16882: Overreaction Of The Week.

 

AAF confirms Adland is no longer interested in Blacks.

 

Although Mars Incorporated might insist Ms. Brown brings inclusivity to the affair.

 

16241: AAF AHOF ICYMI.

 

AgencySpy posted on the American Advertising Federation inducting the most diverse class ever into its Advertising Hall of Fame—a group that included Pioneer of Diversity John Wren. Why was such a momentous occasion only covered by AgencySpy?

 

The Advertising Hall of Fame Inducts Most Diverse Class Yet

 

By Emmy Liederman

 

When Antonio Lucio accepted his induction into the Advertising Hall of Fame, he asserted the industry’s collective social impact that does more than impress fellow ad veterans and award show committees.

 

“I believe in this industry’s ability to do good,” said Lucio, who concluded his speech waving a miniature Puerto Rican flag as a salute to the place he grew up. “We influence the way the world sees itself.”

 

Lucio, the former global CMO of Meta and the principal and founder of talent consultancy 5S Diversity, is part of the American Advertising Federation’s 72nd annual class. The April 27 award show at Cipriani Wall Street was kicked off with remarks from president and CEO Steve Pacheco, followed by board chair Tiffany R. Warren, who expressed her pride in inducting the AAF’s most diverse class yet.

 

The organization recognized Unilever as its corporate nominee and honored seven industry veterans:

 

• Raúl Alarcón, chairman of the board and CEO, Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc.

 

• Cathie Black, principal, Madison Park Ventures; former chairman and president, Hearst Magazines

 

• Louis Carr, president of media sales, Black Entertainment Television (BET)

 

• Antonio J. Lucio, principal and founder, 5S Diversity and former global CMO at Meta, HP, Visa and PepsiCo

 

• Renetta E. McCann, Chief Inclusion Experience Officer, Publicis Groupe

 

• Aaron M. Walton, CEO, Walton Isaacson

 

• John Wren, chairman and CEO, Omnicom Group

 

Several honorees said they hope this class popularizes the notion that careers in advertising, media and marketing exist for everyone—and that organizations failing to identify diverse talent probably don’t know where to look. Carr, who has been with BET Networks for 36 years, referred to his role as a “privilege job” in that he is able to “show Black excellence both on screen and off screen.”

 

The acceptance speeches were introduced with video montages for each inductee, which consisted of praise that spanned from industry leaders to grandchildren. In Black’s tribute, Gloria Steinem commemorated her fellow contributions to feminism—the former president of Hearst Magazines was also the first woman publisher of a national consumer weekly, New York Magazine.

 

In an email to inductees after the event, Advertising Hall of Fame council of judges chair Carolyn Everson expressed her excitement in honoring a group of leaders who embody and champion the progression of industry inclusion.

 

“Watching each of you step up and deliver extraordinary messages of inspiration, leadership, passion and provocation was something no one in that room will ever forget,” she stated. “Serving the AHOF has been one of the greatest honors of my career.”

16080: Krazy Kwanzaa Koncepts.

 

To celebrate Kwanzaa, advertisers and advertising agencies considered a variety of concepts—which were ultimately scrapped for lack of interest and lackluster investment. MultiCultClassics gained access to a handful of the ideas presented here.

 

14132: Recalling Pudding Pops.

The New York Times noted how the Bill Cosby verdict inspired many organizations to recall, rescind and revoke various honors bestowed over the years. Has the advertising industry quietly taken back any trophies? Adland salutes include Advertising Age’s 1978 Star Presenter of the Year, AAF President’s Award for Contributions to Advertising and the 2011 ADCOLOR® Lifetime Achievement Award. Hey, if the 4As erased its “100 People Who Make Advertising Great” recognition for ousted The Martin Agency Chief Creative Officer Joe Alexander, surely Cosby deserves to lose his prizes. Then again, given the industry’s chronic cultural cluelessness and diversity denials, officials are probably uncomfortable announcing punitive actions against the iconic celebrity.

13153: WTF AAF.

The AAF boasts a commitment to diversity via smokescreens like The Mosaic Awards, the Most Promising Multicultural Students Program and clichéd stock photography on its website. Yet the organization shows its true colors by honoring All-White inductees for the 2016 Advertising Hall of Fame. And now comes a press release announcing four new members to the AAF’s Board of Directors—and the quartet appears to be another All-White extravaganza. Brilliant.

