17544: On Banning Advertising For Junk Food And Junk Perspectives.

 

MediaPost reported the 4As, ANA, and AAF sent a letter to lawmakers expressing concerns over a proposed bill that would ban advertising junk food to kids under 13, citing First Amendment rights as part of the opposing argument.

 

When industry revenue is at risk, the trade organizations prop up First Amendment rights.

 

Yet when DEIBA+ and Civil Rights come up, there is only political, patronizing, performative propaganda. Or crickets.

 

Ad Groups Raise Concerns Over Bill Banning Junk Food Ads To Children

 

By Wendy Davis

A bill that would ban junk food advertising to children under 13 raises “significant” First Amendment concerns, ad industry groups said in a letter sent to lawmakers Tuesday.

The Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act of 2026, introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), includes provisions that would prohibit companies from marketing or advertising junk food “in a manner that reasonably appears to be directed at children.”

The measure “would regulate truthful, non-misleading advertising concerning products that may lawfully be sold in commerce,” the Association of National Advertisers, American Association of Advertising Agencies and American Advertising Federation say in a letter sent to Sanders and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana).

The groups add that the bill “may have the practical effect of discouraging lawful advertising for ordinary food and beverage products, including, for example, restaurant advertising and advertising for products lawfully sold in commerce, even where the intended audience is not primarily children.”

The bill provides that ads will be considered child-directed if they use “themes or promotional strategies that appeal to children” — such as “fun or fantasy” themes, cartoon characters, social media influencers, free toys, interactive games or apps.

The ad groups write that those factors “are inherently subjective, making it difficult for regulated entities to determine in advance what advertising conduct is prohibited.”

The organizations add that many of those factors “are commonly used in mainstream advertising regardless of the intended audience.”

The bill also provides that ads are child-directed if placed in media where children make up at least 30% of the audience.

The ad groups say that threshold is low enough to “encompass a substantial portion of mainstream media.”

“While well-intentioned, this bill misses the mark by imposing broad restrictions on protected commercial speech that may extend well beyond advertising directed at children, while relying on vague standards that create substantial uncertainty regarding the scope of the prohibition,” the organizations write.

The bill would also require warning labels on junk food.

Some advocacy groups, including the nonprofit National Center for Health Research, support the bill. That organization said this week that the measure “would greatly improve children’s health by banning ads for junk food that are aimed at children.”

17442: Buh-Bye, Bob Liodice.

 

Advertising Age spotlighted ANA CEO Bob Liodice, who will step down from his role at the end of 2026, prompting the search for a successor.

 

The ANA declared, “The next CEO will build on ANA’s scale and influence while advancing its role as the industry’s guide through the most significant shift in modern marketing—where artificial intelligence is reshaping how value is created, measured and sustained.”

 

Sounds like a perfect opportunity to innovate toward the inevitable.

 

That is, replace Liodice with an AI platform.

 

It’ll even offer nice alliteration and decent logo potential: ANA AI

 

ANA CEO Bob Liodice to step down

 

By E.J. Schultz

 

Bob Liodice will step down as CEO of the Association of National Advertisers at the end of the year, ending a more than two-decade run as leader of the nation’s largest marketing industry trade group.

 

The ANA has hired a search firm to find a new CEO. The organization declined to name the firm but confirmed the process will be overseen by ANA board chairman Dean Aragón, who is CEO and vice chair of Shell Brands International, and Procter & Gamble Co. Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard, the prior ANA chair.

 

“The next CEO will build on ANA’s scale and influence while advancing its role as the industry’s guide through the most significant shift in modern marketing—where artificial intelligence is reshaping how value is created, measured and sustained,” the ANA shared in a statement.

 

Liodice, 70, has been with the ANA for 31 years, serving as CEO since 2003. ANA credited him with growing the organization’s membership from 188 companies to more than 1,600, representing over 20,000 brands and 50,000 marketing professionals worldwide.

 

In an interview, Liodice pointed to recent work done to restructure the ANA into what he described as eight “mini associations” spanning specialty areas: brand, media, data, technology, measurement, talent, inclusive marketing and business-to-business marketing. “Each of these business teams are now focused in on what we consider to be the primary drivers of growth for our unique members,” he said.

