What have we done for our clients today? Not yesterday...but today. What ideas have we 'brought to their table' that will fuel the grow of their business in the multicultural marketplace, and beyond? In this challenged economy clients are looking for growth wherever they can find it...are we being pro-active and showing them where that might be? In order to do so we must first be abreast of the unique challenges their brands face at a time when the economy is as bad as it's been since the depression. Are we? And when our clients tell us their budgets are being cut and they're spending less are we able to show what their competitors are doing by comparison? Are we armed with case studies that quantify and help our clients understand brands that continue to spend during difficult economic times often gain market share as a result?
We must dig deep, leave no stone unturned, 'look around the corner' and passionately pursue every opportunity that might help our clients. Then we must develop innovative ideas that lead to brilliant marketing communications and deliver on that promise; after all that's the business we're in. And at a time when clients are spending less money those ideas have to be even smarter and work even harder than ever before. So let's stay focused on forging a partnership between our clients and ourselves, a partnership borne out of our mutual passion and determination to grow their brands in an economy that is otherwise not conducive to growing much of anything.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
A moment of truth...3 of 3
But where will the general market agencies find the experienced African American talent they so desperately need? Rest assured, they won’t be calling us who own multicultural agencies seeking referrals. But they will certainly call and court our employees instead. At Footsteps, all our staff was trained at the best general market agencies; they couldn't work here otherwise. To those agencies I say thanks. And I will never stand in the way of any one who chooses to return to a bigger, general market agency -- sort of a reverse migration, if you will.
But why have those talented men and women chosen to come to us and be involved in multicultural marketing in the first place? They came here because they were passionate about the business of advertising and frustrated that at their general market agency they didn’t find an environment that nurtured their passion and pursuits, let alone rewarded them. That does not mean by the way that they should be treated any differently than anyone who is learning the business. Just the opposite, they should be treated the same…but the problem is they are not.
And they came because they wanted to work in the multicultural marketplace. At Footsteps, strategy is at the heart of everything we do. The positioning of our clients' brands is borne out of the insights and nuances our account group and planners work hard to identify. And while our creative is targeted it crosses over because it is based on universal truths. We can compete with anyone. And we'll gladly take the call from those clients who want a diverse group of wonderfully talented advertising people passionate about growing their business in the multicultural marketplace...and, beyond.
Excellence is colorblind. It is either excellent or it isn't, by anyone's standards. At Footsteps it is all about the business of advertising and we do it as well or better than anyone. In the world we live in and culture we foster “good is the enemy of excellence” and there is no other way to work. Our people could work anywhere but choose to work here, and our environment is demanding yet nurturing and respectful. Importantly, the rewards are directly commensurate with the effort.
But for those people of color who choose to work at general market agencies those agencies must first change their culture to one that is inviting to all people, one that truly provides an opportunity for all people. Being the only black person in a sea of otherwise whites is not an easy task. Especially since traditionally it meant having to work twice as hard and wait twice as long for promotions and rewards that never came. Not unlike Ralph Ellison’s ‘Invisible Man.’ The disparities continue to this day and they are many and great. It is a moment of truth, indeed.
But why have those talented men and women chosen to come to us and be involved in multicultural marketing in the first place? They came here because they were passionate about the business of advertising and frustrated that at their general market agency they didn’t find an environment that nurtured their passion and pursuits, let alone rewarded them. That does not mean by the way that they should be treated any differently than anyone who is learning the business. Just the opposite, they should be treated the same…but the problem is they are not.
And they came because they wanted to work in the multicultural marketplace. At Footsteps, strategy is at the heart of everything we do. The positioning of our clients' brands is borne out of the insights and nuances our account group and planners work hard to identify. And while our creative is targeted it crosses over because it is based on universal truths. We can compete with anyone. And we'll gladly take the call from those clients who want a diverse group of wonderfully talented advertising people passionate about growing their business in the multicultural marketplace...and, beyond.
Excellence is colorblind. It is either excellent or it isn't, by anyone's standards. At Footsteps it is all about the business of advertising and we do it as well or better than anyone. In the world we live in and culture we foster “good is the enemy of excellence” and there is no other way to work. Our people could work anywhere but choose to work here, and our environment is demanding yet nurturing and respectful. Importantly, the rewards are directly commensurate with the effort.
But for those people of color who choose to work at general market agencies those agencies must first change their culture to one that is inviting to all people, one that truly provides an opportunity for all people. Being the only black person in a sea of otherwise whites is not an easy task. Especially since traditionally it meant having to work twice as hard and wait twice as long for promotions and rewards that never came. Not unlike Ralph Ellison’s ‘Invisible Man.’ The disparities continue to this day and they are many and great. It is a moment of truth, indeed.