Leaders from PepsiCo, Quantcast, The New York Times, ICM Partners Join the AAF’s Board of Directors

Seth Kaufman, Jonathan Perelman, Marcus Harper and Lisa Ryan Howard join the National AAF’s leadership.

NEW YORK, NY, Apr. 11, 2016—The American Advertising Federation (AAF) announced the election of four new members to its Board of Directors earlier today. The announcement was made in conjunction with one of the industry’s most prestigious events, the Advertising Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and gala dinner, which is being held at the Waldorf Astoria New York.

The AAF elected four new leaders to its Board of Directors. Marcus Harper, Head of Global Partnerships, Quantcast; Lisa Ryan Howard, Senior Vice President, Advertising, The New York Times; Seth Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer, PepsiCo North America Beverages; and Jonathan Perelman, Head of Digital Ventures, ICM Partners join the AAF’s National Board.

The AAF’s Board of Directors guides and oversees the Federation’s signature events and initiatives, including the Advertising Hall of Fame, Advertising Hall of Achievement, Mosaic Center for Multiculturalism, National Student Advertising Competition, ADMERICA and the Institute for Advertising Ethics—all serving the Federation’s 40,000 professional members nationwide, 5,000 student members and more than 100 corporate members spanning media, clients and agencies.

“This is an amazing slate of industry leaders joining our Board, representing all parts of the advertising ecosystem and from different facets of our Membership,” said AAF President & CEO, James Edmund Datri. “I look forward to working with them and the entire AAF Board to continue to grow and innovate the Federation in the years ahead in exciting new ways.”

The AAF’s Board of Directors includes leaders from the most well-known and well-respected brands, media companies and agencies spearheading the advertising industry. These members support the AAF’s initiatives through partnerships, speaking engagements and thought leadership. The four new members join a Board led by Chairman Jim Norton, Global Head of Media Sales, AOL; Vice Chairman David Messinger, Co-Head, CAA Marketing, Creative Artists Agency; and Immediate Past Chairman Rich Stoddart, CEO, Leo Burnett Worldwide. During their tenure with the AAF, these leaders shape the AAF’s daily business, expansion efforts and innovation.

For more information about the AAF’s Board of Directors and partnership opportunities, please visit www.aaf.org or contact Linda Moore via email or by phone at (202) 898-0089.

13151: Advertising Hall Of Same.

Oops. Missed the deadline to join the AAF in congratulating the all-White honorees being inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame. Will Chris Rock serve as emcee for the gala ceremony? Oh, and check out the stock photography displaying clichéd diversity on the AAF website.

13129: The Diversity Of Patronization.

The Advertising Hall of Fame is seeking advertisers for its program. Can’t help but feel like the sponsors backing the All-White extravaganza include a lot of the usual suspects also backing ADCOLOR®. Gee, such diverse supporters.

13106: Best BHM Bullshit Ever.

CNN asked, “Was February 2016 the best Black History Month ever?” From #OscarsSoWhite to Beyoncé’s So Black, CNN declared a plethora of progress took place in a 29-day span. Okay, except it sure didn’t happen in the advertising industry. For starters, there appeared to be a dramatic decline in BHM advertisements. White advertising agencies allegedly held meetings to discuss avoiding another Campbell Ewald debacle. USA TODAY claimed Super Bowl 50 ads put diversity on display—ignoring that the “diversity” was created via exclusivity. Benetton blew diversity big time. Bartle Bogle Hegarty celebrated Black sheep with White shit. The AAF mimicked the Academy Awards with its 2016 Advertising Hall of Fame inductees. There was IPG, IPA and IPO bullshit—as well as bullshit from another White man who diverted diversity in defense of dames. Ogilvy helped NASCAR and IBM reach diverse audiences with Caucasian campaigns. Sure, Michael Houston and Vann Graves presented positive moments, but their achievements did not offset the diversity business as usual on Madison Avenue.

13077: BHM 2016—Advertising Age.

Looks like the best that Advertising Age could do to acknowledge Black History Month was publish a perspective from a student associated with the High School for Innovation in Advertising and Media (iAM), MAIP and the AAF Most Promising Multicultural Students Program.

Diversity: It’s a Two-Way Street

Agencies and Candidates Each Have a Part in Enacting Multicultural Change

By Jermaine Richards

A lot is written about the lack of diversity in the advertising world. I’d like to offer a different take: the perspective of a black college student who has been honing his craft in the ad world since the age of 13.

