14798: War Is Hell Health.

This Egyptian campaign for the Alexandria Cure Center features a headline that sloppily translates to: Don’t let your body organs get involved into wars.

The idea should have been shot down in the concept stage.

14797: CultureHeroes To The Rescue!

Campaign reported on CultureHeroes, an initiative whose super mission is to increase BAME leadership across advertising, design and technology. Not sure if the effort represents delusional idealism or delegating diversity. Even recruiting heroes like Black Panther, Luke Cage, Storm and Captain America would probably not lead to victory—as evidenced by a BBDO heroic smokescreen.

New initiative aims to support and develop BAME leadership in adland

CultureHeroes will formally launch in December.

By Gemma Charles

A not-for-profit initiative aimed at creating the next generation of black, Asian and minority-ethnic leadership across advertising, design and technology has launched with a survey to find out the experiences of people of colour in the industry.

CultureHeroes is founded by Engine Creative chief executive Ete Davies, Boost App tech lead Kal Mba and freelance marketing and operations director Sophie Williams.

Davies said: “It was born out of a realisation that our industry is still not making enough progress towards BAME representation in leadership. And that without this representation, many D&I initiatives for BAME aren’t treated as a strategic priority, BAME talent acquisition and retention also suffer and we will end up with ‘diversity churn’.

“By creating change in the leadership representation, we hope to create an environment for long-term, sustainable inclusion for BAME professionals in the creative industries.”

The “pillars” of the initiative are:

• Community — a network of people and organisations, working to support the progression of emerging BAME leadership talent.

• Personal development — leadership development, mentoring and coaching for BAME professionals who are seeking to move into a leadership role or are on a path to leadership.

• Creating inclusive leadership — working with companies and organisations to create more inclusive leadership teams and behaviours to create an environment for new BAME leaders to thrive.

Industry partners include TheOffsite, Creative Equals, Data & Marketing Association, D&AD and consultancy Utopia.

Surveying the industry

The group plans to use the results of the survey to tell a more “expansive” story of beyond the existing census-style data available from the IPA.

Davies said the survey would provide CultureHeroes with insight that could be used to create recommendations for change and advice for BAME people wanting to become leaders. It will also be used as a recruitment drive for mentors and mentees.

The roll-out of the survey represents a soft launch for CultureHeroes, which will have an official launch in December.

14796: Legal Advisers For Folks Abused By Spiritual Advisers…?

Free Headline Suggestion: We Make Criminal Clergy Confess

14795: WPP CEO Mark Read On Being The Worst…

More About Advertising reported WPP CEO Mark Read, referring to his past role as a management consultant, declared, “It was the worst four years of my life.” Which is pretty much the sentiment that WPP employees will echo if Read lasts another three years in his current role.

‘It was the worst four years of my life,’ says WPP’s Mark Read about his time as a management consultant

Posted by: Emma Hall

At the Festival of Marketing, WPP CEO Mark Read was interviewed by Marketing Week editor Russell Parsons, who tried and failed to get Read to dish the dirt on his predecessor, Martin Sorrell, but did extract some healthy management consultant bashing.

Read said: “I’ve had the luxury of working in management consultancy. Luxury is probably the wrong word – it was the worst four years of my life. To start with, you work harder than the CEO of WPP and it’s a slightly thankless task. You decide on the answer within the first week of starting a project and spend the next three months trying to prove what you decided three months before, tell the client what the answer is, and work in isolation from them.”

As an example, he talked about New York’s High Line: “If you’re looking to regenerate the west side of Manhattan and you go to a consultant they’d talk about tax breaks and infrastructure and grants. If you talk to creative people they might say, ‘look we’ve got a fantastic railway that runs through it, we turn it into a garden – and it’s cheaper to do that than to tear it down.’ That application of creativity is what matters. It’s not enough to stare at the spreadsheet, or copy what ten other people have done.”

Despite his antipathy towards the consultants, Read (who worked at Booz & Company, now part of PricewaterhouseCoopers, in the 90s), did concede that WPP would inevitably become a bit more like them, because the group needs to develop new skills, around helping clients on the transformation journey. There is talk that WPP is going to launch its own consultancy brand, following the success of Grey Consulting.

While stressing that creative brands are still at the heart of WPP, he acknowledged that the silos between technology and creativity had to be broken down, hence the speedy mergers of Y&R with VML and JWT with Wunderman after he started the CEO job last September.

To stave off in-housing, Read agreed that agencies must respond better to client needs, but he also put the onus on marketers, saying that they have to be experts at buying agency services. “If you want to do search well, you should really understand what it is, how to do it, and what’s the best agency for it,” he said, while also stressing client responsibility for brand safety, which isn’t just an agency issue — everyone should be on top of it, understand the problem and know what’s going on.

14794: This Nigerian Campaign Should Be Flushed Down The Toilet.

Why is a Charmin bear celebrating Nigerian Independence Day?

14793: Somebody Should Have Killed This Depressing Campaign From Nigeria.

Kill depression, not yourself…? Sorry, but this Nigerian campaign is, well, depressing.

14792: Strumming Along With BBDO Brazilian Divertisement.

BBDO in Brazil is responsible for the Doritos “Diversity Guitar”—a little divertisement ditty. Is this the kind of shit that BBDO Global Creative Chief David Lubars would call scammy and refuse to be associated with? Appropriately enough, any mention of diversity connected to BBDO is ultimately a lot of song and dance.

14791: ¡Dios Mío! Barbie Dolled Up For Día De Los Muertos Is Disturbing.

Adweek presented a perspective from Janel Martinez, where the writer opined the Día de los Muertos Barbie dances a tightrope between cultural appropriation and appreciation. Hey, it’s not the first time Barbie has crossed the color line and crashed her Dream Camper into Cultural Clueless country.

Día de los Muertos Barbie Walks a Fine Line Between Cultural Appropriation and Appreciation

Mattel’s doll offers a nod to the Mexican tradition without much else

By Janel Martinez

Mattel is no stranger to criticism over its Barbie brand. From limited, gender-specific professional choices to unrealistic body standards, the toy company has navigated its fair share of complaints involving the 60-year-old doll. Though Mattel has introduced several diverse, groundbreaking dolls this year—including the Barbie Fashionista line featuring two dolls with physical disabilities, the Inspiring Women series with civil rights leader Rosa Parks and Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and its latest release of gender-neutral dolls—the brand’s Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, Barbie straddles the fine line between cultural appropriation and appreciation.

Before the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, the toy giant announced a limited-edition Día de los Muertos Barbie to honor the 3,000-year-old indigenous observance that celebrates the lives of deceased friends and family. While the holiday originated in Mexico with the Aztec, Toltec and other Nahua people, it’s celebrated in other areas of Latin America.

