Advertising Age reported on the patronizing partying planned at prominent White advertising agencies and White holding companies for Juneteenth. Not spotlighted were The Richards Group and Campbell Ewald. One thing’s for sure: the warm-and-fuzzy feelings for Juneteenth will vanish by July, if not sooner.
Here’s what agencies have planned for Juneteenth
From paid time off to meals and frank discussions, the holiday is becoming a permanent fixture on the calendar
By I-Hsien Sherwood
From its very inception, Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S., was late to receive the recognition it deserved. Enslaved people in Galveston, Texas weren’t told of their freedom until June 19, 1865, two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation and more than two months after the end of the Civil War.
Now, more than 150 years later, it is poised to become a federal holiday in the U.S., carried on a wave of righteous anger and overdue introspection. The ad industry, too, is seeing new interest in honoring the holiday. Just two years ago, it would have been tough to find an agency that observed Juneteenth in any official capacity.
Like so many other things, 2020 changed that. Last year, in the wake of the resurgence of Black Lives Matter, many agencies gave employees the day off for reflection or cultural activities. While there was some concern it might be a one-off gesture, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Omnicom, BBDO, DDB, The Martin Agency, Mediaocean, Deutsch, Ogilvy, Huge, Endeavor, Dagger and VMLY&R have all permanently added Juneteenth to their holiday calendars (observed on Friday, Jun. 18 since the actual holiday falls on Saturday this year).
But many shops are also programming events, panels and meals to celebrate. Here’s what agencies have planned for this year’s Juneteenth.
(Continued at Advertising Age…)
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