably from 31% in 2024. The ethnicity pay gap remains higher in media agencies at 26.3% than in creative and other non-media agencies at 12.3%.
Within senior leadership teams, women from a non-white background hold a higher proportion of roles than their male counterparts
At the C-suite, women from non-white backgrounds account for 7%, while men from non-white backgrounds account for 6%. Within the highest level of this C-suite category (Chair/CEO/MD), this figure stands at 7% for women from non-white backgrounds and 4% for men from non-white backgrounds.
Hybrid working remains the norm across IPA member agencies
Some 70.7% operate a three-day office and two-day remote working model, although most agencies mandate at least some office-based working days.
Graduate recruitment declined in 2025
Just 43.4% of responding agencies reported employing graduate trainees, apprentices or school-leaver apprentices, down from 56% in 2024. At 60.6%, media agencies were considerably more likely to employ graduates and apprentices than creative and other non-media agencies.
The Census also highlights continued underuse of Apprenticeship Levy funds
It is estimated that over 85% of levy funds paid by submitting agencies remain unused by those agencies. Media agencies spent 20.2% of their levy funds on apprentice training, compared with 9% among creative and other non-media agencies.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping agency operations
Overall, 88.3% of agencies reported that AI is having a considerable impact on how they work. While 8% of agencies reduced their workforce in the past 12 months as a direct result of AI, 24% expect to do so in the next 12 months, with expectations of workforce reduction higher among creative and other non-media agencies (30%) than among media agencies (10%).
Agencies were asked whether they maintained a central record of employees registered as disabled
Just over half (52%) of responding agencies reported that they recorded registered disability, while 45% did not. A further 3% did not know. Among the 51 agencies that recorded registered disability, 3% of their employees were identified as being disabled.
Commenting on the findings
Paul Bainsfair, Director General, IPA:
“This year’s Census reflects an industry making important progress on gender and ethnic representation, while facing some hard truths about the shape of its workforce. Headcount is down, churn is up and the steep fall in entry-level roles raises real questions about future capability, particularly as AI reshapes skills and ways of working. Keeping talent pipelines open, including making far better use of apprenticeships and the Apprenticeship Levy, is no longer optional.”
“Agencies that continue to invest in early careers, skills development and retention will be best placed to build resilient businesses and a workforce fit for the future.”
Paul Bainsfair, Director General, IPA
Leila Siddiqi, Director of D&I, IPA:
“The 2025 Census shows the real pressures agencies have faced over the past year, with higher turnover and lower retention leaving teams stretched. It’s a reminder of the importance of supporting wellbeing and building trust. At the same time, exceeding 40% women in C-suite roles and the continued progress on entry-level diversity shows what is possible when inclusion is prioritised.
“As AI reshapes the industry, agencies must ensure their teams can apply both technical and human skills in ways that protect creativity and foster diverse perspectives.”
“Continuing to invest in a diverse mix of trainees, graduates and apprentices is essential to safeguarding the innovation and inclusivity that will shape the future of our industry.”
Leila Siddiqi, Director of D&I, IPA
Karen Martin, IPA President:
“The 2025 IPA Agency Census offers a fascinating snapshot of an industry in the midst of transition. There’s no denying that we’re seeing smaller teams and higher turnover, but that’s not the full story. As agencies, we’re evolving. We’re more diverse and more adaptable. And let’s not forget, while AI is shaking things up, it’s our human creativity that sets us apart. It’s how we not only navigate change but lead it, delivering innovative, unexpected creative solutions that truly add value and problem solving.”
“The key? Investing in and prioritising creativity at every level of our business. That’s how we’ll continue to thrive, no matter how fast things evolve.”
Karen Martin, IPA President
Monday, February 16, 2026
17361: BHM 2026—Netflix.
For BHM 2026, Netflix takes the standard “Black history is American history” approach, hyping the standard Black movies and shows promotion.
17360: Detonating Dentsu Destruction…?
Adweek reported Dentsu overhauled its leadership team to stage a turnaround of struggling overseas business.
Okay, except the C-suite rejiggering involved elevating an existing executive to the top role, as well as eliminating key positions. Such insular succession rarely leads to success.