The $75 doll, which is currently sold out, sports a ruffled, long black dress “embellished with heart and butterfly details.” A crown of monarch butterflies and bright marigolds sits atop her head and traditional skull mask, better known as Calavera Catrina, makeup adorns her face.

Designed by Mexican-American Javier Meabe, the doll’s dress resemble ones he saw his mother wear. The designer’s details coincide with the holiday’s traditions, as marigolds are the main flowers used to decorate the ofrenda, or altar, where the spirits are welcomed back to earth. The monarch butterflies are believed to hold the spirit of loved ones, and millions arrive in Mexico like clockwork just in time for Día de los Muertos.

While Mattel tapped a designer who is of the community reflected, the commercialization of Día de los Muertos is a growing concern. Held Oct. 31 through Nov. 2, its proximity to Halloween has led some to refer to the sacred holiday as the “Mexican Halloween.” Marketplaces and retailers like Amazon, Party City and Walmart often profit greatly from it as well. A quick “Day of the Dead” search on Party City’s website, for instance, yields an assortment of party supplies, accessory kits and skull or skeleton-embellished costumes. Consumers can select and purchase these items without understanding the history behind the holiday or having any consideration for the indigenous community.

Even large-scale companies have used Día de los Muertos as a theme. In 2017, streaming service Netflix built ofrendas at the Annual Día de los Muertos Festival at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles to honor five deceased characters: Poussey Washington of Orange Is the New Black, Barb Holland of Stranger Things, Don Salvador Iglesias of Club de Cuervos, Zoe Barnes of House of Cards and Diego Nava of Ingobernable.

Though Netflix contracted an altarist from Oaxaca, Mexico and the pan de muerto (a version of pan dulce prepared for Día de los Muertos) was made by an Oaxacan baker based in L.A., this was still an activation. The cultural practices and decor were used to draw audiences to Netflix shows, not to authentically and respectfully honor the spirits of those who’ve passed on. The activation was covered by a bevy of Spanish-language outlets and powered by Latinos at the company, according to Chile-based platform Upsocl.

Marketing the observance in this way lessens its sacred meaning.

“I feel like some people think it’s a costume, but it’s not; it’s not a joke. It’s not a Halloween costume,” said Jessica Resendiz to Latinx culture and news site Remezcla on Día de los Muertos.

As the sacred observance grows in visibility, it’s moved from regional and national awareness to global recognition. But does the money always reach the communities that have enhanced these companies’ revenue?

Take Disney Pixar’s animated film Coco, which centers around the holiday. The film generated more than $800 million worldwide. During the film’s creative process, their team visited Oaxaca where cook Estela Fabian Mendoza, who is said to be the inspiration behind the Academy Award-winning film’s Abuelita Elena, has reportedly not received any money for inspiring the role. Pixar has not formally confirmed the connection, but it has been verified that Pixar producers visited their town around Shiin Naa Lasn, or Festival for the People, which takes place around Day of the Dead. Said producers were also present at Taller Jacobo where Fabian Mendoza has worked.

While she’s allegedly “happy to see the movie,” truly showing appreciation for a culture requires more than how you position it. There needs to be effort behind how you’re tapping talent from within that community and re-investing the earnings back into said community to create an equitable, long-standing exchange. If Fabian Mendoza were in the U.S., she’d have a strong legal case against Pixar for using her likeness without permission.

Pixar or any brand looking to draw inspiration from communities that aren’t often featured in stories should first ask permission. Nike learned that lesson after the company used indigenous designs from the Guna people of Panama without permission. Next, do your research. What would be considered exploitative versus culturally competent? In working with a diverse collective of creatives, researchers and strategists from your target market, you’ll be able to formulate an inclusive, respectful strategy. Lastly, consider donating profits made—and if none are generated, explore other avenues of support—to this community.

Whether people are in agreement over Mattel’s decision, the company’s goal with the collectible Barbie is exposure. But while the company’s goal for the Día de los Muertos Barbie is to introduce their customers to a culture outside of their own, it can provide valuable lessons to brands and companies. It’s time to take it one step further from exposure to an actual investment into the communities that have sparked the inspiration.

Janel Martinez is a Bronx-based writer and founder of award-winning site Ain't I Latina?, an online destination celebrating Afro-Latinas.

14790: Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

14789: In Adland, Ageism Is The New Reverse Discrimination.

AgencySpy posted on another ex-CCO suing his former employer, although this scenario involves a White man charging ageism—in contrast to the bulging number of White men being charged with sexual misconduct. The main similarity is the CCO’s decision to try his case in the court of public opinion. Given that most firings involve signing a confidentiality release form, it’s funny to witness individuals seemingly violate such agreements by openly sharing the legal details of their grievances. It’s also funny to watch White men—most of whom have done little for diversity and equality throughout their careers—suddenly embrace the role of discrimination victim. In this particular instance, the CCO displayed his court filing via LinkedIn and asked people to submit their own tales of alleged ageism. All of which leads to a funnier situation; that is, someone spending decades in a field driven by exclusivity, buddy systems, politics and cronyism ultimately feels grossly wronged upon being bounced from the White Boys’ Club.

Where was the revolutionary spirit when the truly underrepresented needed boldness and bravery from leaders?

Former Epsilon CCO Disputes Reason For His Firing

By Erik Oster

Epsilon and its former CCO are at odds over whether the agency had sufficient cause for firing him.

Former chief creative John Immesoete is suing Epsilon and its former parent company Alliance Data Systems, alleging that age discrimination led to his firing last November.

John Immesoete filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, on Aug. 5, alleging age discrimination, defamation per se and false light. Also named in the lawsuit are Richard McDonald, president of Epsilon’s agency practice, and svp and chief client officer Sandy Kolkey. Immesoete alleges McDonald and Kolkey made false statements regarding his conduct in an attempt to justify his termination, according to the complaint.

McDonald and Kolkey have yet to respond to requests for comment sent via email and LinkedIn.

Epsilon informed Immesoete he was being fired for cause on Nov. 29, according to the complaint. The complaint does not identify the stated cause, but according to Immesoete’s complaint, the 54-year-old believes the company wanted to replace him with a younger creative lead. He shared the legal complaint in a LinkedIn post on Monday.

“We strongly dispute the allegations included in John Immesoete’s public LinkedIn post,” an Epsilon spokesperson said in a statement provided to Adweek. “As a matter of policy, we have no further comment on the pending litigation.”

Immesoete characterized the allegations outlined in his complaint as part of a broader pattern of ageism in the advertising industry.

“These fights are difficult, and I know why a lot of people don’t do them, having lived through it,” Immesoete told Adweek. “You work for a company for a long time, and you give your all, and then there comes a moment in time [when] they just throw you away like a piece of garbage. That isn’t right, and a lot of people aren’t in a position to even fight that.”