I was introduced to the advertising industry and then the agency, Deutsch, in 2008 through a partnership they enacted with the High School for Innovation in Advertising and Media (iAM) in Brooklyn, New York. Over the past seven years, I have worked in varying capacities for Deutsch, learning directly from industry veterans, contributing to creative briefs and participating in client meetings—things few students are given access to. Just as I am bringing a valued perspective to Deutsch, they are investing time and resources in my growth within. For this, I am grateful.

The lack of qualified candidates is often brought up when discussing diversity in the industry. Instead of making excuses, let’s acknowledge—as I have with Deutsch—that this is a two-way street, and agencies and diverse candidates need to express an interest in each other for things to change. Among young multicultural students, from my experience, advertising isn’t discussed as a career. Many aren’t aware that it is an option and thus lack the connections to get started. Some see advertising as a risk for a career.

For agencies interested in seeking out candidates, resources such as the 4A’s MAIP (Multicultural Advertising Internship Program), ADCOLOR, the AAF’s MPMS (Most Promising Multicultural Students), the One Club, and the Marcus Graham Project (just to name a few) exist to connect highly qualified candidates with agencies. As a participant in many of these programs, I can say that these highly selective outlets grab the “right” kind of youth, magnify their awareness, and identify their abilities while harnessing and elevating their talents. These resources are a great way to overcome a lack of connections to give candidates a start. In doing this, students must remember—it doesn’t work if you don’t. So, work and work hard.

These programs are so crucial because barriers to entry for people like myself do still exist. In some places, there may still be stigmas linking to specific races with regard to their work ethic or their ability to perform, brought into question behind closed doors. Oftentimes, these stigmas or stereotypes are false, but perpetuated, with someone’s credibility called into doubt based on where they may come from, or the experiences they haven’t had.

Even though this industry has some of the most intelligent people I have ever met, the reality is that many of them aren’t from the “best” places, schools or affluent backgrounds. Intelligence can be found everywhere and take many forms as it is cultivated by experience beyond an ideal world. It requires an open mind, and if agencies put in the time and effort to work with diversity programs and support the students they produce while remaining open-minded, they will be rewarded with skilled candidates as well as insight beyond their wildest imaginations.

This is an industry where the idea is worshipped, and concepts are applied to create a vision to impact the world. So, why would we close our industry’s doors to a certain kind of person? Would opening the doors to all not help impact all? The aesthetic of a place is one thing—the implementation of experience and insight is another. Agencies should strive for a diverse workforce for this reason. Diversity here means the ability to include within the walls to impact what is outside of the walls. Whoever is able to do that effectively will undeniably be prosperous.

At age 20, I can proudly say that I am an inclusive visual artist, a creative producer and a result of this industry that I have grown in. I have nurtured it, just as it has nurtured me. I am proof that it is possible for the agency world, as an industry, to connect with candidates like myself, impact their development and ultimately mold them into the next generation of what will likely be a more diverse workforce in your company. It is a big picture that I encourage you to take a part in painting. It is a two-way street and an uphill climb to a more captivating ideal for what we call this industry of advertising.

Jermaine Richards

Jermaine A. Richards is a senior undergraduate student at York College studying Communications Technology with a minor in Studio Arts. He has recently been named as one of the American Advertising Federation’s Most Promising Multicultural Students of 2016. Jermaine has an ongoing internship with Deutsch, New York.

12319: Hall Of Fame Head-Scratchers.

The AAF presented a press release announcing the 66th Annual Advertising Hall of Fame inductees, which included a few head-scratchers.

Does Spike Lee really deserve induction? While he’s an accomplished filmmaker, has he truly made breakthroughs in the advertising industry? Then again, Lee is certainly as—and perhaps more—deserving for recognition than Crispin Porter + Bogusky Chairman Chuck Porter.

Radio One Founder and Chairperson Catherine L. Hughes will become the first Black woman in the Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Hughes, but why isn’t Caroline Jones in the exclusive club too?

Wonder how the Hall of Fame clan feels about having inducted Bill Cosby in 2010.

PepsiCo, Seven Legendary Individual Inductees Headline the 66th Annual Advertising Hall of Fame®

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The 66th Advertising Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies & Gala Dinner will be held the evening of Monday, April 20, 2015, in the Grand Ballroom of New York’s historic Waldorf-Astoria hotel.

