10265: Hasta La Vista, Totality.

Advertising Age reported Havas is shuttering multicultural unit Totality after less than a year of operation. According to “a source familiar with the effort,” Havas will simply integrate multicultural initiatives into White agencies including Euro RSCG and Arnold. Only in the advertising industry does integration mean internal segregation—or disintegration, if the multicultural projects are either handled by White staffers or outsourced. In this instance, no one bothered to say they would take a cross-cultural approach.

Not sure what to make of the scenario. Given the alleged rising interest in wooing Latino audiences, you’d think launching an enterprise like Totality would be a slam dunk—or easy goal, to use a fútbol term. Maybe it shows the difficulty of generating profit in the multicultural marketing arena. It’s tough to succeed without a major client from a major category serving as a cash cow. The problem is, while minority segments are growing in the U.S., advertisers are still not dedicating adequate resources to target the groups. Hell, most brands are not engaging multicultural shops at all. How many clients think multicultural marketing equals translating the White campaign and/or seeding colored people into the commercial casting? How many clients think multicultural marketing is a waste of time? And how many clients never even think of multicultural marketing?

It also doesn’t help when a multicultural unit is within or directly tied to a White agency, as White leaders remain culturally clueless and politically paranoid about losing billings to non-White efforts. In the end, it’s clear who has totality control in such matters.

Havas Closes Struggling Multicultural Unit Totality

Agencies Will Handle Own Multicultural Work; Leo Olper and Mauricio Galvan Seek New Opportunities

By Laurel Wentz

Havas is closing down Totality, the multicultural unit the company officially started in October 2011 and based at the New York office of Arnold Worldwide.

A source familiar with the effort said that after trying to create a broader multicultural offering, Havas decided it would be better to integrate multicultural work in operating companies such as Euro RSCG and Arnold rather than add another layer. The person pointed out that agencies are increasingly integrating what used to often be separate services, such as digital and shopper marketing, and now perhaps Hispanic.

Havas hired two Hispanic experts, Leo Olper and Mauricio Galvan, from Hispanic agencies Lapiz and Vidal Partnership, back in April 2010 to reinvent the company’s foundering Euro Latino unit. Not much happened for the next 18 months, and last October the company announced Totality as a branded, multicultural offering. Messrs. Olper and Galvan became CEO and chief creative officer, respectively, and were joined by Alicia De Armas, who worked on Hispanic business at Euro RSCG, and Reginald Osborne, to spearhead African-American initiatives. Mr. Osborne also continued his existing role as senior VP-director of multicultural marketing at Arnold, where he led multicultural efforts for McDonald’s.

Totality has won little in the way of new business. For Ad Age’s annual Agency Report, Totality reported winning five new accounts between May 2011 and January 2012. Three were pro bono efforts, and two were local McDonald’s assignments in Boston and Washington D.C.

Only about half a dozen people worked at Totality, including the original four employees. Havas is believed to be discussing possible opportunities for Mr. Olper and Mr. Galvan within the company’s agencies, but the pair are actively job hunting and hope to stay in New York and possibly join a new agency together.

The source familiar with the matter said Arnold already has about 20 people who do multicultural work for agency clients, including McDonald’s and Brown-Forman, and that a somewhat smaller number of people do multicultural work within Euro RSCG.

General-market agencies have a growing interest in capturing their clients’ Hispanic business, but often struggle, whether they try to set up a separate unit, as Havas did, or integrate the business within the agency, as Havas now intends to do. KBS&P tried to build up a separate multicultural unit called Ramona, but effectively closed it down in December 2012 after Ramona lost is main client, Tecate.

10264: Chuck Norris Blasts Away.

Chuck Norris pulled an Amar’e Stoudemire move to uncover a conspiracy theory involving the President of the United States and the Boy Scouts of America—at AmmoLand.com.

‘Nuff said.

(BTW, here’s an ad that appeared alongside Norris’ editorial, hawking Scout Rifle accessories.)

10263: Bob Liodice Headlines Liars Meeting.