He added that tech companies like Epsilon put an even greater focus on presenting a youthful appearance than most ad agencies do. His November dismissal preceded Publicis Groupe’s decision to acquire Epsilon in April of 2019.

A Publicis spokesperson said the company would not make a statement beyond the one Epsilon provided to Adweek.

In the complaint, Immesoete says his problems with McDonald date back to when he was being considered for the president role—he claims McDonald made comments critical of Immesoete’s age, both in person and to other people.

According to the complaint, Epsilon’s decision to fire Immesoete followed a series of events that began when he wasn’t informed of a meeting with the CMO of a global healthcare company, the agency’s largest client. Immesoete alleges this was part of a pattern of exclusion and diminished duties under McDonald.

When Immesoete complained about his absence from the client meeting, he alleges, vice president for human resources Ellen Evans told him not to make a big deal about it at a time when Epsilon was in the process of being sold. According to the complaint, Evans asked Immesoete, “Having been through so many agency presidents now, have you thought about moving on?” (McDonald was the sixth president at Epsilon during Immesoete’s tenure with the agency.)

Evans has not yet responded to requests for comment sent via email and LinkedIn.

According to the complaint, Immesoete subsequently chaired a “huddle” of around 20 people, including McDonald and Kolkey, to retain the account, which was under review. The complaint states that during the meeting, an account supervisor repeatedly challenged Immesoete on his ideas for the client’s account and the meeting ended with Immesoete calling the account supervisor’s comments “stupid,” according to the complaint.

Immesoete alleges in the complaint that McDonald used this animosity between the chief creative and account director and Immesoete’s conduct in the meeting as a pretext to fire him, subsequently telling Immesoete not to come into the office and calling a special meeting of the team that had been in the meeting in question.

According to the complaint, McDonald and Kolkey called Immesoete’s conduct in the “huddle” meeting “inexcusable,” and McDonald allegedly told Immesoete’s assistant later that day that he would be fired and that “your boss said [the account supervisor] was stupid and everything she said and did was fucking stupid.”

Immesoete alleges he has an audio recording provided to him by an anonymous source that contradicts this and subsequent characterizations of his statements in the meeting made by McDonald, Kolkey and others. Whether such a recording can be submitted as evidence may come into question, as Illinois is an “all party consent” state and it’s not clear from the complaint if all parties were aware that they were being recorded.

McDonald informed the agency that Immesoete would be placed on administrative leave, which the complaint characterizes as a “never-previously-used status that painted him as a safety risk and accelerated the rumor mill.”

During the process of being placed on leave, according to the complaint, Immesoete claims he was not allowed in Epsilon’s offices, access to his agency email was cut off and he was warned not to speak to anyone about the details of his administrative leave since he had signed a confidentiality agreement. Epsilon then launched a monthlong investigation the complaint characterizes as a “sham investigation” that concluded with Immesoete’s firing, according to the complaint.

McDonald allegedly sent an agency-wide email that read, “John Immesoete will no longer be with the company,” which the complaint claims was “designed to encourage speculation that Mr. Immesoete was a predator.”

According to the complaint, McDonald informed Epsilon employees not to post anything supportive of Immesoete on social media “because your loyalty to the company could be questioned,” adding, “If you have posted anything, take it down.”

McDonald is also alleged to have told employees not to share with Immesoete any materials he worked on at the agency, preventing him from using anything created during his six and a half years at Epsilon in his portfolio.

The lawsuit claims that “false statements” by McDonald and Kolkey “were made with actual malice” with intent to harm Immesoete or “reckless disregard of his rights.”

It goes on to claim that those statements in conjunction with the agency’s limited internal and external communications regarding Immesoete’s employment status at Epsilon were designed to “convey a false impression about Mr. Immesoete, inside Epsilon and in the advertising community.”

Immesoete is seeking back pay, including benefits and bonuses for the alleged age discrimination against him, front pay as determined by the court, liquidated damages, attorney fees, prejudgment interest and costs. The complaint estimated the value of his salary, annual bonus, benefits and share awards at around $800,000.

Epsilon does not appear to have hired a CCO following Immesoete’s departure. The Epsilon agency practice’s website instead lists three svp, executive creative directors as the highest-ranking creatives at the agency.

14788: Pondering Pizza Propaganda.

This Turkish advertisement for Terra Pizza positions a slice as satisfying the 5 basic food groups…? Right. And Papa John’s addresses Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

14787: In Peru, Special Occasions Call For Cocaine…?

These advertisements from Peru look like a campaign for Peruvian blow.

14786: Clio Cultural Cluelessness Deserves A Trophy For Ignorance.

Looks like the upcoming Clio Entertainment soiree will avoid Pitbullish controversies in favor of racial and ethnicity cluelessness. Bravo.

14785: Ted Royer Is Adding Victims Who Deserve—And Demand—An Apology.

Advertising Age extended its lengthy coverage of the collateral damage created by Ted Royer’s dark comedy monologue staged at the recent LIA event. The reactions underscore the complexities of exclusivity and gender-based issues—as well as the diverse degrees of cultural cluelessness in adland.

Two outrageous responses came via condemnations from FCB and TIME’S UP/Advertising. Um, FCB being connected to IPG makes it rather hypocritical to express shock and distress, as the White holding company has produced some of the most scandalous sexual harassment cases to date. As for TIME’S UP/Advertising, well, the organization still has Wendy Clark—who hired Royer for freelance work—on its roster.

Advertising Age also revealed LIA President and Founder Barbara Levy recounted her personal sexual assault experience when the attendees displayed disapproval over Royer’s presence. Gee, a simpler apology than the ones Royer delivered would have sufficed.

Keep in mind, Royer projected mea culpas for his wife, Droga5 and the industry he loves. Yet there’s no remorse for the attendees who suffered through the spectacle.

Meanwhile, Ad Age collected reactions from lots of folks—with the glaring exception of a suddenly silent Royer. Wonder if the trade journal thought of asking David Droga for an opinion. Too many sources state Royer was fired after being targeted by Diet Madison Avenue. Sorry, the man got canned after a thorough investigation conducted by Droga5. If the dismissal was flawed, shouldn’t Royer show resentment for his ex-employer?

Others have opined that Royer deserves a second chance and should regain access to the field. Why? The industry has hardly collapsed due to the absence of Royer, Joe Alexander, Tham Khai Meng, Gustavo Martinez, Ralph Watson and Jeremy Perrott. Or Neil French. Forgiveness does not mean forgetfulness.