Then again, hiring an outsider like Dentsu tried in 2020—recruiting Wendy Clark to serve as International Global CEO—didn’t succeed either.
Dentsu is beyond dented.
Dentsu Overhauls Leadership, Names Takeshi Sano CEO
The company installs its Japan chief to revive its struggling overseas business
By Audrey Kemp
Dentsu has named Takeshi Sano its new president and global CEO as it reshapes its leadership team, the company announced.
Sano, currently CEO of Dentsu Japan and deputy global COO, will step into the role on March 27, 2026, replacing Hiroshi Igarashi.
The change comes at a rocky time for the company. Earlier this month, Dentsu reported a ¥327.6 billion ($2.18 billion) net loss for fiscal 2025, largely driven by a ¥310.1 billion ($2.03 billion) goodwill impairment tied to its struggling international operations. The company also suspended its year-end dividend to preserve cash.
Dentsu had been exploring a sale of its international business—which includes operations across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC outside Japan for months. According to a report from Campaign Asia, those talks fell apart after potential buyers walked away, and Dentsu is now focused on fixing the business instead of selling it.
As part of the leadership reset, the company is eliminating the global COO and global president roles. Regional CEOs and practice leaders will now report directly to Sano. Dentsu has also added new global transformation and corporate affairs roles and is continuing a cost-cutting plan that includes previously announced layoffs.
The moves reflect a broader effort to steady its overseas operations after several difficult years.
In announcing the changes, Dentsu said the new structure is designed to “enhance execution excellence and drive stronger growth outcomes for our clients.”
Sano previously led Dentsu Inc., the company’s core Japanese business, through 11 consecutive quarters of revenue growth. That unit accounts for roughly 40% of group net revenue and more than half of its underlying operating profit, making it the company’s financial backbone.
A Dentsu veteran who joined the company in 1992, Sano has spent much of his career focused on business transformation. He now takes on the task of reviving the company’s struggling overseas operations.
“Dentsu will continue to sharpen the distinctive value that sets us apart and position ourselves as a true growth partner, supporting clients consistently from strategy through to execution,” he said in a statement.
Sunday, February 15, 2026
17359: BHM 2026—Brownsville, Texas.
Kudos to Brownsville, Texas, for orchestrating Black History Month 2026 Festival.
One city seemingly delivered more BHM festivities in a day than all Adland global holding companies combined presented in a month.
Saturday, February 14, 2026
17358: BHM 2026—The Library Of Congress, Et Al.
Per the hype: The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.
Um, has full citizenship really been achieved?
Friday, February 13, 2026
17356: Super Bowl LX Advertising Said Adios To Latinos…?
Advertising Age published a lengthy report on how Latino representation in Super Bowl LX advertising waned at a critical time for the segment.
In short, Latinos got iced while ICE reigned.
Hispanic representation wanes in Super Bowl ads at critical time
By Lindsay Rittenhouse
Diversity is waning in Super Bowl LX advertising, and noticeably scarce this year is Hispanic representation.
Several diversity and inclusion experts interviewed for this story said the lack of Hispanic casting and storylines is particularly disappointing given the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s targeting of this community, leaving them already feeling isolated and vulnerable.
“Latinos in the U.S. are navigating significant injustices in the current political environment, and non-Hispanic allies are increasingly showing up to support and protest alongside the community,” said Myles Worthington, CEO and founder of agency Worthi. “As marketers, knowing there is a massive influx of this audience watching the Super Bowl, it’d simply be poor strategy not to find a specific way to connect.”
Rocket Mortgage’s “America Needs Neighbors Like You” is one of the only national Super Bowl ads this year to prominently feature a Latino cast and promote a more earnest message of unity in a sea of in-game creative that leans heavily into humor. In the ad, friendly gestures by members of a Latino family new to the block help ease perceived tension with their new neighbors.
Meanwhile, of the 107 celebrities starring in Big Game spots this year, only eight are Hispanic, including SofÃa Vergara, starring in Boehringer Ingelheim’s in-game spot; magician David Blaine, who appears in YouTube TV’s spot; and Danny Trejo, who is in Novo Nordisk’s ad. That finding is part of Ad Age’s annual report that evaluates how national advertisers in the game prioritized diversity and inclusion on the screen and behind the cameras.