Elected by the Advertising Hall of Fame’s distinguished Council of Judges, here are this year’s “magnificent seven” to be inducted into the Hall of Fame:

John B. Adams, Jr. , Chairman, The Martin Agency

Lee Clow, Chairman, TBWA\Media Arts Lab; Director of Media Arts, TBWA\Worldwide

Catherine L. Hughes, Founder and Chairperson, Radio One, Inc.

Spike Lee, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Spike DDB and 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks

Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO, iHeartMedia, Inc.

Charles Porter, Chairman, Crispin Porter + Bogusky

Linda Kaplan Thaler, Chairman, Publicis Kaplan Thaler

John B. Adams, Jr. will also be presented with the distinguished David Bell Award for Industry Service, now in its second year, to recognize extraordinary and unique contributions and service to the advertising community and industry as a whole. It is named in honor of David Bell (Hall of Fame Class of 2007), a visionary leader and mentor to several generations of advertising professionals.

The Council of Judges made history this year by electing the Hall’s first ever African-American woman, Catherine L. Hughes.

This year’s corporate inductee is PepsiCo, one of the world’s most iconic companies, with beverage and food brands that are loved and enjoyed household names across the Globe. Among many things, PepsiCo pioneered the bridges between entertainment, music, pop culture, and advertising—and in doing so revolutionized the way we all see advertising today. It is one of only six companies ever inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame.

“Long being one of the world’s most storied brands, with a rich history woven into our cultural landscape, Pepsi has at the same time always stayed current—setting the trends and catching the spirit of each new generation with the cool and the new—and in doing so ushering in each new generation as a Pepsi Generation. It is a brand that isn’t just a part of the culture, it is that rare brand that has been a powerful and innovative force in making the culture,” said James Edmund Datri, President & CEO of the American Advertising Federation, which administers the Advertising Hall of Fame.

“Our Hall of Fame Council of Judges, composed of leaders of advertising and media, advertisers and distinguished Hall of Fame members, was deeply committed to choosing men and women of legendary stature and achievement,” said James R. Heekin III, Chairman and CEO of Grey Group and Chairman of the Advertising Hall of Fame. “This extraordinary Class of 2015 will inspire new generations to come and deserves to be celebrated as only the AAF can.”

Richard Porter, President, Media Sales, Meredith Corporation, and Vice Chairman of the Advertising Hall of Fame added, “This year’s Hall of Fame reflects not only the best and brightest in our industry, but also is a mirror on the tremendous value of having a diverse range of talented individuals with unique backgrounds and experiences who can build and lead the next generation of the advertising and media community. And our corporate honoree, Pepsi, has an incredible portfolio of outstanding work over the years as well.”

12128: Crumb From Advertising Week.

The Cultural Component: Leveraging Social to Connect to Multicultural Consumers was apparently the only minority-focused seminar at the annual Advertising Week (excluding an LGBT seminar). This is a sad statement for multicultural marketing and diversity. To have a single seminar seeded into over 270 events clearly reflects the underrepresentation and lack of respect that minorities continue to receive in our industry. What’s worse, the seminar examined social media, covering at least three distinct racial/ethnic segments. Multicultural marketers are already grossly underfunded for advertising efforts; hence, it’s safe to assume social funding is even shittier. Forget crumbs. This seminar was a mere crumb—and a crummy way to treat non-Whites.

12099: WTF AAF AWXI Ad.

The AAF is like a talent collection agency? Um, what the fuck is a talent collection agency? Is the AAF now a headhunter firm? Or is it some sort of collection agency, pursuing payments of debts from adpeople? Also, the “talent” responsible for the advertisement above is pretty mediocre. The AAF should ask for its money back.

12028: Old White Guys Endangered?

Campaign published a piece by High50 Editor-in-Chief Stefano Hatfield titled, “Talking about my generation,” which examined the growing and potentially profitable “superboomers” being ignored by most advertisers. Wondering why brands are not actively wooing an audience that controls 79 percent of U.K. disposable wealth, Hatfield speculated the following:

Can it be as simple as the fact that the average age of an employee in the UK ad industry is 33 (IPA Agency Census 2013) or that only 6 per cent of its employees are over 50?