Ex-Droga5 CCO Ted Royer’s Recent Speech Sparks Widespread Anger, Some Praise And Calls To Action

Time’s Up Advertising demands apology; FCB cuts ties with organization

By Ann-Christine Diaz

Former Droga5 Chief Creative Officer Ted Royer’s appearance at an advertising event in Las Vegas this past weekend sparked heated, passionate reactions around the industry—from those in attendance and elsewhere.

Royer took the stage on Sunday morning and addressed the allegations of anonymous Instagram account Diet Madison Avenue that preceded his firing from Droga5 more than a year-and-a-half ago. While some praised Royer for being brave enough to speak, there was also plenty of shock and disbelief about his presence at the event from creatives both young and seasoned. Agency network FCB and advocacy group Time’s Up Advertising were moved to take action against the London International Awards, the organization that backed his presentation.

The Liaisons

The London International Award’s Creative Liaisons program ran over several days alongside its awards judging period, still continuing this week. Liaisons aims to provide promising talents with the skills to ensure their success. “Liaisons is designed to be a creative oasis in an industry that is in danger of focusing less and less on its creative output. We stand for the work and those who make it,” reads the description on its site.

During this year’s event, however, some attendees found Royer’s presentation the opposite of a “creative oasis.”

One attendee was so affected by his presence that she left the room crying, prompting festival president and founder Barbara Levy to take the podium and apologize, even recounting her own experience of sexual assault in 1983.

Some Liaisons attendees told Ad Age they felt Royer’s presentation was geared not toward their enrichment. “It was a redemption speech, in my opinion,” says one female creative. In interviews, others called it “tone-deaf” and “inappropriate.” “Everything about it felt very wrong for me,” another attendee tells Ad Age, “even if what he was trying to do was be a better person. He did it in a horrible way, in a really weird context. He’s telling us that all these victims are liars, but some of us in the room were sexual assault victims.”

Royer was asked during the Q&A session why he was presenting at that place and time. “It’s the first thing I’ve been invited to,” he said. “I wanted to talk to creatives because the things that I have learned and have embraced, and tried to embody over the last year-and-a-half I think are very relevant to young creatives. I wanted to level-set and I really wanted to give back to this industry.”

Lacking empathy

One of the points Royer made repeatedly during his presentation was his desire to meet face-to-face with people, including those he has hurt, as a means of opening up communication and promoting “understanding and empathy.”

But some attendees say that his presentation itself lacked empathy. “My issue with what he was saying was the implication that it was my responsibility to resolve the problem,” says copywriter Sydnie Felton of VMLY&R in Kansas City, Missouri. “I would have loved to hear his perspective, even if he gave advice for if you find yourself in a difficult situation, and how you can come out of it in the best possible way and not feel your career is threatened. Everything was about protecting men in his position rather than empowering us with the proper tools.”

“A lot of us were visibly shaken, but so were the guys,” says another female creative. “A lot of them afterwards were apologizing to the women in the room.”

She also observed a curious difference in the reactions from the crowd. “A lot of the women were talking about how inappropriate it was, while the guys were talking about accountability,” she says.

“As soon as he started talking, I thought it was a bit surreal because almost immediately he positioned himself as a victim—these are the things that happened to me,” one male attendee tells Ad Age. “He very clearly did not seem to understand these things happened because of his actions and decisions.”

But “I don’t want to dogpile,” he adds. “I saw a broken dude who lost everything, and I want him to find peace and turn this fucked-up thing into something good. I think he just messed up. He squandered a good opportunity and put the burden on the victims. He really needed to take accountability.”

LIA misstep

For some in the audience, the bigger issue wasn’t Royer’s speech, but the fact that it was unannounced—or at least poorly announced—especially in light of the fact that some in the audience had endured harassment or assault themselves. Royer’s name and picture had not been on the program’s online schedule until the week of the event, and in the printed program, his slot listed only “Guest Speaker.” When the show presenter brought Royer to the stage he gave an awkward, quick intro: “I have no idea what this session is going to be about, but I do know that his work speaks for itself.”

“We’re sitting there, on our schedule it says ‘Guest Speaker’ and we’re completely unaware that he was coming,” says one female creative. “It felt like it should have been an op-ed that people could choose to read or not. We were completely unaware—or made to be unaware, in my opinion, that he was coming. I think it was a really big misstep from the program.”

Creatives were also upset by how LIA addressed the adverse reactions to the talk. After the attendee who was in tears left the room, Levy said, “We just had a little incident and I want to apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable. It didn’t occur to me that the topic he was talking about might make some of you feel uncomfortable.” Levy then went on to reveal her rape in 1983.

“When Barbara tried to use her own sexual assault story to justify their reasoning for bringing him there, it left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth,” says one creative.

Another creative, however, tells Ad Age, “I was very impressed that Barbara instantly got up on stage and apologized. For me personally I was happy to move on from there."

Some Liaisons also say that Royer’s presence didn’t prevent them from reaping the benefits of the other parts of the program. CHE Proximity Melbourne copywriter Lauren Eddy and art director Aicha Wijland, in industry publication Campaign Brief, wrote that while they felt “robbed” by Royer’s talk, they still learned valuable lessons in empathy and unconscious bias from other workshops and speakers, including award-winning journalist Lara Logan.

Another creative affected by the speech still called the program as a whole an “unbelievable experience” that left him eager to go back to his agency and start applying what he learned.

“We can see that our misstep was not taking greater initiative to inform the attendees of the schedule change once the conference started,” said Levy in a statement to Ad Age.

As for how she handled her apology to the audience after Royer’s talk, she explained that the intense reaction of one particular participant moved her to speak to the crowd. “I went to have a conversation with her and then felt the need to address the audience,” she said. “In the wake of all the emotion in the room, I may have taken a miscue and been too open about my own personal experience.”

The leaders in the room

While Royer’s presentation was meant for young creatives, a number of industry leaders who were judging the LIA Awards took a break to hear him speak.

During the Q&A session, Edelman Chief Creative Officer Judy John took the opportunity to shed light on questions presented to Royer regarding the “burden” of having to speak to or report an accuser. “As a young creative I’ve been in compromising positions as I think some other women in the room have,” she said in that session. “It’s hard to go to your boss or superior and say, that wasn’t cool… because you might lose your job, you might get blackballed, you might be a troublemaker. There are a lot of reasons why women don’t come forward.”

Another female industry leader echoed the sentiment of the young creatives. “Bringing up DMA and all those accusations were not necessary for someone who was accepting responsibility and apologizing to anyone he hurt,” she tells Ad Age. “But there has to be a path forward for anyone who wants to move forward in my opinion.”

She was also struck by the generational differences in the reactions to his talk. “For the most part my generation is a bit numb from growing up with all of the bad stuff,” she says. “We are happy to be talking about it and see a new awareness, but we are mostly focused on the wage gap and opportunities for women at the highest levels. Comments about how we dress have little effect, and attempts for romance or otherwise are annoying but not shocking.”

