15280: MLK Day After.

 

Here’s a belated MLK Day perspective:

 

In the advertising industry, awards, applause, and accolades are bestowed upon “leaders” in White advertising agencies and holding companies for their faux commitment to diversity. The faux adjective, incidentally, is used to note that—despite persistent public pontificating—the Caucasian corporations have little or no authentic progress to exhibit. That is, EEO-1 data shows non-Whites remain woefully underrepresented. The diversity trophy winners are not living up to their revolutionary reputations.

 

Meanwhile, non-Whites actively advocating for change are covertly or blatantly criticized, condemned, cursed at, cold-shouldered, crapped on and cut from the industry. To make an ironic—and perhaps inappropriate—observation, the true leaders for equality get shot down.

 

What would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. have to say about that?

15049: Band-Aid Declares Black Wounds Matter.

Advertising Age reported Johnson & Johnson is planning to launch multi-shade Band-Aids for racial diversity. Gee, where was the oh-so-progressive company when the guy who brought the brand to life was getting blackballed, blacklisted and blacked out?

 

Johnson & Johnson To Roll Out A Band-Aid In Several Shades For Racial Diversity

 

In Instagram post, Band-Aid hints at a multi-shade product coming next year, succeeding a similar line scrapped more than a decade ago

 

By Jack Neff

 

Johnson & Johnson will have a Band-Aid—several of varying shades, actually—for racial diversity, as it plans to launch a new multi-tone pack of bandages. But the new lines won’t arrive until next year, and it won’t be the first time it’s been tried.

 

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Band-Aid said: “We hear you. We see you. We’re listening to you. We stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues, collaborators and community in the fight against racism, violence and injustice. We are committed to taking actions to create tangible change for the black community. We are committed to launching a range of bandages in light, medium and deep shades of Brown and Black skin tones that embrace the beauty of diverse skin.”

 

In an email, a spokeswoman for Johnson & Johnson Consumer Cos. said Band-Aid plans to launch a range of bandages in light, medium and deep shades of brown in its most popular style, Flexible Fabric, next year.

 

The Instagram post elicited numerous comments along the lines of “what took so long?” for a brand that’s celebrating its 100th anniversary this month. In 2005, actually, Band-Aid did launch a line with multiple skin tones called Perfect Blend, but it was discontinued “due to lack of interest,” the spokeswoman said, adding: “We are excited to bring back a similar product with improved comfort and flexibility.”

 

Band-Aid also sells Clear Strips, designed for use by people with a variety of skin tones, she said. And the brand sells a 120-count Family Pack that includes light and dark shades. Other brands, including Tru-Colour and Curad also market bandages for varying skin tones.

 

Another theme in Instagram comments for Band-Aid was: “Give money.” While the brand itself hasn’t made any philanthropic pledge in recent weeks, J&J Chairman-CEO Alex Gorsky did last week pledge $10 million over three years for “fighting racism and injustice in America.”

13832: Burrell Breaks Barriers.

Adweek reported Tom Burrell became the one Black in The One Club Creative Hall of Fame. Kudos to Burrell, but surely there are other worthy Blacks—including Georg Olden, Roy Eaton and Harry Webber—who also deserve recognition in the exclusive club.

Tom Burrell Becomes First African-American Inducted Into One Club Creative Hall of Fame

He founded Burrell Communications Group in 1971

By Erik Oster

Burrell Communications Group founder Tom Burrell, who has been breaking barriers his entire career, has added yet another one to the list.

The One Club inducted Burrell into its Creative Hall of Fame, making him the first African-American to receive the honor, which dates back to Leo Burnett’s inaugural induction in 1961. Burrell was inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame back in 2004.

A pioneer in recognizing and celebrating the purchasing power of the African-American community, Burrell coined the phrase “Black people are not dark-skinned white people.” His advertisements for Coca-Cola are archived at the Library of Congress, recognized for their cultural and historical significance.

Tom Burrell began his career in the mailroom at Wade Advertising while still at Roosevelt University. The agency’s first black employee, he soon earned himself a junior copywriting position, working on the agency’s Alka-Seltzer and Robin Hood All-Purpose Flour accounts, according to the Advertising Hall of Fame. He went on to work at several agencies, including Leo Burnett and FCB, before founding Burrell Communications Group in 1971.