 

With the reorganization complete, it is time “to turn over the ANA to the next generation of leadership, whoever that leader is, whether they be sourced internally, but most probably externally,” he added.

 

Fixing a ‘broken organization’

 

Liodice, who earlier in his career held marketing and sales roles at Grupo Televisa and Kraft General Foods, joined the ANA in 1995 as a senior VP. He stepped into the CEO role eight years later, succeeding John Sarsen. It was a tumultuous time, as ANA dealt with financial challenges, as well as criticism for letting media sponsors program its flagship conference that often resulted in thinly veiled sales pitches from the stage, Ad Age reported at the time.

 

“We stopped that,” Liodice recalled this week. “It was distasteful to many of our brand marketers.”

 

The ANA at the time was “somewhat of a broken organization,” he said. “We were a hairbreadth away from being out of business,” he added, recalling that when he took over in January 2003, the ANA had $28,000 in the bank and was “nearly bankrupt.”

 

The ANA, which is a tax-exempt nonprofit, reported $80.4 million in revenue for 2024, up from $65.6 million in 2023, according to its latest tax filings. Expenses grew to $82.2 million from $64.3 million. Liodice’s compensation was listed as $1.5 million as of the 2024 filing. The ANA employs about 200 full-time employees today, according to a representative.

 

Liodice said the group’s recent jump in expenses was partially due to costs related to its recent formation of Aquila, an ANA-backed cross-platform media measurement venture designed to help marketers reduce wasteful media spending by eliminating excess frequency.

 

Dealing with agency tensions

 

Improving the media supply chain for brands has been among Liodice’s key priorities. The ANA drew widespread attention in 2016 when it published a report prepared by investigative firm K2 alleging that media agencies were benefiting from non-transparent practices, including collecting cash rebates for media deals not disclosed to advertisers. While specific agency names were not listed, the report still drew complaints from agency players, including agency trade organization 4As, which at the time accused the ANA of taking a “one-sided” approach.

 

It was an example of how the ANA and 4As over the years have vacillated between being allies and opponents, depending on the issue.

 

Liodice, in this week’s interview, said the K2 report came at a “very challenging time.”

 

“Relationships were, in fact, damaged at that stage,” he said. But he suggested that tensions eased after Marla Kaplowitz took over as 4As president-CEO in 2017, succeeding Nancy Hill. “She and I got along famously, and we made it our joint commitment to repair whatever damage and work harmoniously together,” Liodice said.

 

Kaplowitz departed 4As in 2025 and was succeeded by Justin Thomas-Copeland.

 

Growing ANA membership and dealing with rising event competition

 

The ANA’s membership growth during Liodice’s tenure in part stemmed from the acquisition of five industry associations: Brand Activation Association, Business Marketing Association, Advertising Educational Foundation, Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association and the Data and Marketing Association. Those acquisitions are helping fuel attendance at the more than 60 conferences the ANA puts on each year, including its flagship Masters of Marketing conference held in Orlando every fall, which drew about 2,500 attendees in 2025.

 

But the ANA has had to deal with rising competition from newer events put on by other marketing and media organizations. That includes the Possible conference, held in the spring in Miami Beach, which last year drew 5,400 attendees (albeit with some complaints about top executives being secluded behind closed doors).

 

“We honestly feel like we don’t compete against Possible,” Liodice said. He suggested the ANA’s differentiation from that and other events is its singular focus on brand marketers. Its global CMO Growth Council, for example, “continues to expand and has about 500 active CMOs,” he said.

 

Aragón, in a statement, credited Liodice for expanding the ANA’s influence and playing a “central role in advancing the standards and practices that define modern marketing.”

 

As he steps away, Liodice said he is looking forward to getting “a little more balance in my life.” He estimated that he has been traveling 15 to 20 weeks each year, including this week, when he attended the ANA’s Masters of Data conference in San Diego.

 

Bob’s final message to CMOs

 

On stage, Liodice is known for asking presenters what message audience members should take back to the office with them on Mondays. Ad Age turned the tables on him, asking him for his final piece of advice for chief marketing officers:

 

“Drink in as much as you can drink in— and to let your common sense prevail,” he said. “We lose sight of the value of common sense and try to sometimes get overly prescriptive in making decisions. But I do believe a CMO has achieved that stature because of their not only their integrity and their ethics, but their ability to navigate these complexities with incredible common sense and decision making that has been honed over the years.”

