Essay 402

Just in time for Black History Month!

The American Advertising Federation released the AAF Survey on Recruiting and Multicultural Advertising Trends.

According to the report, “160 executives from agencies, media organizations, advertisers/clients and other related firms responded to the survey; more than 80% have worked in the advertising industry 11 years or more; and nearly one-third for 25 years or more.”

Here are a few highlights:

• Benefits of multicultural marketing seen as substantial; precise targeting rated the most substantial benefit with branding products to wider audiences and showing company sensitivity to diverse consumer groups tied for a close second.

[It’s always amazing that an organization like the AAF will pay money to learn the obvious. Shucks, maybe those minority shops — you know, the ones that have been affiliated with the AAF for decades — are onto something after all.]

• 50% say that their organization has been not at all or not very successful in recruiting and retaining minority talent. Only 15% categorize their organization as successful or very successful.

[Sounds like at least 15% of the executives polled are fucking liars.]

• 37% of industry executives rate their organization not at all or not very successful in obtaining the services of qualified minority vendors, while 24% say they have been successful or very successful.

[Oops, make that at least 24%.]

The executives were also asked, “Why has your organization succeeded (or not) in recruiting minority talent?” Here are a few responses:

“The main problem is that the minority community here is so small, that when qualified minorities visit the city, they worry about being isolated without support of minority friends and family.” –Academic

“We are a small ad agency and have not had multicultural talent even apply for a position.” –Agency Exec.

“We were a founder in the Minority Advertising Training program on the West Coast and are making progress, but it is slow going — faster improvement with Asian and Latino, still far behind with African-American.” –Agency Exec.

[Small minority community. Small ad agency. Small progress. Sounds like small thinking. Or big, fucking liars.]

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