Adweek reported ANA President-CEO Bob Liodice appeared at a Senate hearing to hype self-regulation for online advertising. Politicians and advertising wonks in the same room makes for quite a showdown of liars. The elected officials, however, should be wary of the ad people for a few reasons. First, how can an industry be trusted to police itself in the digital space when the majority of its practitioners are clueless in the digital space? Talk about letting the inmates run the e-asylum. Second, is it smart to believe representatives from a field that created its own Code of Ethics, which have not been officially adopted by anyone? Hell, most ad people are probably unaware the document even exists. Finally, consider the fact that our industry has been regulating itself in the area of diversity. Nobody is claiming success on that particular matter. Indeed, one person who has publicly admitted to the failure is none other than ANA President-CEO Bob Liodice—and ironically, he did it online.

Ad Biz Tries to Convince Senate Dems Self-Regulation Works

Industry’s Liodice unveils new data in ad choices program

By Katy Bachman

The advertising industry Thursday rolled out the big guns and new data to defend its self-regulation program for online behavioral advertising to skeptical lawmakers on the Democratic-controlled Senate Commerce Committee.

They had to. Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) is pushing for a Do Not Track bill. He and the other committee Dems have expressed skepticism in several privacy hearings that the ad industry can police itself to protect online consumer privacy. They’ve embraced recommendations from the Administration that there needs to be baseline privacy legislation establishing a privacy code of conduct or bill or rights.

Taking the witness stand for advertisers, Bob Liodice, president and CEO of the Association of National Advertisers said that the ad choices program, covering 90 percent of the interactive advertising business, was working, giving consumers choice to opt-out of unwanted online ads.

More than one trillion of the ad choices icon is being served each month. More than one million consumers have opted out of ads. To promote the program to consumers, the ad industry’s education campaign and website designed by McCann Erickson Worldwide is generating more than one million uniques a month.

“We have demonstrated the industry can come together,” Liodice said. “With the system we have, we are able to get to cases and principles that the Federal Trade Commission may have missed,” he added.

But Microsoft’s breaking ranks with the industry with its default Do Not Track browser, fueled the skeptics’ conclusion that something more universal needs to be done.

“It’s unclear whether industry self-regulation, by itself, is a viable way to allow users to manage and control data collected and used about them by third parties,” said Alex Fowler, Mozilla’s chief privacy officer, who noted that the ad industry’s self-regulation program was developed only because the government put pressure on it.

Fowler also called the ad industry’s ad icon “confusing” and ineffective. “According to the industry’s own research the number of users who use the icon is low: 0.0035 percent clock, and only 1 in 20 of those actually opt out,” Fowler said.

The industry only got its act together when the government put the pressure on, added Peter Swire, professor of law for The Ohio State University. “We’re seeing industry digging in and doing something right now,” he said.

Liodice characterized the Digital Advertising Alliance’s work on developing the ad choices program differently. “Our self-regulatory mechanism has evolved with the encouragement of the Federal Trade Commission. And with their collaboration, we completed the system,” Liodice said.

GOP members echoed the industry’s fears that the government privacy regulation of the Internet may not be able to keep up with the fast-moving Internet.

“We must proceed cautiously and carefully before diving into any legislation,” said Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.). “Legislation could be outdated before the ink dries.”

At the end of the hearing, Rockefeller remained unconvinced. “It’s not in their self-interest,” he told reporters. “I don’t trust these companies to do what’s right when they’re up against the bottom line.”

Despite Rockefeller’s enthusiasm for a Do Not Track bill, even he admitted it’s highly unlikely because it’s a low priority on the Senate Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) scale. “I would like to see a Do Not Track bill this afternoon. If we go to next year, it won’t be because a lot of people don’t want it to happen. It’s so easy, it’s so right. I want the bill,” Rockefeller said.

10262: DDB On Bad Judges & Bad Judgment.

DDB Worldwide Chief Creative Officer Amir Kassaei accused WPP judges of tactical voting at Cannes Lions 59th International Festival of Creativity and declared, “I have been notified by no fewer than 12 jury members that people from other holding companies this week were briefed to kill Omnicom, especially BBDO, DDB and TBWA, this is a fact.” Kassaei added, “This is not about being a bad loser, or even supporting Omnicom, this is about the integrity and responsibility of the Cannes Lions Festival as a beacon of excellence around the world.” Now it’s been revealed that DDB created a fake beer brand and campaign to promote itself at Cannes. “The idea was born around the fact that we said we should use Cannes as a platform not only to celebrate and to have a good time but to prove to the target group who's attending the Cannes festival—the most important people in the advertising [industry]—how the creativity of DDB can build a brand and shape a market,” said Kassaei. “Our job is around creating a relevant truth and delivering it in a fresh way so people care about it … [We chose] a beer brand because we wanted to build a lifestyle brand that is matching to the whole environment of Cannes and the way people are behaving themselves during the week.” Is this guy a total douche bag or what? The most outrageous part is, the fake work is contrived crap. Bill Bernbach must be spinning in his grave.

