8949: Marcus Graham Meets Alejandro Claiborne.

Marcus Graham Project presents Man Behind The Brand: Alejandro Claiborne, Vice President, Director Multicultural Communications Planning at Carat.

Claiborne takes an interesting position, contending that White advertising agencies “smell blood in the water”—that is, these places are recruiting minorities in order to steal the crumbs assignments traditionally handed to minority shops. As a result, Claiborne thinks it all leads to opportunities for diverse candidates whose résumés cover a variety of skills and disciplines.

Perhaps.

But right now, there’s not a great deal of evidence to support Claiborne’s viewpoint. Yes, White agencies are raiding minority shops for minority talent, but mostly to staff colored departments. There have even been instances when entire minority shops were absorbed to complete a business scheme need. Yet despite occasional proclamations of a “cross-cultural” Kumbaya, the White agencies tend to maintain silos. Is it really progress when segregation shifts under a single roof? And will clients who turn to minority shops to fulfill supplier diversity initiatives go for integration via acquisition?