17329: Delayed WTF 65—On Blackweek Awards.

MultiCultClassics is often occupied with real work. As a result, a handful of events occur without the expected blog commentary. This limited series—Delayed WTF—seeks to make belated amends for the absence of malice.

 

Adweek reported Blackweek partnered with Cannes Lions to launch its first awards program, designed to “celebrate work that moves representation forward, both in the creative itself and the teams behind it.”

 

Blackweek, its founders, and operating crew deserve respect. Full stop.

 

Yet can’t help but feel the awards angle represents a concession of sorts.

 

It’s a common stunt in Adland to generate interest—and income—by introducing trophy contests. Adpeople love shiny hardware more than they love hip hop.

 

Is another non-White awards spectacle necessary? Aren’t matters covered—albeit in segregated, underrepresented style—by ADCOLOR®, ANA Multicultural and Inclusive Marketing Excellence Awards, and 4As MAIP Awards? Not to mention performative PR, pseudo philanthropical propaganda, and heat shields fabricated by prominent White awards sources.

 

Teaming up with Cannes Lions sorta compounds the outrageousness too.

 

Sorry to close on a cynical note, but here it is:

 

In Adland, you can’t beat the system. Or the systemic racism.

 

Blackweek and Cannes Lions Partner on Awards Centering Representation 

 

The awards program will debut at Blackweek 2026.

 

By Alison Weissbrot

 

Blackweek, an industry forum dedicated to advancing business by helping brands, creators, and innovators connect with culture, is launching its first awards program in partnership with Cannes Lions. 

 

Debuting at Blackweek 2026 next October, the awards, which are in the process of being WARC-certified, will celebrate work that moves representation forward, both in the creative itself and the teams behind it. 

 

Blackweek and Cannes plan to announce categories, submission timelines, and an official name for the awards in the coming weeks. Both agency and client teams are eligible to apply. 

 

While some categories will focus directly on representation, others will purely be about the work, Andre Gray, Blackweek founder and chief activation officer, head of culture and entertainment, Havas Lynx.

 

“We want to just be like, ‘This is the best work.’ That’s what we’re geeked about,” he said. 

 

The key difference between these and other industry awards, however, will be the diverse pool of jurors evaluating the work from their different backgrounds and perspectives.

 

“Being in those jury rooms where I have to argue for the cultural relevance, the cultural competency, the nuance—we need something that is going to have that type of integrity,” Gray said. “We’re creating jury rooms where you don’t have to educate.”

 

Cannes Lions will consult closely with Blackweek on the awards, lending its expertise, processes, judging criteria, and other aspects of its blueprint. Both parties are still working out financial and ownership details of the partnership. 

 

“We’re taking the equity, the integrity, and the trust that we have with the Black and Brown community and combining it with the best-in-class awards,” Gray said. “Our strategic partnership and endorsement from Cannes Lions is about soaking up their blueprint, not reinventing the wheel.”

 

In a statement, Simon Cook, CEO of Cannes Lions, added that the organization is “proud to support and endorse the Blackweek Awards, and glad to share our experience in shaping world-class benchmarks that drive economic and societal change.”

 

“The Blackweek Awards are a necessary and powerful evolution in how we celebrate creativity—one that ensures historically marginalized voices are not only heard but celebrated on a global stage,” he continued. 

 

A different starting point

 

The launch of the awards comes on the heels of another successful Blackweek, which drew 2,000 attendees to its annual forum in New York City from Oct. 6-9, which is up from 1,300 attendees at its inaugural event in 2024. According to Gray, Blackweek has grown more than 200% in sponsorship and ticket sales year-over-year. 

 

While Blackweek’s founders didn’t always plan to launch an awards program, the support from Cannes Lions will allow them to provide the rigor needed to create a credible new industry program, Gray said. 

 

“We want to give a Cannes Lions-level experience, but do it with the trust and integrity that we have in our community,” he added. 

 

For Cannes, the awards can help accelerate change more rapidly outside of its jury rooms, which “can only move forward so quickly,” Gray said.

 

“We need to create a different room of people, so that they can also look at work and say, ‘From our vantage point, this is the work that should be heralded.’”