He retired in 2004 and currently serves as chairman emeritus for the agency, which is now led by co-CEOs Fay Ferguson and McGhee Williams Osse and CCO Lewis Williams. Burrell Communications Group currently counts McDonald’s, P&G, Comcast, Walmart, Toyota Motor Sales Inc., AARP and Hilton among its client roster.

In addition to his work in advertising, Burrell is the author of Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority and founded nonprofit The Resolution Project to “challenge and reverse ongoing mass media stereotypes and negative race-based conditioning.”

13360: ADCOLOR® Tinny Anniversary.

ADCOLOR® celebrates its 10th year of Pollyannaish partying. Ironically and appropriately, the traditional 10-year anniversary gift is tin or aluminum. The original 2007 press release—which inspired MultiCultClassics commentary—declared the following:

ADCOLOR™ is a first of its kind cross-industry collaboration on the issue of diversity. The Coalition hopes to combine the energies of the marketing, media and advertising communities to stimulate ideas, discussion and solutions to advance diversity goals.

Seems as if the only noticeable accomplishment from the “cross-industry collaboration” is transitioning from a trademarked logo to a registered trademarked logo. Whatever. This year, the conference theme is: Challenge Now. Feel free to peruse the details in the image below.

The full price of admission is $1395, putting the soiree on par with The 3% Conference, in terms of tax-deductible—and arguably societal—contributions. Actually, The 3% Conference might be more successful, as the girl group takes credit for boosting the alleged underrepresentation of White women in creative departments from 3% to roughly 11% over just a few years. Minority underrepresentation, in contrast, has worsened over the past decade.

Then again, has ADCOLOR® ever been honestly dedicated to pushing for progress versus partying? The organization has honored diversity trailblazers like Magic Johnson, Queen Latifah and Nick Cannon, while ignoring legitimate diversity champions like Harry Webber, Sanford Moore and Hadji Williams. Hell, Dan Wieden picked up a trophy instead of the aforementioned trio—which is pretty fucked up. Annie the Chicken Queen and Gustavo Martinez have a better shot at ADCOLOR® recognition than Messrs. Webber, Moore and Williams.

So here’s some unsolicited advice to ADCOLOR® cheerleaders: Challenge yourself now to stimulate ideas, discussion and solutions to advance diversity goals and establish true commitment—and maybe credibility will follow.

12891: Raise Your Voice Repercussions.

The theme for Blog Action Day 2015 is Raise Your Voice.

If you raise your voice for the alleged plight of White women in the advertising industry, expect to receive respect, reverence, rewards, kisses, kudos, compliments, applause, accolades, acclaim, praise, prestige and payouts—even if you’re a pathetic and patronizing douchebag.

If you raise your voice for the acknowledged plight of Black people in the advertising industry, expect to be blacklisted, blackballed, black eyed and blacked out—unless you’re a White, wonderful, wise, witty, worldly douchebag. Or a Chief Diversity Officer.

It’s time to raise your voice over such disparities in raising one’s voice on Madison Avenue.

12841: What Labor Day Means.

According to Wikipedia, Labor Day “honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of their country.” It also leads campaigning politicians to write stuff like the following:

Labor Day is a time for honoring the working people of this country. It is also a time to celebrate the accomplishments of the activists and organizers who fought for the 40-hour work week, occupational safety, minimum wage law, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and affordable housing. These working people, and their unions, resisted the oligarchs of their day, fought for a more responsive democracy, and built the middle class.

Yet what does Labor Day mean to the advertising industry? It might underscore the field’s hypocrisy similar to the way MLK Day does; that is, White advertising agencies are awarded time off despite operating in violation of Dr. King’s dream. With Labor Day, we enjoy a holiday thanks to the accomplishments of people who fought for fairness in the workplace—despite our dismal failures in the area of diversity. Then again, it’s a wonder no one has taken the opportunity to cheer the amazing progress experienced by White women in our ranks.