The younger generation represented by the LIA participants, however, seems to have very different reactions, she says. “There is a lot of anger and they don’t feel like they can talk. They feel way better hiding behind social media because they are used to it. They feel like we are enablers, and by being complacent we didn’t clean it up for them. That comment about their outfit is like a slap in the face.”

Veteran producer Oliver Fuselier thought Royer’s move “was a lesson in humility and true bravery,” he tells Ad Age. He “put it all out on the stage, from apologizing to the room of young creatives and beyond as well as putting his email address on the screen with a standing offer to meet with anyone that he hurt, angered or made feel bad... We as a society need to help us all to find a way to move forward and allow men to start righting their wrongs and healing themselves. We must still hold them accountable, but at the same time support them in their own road to recovery.”

Another industry leader in the room for the speech added that despite what happened, the LIA’s program is still important for the industry. “I believe in the power of learning and the LIA Creative Liaisons team has so far funded almost 1,000 young creatives from around the world to attend the program,” he says. “I urge young creatives who have attended Creative Liaisons over the years to also share their positive experiences so others who haven’t attended it will continue to attend and benefit from it. The learning must never stop.”

Ad Age reached out to Royer about the reactions to his speech, but he declined comment.

The Industry

The industry has begun to take action in response to the speech. FCB, which had both creatives in the Liaisons program and as judges in the LIA, announced it would be terminating its relationship with the awards show. “A recent presentation given at the LIA was deeply upsetting to some of our team in attendance, and the reaction and response by the LIA has been very disappointing and unsatisfactory,” the agency said in a statement.

In a letter to Levy and the other organizers of the LIA, Time’s Up Advertising also took issue with how Royer’s speech was not properly publicized to the attendees. “You left no option for consent,” the letter read. “You showed disrespect for LIA attendees who have been harmed by Royer’s behavior, specifically, or faced similarly disturbing behavior in the workplace. You signaled that his voice is worth a platform, while our voices aren’t worth believing.”

The organization then went on to list the actions LIA should take in the wake of this incident: apologize, publicly commit to creating a safer and more inclusive environment “that respects women,” and be transparent.

If LIA does not heed this advice, Time’s Up Advertising Executive Director Christena Pyle said in an additional statement to Ad Age that the organization is “prepared to take further action.”

Levy told Ad Age in her statement that the LIA has been communicating with FCB on the agency’s decision to sever ties with the organization.

“We apologize if we inadvertently upset anyone during at the LIAisons program,” she said. “We will work closer with the agencies and the top-level creatives to better curate the program moving forward.”

Contributing: Lindsay Rittenhouse

14784: Note To Advertiser—Hearts Don’t Heart Red Meat.

Somebody tell Viande in Brazil that this advertising concept is not a big idea—but a bad idea.

14783: Was Ted Royer Hit By A Blizzard Of Vengeful Snowflakes? Nah.

At More About Advertising, Editor Stephen Foster asked, “Does latest Ted Royer kerfuffle show an industry comprised of vengeful snowflakes?” Foster is at least being consistent in his sympathy for Royer, yet the journalist’s perspective is a tad crude. After all, attacking the offended and branding them as being too sensitive is the classic response of the insensitive; i.e., Foster comes off as culturally clueless. Oh, and the industry is definitely comprised of snowflakes—vengeful and forgiving—by virtue of being exclusively White.

14782: Saudi Arabian Airline Campaign Wouldn’t Fly Elsewhere.

This campaign for a low-fare airline in Saudi Arabia might feel like racial-profiling and discrimination in the USA.

14781: Ted Royer Is Very, Very, Very Sorry.

Advertising Age published a lengthy story detailing the Ted Royer LIA surprise appearance that AgencySpy sloppily posted about yesterday. According to Ad Age, Royer used the opportunity to openly air his distress and blare his defense over his alleged misconduct—and like a stereotypical creative honcho, he even brought visuals.

Based on AgencySpy’s half-assed post, MultiCultClassics mistakenly believed Royer was making light of his own scandal. After perusing the Ad Age coverage, it turns out the scenario was quite the opposite—and arguably worse. Royer and LIA Founder and President Barbara Levy hijacked the event, allowing the ex-Droga5 CCO to deliver a self-absorbed confession and self-serving apology. Sorry, but attendees were right to be upset. Imagine showing up for the Academy Awards and having Harvey Weinstein commandeer the festivities to seek atonement. Royer’s stunt rivaled and recalled the Neil French debacle in its disruptive rudeness. (Note to Royer: The charges against you dwarf French’s indiscretions and he was not permitted back into the field.)

Royer declared, “My agenda today is going to be about events that happened that got me to leave Droga5, that got me fired, and I want to tell you those because I want to put them in context for the year-and-a-half that followed, and the things I’ve come to know and believe since then that I feel have led to a stronger life.” Okay, but your “agenda” impolitely interrupted the planned proceedings, which should have focused on expert inspiration. Levy does owe the attendees a refund. It ain’t right to pay to watch Jay-Z and discover the headline act has switched to R. Kelly without notice.

Levy was equally awful in her motivations. “We live in a country that has due process and laws that allow an accused the right to face their accuser,” she babbled. “I do not believe that an anonymous social media platform that does not allow the accused to respond should be allowed to indict, try and convict anyone.” Okay, but let the due process and laws proceed. If Royer was wronged, he certainly has legal options besides taking his case to the court of public opinion—especially when the audience expected to meet professionals. Plus, keep in mind that Droga5 is not exactly admitting it erred by canning Royer.

Communication, understanding and empathy comprise Royer’s new acronym mantra—CUE—and he reportedly closed with extended apologies. The man needs to learn the difference between apologies and amends. Right now, Royer appears to be truly sorry—meaning pathetic versus empathetic. Cue the music to cut off the blubbering awards speaker.

Former Droga5 CCO Ted Royer Addresses Sexual Misconduct Allegations In Public For The First Time

A year and a half after he was fired from his post, the disgraced industry vet resurfaces in public eye to share his side of the story and express remorse

By Ann-Christine Diaz

More than a year-and-a-half after he was fired from Droga5 following allegations posted by anonymous Instagram account Diet Madison Avenue, former New York Chief Creative Officer Ted Royer reemerged in the public eye yesterday.

Royer spoke in Las Vegas at the London International Awards’ Creative Liaisons, the award show’s program dedicated to nurturing rising advertising talents.

“I’m here because I believe in face-to-face communication and I don’t want to hide any more,” he told a conference room full of the program’s young global creatives, as well as a number of the top industry execs serving as LIA jurors, some who paused their all-day judging sessions to hear him speak.