10261: Blige On Burger King.

From Rolling Stone…

Mary J. Blige: Burger King Chicken Ad Fallout ‘Crushed Me’

‘My heart dropped down to my stomach,’ says singer

By Rolling Stone

Mary J. Blige is speaking out for the first time about the stir surrounding her controversial Burger King commercial that leaked in April.

Appearing on Hot 97’s Angie Martinez show on Thursday, the R&B star talked about the fallout from the ad and asked for forgiveness from her fans. “I want to apologize to everyone that was offended or thought that I would do something so disrespectful to our culture. I would never do anything like that purposefully. I thought I was doing something right. So forgive me.”

In the Burger King commerical, which leaked back in April, Blige sang about a fried chicken wrap to the tune of her song “Don’t Mind.” The ad was widely criticized for playing into African-American stereotypes, and the fast-food chain quickly pulled the commercial, citing music licensing issues. Soon after, the company issued a public mea culpa to Blige: “We would like to apologize to Mary J. and all of her fans for airing an ad that was not final. We know how important Mary J. is to her fans, and we are currently in the process of finalizing the commercial. We hope to have the final ad on the air soon.”

On Thursday, Blige recalled seeing the leaked version of the ad for the first time. “Oh my God, my heart dropped down to my stomach,” Blige told Martinez. “I got this sweat and I said, real calm, ‘This too shall pass.’ But it just kept getting worse and worse and worse … I went online to listen to the remix I did with Fat Joe, and all I can see is ‘Burger King’ and ‘chicken’ and ‘buffoonery.’ It just broke my heart.

“I would never just bust out singing about chicken and chicken wings,” added Blige. “It hurt my feelings and crushed me for two days.”

Explaining why she’s remained silent about the ad until now, Blige said, “There was too much going on for me to stick my head out there and say anything. So I just pulled back and watched everyone and everything.”

Blige added that she was originally sold on the idea that she would “be shot in an iconic way” for the ad and that she’d seen it as “a great branding opportunity.” She also said that while she understood the jokes about the spot looking back, the experience also showed her who her real friends were. “Busta Rhymes hit me and he was like, “Are you ok, sis? I see what you were trying to do,’” recalled Blige. “Fat Joe hit me; he was like, ‘Yo, we don’t care about that stupid chicken commercial or whatever. We love you, Mary, and we know what you were trying to do.”’

Still, Blige said, “It was a mistake when you look at it at the end of the day, because people look at it as a mistake. But I did it because I thought it was something that wouldn’t come out like that.”

10260: Talkin’ The Talk With Mickey D’s.

Copyranter at BuzzFeed and Jim Edwards at Business Insider both commented on the 1976 Mickey D’s ad depicted above. Copyranter appeared to be amused by the stereotypical copy, while Edwards declared the ad was racist. Um, definitely disagree with Edwards. The copy and imagery represent standard multicultural marketing for the period; and sadly, things have barely evolved over time.

The Dollar Menu Guy said, “For not much money I can get a lot of kickin’ food which I love.”

And everyone knows “when your stomach starts talking to you, holla back.”

Plus, don’t forget the Mango Pineapple Smoothie chant—as well as Chiller Talk for Cherry Berry Chillers. Word.

10259: Roth & Hill Teach Advertising 101.

U.S. Politics Today reported the High School for Innovation in Advertising and Media (IAM) graduated its first senior class via a gala event held at the Brooklyn Museum. Guest speakers included IPG Chairman and CEO Michael Roth and 4A’s President-CEO Nancy Hill. Jetting from Cannes to Brooklyn in the past week must have been grueling for Roth. His commencement address was undoubtedly riveting, although the kids likely would have preferred listening to players and owners from the Brooklyn Nets. Hell, Roth’s highly paid underlings aren’t even interested in hearing the man ramble.

Congratulations to the IAM students, the school’s dedicated staff, and the program’s supporters. Seeing young citizens move forward is always a great thing.

MultiCultClassics has repeatedly stated its position on such endeavors throughout the years. So this will be brief.