On Labor Day, advertising industry laborers should salute the people who have legitimately strived to bring change to the field. For the overwhelming majority who can’t even begin to identify the activists, here are a few names for starters:

Roy Eaton

Sanford Moore

Bill Sharp

Lincoln Stephens

Lowell Thompson

Harry Webber

Hadji Williams

Feel free to add more names via comments.

12573: Walking With Harry Webber.

The ever-revolutionary Harry Webber presented more breakthrough thinking at LinkedIn…

A Company Is An Idea That Goes For A Walk.

By Harry Webber, Creative Director at Idean Enterprises, Inc.

I have been starting business entities for almost fifty years. All of them have been profitable. All of them have been based upon a simple idea. Help other businesses gain more customers. In all, the companies my companies have helped, have enjoyed more than one trillion dollars in sales. They have become household words. They have become global brands. They have dominated their product categories. This has made my reputation on Madison Avenue.

In five decades of doing the same thing over and over again, I knew that one day, my methods of working would ultimately outlive their usefulness. I knew that one day the world of business would change. 2015 has brought that change to light. Today, the customer is now in charge. That single event has changed the ways that companies go to market. Unfortunately, 99 44/100% of American companies have no idea that this change is now in force. Unfortunately, for them. Not unfortunately for me. I saw it coming a long way off. When the change arrived, I was ready and waiting to leave Madison Avenue behind and step into the future. The Era of CX is now upon us. Customer Experience Rules!

But this time I intend to play a different game. Rather than sell what I know about this brave New World of CX to the highest bidder, I will use it to build one more company. A company that takes this idea for a walk. Companies that are based on CX are structured completely different than other firms. Their structures are far more flexible. They are built to constantly change with their targeted audiences. When the customer changes, the company changes to accommodate them. When the wants and needs of the customer changes, so do the products that the company offers those customers. The products change to meet customer desires. Flexibility is built into the business model. The company anticipates changes rather than following trends. Products are designed to be produced and delivered digitally, when possible. Digital and analog aspects of the company are designed to be integrated and in many cases interchangeable. But the greatest advantage of these CX companies is that they are massively scalable.

Where as traditional companies earn revenue through the sale of physical products or offered services, this new generation of companies earns revenue through the delivery of experiences. These experiences combine product and service components into memorable experiences. These experiences begin as an answer to an unmet want, need or desire of the selected audience. Their cost is minimal, so as to provide the least amount of risk to the customer. These experiences are interactive so that they can be altered by the audience to suit their specific needs and interests. We strive to allow the audience to see themselves and their interests in the manifestation of the experience. Each experience strives to reflect the values and lifestyles of its audience.

Every touchpoint between the customer and the company is specifically designed to be friction free. The audience is a participant in the creative process that evolves the experience as well as the personas who are enjoying the experience. And as the experience grows and evolves the personas involved have the option of sharing these experiences with like-minded participants and communities. At will, these experiences can be unique or shared, simple or complex, realistic or fantasy driven. Ultimately, these experiences evolve into a massive feedback loops that stimulate and engage the creativity of all involved. Experiences can be active or passive. Experiences can be imaginary or physical. Experiences can be ongoing or episodic. The audience is in the driver’s seat for every moment of their journey.

The company will deploy these experiences from house to house, neighbor to neighbor, block to block, zip code to zip code, city to city, state to state, nation to nation. Only one aspect of each experience will remain constant. This common ground will draw those within the experience closer and closer. This common ground will provide the singular “reality” that manifests the reality of each experience. This common ground will allow the shared experiences to grow.

11569: Vote For A Veteran Adman Now.

This Veterans Day, let’s salute veteran adman Harry Webber.

No, Webber hasn’t represented his country through military service—and he’d never imitate Tom Cruise by comparing his career actions to those of a soldier in Afghanistan. Rather, the following tribute merely seeks to recognize his tour of duty in the advertising field. Plus, offer a unique way for all of us to honor his victories.

Webber’s creative breakthroughs are nothing short of historic. “A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste” has raised over $1 billion for the UNCF. “I Am Stuck On Band-Aid Brand” remains the longest-running campaign ever. In a business dominated by White men, Webber’s achievements routinely rival and exceed the best efforts of the majority.

Webber spoke out on the dearth of diversity when others remained silent, earning an expulsion from the industry.