From 2012 until his widely-publicized split from Droga5, he had been a regular speaker at Creative Liaisons. His previous presentations had centered on advice for promising talents as they progress in their careers. In this hour-plus long session, he continued to share advice, but also took the opportunity to open up about his own experiences during and after the DMA allegations that appeared on social media.

“My agenda today is going to be about events that happened that got me to leave Droga5, that got me fired, and I want to tell you those because I want to put them in context for the year-and-a-half that followed, and the things I’ve come to know and believe since then that I feel have led to a stronger life,” Royer said.

Prior to this, none of the creatives who had been accused of misconduct in DMA social posts have spoken publicly at length about their experiences—though at least in one instance, former Martin Agency CCO Joe Alexander, did issue a statement saying that DMA's actions that took away his “good name” without giving him a chance to defend himself, as part of a lawsuit he filed last month against the individuals behind the anonymous account.

“We live in a country that has due process and laws that allow an accused the right to face their accuser,” said LIA Founder and President Barbara Levy on why she invited Royer to return to speak. “I do not believe that an anonymous social media platform that does not allow the accused to respond should be allowed to indict, try and convict anyone.”

DMA Allegations

Royer, noticeably uneasy at times, thanked the audience. “I really want to acknowledge the Liaisons, the young creatives who don’t know me but may know me by my reputation, both good and recently horrible,” he said. “I thank you very much and I want to acknowledge you for listening and giving me a chance today.”

He then spent the opening portion of his speech addressing the posts and statements DMA had made prior to his departure from Droga5. Slide by slide, he went through the various allegations, including one post that placed his name at the top of a list of other alleged harassers in the industry.

“That was the worst day of my life by far,” he said. He had been in L.A. on a shoot, accompanied by his family, when he first saw the post. “It was early 2018 and I think all of you remember the atmosphere, we were waiting to oust sexual harassers everywhere and I find myself at the top. It was a brutal day.”

Another series of Diet Madison Avenue posts centered on how nondisclosure agreements help to silence women and protect powerful men in the ad industry.

“I read this on the way to work,” he said. “And I had two reactions. One was, ‘This is absolutely not true.’ I have never been involved in an NDA with a woman. I have never been involved in a discussion about any woman’s career relating to anything personal about me ever....I was actually happy when I saw that. I was like, ‘Oh, this is demonstrably false.’ But when I got to work, I could see the impact it had on people’s faces.”

He said the agency soon placed him on leave and hired a law firm to investigate him. “I don’t know if you know what happens when these law firms investigate you,” he said. “They go through every single communication about you they can find—emails to you and from you, G-chats to you and from you and about you.”

Royer then went on to reveal some of the behaviors the investigation uncovered, details that had never been included in previous reports around his firing. “I was flippant, I made jokes, I was flirty, I encouraged drinking and drug use,” he said. “And I believed the old creative douche bag rock star notion that you have to party really hard and do great work to be someone of notice in this industry. I certainly behaved selfishly and immaturely.”

Royer presented a final DMA slide, arguably the most damning, in which a person claiming to be one of his subordinates detailed a purported non-consensual encounter.

“This is a story, reportedly about me attacking a girl in the hallway of the agency, tagging my clients,” he said, at this point visibly emotional. “They made it very, very hard to defend myself ... I’ve talked to hundreds of people afterwards and a lot of people remembered this story and believed this story … This story is not true. If it is true, it’s not about me at all. At all. I never did act like this. But this stuck. This stuck to me like glue.”

Royer said afterwards, more calls to investigate him and for employees to come forward went out. “I think a couple people did, I don’t know how many, and I was fired,” he said. “I don’t know what they said. I was not told anything. I was never given any chance to address those concerns. And I was pretty devastated.”

News reports around the investigation, and then his subsequent firing, never revealed why Royer was terminated. The agency only issued a single statement: “We are committed to maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all our employees.”

Post-Droga5

For the rest of his talk, Royer revealed what he’s been doing since he left Droga5.

He said he spent the past year and a half having conversations with “hundreds” of people, men and women, about their relationships with him as well as their own experiences related to harassment. “It was incredibly eye-opening,” he said. “The MeToo movement is long and overdue. It’s vital and necessary, and the women I know, including my wife [Suyin Sleeman, also an advertising creative] have had an awful time in this industry. The most common thing [I heard] was the 1,000 little cuts women feel every single day, things that remind them of their gender and their otherness.”

He also said he spent the time doing freelance work and focusing on “giving back,” including creating communications for an organization called the Freedom to Choose Project, which creates programs to help better the lives of incarcerated and underserved individuals.

“I went into women’s prisons and spoke to them and the stories there are all startling similar,” he said. “One woman said she was passed around by her family members, which then leads to drugs and alcohol abuse, which then leads to falling into a bad crowd, often with an abusive man, which leads to a crime that gets them in jail.” The program, however, isn’t about just talking to the incarcerated, but talking “with them,” he says. “We do workshops where we are all equals and we learn just as much from them. One prisoner re-framed my relationship with my father in 20 minutes, and it blew me away.”

Royer said he’s been pursuing agency work as well. He described being up for a freelance gig at a small shop, but later found out that one woman there said, “We are not letting that monster in the building.”

“I reached out to her,” he said. “I met her for coffee and we talked for two hours. And I’m proud to say she’s a friend now. We text almost every day, we have raging debates on feminism and toxic masculinity and all that, but it is one of the best friendships I’ve had recently. It really solidified for me the power of face-to-face communication.”

In October of last year, reports came out that Royer had been quietly hired at DDB to work as a freelancer, which created a backlash against CEO Wendy Clark, who would ultimately step down as one of the leaders of the Time’s Up Advertising initiative.

“If you’re the young woman working at DDB and I walk in the door, of course you’re going to freak out,” he said. “Of course you’re going to freak out, and I understand that.”

The conversations and various projects he has had in the intervening year taught him the importance of three key things: “communication, understanding and empathy,” he says. “Three things I repeat to myself all the time now. Being an ad guy, of course, I noticed they form an anagram CUE.” Now, when something “shitty” happens, he says, “I go, that’s my CUE.’ I’m going to address the situation but approach it with communication, understanding and empathy. I think as a leader, it’s quite powerful. I wouldn’t necessarily do it before, but I absolutely do now.”

On DMA

When Ad Age asked Royer during the Q&A session if he believed anything good came out of what DMA did, he said, “The good that came out of it was we’re certainly far more aware of [harassment] as an industry, and that’s fantastic. It certainly started a lot of companies looking at what they’ve done, are doing, and that’s fantastic too. And I think the impetus behind Time’s Up Advertising came because of Diet Madison Avenue.”