 

Like Blackweek, the awards will focus on quality and start from the perspective of underrepresented groups “and their safety, recognition, and community,” instead of “starting de facto from the winners of history, which are white, male, cis, heterosexual,” Gray said. “When you come from a different place, your solutions are very different.”

 

They also aim to give diverse people recognition that can translate into cultural capital in an industry where there’s pressure to stand out while doing more with less. 

 

“The easiest way to get known for your work is to get recognized for your work,” Gray said. “Awards do so much for people. That’s the work that some young person is going to look at today or in 10 years, and say, ‘I need to be like that.’”

 

CORRECTION 10/15/25 at 10:25 am ET: A previous version of this article stated that Blackweek’s awards are WARC-certified. It has been updated to reflect that the awards are in the process of being WARC-certified.

17289: On ANA Authenticity.

Here’s a quick follow-up to the previous post spotlighting the ANA marketing word of the year.

 

Authenticity came in as the close runner-up to AI. However, the second-place word referred to Authenticity relating to AI-generated content.

 

For ANA members attempting to connect with non-White audiences, Authenticity will continue to be lacking.

 

Ditto Authenticity as it applies to DEIBA+ and being your authentic self in the workplace.

17288: ANA Marketing Word Of The Year Is Bullshit.

 

MediaPost spotlighted the ANA marketing word of the year, which emerged for the third year in a row (and fourth time in a dozen years): AI

 

The chart above indicates another significant—albeit obvious—marketing milestone: AI has officially trumped Inclusion and Diversity in Adland.

 

It’s no surprise, as ANA membership has consistently admitted any DEIBA+ dedication is performative poppycock.

 

Word.

 

The ANA’s Paradox Of The Year

 

By Joe Mandese

 

For the third consecutive year — and the fourth time in the 12 years they’ve been selecting one — the members of the Association of National Advertisers have picked AI as their marketing word of the year. Actually, they picked two — “Agentic AI” and “Authenticity” — and therein lies the paradox.

 

Or, as ANA Executive Vice President Bill Duggan describes the selections: “Agentic AI captures a transformative shift that is reshaping how marketing gets done, while Authenticity reflects the enduring human values that brands must protect as technology accelerates. Together, these words signal the new reality for marketers in 2025 and beyond: success will come from navigating advanced AI capabilities without losing the trust, truth, and transparency that define strong brands.”

 

Technically, “Agentic AI” won more votes among the 623 ANA members who voted, but the ANA made the determination that close runner-up “Authenticity” should be the associations first-ever second marketing word of the year.

 

So what’s the paradox? Well, I turned to an authority on the subject, asking Google AI chatbot Gemini if “agentic AI could be authentic,” and here’s what it had to say:

 

“The question of whether agentic AI can be ‘authentic’ is complex, as AI systems, including advanced agentic AI, lack human consciousness, understanding, or feeling. They operate based on patterns and data, not personal experience or intrinsic emotions,” Gemini explained, adding, “Authenticity, when applied to agentic AI, generally refers to whether the AI’s actions and communication feel genuine, transparent, and aligned with human values and intent.”

 

Of course, the ANA didn’t necessarily mean that agentic AI should, or could be authentic, just that the two terms best describe the two biggest marketing themes of the year — one being inherently synthetic (AI), and the other capable of being authentic (people).

 

And if you ask me, that is quite a paradox brand marketers are expected to walk.

 

Or, as one anonymous ANA member said in the association’s 2025 Marketing Word of the Year report: “It’s getting harder to determine what is real and what is performative. Reaching consumers in a way that is tangibly authentic is going to be the difference-maker.”

 

You can read other verbatims here.

17050: Relationships, Redundancies, And RIFs In Adland.

 

MediaPost spotlighted an ANA/4As report showing the average client-White advertising agency relationship lasts roughly 7.3 years; additionally, the average client-White media agency relationship lasts 3.2 years.

 

This translates to even briefer tenures for staffers at White advertising agencies and White media agencies—with job security further impacted if shops reside within White holding companies.

 

In short, the average Adland drone isn’t job hopping, but rather, the victim of job dropping.

 

ANA/4As Find Average Media Agency Tenure Just 3.7 Years Among Top Clients

 

By Steve McClellan

 

The average client-agency relationship lasts approximately seven years, more than double the 3.2-year average reported in 2016, according to a report issued by the Association of National Advertisers and the American Association of Advertising Agencies.