Wow, 50-year-old employees are yet another minority in the ad game—although excluding mcgarrybowen, it’s unlikely that the elder workers control 79 percent of Madison Avenue’s disposable wealth. Then again, the holding company honchos might control over 79 percent of the wealth. Regardless, given that the U.K. advertising industry appears to mirror the U.S. advertising industry in terms of diversity, it’s safe to presume the boomer percentages hold up for American adpeople as well. In short, Old White Guys may be the industry’s new endangered species.

Sound the alarms! Order the Chief Diversity Officers and Diversity Development Advisory Committee members to start scouring inner-city assisted living facilities and nursing homes for candidates pronto. Why hasn’t the 3% Conference launched a 6% Conference spin-off (hell, Cindy Gallop could run the thing alongside her porn program)? The AAF can add grey to its Mosaic Center, while the 4As introduces GAIP—Geriatric Advertising Intern Program. ADCOLOR® should hand out a Silver Fox Award presented by AARP and Depend. And God only knows what senior citizens like Dan Wieden, Jeff Goodby and Sir John Hegarty could bring to the party. Battle stations, boomers!

11827: Most Promises Broken.

Saw this banner ad for the AAF Most Promising Minority Students program and couldn’t help but think of the patronizing hypocrisy inherent in such initiatives. Sure, many potential candidates receive unique opportunities through these endeavors. Yet it’s also true that the supply exceeds the demand; that is, not every minority student applying for a slot lands an internship—or heaven forbid, an actual job.

If the industry is indeed concerned about diversity, let’s spend just one year where every minority student interested in the field is awarded an internship. Hey, let’s go further. For 2014, let’s fill every single intern position with a minority. Is anyone crying reverse discrimination? Um, there have likely been years in the past where every intern in adland was White. So why not turn the tables for a season? After all, the unemployment rate among minority students is disproportionately high. So mandating that internships should only be filled with minorities makes sense from business and social angles.

Perhaps Diversity Champion Sir John Hegarty and Pioneer of Diversity John Wren could join forces to support the worthy cause.

11818: Sir John Hegarty, Bullshit Artist.

Adweek spotlighted AAF Hall of Fame inductee Sir John Hegarty, listing his five most provocative thoughts on creativity. Wonder if the old man has even five clichéd thoughts on diversity. If so, he’s welcome to drop them off in the comments section here.

John Hegarty’s 5 Most Provocative Thoughts About Creativity

‘Bollocks to failure,’ says the BBH co-founder

By Andrew McMains

John Hegarty is an advertising icon, as co-founder and creative leader of Bartle Bogle Hegarty. And with that comes many honors, like getting inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame. That happens on Monday night.

Also, Hegarty has written a new book about—what else?—creativity. “Hegarty on Creativity. There Are No Rules” is blissfully concise and even fits into your coat pocket. As an Adweek public service, here are Sir John’s five most provocative thoughts in the book:

1. Collaboration is great for sex, not so much for creativity. In short, groupthink breeds blandness.

2. Bollocks to failure. Yes, it happens, but don’t dwell on it. Move on.

3. Nothing is original, so strive for something fresh instead. After all, it’s how others respond to your ideas that counts most.

4. Take your headphones off. Being creative means being connected to the world around you.

5. And finally, like Paul McCartney, everybody needs a Lennon—a partner who can challenge your thinking, and in the process, produce better art.

11628: Waving A White Flag.

American Advertising Awards proclaims, “This Show Was Made For You And Me.” OK, but it’s mostly a showcase for White advertising agencies. Why else would the AAF see the need to also hold a segregated minority awards program?

11484: Proof That Awards Are Bullshit.

The AAF presented its 2013 Diversity Achievement Awards, naming Omnicom President and CEO John Wren a Pioneer of Diversity and Leo Burnett President Rich Stoddart an Industry Career Achiever. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse must have made an appearance, as the honors appear to be a huge load of horseshit. The tribute ads stink too.

11352: Lobbying For Adland.

Advertising Age reported on the threat of Congress eliminating or limiting the expensing of advertising fees. Lobbyists for the ANA and AAF are keeping a vigilant eye on the potential proceedings. What’s the most disturbing part of the scenario? The ANA and AAF employ lobbyists.

Ad Groups Warn Of Potential Ad-Tax Deduction Threat

ANA, ARF Vigilant Against Potential Shift In Ability To Deduct Expenses

By Ana Radelat

The threat is more a specter right now than a real danger, but industry lobbyists are treating the possibility Congress could eliminate or curtail the expensing of advertising fees as a looming Armageddon.