Hill inspired the students by sharing she was once told, “‘Anything is possible. Everything is not.’ But if you focus on the anything—the one thing that you really believe in and that you really want—there is nothing, nothing, I assure you, that you can’t accomplish.”

The 4A’s honcho unwittingly revealed the true reasons behind the exclusivity on Madison Avenue. For over 60 years, diversity in our industry has been impossible. And it’s because leaders haven’t focused on anything, don’t really believe in it, and don’t really want it. That’s why nothing, nothing significant has yet been accomplished.

Hill and Roth shouldn’t just deliver speeches to minority youth. The executives must also present lectures to the industry’s majority oldsters, demanding that they create inclusive workplaces. Why simply put underserved kids through school? Send culturally clueless adpeople to diversity training too—and see how many can actually graduate. Don’t stop after handing out scholarships to deserving students for academic achievement. Follow up by delivering pink slips to unresponsive managers for professional failure.

Otherwise, you’ll only be teaching the IAM Class of 2012 their first lesson in Madison Avenue bullshit.

NYC’s ‘Advertising’ High School Awards Diplomas to First Graduating Class

Brooklyn’s High School for Innovation in Advertising and Media (IAM) Was Established in 2008

The High School for Innovation in Advertising and Media (IAM) graduated its very first class of seniors in commencement exercises held today at the Brooklyn Museum.

Interpublic Group chairman CEO Michael Roth delivered the commencement address to the graduates, saying, “Five years ago, when a bunch of us in the industry came up with the idea for IAM, we looked forward to this day, when we’d be seeing you—the first graduating class—completing your studies. What you’ve accomplished is impressive: 48 of you are graduating today, with 80 percent going on to college.”

He continued, “Just as impressive is what you’ve achieved in learning about the business. You have created campaigns for real clients, and presented them before leading industry professionals. This was the idea behind IAM—to prepare you for your future, to open your eyes to the possibilities.”

The 4A’s, the leading trade association for the advertising industry, led the years-long effort to establish IAM High School in 2008 on the campus of the former Canarsie High School in Brooklyn, as a way to educate young adults about the advertising industry, cultivate a more diverse work force and to prepare students for the business world.

“American businesses are realizing that to remain competitive in a global marketplace, there’s value to be found in partnering with public schools to develop the next generation of the labor force,” said Nancy Hill, President-CEO of the 4A’s. “It’s particularly important for the advertising and marketing industry, which is suffering a talent drain to tech and financial firms. This school is now one of the wells we’ll draw from for talent for many years to come.”

Hill added that schools like IAM High School are able to re-engage students in their core academic subjects by showing them the practical use of the skills learned in the classroom. At IAM, students have the opportunity to take workshops in the creative aspects of advertising (copywriting, art direction), in understanding media planning and buying, and in web-site production and design.

Many of the graduates plan to pursue their education by attending 2- or 4-year post-secondary schools. Four graduating seniors—Tevin Jeffery, Meagan Francis, Darren Freeman and Jermaine Richards—received portions of a $60,000 scholarship from the Advertising Club of New York to continue their educations.

Besides the first graduating class, the school has 330 students from grades nine through 12, and some of its milestones thus far are as follows:

• On May 4, 2012, IAM High School opened a student-run full-service advertising agency on campus, and it is working on ad assignments from local Brooklyn businesses

• IAM has formed long-term partnerships with the 4A’s and its member agencies, such as, McCann-Erickson, Deutsch, DraftFCB, Digitas, Publicis, McGarryBowen and Euro RSCG

• Through these ad agencies, the IAM Advertising Agency is working with blue-chip marketers including Jaguar and Google

• In March 2012, IAM students contributed to an integrated marketing campaign for Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative to combat childhood obesity

IAM is the first accredited high school in the country that has advertising and marketing as part of its core curriculum, and it is certified to award Career and Technical Education (CTE) diplomas. It is one of 35 CTE high schools in New York City.

The 4A’s Nancy Hill said that IAM High School is the model for what she hoped will be many other public high schools in cities around the country that will develop advertising-focused curricula to graduate students who are prepared for post-secondary education and the business world.

10258: Stoudemire Fouls Out With Pride.

From The New York Daily News…

Amar’e Stoudemire fined $50,000 by NBA for using gay slur in Twitter exchange with NY Knicks fan

All-Star power forward says there is ‘no excuse’ for his actions. Lakers star Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for directing similar language at a referee.