 

The joint study surmises that the longer relationships may be due to clients “seeking long-term strategic partners which can provide integrated solutions, navigate complex marketing challenges and drive sustainable business growth.”

 

That said, there’s a wide gap in the tenures of full-service agencies, which average 7.3 years, and among top clients media agencies, which last about 3.7 years (see chart below).

 

The report suggests that rapid changes in technology may be a factor in the shorter life of media agency relationships with clients wanting to be sure their agency is up to speed with the latest tech and ability to optimize it.

   

But it also notes that some clients switch media agencies to leverage competitive pricing and potentially lower their overall marketing spending. The report cautions that “marketers should carefully weigh the potential benefits of short-term cost-savings against the long-term value of a stable client-agency partnership.”

 

Experiential agencies have the longest average tenure – about 10 years.

 

Independent agencies report longer AOR tenures (7.3 years) than holding company agencies (5.8 years).

 

Clients without mandatory review periods (60% of study respondents) tend to have longer relationships (8.1 years) than those with frequent reviews (as low as 3.8 years). And, as the organizations revealed in earlier reports, the 40% of clients mandating agency reviews spend on average $408,500 per pitch.

  

Among clients with mandatory review periods, five years is the most common length of time before a review is triggered followed by three years. The report reiterated advice in earlier joint reports that it’s a good idea to analyze the value of mandatory reviews compared to sustaining longer-term relationships.

 

The majority of agencies’ top 10 clients are in AOR/retainer-based relationships, which the report surmises is another indicator of a strategic preference for longer partnerships.

 

The report also urged clients to institute a “client-agency relationship program” to help maintain healthy, mutually beneficial partnerships.

16900: Inclusive Marketing Perspectives, Inclusively Delivered.

 

MediaPost published a routine perspective advocating for inclusive marketing, typed by the ANA EVP Growth and Community. There’s nothing new—or even interesting—in this performative PR from the trade organization that has historically failed to bring meaningful or measurable DEIBA+ change to Adland.

 

What’s more intriguing is a counterpoint comment seemingly taking an anti-woke stance and/or providing rationale for avoiding inclusive marketing.

 

So, MediaPost ultimately presented pros and cons for inclusive marketing, although it’s unclear which entity represents the con—i.e., con artist.

 

The Evolution Of DE&I: How Inclusive Marketing Drives Business Growth

 

By Elliot Lum

 

Some companies have recently retreated from diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. However, DE&I and inclusive marketing is not a box to check or a trend to abandon, but an evolving business imperative that drives growth and innovation. It is a pillar of modern marketing. Those who ignore it are betting against their future.

 

Inclusive marketing requires collaboration across departments, and stakeholders to be successful. When done well, it unlocks new opportunities for business growth. Following are four lessons that demonstrate how inclusive marketing drives business success:

 

Leverage Marketing Expertise for Talent Acquisition and Retention

 

Inclusive marketing extends beyond customer outreach. It plays a vital role in attracting and retaining diverse talent, an area often solely left to HR. Marketing expertise -- rooted in persuasion, messaging, and storytelling -- has the power to support HR in crafting campaigns that resonate with underrepresented talent pools.

 

Diverse and inclusive teams are proven to lead to more creative ideas, richer insights, and ultimately better business results. Yet, without alignment between marketing and HR, companies risk overlooking the potential of this internal collaboration.

 

Appreciate the Balance of Efficiency and Engagement

 

In the pursuit of cost-cutting in media buying, many diverse-owned media suppliers struggle to secure meetings with brands despite their deep connections with diverse audiences. It's a shortsighted approach; these media suppliers have influence that’s distinctly untapped by mainstream channels and can deliver proven ROI and pathways to new growth with their audiences.

 

Marketers need to take the time to meet these diverse media suppliers who hold incredible influence over a captive audience. Balancing engagement and efficiency in media spend will help brands tap into underserved audiences that can drive higher conversions and loyalty.

 

Build Connective Tissue Throughout the Creative Supply Chain

 

Developing inclusive marketing requires coordination throughout the creative supply chain -- long before an ad is even shot. True inclusivity needs to be embedded in every stage of the creative development process. Ensuring these stakeholders are aligned on an inclusive vision will result in stronger, more cohesive campaigns that resonate and unlock growth across all audiences.