The empathy he said he practices even extends to DMA. “I don’t think they’re horrible people,” he said. “I think everyone’s just trying to do the best they can with what they have. And I bet if I ever met someone from Diet Madison Avenue, they’re probably in a lot of pain. Anger comes from pain. I think their anger came from frustration and impotence, and so that’s made a lot of people very aware that there are people out there who don’t feel like they had a voice.” He added, “I would meet Diet Madison Avenue face-to-face and talk to them and hear their pain and hear where their anger came from.”

Apologies

“I don’t know anybody who’s accused me, but I want to,” Royer said. Numerous times throughout his presentation he encouraged the audience, or anyone who feels they've been wronged by him to reach out to him via email at TedRoyer50@gmail.com, and possibly, have a face-to-face conversation.

“If I’ve wronged somebody, I want to focus on them and right it,” he said. “Louis CK wronged people, and he hasn’t addressed it. I used to be a huge fan of his, but he hasn’t said a word, except about how much money he’s lost. That’s not addressing it. I think if you apply communication, understanding and empathy to people who’ve been through this, we can all learn a lot more.”

“I apologize to my wife, who’s stronger than I ever imagined,” he said. “I don’t like the way Droga5 handled me, but I love that company, and I loved it with all my heart and I apologize if I brought them any shame and hurt. And I apologize to the industry that I love. I’m one of your main villains right now, and that hurts so much because I love this industry, and I want to help this industry. I’m not here for absolution. I’m not here to say everything’s fine now, but I want this to be a beginning.”

Reactions

Attendees at the Liaisons had mixed reactions to Royer’s speech, and some were extremely strong. A number of female participants, visibly nervous, questioned Royer during the Q&A session, one asking his motivations for presenting at that time.

“It’s the first thing I’ve been invited to,” he said. “I wanted to talk to people I didn’t know. I wanted to talk to creatives because the things that I have learned and have embraced, and tried to embody over the last year-and-a-half I think are very relevant to young creatives. I wanted to level set and I really wanted to give back to this industry.”

Edelman Global CCO Judy John, one of the LIA jury presidents, said she wanted to take Royer up on his request for face-to-face conversations. “I want to push you on the ‘E’ in empathy because I think you need to understand that in the position of power that you have, what you do, what you say, has more [impact] than everyone else,” she said. “I think there is a lack of awareness about a little comment, like what you’re wearing, that is uncomfortable.”

One Liaisons member was upset by Royer’s responses to the DMA posts. “So you’re talking about empathy, but you’re also being upset that there were women saying this anonymously. The reason they’re saying this anonymously is because they’re afraid, and they’re losing their jobs,” she said.

LIA attendees who spoke to Ad Age and who commented on the workplace app Fishbowl expressed consternation and even anger at not being properly informed that Royer would be presenting. Their program had only listed “Guest Speaker” for the portion of his talk, and his name appeared on the online schedule only during the week of the event.

“It made no sense for him to be here, to inspire young creatives,” said one Liaison member. “I think it was really a big misstep for the program. I’m upset with the program for tricking us into listening to his speech. I’m more interested in LIAs being taken to task than [Royer] being taken to task.”

Another Liaisons participant was so agitated she had to leave the room during the presentation.

LIA founder Levy later stepped up to the podium to address the reactions.

“I didn’t want to make anybody uncomfortable. That was not the intention here at all,” Levy said before sharing with the audience her own experience of being sexually assaulted in 1983. “I know for some of you it was a tough thing to sit and listen to. It was not meant to be. What the intention was that anonymous social media should not be held as truth.”

Upon hearing about the LIA participant who left the room because of his talk, Royer grew upset. “I’m mortified,” he said. “I didn’t see it coming at all. I would love to make it up to that person any way I can. If there’s anything I can do, I will do it.”

14780: Ted Royer Rises Like A Phoenix From The Asses.

AgencySpy posted on a London International Awards event for young creatives featuring ex-Droga5 CCO Ted Royer as a speaker. Hey, Royer could have schooled the youngsters on the hazards of sexual harassment. According to AgencySpy, attendees were not too thrilled to see Royer and even took refuge in the restroom to allegedly cower and cry. DDB Global President and CEO Wendy Clark would likely scoff at the whimpering weenies. While AgencySpy didn’t provide details, an accompanying photograph (depicted above) showed Royer with a news image headlining his termination projected behind him. Was the man making light of his own scandal? Gee, such a role model for the kids.

Ousted Droga5 CCO Ted Royer Resurfaces to Give Unannounced Talk at LIA

By Doug Zanger

At a London International Awards (LIA) session for young creatives, Ted Royer, the former CCO of Droga5, was a surprise guest. His inclusion during the LIAisons was, according to posts on Twitter and Fishbowl, met with disbelief.

Per the LIA site, Royer was not listed among several creative leaders, including Ogilvy global CCO, Piyush Pandey, Prettybird co-founder and president Kerstin Emhoff and Mark Tutssel, who recently retired from his role as Leo Burnett’s executive chairman.

LIAisons is an annual program, held by LIA, that gives 100 young creatives between the ages of 21 and 30 a chance to meet and learn from, according to the site, “the creatives they look up to most in the industry.” LIAisons run concurrently with LIA judging in Las Vegas, and airfare and accommodation are provided by the festival.

At issue, according to accounts on social media, was the appropriateness of having Royer, who was fired by Droga5, as a speaker.

One post on Fishbowl noted that attendees were “crying and shaking in the bathroom” and that LIA implied that if people missed any session that they “wouldn’t be reimbursed.”

LIA and attendees have not responded to requests for comment on Royer’s inclusion in the program. We will update the story upon any response.

Royer was dismissed from the agency in Feb. 2018. While the cause of the dismissal was not revealed, a representative at the agency said, at the time, that “We are committed to maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all our employees. We are unable to comment further on personnel matters.” CEO Sarah Thompson also added in an email that Droga5 hired “an independent firm … to assist us with our investigation” when Royer was on leave and encouraged staff members to come forward with “any concerns or complaints.”

Later in the year, it was reported that Royer was hired to help assist DDB for the Omnicom network’s pitch for the global Volkswagen account (ultimately divvied up among WPP in North America, Omnicom in Europe and South America, and Cheil in China). Initially, DDB’s global CEO, Wendy Clark, denied that Royer was hired for the pitch yet, shortly thereafter, stepped down from the Time’s Up Advertising steering committee, acknowledging that she made a “mistake.”

At that time, the committee issued a statement reading, in part, that: “Our mission is to create workplaces that are safe, fair, and dignified for all. Our signatories are accountable to the values of the mission. We hold the women who signed, and their agencies, accountable for a process of change.”

Disclosure: Doug Zanger was a jury president for LIA in 2008 and 2009.

14779: ANA Members Are Masters Of Hypocritical Bullshit And Blatant Lies.