By Mitch Lawrence / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Amar’e Stoudemire’s use of a gay slur in Tweet over the weekend cost the Knicks’ superstar $50,000.

The NBA announced the fine Tuesday, citing Stoudemire for using “using offensive and derogatory language,’’ according to Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Stoudemire released a statement Tuesday:

“I am a huge supporter of civil rights for all people,” Stoudemire said in a statement. “I am disappointed in myself for my statement to a fan. I should have known better and there is no excuse.”

Stoudemire became the latest NBA player to run afoul of the league’s zero-tolerance policy for players who use anti-gay derogatory words. In response to Knick fan Brian Ferrelli’s Tweet on Saturday that said he needed to come back “a lot stronger and quicker to make up for this past season,’’ Stoudemire Tweeted, “F--- you! I don’t have to do anything f--.’’

Stoudemire apologized after his comment went viral, but that doesn’t make any difference with the NBA. What made his remark all the more outlandish is that he made it during Gay Pride weekend.

The tweet brought embarrassment to the league and the Knicks less than two months after Stoudemire severely lacerated his left hand as he punched a glass fire extinguisher door after the Knicks lost Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Heat in Miami. The self-inflicted wound forced him to miss the next game as the Knicks lost in five to the eventual-champion Heat.

Stoudemire’s penalty matched the NBA’s punishment when the Bulls’ Joakim Noah yelled the same gay slur that Stoudemire used at a fan in Miami during a playoff game last season. Noah was also cited for using “a derogatory and offensive term.”

But Stoudemire and Noah’s penalty was half of what the league hit Kobe Bryant with a month earlier. In addition to being fined $100,000, the Lakers’ superstar also received a strong public rebuke from David Stern for using the same derogatory word Noah used, against a league referee, Bennie Adams.

Although Bryant said his comment was a result of venting his anger at Adams and should not have been taken literally, the league still dropped the hammer since one of it’s referee was the target.

The NBA has been aggressively trying to stop the use of anti-gay language and trash talking among its players. To draw attention to its mission, the league has been airing public service ad campaigns for the past several seasons with the message, “think before you speak.”

10257: Doritos Goes Latino Via London.

MultiCultClassics noted the challenges Latino shops face in award shows, then came across the Doritos Dips Desperado campaign—which has apparently won numerous accolades—from Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, London, UK. The spot is accompanied by interactive components as well. Would PepsiCo have allowed a Latino shop to produce something like this? Does anyone else think Esteban Ortega is a 21st century Frito Bandito?

10256: Oreo Cookie Controversy.

Kraft sparked a little controversy with its Gay Pride Oreo that appeared on Facebook. It must have created confusion for Bob Garfield, who once saw hints of racism in an Oreo campaign starring Randy Jackson—and also blasted Omnicom for perceived homophobia in advertising. Whatever. MultiCultClassics is still waiting for the Black Pride Oreo to be unveiled.

10255: Latino Lions Lollapalooza.

Advertising Age reported four U.S. Latino agencies grabbed six Lions at Cannes last week. Three of the agencies won for radio work. Not sure why the medium is so prominent. Could it be because minority shops don’t receive as much money and/or opportunities to do TV and even digital? Radio is a favorite choice of many multicultural marketing clients, as it’s cheap to execute. There’s no denying the top Cannes winners worked with big production budgets. Plus, minority shops are burdened with the demand to be blatantly targeted with creative—soccer, salsa and sombreros, por favor—which can hamper breakthrough attempts. On the flipside, agencies like LatinWorks and Grupo Gallegos show that the way to move beyond the barriers and stereotypes involves setting higher standards. It starts with the agencies.

U.S. Hispanic Market Wins Six Lions at Cannes Festival

LatinWorks Gets Gold for Cine Las Americas Radio Spots

By Laurel Wentz

Four U.S. Hispanic agencies picked up six Lions at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity last week, with a particularly strong showing in radio, a category U.S. Latin shops often excel in.

LatinWorks’ long-running and much-awarded campaign for Cine Las Americas, which introduces Latin films to the U.S., won both a gold and a bronze Lion for the latest radio campaign from the Austin, Texas-based agency. The basic idea is always the same in the radio and TV spots for the film festival: LatinWorks unearths footage of real Latin American leaders saying imbecilic things, and the punch line is “if this is what our reality is like, imagine our films.”