 

Harness Inclusive Insights To Drive Impact Across All Audiences

 

Multicultural marketing teams possess invaluable insights into diverse customer segments that are crucial for driving business growth. These teams are often at the forefront of understanding underrepresented consumers, and their insights can resonate with all consumers.

 

Creating a truly equitable and inclusive marketing ecosystem is still a work in progress. However, the wealth of activity that is happening proves that inclusive marketing is not a fad or a political talking point -- it is a fundamental business capability that drives growth, sparks creativity, and creates lasting consumer connections. Inclusive marketing is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s table stakes for growth in today’s marketplace. 

 

As the ANA releases its book of award-winning case studies, we invite the industry to draw inspiration from these examples of inclusive marketing excellence. DE&I is not ending. Instead, it is evolving into its next, more impactful phase where this work is being done collectively and holistically. The brands that recognize this paradigm shift in bringing all stakeholders together will be best positioned to thrive in the future.

 

:::::

 

Comment from [Name and Organization Withheld], December 24, 2024 at 3:12 p.m.

 

The assertion that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and inclusive marketing are essential “table stakes” for business growth overlooks fundamental market realities. The rejection of DEI efforts by many companies is not a knee-jerk reaction or a retreat from progress but a consumer-driven response. Businesses rely on consumer demand to shape their strategies, not agendas of marketing teams or external pressure groups. When social initiatives tied to DEI lead to financial losses, businesses pivot, demonstrating these initiatives are removed for economic reasons.

 

Social agendas, including DEI, often become political, alienating significant portions of the customer base and disrupting the primary purpose of business—to provide value and generate profit. Many consumers are increasingly turned off by the ubiquity of DEI messaging in commercials, television shows, and advertising. This constant emphasis on social issues can come across as forced or inauthentic, causing audiences to disengage from brands that prioritize social signaling over quality, value, or relevance. Transparent pandering under the guise of inclusivity erodes trust and loyalty, driving consumers to seek alternatives.

 

The framing of DEI as an evolving business imperative also ignores market trends showing growing skepticism toward these initiatives. Marketing an agenda instead of responding to consumer needs reflects a disconnect between brands and their audiences. Many consumers view such efforts as prioritizing intersectionality over merit and quality, creating the perception that inclusion initiatives exclude individuals who may be more deserving based on merit alone. This dynamic undermines the goals DEI claims to achieve, fostering division rather than unity.

 

Moreover, the claim that diverse media suppliers or multicultural marketing teams hold untapped influence over audiences assumes a one-size-fits-all approach to consumer behavior, which is demonstrably untrue. Success in marketing requires meeting audience preferences, not adhering to abstract diversity principles. By prioritizing an agenda over measurable outcomes, companies risk alienating customers and stakeholders who expect results-driven decision-making.

 

Inclusive marketing, when done authentically and aligned with consumer demand, can be positive. However, the overemphasis on DEI as a universal growth driver ignores market behavior. The focus should be on delivering value, quality, and relevance—not pushing social agendas that many view as divisive. For brands, success lies in listening to consumers, prioritizing merit, and maintaining their core purpose of providing products and services that resonate.

16765: Breaking Chains In The Supply Chain…?

Advertising Age published a perspective by former DE&I Chair for AMA New York and current Founder of Colossal Work Karen McFarlane, presenting a four-point approach to benefiting from supply chain diversity.

 

The opinion piece opened with, “Data has consistently shown that supply chain competitiveness benefits from supplier diversity programs, even in a challenging economy.”

 

Okay, except data—including regular ANA surveys—has consistently shown supply chain diversity is underutilized, underfunded, undercut, and undermined by White advertisers and White advertising agencies.

 

Sure, there may be 4 ways marketers can cultivate diversity—but there’s one easy way: Cough Up Cash Versus Crumbs.

 

DE&I In The Supply Chain—4 Ways Marketers Can Cultivate Diversity

 

How to pave the way for a richer and more inclusive vendor landscape

 

By Karen McFarlane

 

Data has consistently shown that supply chain competitiveness benefits from supplier diversity programs, even in a challenging economy. What’s more, brands are positively impacted when both companies and consumers spend their dollars in alignment with their values. Marketing’s core skills center around connecting behavior and value, so who better to make a case for equity and inclusion than the very experts who surface need, stimulate emotion, and incite action every day?