Webber presented the 4As with a strategic plan to launch the first minority training program on Madison Avenue, effectively recruiting countless people of color into the ranks.

Webber literally wrote the book on market segmentation, orchestrated a truce between rival gangs in Los Angeles and masterminded the Obama Super Pac.

While most professionals boasting such an impressive résumé would enjoy praise and reverence, Webber has not received his just due. It’s time to change that.

For the past five years, Webber’s company—Smart Communications—has been reinventing advertising. The culmination of the experiments is called NeoAdvertising (click to learn more). Webber is ready to unleash it on the world. To succeed, he needs your help.

The Chase Mission Main Street Grants Program will fund Webber’s initiative, provided he can show he has public support. To be considered, he must convince 250 people to vote for him. This is where you come in.

Go here now at the Chase Mission Main Street Grants site and cast your vote. It’s that easy. You must connect via your Facebook account. But don’t worry, your information will not be stored, shared or abused—it’s only to verify legitimate voters and prevent fraud. Hurry, voting ends November 15.

Harry Webber is a veteran adman who deserves your support. Take a moment to show it now.

11512: Human Rights On Madison Avenue.

Blog Action Day 2013 is focused on the topic of Human Rights. For a quick primer, scan The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948.

Has the dearth of diversity on Madison Avenue ever been properly framed as a human rights issue? Certainly not in recent years, despite the occasional intervention of the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Rather, today’s diversity discussions tend to dwell on the standard “it’s a good business decision” angle, emphasizing the importance of building staffs that reflect and relate to the U.S. audiences targeted by most major advertisers. Unfortunately, the popular, polite and passive route doesn’t succeed for a couple of reasons.

First of all, the standard “it’s a good business decision” angle has not been proven. In fact, Whites might argue that based on indicators like awards and account assignments, exclusivity works just fine. Because the advertising industry has been predominately Caucasian forever, it would be extraordinarily difficult to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that a diverse company could produce better creative.

Secondly, in situations involving human rights, politeness has never led to dramatic progress. This has been proven time and again. Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stressed non-violence; however, they were not polite in their protests. Polite people are not typically thrown into jails or assassinated. On Madison Avenue, politeness will get you promoted to Chief Diversity Officer or elected to Diversity Advisory Committees—plus, you can win prizes like ADCOLOR® Awards and Pioneers of Diversity honors—but you won’t truly impact change.

The second point is particularly sobering and even offensive when considering the advertising field. The greater society usually comes around to showing respect to rabble-rousers such as Gandhi and Dr. King; conversely, adland has traditionally blacklisted (pun intended) revolutionaries while crowning Whites who essentially expressed the same opinions.

For example, Dan Wieden exclaimed the industry was fucked up in the area of inclusiveness, and he ultimately nabbed an ADCOLOR® trophy. Harry Webber pretty much said the same thing in 1969 and hasn’t been welcome in a White agency since. And although he’s made unprecedented contributions for diversity and equality, as well as produced award-winning campaigns, Webber has yet to be invited to an ADCOLOR® gala.

Jeff Goodby wondered, “Where Are All The Black People?”—and he received praise and accolades for asking. Sanford Moore has posed the question for decades and is still waiting to be thanked for his inquiries and groundbreaking achievements.

John Wren, Michael Roth, John Seifert and other advertising leaders have admitted there’s a lot of work to do in order to end the separate-but-unequal conditions. Lowell Thompson and Hadji Williams offered identical observations and suddenly found a lot less work.

Shunning the industry’s real heroes for human rights makes us look a little inhuman—and it definitely ain’t right.

11310: Welcome Back, Webber.

Harry Webber is back. Actually, he never really left. Webber did, however, take a hiatus from blogging. According to Webber, his blog’s URL eventually lapsed and Earthlink scrubbed the content from its server. Now MadisonAveNew.com has returned to the Internet—on the same weekend that Omnicom and Publicis Groupe decided to disrupt the industry. Time will tell if Webber winds up creating more change than Messrs. John Wren and Maurice Lévy.

10878: Talented Ten For 2012.

Pepper Miller STILL matters.

Harry Webber’s Obama SuperPac is superb.

Christopher Boulton is Rebranding Diversity.