Worthington said seeing so many brands fail to prioritize Hispanic viewers—especially on the biggest night in advertising when so many will tune in to watch the halftime performance of Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny—“is a signal of cultural illiteracy, not prudence.”
Missed opportunity to reach Hispanic viewers
Lisette Arsuaga, the co-president and co-CEO of DMI Consulting, a strategic marketing firm specializing in diverse segments, and the co-founder of the Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM), speculated that perhaps brands felt that because Bad Bunny is performing the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show, “the Super Bowl had already taken care of Hispanics.”
But that thinking is flawed. “If a white talent were doing the Super Bowl, brands wouldn’t be thinking, ‘Oh, I don’t have to represent whites in my ad because that’s already part of the Super Bowl,’” she said.
It’s not clear why exactly the majority of Super Bowl advertisers left this demographic out of their spots. If anything, the highly anticipated Bad Bunny performance should be proof of the power of Hispanic culture and talent, Worthington said, pointing to the fact that a teaser posted to Instagram for his halftime show already reeled in the most likes of any teaser for a halftime performer ever.
Many of our interviewees praised the NFL for choosing Bad Bunny and championing diversity while so many brands sat silently on the sidelines. As a result, “the most powerful statement” isn’t going to be made during the commercial breaks but when Bad Bunny takes the stage, said Nicole Simpson, VP of inclusion and impact at Omnicom-owned Rapp.
“At a moment when the Latine community is particularly vulnerable, spotlighting the world’s top global artist who is fresh off historic Grammy wins and responsible for over $400 million in economic impact for Puerto Rico, isn’t just smart business,” Simpson said, “it’s a declaration of whose stories deserve center stage and a clear signal that the league sees its future as undeniably global.”
Arsuaga also took issue with what she said was a misrepresentation of Hispanic culture in Instacart’s “Bananas” commercial in which the mustachioed duo of Ben Stiller and Benson Boone sing about the grocery delivery platform’s feature that lets customers choose how ripe they want their produce. The ad has drummed up some backlash as some people have interpreted Stiller and Boone’s accents in the spot as faux Hispanic.
An Instacart spokesperson stressed that this was not the case in a statement. “The characters are intentionally fictional and stylized, inspired by a specific musical era and genre—not by any real individual, culture or community—and any perceived resemblance in accent, attire or presentation is unintentional.”
Rocket’s ad promotes unity
There were, of course, some welcome exceptions. Rocket Mortgage continued to champion a storyline promoting inclusion and unity in its in-game spot, “America Needs Neighbors Like You,” as it did during the Super Bowl last year.
The spot, created by agency Mirimar, shows a Latino family moving into a seemingly unwelcoming neighborhood, set to the tune of a Lady Gaga rendition of Fred Rogers’ “Won’t You Be My Neighbor.” A storm prompts young girls within a white and Latino family to find friendship and leads to other neighbors putting aside their differences to help each other out.
“These diverse characters were very intentional in the scriptwriting process—we wanted to represent America’s diversity and showcase the authentic tensions that exist in neighborhoods,” a Rocket spokesperson said. “We also wanted to show how kindness and neighborliness are a way to overcome our differences, and to remind the country that a simple hello or offer to help those who live next door brings us closer together.”
It seems that as other advertisers lean into humor and nostalgia, Rocket Mortgage is one of the few overtly providing a deeper message promoting unity at a time when the U.S. feels increasingly divided.
Still, Rocket Chief Marketing Officer Jonathan Mildenhall stressed in a statement that the ad promotes “a civic message not a political message. We want to encourage intentional kindness and neighborliness,” he said.
Boehringer Ingelheim’s first-ever Big Game spot, starring actors Octavia Spencer and Vergara, also stands out as a good representation of Hispanic culture, some people said.