Advertising Age reported the ANA kicked off its latest soiree with a “major focus on multicultural marketing”—including hyping its “#SeeALL” propaganda, a colored version of its “#SeeHer” divertisement diversion. Um, the ANA has been gnashing its dentures over diversity for more than a decade, with no progress worth reporting. Although maybe it can be argued that ANA CEO Bob Liodice opting against producing another self-promotional video on the topic is progress. Sorry, but repeatedly advocating for equality without actually doing anything is patronizing and passive bias.

ANA’s annual meeting begins with major focus on multicultural marketing

ANA CEO Bob Liodice hones in on diversity in opening speech, ignores hot-button issues like media transparency

By E.J. Schultz

For the past several years, Association of National Advertisers CEO Bob Liodice has kicked off the group’s largest conference of the year by ticking off a laundry list of issues plaguing the industry, including the opaque digital media supply chain, ad fraud and the ANA’s long-running fight with media agencies over transparency in contracts.

But on Thursday, as he opened this year’s “Masters of Marketing” at the Rosen Shingle Creek resort in Orlando, Liodice abandoned the typically combative tone in favor of focusing on a single issue: diversity.

He urged the trade group’s members to make multicultural marketing a priority by plugging several ANA initiatives, such as “#SeeALL,” a new program aimed at getting marketers to better target multicultural communities. It is an offshoot to the long-running #SeeHer” initiative that seeks to boost by 20% the accurate portrayals of women and girls in U.S. advertising and media by 2020.

“SeeALL” is led by the ANA’s Multicultural Marketing and Diversity Committee, which has also launched a new “cultural insights impact measure.” The metric, known as CIIM, “identifies the impact and effectiveness of cultural insights in ads and programming and how these have the potential to affect sales lift,” according to a September blog post by the ANA’s multicultural marketing chairperson Gilbert Dávila.

“When you infuse cultural insights into your advertising … you can actually generate a lift in sales … and that is what this is all about—to be able to dive growth while we are being purposeful marketers,” Liodice said in his speech.

On the growth front, Liodice delivered positive news, saying that eight in 10 Fortune 500 companies grew revenue last year, while six in 10 grew after-tax profits. That is an improvement over recent years, during which roughly half of the companies on the list have experienced declining after-tax profits. “Our job now is to institutionalize that growth and ensure it’s not just a one time event,” Liodice said.

But when it comes to multicultural marketing as a growth lever, the industry has a long way to go. Multicultural consumers comprise nearly 40 percent of the total U.S. population, but multicultural media investments make up only about 5 percent of total advertising and marketing spending, according to a study published in August by the ANA’s Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing.

Also, more than 60 percent of Fortune 500 companies are spending less than 1 percent of their of their advertising budget on segment-specific targeted media, according to the ANA. The trade group is “prioritizing inclusion and equality as a call to action for corporations looking to drive incremental growth,” Dávila said in the September blog post.

Liodice in his speech played a video featuring several chief marketers touting multicultural marketing, including Target marketing chief Rick Gomez, who remarked that “prioritizing the multicultural consumer: it’s no longer a nice to do, it’s a must-do.”

Left unsaid in Liodice’s speech is the failure by companies to promote people of color to top marketing jobs. Only nine of the chief marketing officers at the nation’s largest 100 brands and companies were minorities, down from 11 CMOs in 2017, according to a recent study from executive recruitment firm Spencer Stuart. Also, none of the 18 CMOs hired last year were minorities.

The lack of diversity in senior positions is apparent at this year’s conference: an overwhelming majority of the 3,000 people attending the event are white.

14778: WeQual Is WeHypocritical And ShopTalk Is AllTalk.

The WeQual Awards in the UK “identify and recognise world-class women executives one level below the executive committees across the globe”—which sounds like a divertisement distinction. So why did the organization award its branding and identity work to ShopTalk London, which appears to be a predominately White and male design firm? It all makes the creative initiative one level below hypocritical bullshit.

14777: A Saturday Morning Look At The Look.

From Advertising Age…

P&G’s ‘The Look’ was a ‘Divine Opportunity’ for Creatives, Says Saturday Morning

An Advertising Week panel gave behind-the-scenes information about the moving ad

By I-Hsien Sherwood

In Procter & Gamble’s brand campaign “The Look,” an African-American man deals with the continual, micro-aggressive glimpses of society as he navigates his everyday life. Saturday Morning and P&G offered sobering insights into the creation of the spot at the “Let’s talk about bias” panel at Advertising Week New York 2019.

“When we wrote the script, we didn’t think it would be relevant,” said Keith Cartwright, executive creative director at 72andSunny and co-founder of Saturday Morning. “It’s something people of color deal with every day.”

In each scene, the man experiences subtle discrimination in particular locations, selected specifically for the story. “It was important to establish the historical context,” said Kwame Taylor-Hayford, co-founder of Saturday Morning and founder of Kin. Scenes at a lunch counter and a swimming pool mirror are familiar from racist clashes during the Civil Rights Movement. Eric T. Austin, associate brand director and global media innovation at P&G, drew a throughline from the brand’s previous work “The Talk,” which featured mothers of color but largely left fathers out of the picture, to “The Look,” which focuses on a father and child.

“As the world’s largest advertiser, we have to take responsibility for the images we put into the world,” he said. “These images can lead to stereotypes,” and those stereotypes can lead to societal consequences like violence against people of color, Austin added, before invoking Trayvon’s Martin’s name as an example of the worst kind of consequence that can befall black men.

Cartwright detailed two other projects Saturday Morning has worked on—"A Better Half,” a short film made with a predominantly African-American crew, and “A Solid Bond,” a tale of friendship complicated by society’s prejudices.

“Getting the opportunity to work on ‘The Look’ given the context of what my family went through, it was phenomenal,” said Jayanta Jenkins, co-founder of Saturday Morning, whose father grew up in the Deep South. “This is the type of work I have strived to do consistently throughout my career. It was a divine opportunity to do what I love to do.”

14776: Putting It All In Pitiful Perspective.

Nigeria can celebrate 59 years of independence. The advertising industry, meanwhile, has resisted diversity and equality for at least 60 years.

14775: Advertising Age Outperforms Advertising Week In Stupidity.

Advertising Age criticized the arguably sexist selection of Pitbull as entertainment at Advertising Week, but followed up with an online cover image of a naked female corpse. Beautiful.

14774: Annie The Chicken Queen Lacks Buns.

This Popeyes BYOB commercial encourages patrons to bring their own bun and create a chicken sandwich. Annie bakes biscuits but can’t handle bread?

14773: Brazilian Divertisements Forward Futile Fight For Gender Equality.

Oh, look! Brazilian advertising agencies are jumping on the White women’s bandwagon too—ignoring realities that render such patronizing poop divertisements of the highest order.