The agency adds a new twist every year. This time, it’s to add sound effects to make the leader’s idiotic pronouncements sound like part of a movie, and then gradually take them away until only his ridiculous words are left. In the spot “Action,” a man is denouncing America amid explosive noises. The voiceover says “If we remove the helicopters from this action movie … if we remove the shooting … and the explosions … we’re left with [Venezuelan president] Hugo Chavez, expelling the ambassador of the U.S. on a national TV broadcast …If our reality sounds like an action movie, imagine our films.”

In another spot, likened to a porn flick, Uruguay’s president gives an interview on live TV while dead drunk. “Yes, he’s the president of Uruguay,” the voiceover says sadly after that spot’s clinking ice cubes, giggly girls and tacky music are removed.

Also in radio, Leo Burnett’s Hispanic shop, Chicago-based Lapiz, won a silver for an unusual effort for Procter & Gamble in which a woman can listen to one of two different versions of the spot by turning on the audio for either the right or the left speaker while listening to the radio in the car.

The spot “Stork,” for P&G’s Clearblue pregnancy test, lets a woman hear about Clearblue through the filter of her own feelings about possibly being pregnant. In the version played through the right speaker, the product message is delivered by a woman who wants to be pregnant, while the woman in the left-speaker version does not.

Young & Rubicam’s Hispanic agency, Bravo, won two bronze Lions for radio spots for Leica’s V-Lux 20 camera with a zoom feature. In each spot, an announcer tells a story between clicks of the shutter denoting that pictures are being taken of the memories created. But there isn’t always a happy ending. In “Grand Canyon,” a couple get engaged at the Grand Canyon, return every summer and always eat at the same Mexican restaurant, where the wife falls in love with a waiter named Miguel.

In the only award not in the radio category, independent agency Grupo Gallegos won a bronze Media Lion for “Forgot Your Password,” a simple but very effective message for the Alzheimer’s Association. The campaign linked the sensation of memory loss due to Alzheimer’s with the common frustration of forgetting your password on a website. Users of Spanish-language site Univision.com who requested a new password were also sent this message: “If something as insignificant as forgetting your password complicates your life, imagine what it’s like living with Alzheimer’s.” A link to the Alzheimer’s Association website was included, and traffic increased by 400% during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in November 2011.

10254: Coke Exec Sees Diversity. Sort Of.

Advertising Age reported Coca-Cola VP-Global Connections Ivan Pollard gushed over the diversity of creative at Cannes. Of course, he would’ve had a hard time seeing diversity in the creatives there—especially among the U.S. representatives.

Coca-Cola’s Ivan Pollard Praises Diversity of Creative at Cannes

Cites ‘Coke Hands,’ ‘Polar Bowl’ as Evidence It Doesn’t Matter How Old the Tech Is

Coca-Cola’s VP-Global Connections Ivan Pollard talked to Ad Age about Coca-Cola’s wins at Cannes and why the diversity of work honored is important to the company. To illustrate the variety of the creativity, he cited an outdoor poster done by a 19-year-old designer in Asia-Pacific—“not an agency person, not on the roster, using our brand in a completely unexpected and different but vitally rewarding way”—and the U.S. Super Bowl-integrated Polar Bowl, a second-screen experience that synced with the game’s action.

“To be rewarded for your ability to use technology that is a year old just as much as your ability to win for your creativity in technology that’s three-and-a-half-thousand years old, it’s that range that I think is stunning,” he said.

10253: Italy’s Racist Shot In Euro 2012.

From The New York Daily News…

Euro 2012: Italian newspaper shows striker Mario Balotelli as King Kong atop Big Ben prior to Italy’s match against England

Prior to Italy’s clash with England in Euro 2012, La Gazzetta dello Sport shows Balotelli, who is black, swatting soccer balls while atop Big Ben. Racism has been a concern at the European Championships, and Balotelli had said earlier that racism is unacceptable in 2012.

By Bernie Augustine / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Players competing in Euro 2012 were concerned that racism could be a problem with fans in Poland and Ukraine. They probably didn’t expect to be the subject of racial insensitivity in the press.

On Sunday an Italian newspaper, La Gazzetta dello Sport, published a photo-illustration of Italy’s star striker, Mario Balotelli, as King Kong atop Big Ben swatting away soccer balls.

Although the intent of the cartoon seemed to be that Balotelli and the Italians would topple England, the execution was clearly done in poor taste. Italy won the match in a shootout, 4-2. 