Steve Stoute breaks barriers with beer.

Mark Robinson provides classic color commentary.

Jimmy Smith expands Amusement Park.

Tiffany Edwards club hops for change.

Lowell Thompson is write on.

Lincoln Stephens propels The Marcus Graham Project.

commonground deserves an uncommon honor.

10805: Stuck On Band-Aid Badness.

Not sure Harry Webber would be flattered by this Band-Aid commercial.

10669: Campaign With The Obama SuperPac.

As the presidential election draws near, now is a great time to visit the Obama SuperPac and see how Harry Webber and his friends have progressed. Wonder what they might think of Carl Warner’s crusade.

10390: Mad Man Has Great Crossover Appeal.

MultiCultClassics read Mad Man by Jim Glover over eight months ago, yet never got around to posting a review. Apologies extended to Mr. Glover. At the same time, it was challenging to think of a unique critique, as Pepper Miller had already published a thorough and thoughtful perspective—prompting provocative comments from professionals including Derek Walker—and Harry Webber also offered a compelling viewpoint on the book. Anyway, that’s the lame excuse for any fuzziness or rambling that may follow here.

It’s important to first recognize that Jim Glover has done what only a handful of adpeople have accomplished in history: specifically, the man has thrived in multicultural/minority advertising agencies and general-market/White advertising agencies. Plus, Glover arguably realized greater success in the White shops (not to downplay the minority efforts). This is an achievement that probably no one can fully appreciate unless you’ve done it too, but the feat is definitely worth noting. While the notion of cross-cultural communications has suddenly become a new idea, Glover has always generated authentic messages that play across multiple audiences. Mad Man is a fresh example of Glover’s mastery of crossover appeal, as the book has the power to resonate with different audiences in different styles for different reasons.

On the most basic level, Mad Man can be categorized in the action/suspense genre, as lead character Randall Joseph winds through a complex maze of mystery, mishaps and adventure. The story features plenty of twists, turns, treachery, sex, schemes, guns, explosions and car chases. So for the casual and/or culturally clueless reader, the book will provide decent entertainment value.

Mad Man serves as social commentary on a number of levels. It’s a rant against toxic workplaces and asshole supervisors, which will certainly please enthusiasts of vehicles like Agency Spy, Horrible Bosses or even Glassdoor. Why, everyone enjoys fantasizing about exacting revenge on moronic managers. Glover’s piece reflects elements from works such as Knock the Hustle by Hadji Williams and The Spook Who Sat By The Door by Sam Greenlee too. Mad Man also probes the inequities and insults faced by minorities in the predominately White advertising industry. Hence, anyone concerned with the dearth of diversity on Madison Avenue will experience intellectual stimulation throughout the roughly 300 pages.

On extra levels, Mad Man is a generational account. AMC series Mad Men spotlights Madison Avenue in the 1960s, and Mad Man stars adpeople who ignited the 1970s and 1980s. Yes, the characters and situations are set in modern times, but there are underlying currents on aging in a business often deemed a young person’s game. Additionally, the book promotes factual and fictional components like a cross between Madison Avenue and the Color Line by Jason Chambers and Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow. (Okay, maybe the Turow comparison is not perfect, but it’s hard to name contemporary fictional works centered on the ad field.)

Mad Man straddles the fence of rumors and gossip as well. The book jacket positions it as “The Exciting New Thriller That Madison Avenue Doesn’t Want You To Read.” Certain agency bigwigs may not want the story perused either. People familiar with the Chicago advertising community will have little trouble identifying the real honchos who influenced the fabrication of key figures in the tale. Can’t imagine the book will help Glover land future gigs at Leo Burnett or DDB, provided he ever wants to return to his previous employers.

In some respects, Mad Man appears to be a form of therapy for the author, exploring and exposing a range of feelings covering family, career, self-worth, dignity and human existence. The advertising business introduces a unique series of trials and tribulations that constantly test one’s spirit. From the opening scene of an associate’s suicide to the afterword that reveals personal inspirations, Mad Man allows Randall Joseph and Jim Glover to contemplate the meaning of life as an adman.