Kai Wright, an industry strategic adviser and lecturer at Columbia University, uses a five-point system to evaluate ads for inclusivity. The five areas he said he grades an ad to determine if it well represents the community it intends to reach, includes “lexicon,” meaning it “is doing something unique that the community would identify with”; audio cues that resonate with a particular community; strong visuals that captivate the audience; “experience drivers,” meaning the ad is reinforcing some sort of ritual a particular community can get behind; and strong cultural connections.
Based on this system, which he calls the LAVEC method, Wright said Boehringer Ingelheim’s spot scored high (an 89 out of 100). The pharmaceutical brand worked with the American Diabetes Association, National Kidney Foundation, WomenHeart and The Mended Hearts on a campaign to showcase the importance of health screenings.
Spencer and Vergara appear in the action-packed ad on a mission to help people understand how to manage high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. Wright said the actors represent Black and Hispanic women, two groups that are prone to such conditions, and they provide actionable steps to improve their lives.
“The ad incorporates community values of advocacy and proactive care,” Wright said. “By reframing ‘silent signals’ as a call to action, it aligns with the tribe’s desire to ‘know their numbers’ and advocate for their own health before it’s too late.”
Both actors were good fits for the ad because they share personal and family health histories with these conditions, he added.
Boehringer Ingelheim declined to comment.
Arsuaga also praised the ad for being one of the only so far to prominently feature a Latina celebrity. She did note, however, that she’d like to see more brands branch out and hire Hispanic talent more under the radar than Vergara, who rose to fame as a lead on the hit sitcom “Modern Family.”
“When people think about Hispanic talent, it’s like, SofÃa Vergara is your token person,” Arsuaga said. “I don’t want to minimize her because she’s a great actor and is doing great things, but there are a lot of other people that could be used for important talent during these ads.”
Thursday, February 12, 2026
17355: BHM 2026—Macy’s.
Macy’s has been consistent in its annual support of Black History Month, Black-owned brands, and UNCF scholarships.
Yet the 2026 celebration depicted above is a carbon copy of the 2024 version below.
17354: On Pitching & Prime Redlining.
Advertising Age reported on new business pitches won by holding companies in 2025, with Publicis Groupe, WPP, and Omnicom (pre-IPG acquisition) taking the top 3 positions, respectively.
The leaderboard displayed: Publicis sucked up 1,458 wins; WPP nabbed 672 wins; Omnicom collected 656 wins.
How did the wins ignite layoffs, especially for losing White advertising agencies?
Also, how did the White holding companies rank in Prime Redlining, screwing non-White advertising agencies during account reviews?
Publicis won twice as many new business pitches as WPP or Omnicom in 2025
By Brian Bonilla
Publicis Groupe dominated the new business front in 2025, winning 56% of all global billings from new business opportunities, according to the latest new business report ranking holding companies from Mediasense.
Of the 3,885 pitches tallied by the consultancy, Publicis won 1,458. WPP took second place with 672 wins; Omnicom was right behind with 656 wins. The rankings included Interpublic Group of Companies, which was acquired by Omnicom late last year, as its own entity with 192 total wins. If the wins at Omnicom and IPG were combined, Omnicom would have been second in total wins.
Publicis, WPP and Omnicom weren’t immediately available for comment.
In an interview with Ad Age, Greg Paull, Mediasense’s president of global growth, said the ranking corrects a misnomer about the French holding company.
“I think people see Publicis as a media-driven holding company, but actually it [showed] a diversity of wins in social, public relations, creative, influencer, and data,” he said.
Publicis’ new business revenue from creative ($622.8 million) was higher than its new business revenue from media ($471 million).
That’s especially notable because the number of creative pitches and billings from those pitches overall was down 17% from the prior year, according to Mediasense. The number of media pitches dropped 11% and media billings were 17% lower than in 2024.
WPP also had a strong showing creatively ($363.8 million in new business), led by Ogilvy, Paull said, but its results were “dragged down” by media, which posted a $127.1 million decline in new business revenue. As a result, the British holding company’s media revenue from account losses exceeded its revenue from wins.
2025 was the most dominant year for a holding company, according to Paull, who has been helping compile these rankings since 2002.
“We never had a year this dominant,” Paull said. “Last year, 2024, [Publicis] won about 40% of the business, and even that was a record.”
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