Diversity: Change for the Better
If there's one industry that should be able to garner faith and belief, it's advertising. That's what we do for brands. We help them garner faith, belief, and belong so customers can relate to the product or service.
Sadly, judging by a Twitter poll I posted last week, the industry has missed the mark on both generating faith and belief when it comes to Diversity and Inclusion. The full poll is located here: https://twitter.com/anthonyjreeves/status/1274051264666456065
While race protests rage across the globe, I thought there would be a slight glimmer of hope in the poll results. Yes, there were only 95 votes, yet the engagement/view ratio was meager. Is the poor engagement ratio about me? Or something else? Especially since the topic is (finally) front-page news. I mean, now is the time to turn the moment into a movement.
The people in my Twittersphere felt negatively towards the Diversity and Inclusion promises and dollars that 'are now and finally' coming forth from the agency holding groups.
The negativity no doubt stems from centuries of systematic failures. But also stems from decades of shocking D&I actions in ad agencies.
And the question needs to be asked: Why have many holding groups traditionally been so silent? Yes, strong efforts have been made at The 3% Conference and Adcolor, but we need to move faster, with more oomph!
Freedom.
Advertising and marketing are about freedoms - the freedom to build, create, think, and inspire. Yet, as Martin Luther King put it, "No freedom until we're equal." That's why this must be a movement, not a moment.
Ideas are Everywhere.
Ideas come from strangest places. And one thing I've always tried to do is to be open to ideas.... from anywhere. It hasn't always been easy, and I know there have been times I have failed others, yet I've always hoped that I have made a difference to people's careers, lives, and sense of worth.
It the comments of the poll, there where many ideas. One of the best came from Alex Santiago at Social Mosaic. Alex said that since the focal point of global advertising is in NYC, surely agency holding groups should focus efforts on one or two of their shops in The City. Start small, learn, adapt, pivot and change. Then measure, and then scale. Pretty simple really.
Action
It is clear from the comments in the poll that people want action, not dollars (you should read the comments). Brands, holding companies, tech platforms, consultancies, and every one, must stand a make a difference and not just deliver lip service.
Thanks: thanks to many for their comments and thoughts to the poll, I go back and read them often. @dereklwalker @BennettDBennett @KeniThacker @keano81 @LaurelLu @AishaAnnHakim @TheRaDR @HollandAlways and the many more.