It’s hard to guess what’s next for Jim Glover. Will he continue to invent campaigns, join the copywriters who became authors or land somewhere else entirely? For now, Mad Man is another terrific milestone in a great career—and a special book that will delight a variety of readers in myriad ways.

9947: The Sunny Side Of Sunshine.

Advertising Age reported on Sunshine, a film masterminded by commercial director Doug Nichol, and starring freelance producer Jon Benet. The documentary short features Benet’s cynical musings about advertising and assorted topics, delivered during the production of a McDonald’s campaign for TBWA in China. While the film is receiving great praise and viewership on the Web, Mickey D’s and TBWA are not amused.

“We did not authorize it. As a company we don’t encourage releasing our projects without informing us or getting our approval,” said a McDonald’s official in China. “[The marketing team] didn’t authorize any individual to use our project as an example.” A TBWA official added, “TBWA also did not authorize use of any of this footage and we find it disappointing that a director would take it upon himself to show material that wasn’t authorized by the agency or our client.”

Nichol responded to the irked client and agency by saying, “I loved the experience of making the short and being in China and working with the TBWA team there. I’m sorry that they took this the wrong way, and look forward to a few laughs someday over a bottle of Tsing Tao.” Benet said, “I have to admit, if I’d known ‘Sunshine’ was going to become what it has I would have been more careful about the things I said, but I guess since I never expected so much to come of it… I just said what was on my mind, which maybe isn’t always the best idea, especially in terms of my job security.”

Benet’s comment is especially worth considering. After all, when advertising executives have criticized the industry for its lack of diversity—e.g., Harry Webber, Lowell Thompson and Hadji Williams—they have felt adverse effects in regards to job security. Meanwhile, Nichol and Benet exploited a professional scenario that was literally bankrolled by Mickey D’s and TBWA. The duo openly disrespected the client and global agency employing them, as well as Chinese people and culture. Yet it’s a safe bet they will probably experience zero negative consequences regarding their job security. In fact, things are looking pretty sunny for Nichol and Benet right now.

9938: C’MON WHITE MAN! Episode 19.

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

Oops. MultiCultClassics was wrong to wonder why AMC series Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner tagged Y&R as racist. Turns out Weiner was historically accurate after all. Should have known better than to defend a White advertising agency. Consider the following an attempt to make amends.

Referring to the 1966 incident, Y&R Global CEO David Sable remarked, “Part of that story is sad but true—a few idiots dropped water balloons on protesters some 50 years ago. What I don’t know was whether or not they were fired. I certainly hope they were. Needless to say, their behavior was completely repulsive and not in line with the values of our company.”

Sable doesn’t know whether or not the culprits were fired? Please. If they had been axed, it would have been news—and the agency records would have noted the action. It’s a safe bet the morons were promoted.

As for the behavior being “completely repulsive and not in line with the values of our company,” consider the fact that advertising icon and Y&R alum Roy Eaton once declared, “I was the ‘Jackie Robinson’ of general market creatives. Starting at Y&R in 1955. I am appalled at the lack of progress that has been made till now. I have a presentation that I gave at DraftFCB and will be giving at my alma mater Y&R that addresses the action that must be taken on both sides of this equation. To continue the lie that ‘there just isn’t enough Black talent out there’ is a cover-up for an American malady that must be addressed.”

Remember too that Y&R essentially blackballed Harry Webber for having the audacity to expose Madison Avenue’s dirty little secret in 1969.

Most outrageous is Sable’s eagerness to brag about his agency’s creation of the classic UNCF campaign, “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste.”

Sorry, Mr. Sable, but the water balloon scenario is hardly a first offense for Y&R. Your agency has essentially been turning the fire hoses on Blacks forever.

C’MON WHITE MAN!

9005: Harry Webber Rocks Portfolio Schools.

At The Big Tent, Harry Webber offered the following perspective on portfolio schools:

Portfolio Schools that instill the concept that creative people are somehow akin to Rock Stars have destroyed an entire generation’s ability to connect with the audience on the basis of subjects that are meaningful to the way people live their lives. We are not Rock Stars. We are salesmen and saleswomen with a suitcase full of brushes and a train that leaves for the next town in twenty minutes. Portfolio Schools do not teach empathy. They teach “shock and awe.” You cannot sell a housewife an air freshener by farting in her living room. You have to understand that her husband’s flatulence is the problem and suggest that if he insists on taking off his shoes in the living room, Glade will solve the problem. Motivation is a subtle art form. Portfolio Schools don’t do subtle. That you must learn from life.