 

Driving diversity through marketing suppliers is often overlooked, but it’s an effective way to achieve impactful diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) goals and, ultimately, successful marketing programs. Many marketers find the task of locating diverse suppliers challenging. While it may parallel the endeavor of sourcing diverse talent—where a distinct level of effort is needed to uncover untapped talent pools—seeking out diverse suppliers presents unique complexities.

 

We engaged 25 marketers and posed three questions to gain deeper insights into their approach to DE&I as it pertains to suppliers. We sought to understand if marketers had established KPIs to assess and track supplier diversity as a component of their marketing objectives to monitor progress and impact. The results confirmed that this poses a distinctive hurdle; it’s not always evident whether an agency, for example, is women-owned or Black-owned unless explicitly stated. Proactively seeking out diverse suppliers is a substantial undertaking.

 

So, while organizations are receptive to evolving their practices, they typically require guidance to navigate this terrain:

 

Build your network before you need it

 

Building a diverse marketing supply chain is reflective of a marketer’s network or sourcing process. Unfortunately, databases that could facilitate this discovery process are scarce and consequently, proactively seeking out diverse suppliers can be a substantial undertaking.

 

This is where the fast/cheap/good rule comes into play. This constraint allows only two out of the three elements to hold true. Marketers may have to sacrifice “fast” when identifying diverse suppliers if they haven’t diversified their supplier lists. Participants in our research leveraged various strategies that included building a comprehensive database, attending sourcing events targeting diverse suppliers and expanding their RFI or RFP processes to encourage wider participation.

 

Be clear about who you are looking for

 

Make DE&I a requirement for vendor engagement. One research participant, the president of advertising at a global media company, noted the importance of looking at every vendor, agency or independent contractor through a DE&I lens. Each company has missions and visions, and ideally, a shared commitment to diversity can be identified. Lean on your organization’s mission and vision when talking to potential suppliers and hold them accountable to your requirements.

 

It’s also essential to consider how vendors define diversity and their methods for achieving it. For example, Tier 1 vendors, or those with whom you have a direct relationship, may look different than those in Tier 2, which are vendors that supply your suppliers and with whom your organization has an indirect relationship. Establish a well-defined strategy for your marketing team and put in place a robust reporting and tracking mechanism to measure progress against your corporate and departmental diversity goals.

 

Look for potential, not just achievement

 

Be mindful that diverse suppliers might not have the same access to certain experiences or possess the same size and scale as their larger counterparts. However, this distinction should not overshadow their potential to deliver outstanding results. Bigger doesn’t equal better. In fact, smaller suppliers often can provide a deeper level of service and connection that is particularly valuable in marketing. They can be more flexible and innovative, and they tend to prioritize outcomes over hours spent—another boon for marketers.

 

One executive from a Fortune 500 brand utilizes a well-defined supplier diversity program that intentionally hires vendors from historically excluded categories and embeds this focus within its business model. This creates opportunities that empower diverse suppliers to leverage their unique strengths, enabling them to demonstrate their current capabilities and potential contributions to your organization’s future.

 

Challenge the status quo 

 

Advocate for the approval and onboarding of vendors and proactively work with procurement on how to shepherd them smoothly through the process. One size does not fit all vendors, so question whether your marketing vendors need to meet all of the standard company requirements, or if they can be modified based on the engagement.

 

Meeting some of your legal, insurance and cybersecurity protocols can be an expensive proposition for smaller vendors who don’t have legal or IT teams at their disposal and will automatically narrow your pool or cause vendors to self-select out. Thwart this by engaging with procurement about the scope of work to determine if there is any wiggle room—and if not, spearhead an initiative to determine how to tailor your process.

 

While nearly every organization in our research showcased a clear commitment to DE&I, with some even establishing core pillars to drive their strategies, very few had fully integrated supplier diversity into their overall strategies. By effectively aligning sourcing, engagement, and amplification strategies with tangible metrics, marketers can pave the way for a richer and more inclusive vendor landscape that propels the organization and its diverse partners toward shared success.