MultiCultClassics must confess to routinely posting comments at other sites under different aliases. Below is one such example, where the identity B&S was adopted to
Pat Westphal
November 30, 2009
Q:) At what point do we become a band of one?
Q:) When do we reward on merit in lieu of mien?
Q:) How finely will that pie be parsed?
Q:) What about Blondes V. Redheads?
Q:) How come 80% of your staffers are below the age of 40, while 65% of your audience is over the age of 45? Who really understands whom? I can tell from your advertising (see the Brighten Bay debacle) that you don’t. Maybe this is what you’re out to remedy?
Q:) Do you practice what you preach, or are you only concerned with appearances?
I eagerly await your reply, but I ain’t holding my breath!
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B&S
November 30, 2009
Pat Westphal,
Are your questions directed at P&G or the typical advertising agency — where diversity and cultural awareness/expertise are virtually invisible? Just curious.
Regarding reward on merit in lieu of mien, what are you implying here? Please consider the typical advertising agency again — where rewards are routinely distributed based on cronyism, nepotism, sexism and other assorted isms.
I eagerly await your reply, but I ain’t holding my breath — and I don’t expect to be surprised or impressed with anything you might offer. Cheers.
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Pat Westphal
November 30, 2009
That’s great! I pose some questions, and you draw a series of prejudiced conclusions? Terrific! I could engage in some sophomoric repartee, instead let me see if I can answer, free of vitriol? My missive was directed towards P&G! Agencies are not social experiments, they are self-serving, greedy and myopic enterprises! More so today (to their detriment) than ever before! Mehri & Skalet have put the heat on agencies of late, my guess is that this is P&G’s response to their valiant (albeit self-serving) initiative? I know Bob McDonald, and he is an excellent human being! The larger question is where does this end? How many varied opinions and latitudes do you have to account for to be truly representative? When do we move beyond these specious concerns, and stand not as tribes but as individuals? Who will be the arbiter of that day? What circumstances/equations must be present so that we can finally evaluate one another based on the content of our character? I look forward to that day! It’s painfully obvious that we ain’t there yet!
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B&S
November 30, 2009
Pat Westphal,
The answer to your larger question is: This will end when we can all say with a straight face that advertising agencies and advertisers truly are diverse enterprises free of discriminatory hiring practices. P&G has a long way to go. But advertising agencies have yet to seriously begin. That P&G saw fit to make these requests to their agencies speaks more about the agencies versus P&G, no? Sure, there may be some hypocrisy in P&G’s actions, but we’re not hearing any agency deny the need for change. The silent response says it all.
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B&S
November 30, 2009
Pat Westphal,
One more thing: You admitted, “It’s painfully obvious that we ain’t there yet.” So why criticize P&G’s efforts? Let’s clean up our own houses first versus launching a list of dramatic questions. Stop asking why. Just do something about it. Cheers.
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