6702: Pushing Progress.

Just wanted to add a few muddled thoughts regarding diversity issues raised at the 4As Leadership Conference.

4As President and CEO Nancy Hill made poignant observations in her speech through historical quotes:

“How have we as an industry, and as individual agencies, discharged our responsibility to our fellow human beings,” namely African Americans?

“The Federal Equal Opportunity Commission has told us this. The New York City Commission on Human Rights has told us this. It is high time we told ourselves—and did something about it.”

That’s an excerpt from a thoughtful and prescient speech titled, “A Look in the Looking Glass,” given by former 4A’s chairman Jock Elliott at a past 4A’s annual meeting.

It may come as a surprise to some that Mr. Elliott’s words were spoken in 1968, but it should be downright shameful to us all that the exact same words still apply today, in light of the continuing lack of minorities at agencies—specifically African Americans in middle and senior ranks.

It was interesting that Hill would stress the remarks are over 40 years old. It certainly hammers the industry’s abject failure to bring inclusiveness to the game. Yet consider the following quote:

“My belief in giving [Blacks] the business opportunities to which they are entitled is not a matter of ‘tolerance.’ It’s just a better way to do business. It gives you that many more people from which you can choose the best. Send me applicants for jobs and I’ll judge them side by side with applicants of any other color, on their merits.”

That statement was delivered by advertising agency founder Milton Biow. In the 1940s. And Blacks have struggled to gain access into the business since at least the 1930s. The “downright shameful” lack of progress on Madison Avenue is actually closer to 80 years old.

Dan Wieden injected controversy with his speech by admitting, “I essentially hire a bunch of white, middle-class kids, pay them enormous, enormous sums of money to do what? To create messages to the inner-city kids who create the culture the white kids are trying like hell to emulate.”

Wieden’s observations recall another noteworthy quote:

“White teenagers have long regarded [Blacks] their own age as fashion trend setters. Fashion starts in the streets and filters up, not merely from youth to age, but from lower economic class to upper.”

That statement was delivered by advertising agency founder Junius Edwards. In 1971. It seems to support Sanford Moore’s contention that the industry has consistently hijacked Black culture while holding back Black executives.

This was not the first time Wieden has acknowledged his own diversity shortcomings. He said in a 2006 USA TODAY interview, “I will not stand here and try to make excuses for the number of African-Americans we’ve hired. It’s pathetic. There’s a lot more we can do.” In 2009, Wieden is still dissatisfied with his shop’s efforts. To be clear, Wieden + Kennedy is chipping away pretty well—and they are not even among the shops that signed pacts with New York City’s Commission on Human Rights. So why can’t Wieden express pride over the accomplishments to date? Does he realize his agency could and should still be doing a lot more? What’s preventing W+K from getting there?

Equally disturbing is Wieden’s suggestion that others embrace youth outreach programs. Now, there’s nothing wrong with youth outreach programs. Indeed, these initiatives are integral to achieving the dream. But they don’t come close to solving everything, especially the immediate need for mid- and senior-level employees. Plus, how many youth outreach programs do we need? And why does it appear that youth outreach programs are the only idea people can come up with? In an advertising scenario, Wieden would never allow his creative teams to present one concept that has been done for decades. Why is he so quick to push a cliché in this instance? Somebody needs to send Wieden back to the drawing board.

To be clear, MultiCultClassics is not trying to beat up Hill and Wieden. Hell, these two are doing far greater good than the overwhelming majority. It’s also imperative that White honchos speak out and demonstrate commitment to the cause. No, the outrageous and frustrating part is seeing two leading proponents for change regurgitate the past and display cultural cluelessness—and knowing the overwhelming majority are far less engaged and far less enlightened.