Before the tournament kicked off, Balotelli — who was born in Palermo but is of Ghanainan descent — addressed his concerns about racism in Poland and Ukraine, the co-hosts for the European Championships.

“Let’s see what happens at the Euro. I hope that there will not be a problem,” he told France Footall. “Because I really can’t handle that.”

“I cannot bear racism, it’s unacceptable for me. If it had happened again I would straight away leave the pitch and go home. We are in 2012. It can’t happen,” the 21-year-old added. 

Despite efforts to stem any racist outbursts, racism has been an issue at the month-long tournament. In Italy’s group-play match against Croatia, Croatian fans directed racist chants at Balotelli and a banana was thrown onto the pitch during the match. The Croatian Football Federation was fined 80,000 euros ($106,000) last week for their fans’ actions.

On Monday, London’s Metropolitan police announced they were launching an investigation into racist tweets directed at two black English players — Ashley Cole and Ashley Young. Both players missed penalty kicks in the Three Lions’ 4-2 loss to Balotelli’s Italian squad Sunday.

Earlier this month, UEFA, soccer’s governing body, addressed complaints from the Netherlands about monkey chants from the crowd at a Dutch training session in Krakow, Poland.

10252: Classic Diversity Advertising.

These ads were originally released in 2001 by bvk. Guess the campaign’s effectiveness goes without saying.

10251: C’MON WHITE MAN! Episode 24.

(MultiCultClassics credits ESPN’s C’MON MAN! for sparking this semi-regular blog series.)

Cannes Lions 59th International Festival of Creativity paired Sir John Hegarty with Dan Wieden for an event titled, “BBH & Wieden + Kennedy: 30 Years of Creative Chaos.” Hegarty recently professed his commitment to diversity, despite a shaky record on the matter. An Adweek article published in the 1990s quoted the iconic adman as saying, “I dislike the whole idea of ethnic advertising. It’s about telling someone, ‘You are fundamentally different.’ Why? We should be celebrating the fact that we’re part of the whole.” Meanwhile, Wieden once gushed that of all the trophies he’s received over the years, his 2011 ADCOLOR® Award was “the most important one I’ve ever held.”

Yet according to Adweek’s report from Cannes, when Hegarty and Wieden were asked how the advertising industry should evolve and improve, they both only talked about elevating the quality of the work. Now that’s fucked up.

Guess the championing inclusive agencies stuff slipped their minds. Maybe the seminar should have been called, “30 Years of Creatively Dodging Diversity.”

C’MON WHITE MEN!

10250: The Color Of Cannes.

Can’t think of a better place to ask, “Where Are All The Black People?” than Cannes Lions 59th International Festival of Creativity.

Scrolling the list of event speakers tells the tale. Executives like Kirk McDonald and Jimmy Smith were outnumbered by celebrities including Omar Epps, Meklit Hadero, Smokey Robinson and Forest Whitaker. Finding creative Black people is no problem—provided the search doesn’t require that the Black people be actively involved in the advertising arena. (Ironically, Amusement Park Chairman/CEO/CCO Jimmy Smith is quick to point out that his enterprise is not an ad agency.) As if to underscore the abysmal lack of progress our industry has made in establishing inclusive workplaces, AMC series Mad Men’s Don Draper-Jon Hamm received more coverage than adpeople of color. Plus, the actor appeared at a cocktail party fittingly hosted by multicultural mecca mcgarrybowen.

Meanwhile, Deutsch LA held a forum on the imperative for retaining talent, which is probably code for maintaining cronyism, nepotism and various assorted isms. Deutsch Recruiter Katherine Moncrief spoke to Adweek about headhunting at Cannes without mentioning diversity once during the 3-minute interview. LatinWorks sponsored the obligatory pitch for ethnic minorities and other non-White-male segments, a presentation that rarely makes an impression with predominately White audiences. A Dentsu program with the title “Asian Diversity” wound up spotlighting Hello Kitty. Wonder if Draftfcb—the shop that promises to no longer use the term “diversity and inclusion” by 2014—included any Blacks in its dirty dozen delegates.

The premier celebration of advertising is indeed an exclusive affair.

10249: SafeAuto Spot Is Painful To Watch.

SafeAuto follows up its balls-bashing and ass-kicking spots with this towel-snapping version.

10248: Mike Tyson, Lady Killer.

Why does this Black Energy Drink commercial position former wife-beater and rapist Mike Tyson as a lady’s man?