Dan Jaffe, top lobbyist for the Association of National Advertisers, said that there are proposals under consideration in both the House and Senate that would affect the ability of businesses to expense advertising fees for tax purposes. Mr. Jaffe said a prevalent idea is to allow a business to expense advertising costs—but not fully in the year the expense is incurred, but instead, over a number of years.

Ending the ability to expense advertising costs would be” counterproductive” for the U.S. Treasury, said Mr. Jaffe, because businesses would advertise less, make less money and pay fewer taxes.

Heated fight

There’s a heated partisan fight over changing the tax code and no proposal about advertising expenses on paper, yet Mr. Jaffe and other industry representatives have begun lobbying lawmakers and asking advertisers to help. “The only rational thing for the advertising community is to keep its guard up,” he said.

The House Ways and Means Committee, headed by Republican Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan, and the Senate Finance Committee, headed by Democratic Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, are trying to find a way to overhaul the federal tax code.

Everyone wants to consider closing tax loopholes. But a seemingly unbridgeable chasm exists between Democrats who want the reforms to raise revenue and Republicans who want reforms to be “revenue neutral.” That means any gains the U.S. Treasury would receive by closing loopholes would be used to lower the tax rate on corporations, and perhaps high-income earners.

Just before Congress left for August recess, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said a rewrite of the tax code it must be conducted “under the total understanding that it can’t be revenue-neutral. It can’t be even close to revenue-neutral. There has to be significant new revenues.” He’d start with about $1 trillion.

Battening down the hatches

To some, Senator Reid’s statement made it clear there would be no tax reform this year. But Mr. Jaffe said the ANA is “lobbying heavily” because other interest groups are doing so too, asking lawmakers to protect their tax breaks and eliminate others instead.

“We are battening down our hatches but we hope we do not have to fire our guns,” he said.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s (D-Conn.) move to end the expensing of costs associated with advertising “unhealthy” food to children is an indication Congress, or at least some lawmakers, will zero in on advertising expenses, Mr. Jaffe warned.

“Taxpayers should not continue to subsidize a tax loophole that allows companies to deduct expenses for marketing unhealthy foods to kids,” said Ms. DeLauro when she introduced her bill last month. Sen. John Rockefeller, D-W.Va., is expected to introduce a similar bill in the Senate.

ARF on alert

Clark Rector, chief lobbyist for the American Advertising Federation, sent the organization’s member a “government alert” that said plans are afoot in Congress to consider the amortization of advertising costs and urging them to contact their senators and representatives, urging them to vote “against any measure that would alter or deny the current law that permits a business to deduct the full cost of advertising in the year it is incurred.”

He noted that the U.S. tax code has treated advertising as “an ordinary and necessary expense of doing business” for 100 years.

Mr. Rector said there’s no formal proposal about adverting expenses, but like Mr. Jaffe he wants to be vigilant.

“It may be a long shot, but crazy things have happened” in Washington,” Mr. Jaffe said.

11304: John Wren—Pioneer Of Diversity…?

The 2013 AAF Diversity Achievement and Mosaic Awards & Forum named Omnicom President-CEO John Wren a Pioneer of Diversity. It’s not clear what criteria was used to justify the honor. Wren has consistently delegated diversity via stereotypical solutions like launching a Diversity Development Advisory Committee, hiring a Chief Diversity Officer, sponsoring ADCOLOR® and approving obligatory contributions to minority scholarships, minority internships and minority youth outreach programs. Additionally, Omnicom originally balked at dealing with the New York City Commission on Human Rights back in 2006. Wren later ordered his agencies to come into compliance with the diversity agreements by the end of 2008. Didn’t happen. Of course, Wren has mastered the fine art of Corporate Cultural Collusion—and he even created a minority advertising agency in order to win multicultural business from Nissan.

Yep, the guy’s a bona fide pioneer.

10607: Let’s Do It For The Children.

Oh boy! The AAF presents another clichéd solution to address the excessive exclusivity in the advertising industry—AdCamp! Kids can roast marshmallows while learning about a field that has steadfastly refused to embrace diversity for over 60 years! Or sit around the campfire telling scary stories of outdated hiring practices and blatant discrimination!

Of course, no one ever considers sending the adults to boot camp for cultural competence training. It’s so much easier—and philanthropic—to hug an underserved child.