9003: Webber On Glover On Madison Avenue.

At The Big Tent, Pepper Miller reviewed Mad Man by Jim Glover—which inspired the following commentary from Harry Webber.

What is an Advertising Man?

What does it take to fill 30 seconds with a message no one will forget? Is there a special skill required? Must one undergo years and years of arduous, specialized training to practice such a well-paying skill, or is it a matter of luck? Madison Avenue Gods like Ed McCabe were high school dropouts, and you can count the number of Rhodes Scholars in any One Show book on one hand.

Advertising isn’t something you learn. Advertising is something you are. A unique combination of life experiences and memories blended with random knowledge and theatrical flair. That’s what it takes to make the kind of advertising that fills container fleets and rolls train trucks day and night. Right now, an Ad Woman is wracking her fertile brain to get over your issues of electric cars leaving you stranded in Watts, or the South Bronx or Side or Bay or Philly. If that Ad Lady cracks that code, factories will thunder into overtime. Supply chains will energize overnight. That is how important the practice of Advertising is to our economy.

Jim Glover woke up one morning and decided exactly how to put McDonald’s in the breakfast business. Billions of Egg McMuffins later, Jim has enough time on his hands to write a book. How is that possible? Why doesn’t some Quick Service Goliath have 300 people executing Jim Glover’s vision for their restaurants? How could he have five minutes to think about something as trivial as skin pigmentation, let alone sit down and write a whole damn book about it?

Doesn’t anybody else see the tragedy of such a turn of events? The highest levels of McDonald’s wanted Jim Glover to run their business. The agency, not so much.

Jim Glover is an Ad Man. He is not a novelist. But because he is an Ad Man, he needed a product to sell. So he wrote one. And now Jim Glover’s wide circle of friends are coming out, one by one, to support his brand.

The success of this book will be a detriment to the Advertising Industry on two levels. First and foremost, “Mad Man” will expose to a wider audience Madison Avenue’s Dirty Little Secret. That can’t be good. The rapid rise of Cause-Related Marketing is a strong indication that the fortunes of global brands relies on what they do (or don’t do), as well as what they claim. Second, popularity will mean profit for Jim Glover, and his brand will be compelled to write another book, or a movie. Or something else that takes him farther and farther away from being an Ad Man.

What is an Advertising Man? An extremely rare and endangered species. And each one that leaves lessens the sustainability of the business model in these competitive times. Yet, we make hiring decisions based upon “Compatibility” and “Chemistry.” There will be no Michael Jacksons in Advertising. There will be no Michael Jordans on Madison Avenue. There will only be Vanilla Ice.

8666: Dove Picture Seeking 1000 Words.

The Dove dropping displayed above flew from Tony Rouse in Atlanta to Harry Webber in Los Angeles to MultiCultClassics in Chicago. As this blog has already spent too much time criticizing the obscenities of past Dove efforts, visitors are encouraged to offer their own color commentary on the crap.

8577: Y&R & UNCF Celebrate 40 Years Of Irony.

The Big Tent featured a column by Y&R Global CEO David Sable, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the iconic UNCF “A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste” campaign. Sable’s gushing included this quote:

“A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste” has become emblematic of some of the best values of America—a belief in equal opportunity, in education, in human dignity and hope. And some of the best values in advertising, too: the timelessness of great emotional creative that’s rooted in insight, in emotion, in a great story that has the power to create a legacy.

OK, the campaign has accomplished great results and stands the test of time. Yet there is tremendous irony in the fact that at least two Black executives who served at Y&R—Harry Webber and Roy Eaton—have been quite vocal about the advertising industry’s dearth of diversity for over 40 years. And Webber actually worked on the UNCF campaign!

The way that Madison Avenue can create messages like “A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste” while showing complete cluelessness on cleaning up their own side of the avenue is enough to drive a person mad. Or as former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle said, “What a waste it is to lose one’s mind.”