10247: Boosting A Bad Idea.

Did Boost Mobile settle on the actor for its 4Genie character after Shaq took a pass?

10246: Black Works Every Time.

Is this Black Energy Drink commercial trying to turn Mike Tyson into the Polish Billy Dee Williams?

10245: Kung Fu Fighting for A Job.

Advertising Age reported that Group M China is recruiting talent and raising awareness about careers in advertising via a reality TV show. “Young Power” will feature college grads participating in an elimination-style competition for a job with the agency. If this concept were launched by the culturally clueless U.S. industry, the tasks would include Cantonese cooking, Kung Fu fighting, Laundromat operating and IT maintenance—and it would be called “Yung Power.” Plus, the program would lead to accusations of ageism.

In Search of Young Talent, Group M Launches Reality Show

WPP Agency Attempts to Raise Awareness of Industry With the Series ‘Young Power,’ Offering Winner a Job

By Anita Chang Beattie

Talk to agency executives in China and they’ll say talent recruitment and retention are the most pressing issues facing the industry. WPP’s Group M is confronting this challenge with a unique tactic: a reality show.

Called “Young Power,” the 10-episode online series is being promoted on popular Chinese websites and seat-back taxi screens in four major cities. The 10 college graduates on the elimination-style show complete various media-planning tasks, with the winner going on to a permanent job within Group M and its agencies.

The goal isn’t to trigger a flood of applications, said Roger Li, chief talent officer for Group M China. Rather, it’s to help bright young Chinese understand the basics of media investment and management, and inspire interest in the industry as a career option.

“The history of the media industry is quite short” in China, he said. “When people think about advertising, they always think about creative production rather than media. Even when I go to college campuses to talk about our industry, there are a lot of questions.

“As long as [the show] draws a lot of interest and awareness of the media industry, I’m very happy,” he said.

Turnover at Group M in China is about 25% each year in a market where some agencies have 50% turnover. Coupled with staffing demands stemming from agency growth, Group M China must hire 600 new employees each year.

In the U.S., a prospective employee who comes to an interview with no idea what the company does would probably be laughed out of the room. Not so in China, where Mr. Li said that scenario is “absolutely” normal.

“If we can interest you, and you come, we have confidence that we can attract you to us because what we’re doing is something that’s a lot of fun,” he said.

“Young Power” kicked off with a trailer that garnered 100,000 views within days. The first episode was posted on video-sharing site Youku last week, with a new installment each day. Challenges include preparing a basic media budget, conducting consumer-insights research and coming up with a social-media activation plan for a sports brand.

10244: Free Refills On Soft-Drink Editorial.

Didn’t realize when posting a response to the David Morse editorial on multicultural marketing and the soft-drink industry that others had also questioned the author’s perspective.

Hamilton Nolan at Gawker and Gwynedd Stuart at Fresh Loaf presented thoughtful and amusing reactions worth perusing.

What makes it all most amazing? That people are actually bothering to visit The Big Tent.

10243: Sir John Hegarty On Diversity.

Media Citizens have created a film series on careers in the U.K. advertising industry.

Most outrageous is the video labeled, “Diversity in Advertising: Sir John Hegarty.” The title is almost an oxymoron.

Hegarty blathered on about the need for agencies to reflect the audiences being addressed. However, he emphasized the industry has made progress in social diversity versus racial, ethnic, gender, lifestyle, etc. In the U.K., Hegarty explained, elite men with advanced degrees originally dominated the field. Over time, working-class men broke into the exclusive ranks.

When further discussing the topic, Hegarty said, “Let’s not talk about ethnic minorities. Let’s talk about ethnic necessities. That’s what we need.” Um, we need a translator to decipher the cultural cluelessness behind that statement.

Hegarty concluded by proclaiming, “We’re open to all kinds of people. We love talking to people. It’s very important to us.” Tell it to the jobseekers who attended Diversity in Advertising Career Day in 2009, Sir Hegarty.

10242: Pantene Deserves Disqualification.

This Pantene campaign for the Olympics is a loser. The image starring U.S. athlete Natalie Coughlin is particularly ridiculous—the 11-time Olympic medalist is so amazing, she can swim without getting her hair wet. Canadian Annamay Pierse is doing likewise. The overall message seems to place appearances over athletic achievements. BTW, would the Pro-V vitamins be categorized as performance-enhancing drugs? And why are there no Black competitors?