A moment of truth...2 of 3
When I first moved into multicultural marketing at one of the country's oldest and largest African American agencies I received a call from one of my colleagues with whom I had worked for years at a general market agency. Naively, I thought he might be exploring a business relationship, turning to us to help them develop targeted marketing communications they couldn't otherwise develop on their own. I was wrong.
He needed something else. "I was in a meeting with one of our very big clients,” he said, “and she looked around the room and said, "our business is all over the world but everyone working on my brand is white. Why aren't there any people of color in this room?” I could only imagine the stammering that ensued -- how could they answer that question? “Well, we've been looking and couldn't find anyone.” Or, “we do have a black account person but she is already on all our other accounts and spread a bit thin...but if you want, we'll put her on your business too.”
So my friend was calling to ask if I could help him find a black writer to work on the account. That was over 15 years ago. Good for him that he reached out to me to help him; he is a smart man, after all. Even better for the client who insisted that people working on her global business be diverse. Clients don’t do that enough these days and their business suffers as a result. Carly Fiorina and I don’t share many political beliefs, but I like what she long ago said about diversity: "Diversity is at the heart of creativity...and creativity is at the heart of this economy of ours." She couldn’t be more right.
Two years ago I was in a meeting of agency CEOs and one of them actually said he had “other more pressing business concerns than spending time and resources to find people of color [he]
didn't know how to find anyway.” Is it good business when everyone in upper management at your global agency is cut from the same cloth and shares the same set of narrow values and perspectives on life? Is that good for your clients’ brands? I don’t think so. Don't get me wrong; it is very important that people working within any company embrace the ethos of the agency brand. But where are the diverse views and opinions that lead to passionate debates about the clients' brands and fuel their growth around the world? That CEO didn’t have a clue, which is perhaps why he is no longer CEO and someone else has come in to try and turn the agency around.
part 3 follows...
He needed something else. "I was in a meeting with one of our very big clients,” he said, “and she looked around the room and said, "our business is all over the world but everyone working on my brand is white. Why aren't there any people of color in this room?” I could only imagine the stammering that ensued -- how could they answer that question? “Well, we've been looking and couldn't find anyone.” Or, “we do have a black account person but she is already on all our other accounts and spread a bit thin...but if you want, we'll put her on your business too.”
So my friend was calling to ask if I could help him find a black writer to work on the account. That was over 15 years ago. Good for him that he reached out to me to help him; he is a smart man, after all. Even better for the client who insisted that people working on her global business be diverse. Clients don’t do that enough these days and their business suffers as a result. Carly Fiorina and I don’t share many political beliefs, but I like what she long ago said about diversity: "Diversity is at the heart of creativity...and creativity is at the heart of this economy of ours." She couldn’t be more right.
Two years ago I was in a meeting of agency CEOs and one of them actually said he had “other more pressing business concerns than spending time and resources to find people of color [he]
didn't know how to find anyway.” Is it good business when everyone in upper management at your global agency is cut from the same cloth and shares the same set of narrow values and perspectives on life? Is that good for your clients’ brands? I don’t think so. Don't get me wrong; it is very important that people working within any company embrace the ethos of the agency brand. But where are the diverse views and opinions that lead to passionate debates about the clients' brands and fuel their growth around the world? That CEO didn’t have a clue, which is perhaps why he is no longer CEO and someone else has come in to try and turn the agency around.
part 3 follows...
Monday, February 2, 2009
A moment of truth...1 of 3
As a black man who has been in advertising for over 33 years, I'm delighted to see the industry taken to task for not employing more people of color. There have been previous half-hearted attempts to increase 'diversity' over the years but now that Cyrus Mehri, “one of the nation's top civil-rights attorneys and a man who has been dubbed one of Washington's most feared lawyers,” has turned his attention to the ad industry's woeful diversity record, I suspect dramatic changes are in the wind.
Not because the general market agencies necessarily embrace it (the smarter ones long ago have done so); but because they will have no choice. “The ad industry doesn’t just have a diversity problem," Mehri said. It is guilty of “pervasive racial discrimination” that not only ‘under hires’ and segregates African Americans but pays them 80 cents for every dollar it pays comparable white employees.”
Some agencies and holding companies have partnered with advertising schools like Miami Ad School, the Portfolio Center, VCU and others to help develop a young, very diverse group of advertising talent that can feed their agencies. And they should be commended for their continued support. But where will they find those African Americans whose years of advertising experience enables them to service the clients' business and manage and grow their brands from the most senior of positions? Those who will also be the mentors and role models the young people of color will need in the general market agencies? And let’s be clear, everyone, regardless of color needs mentors and role models – that’s how aspirations and dreams are achieved.
part 2 follows...
Not because the general market agencies necessarily embrace it (the smarter ones long ago have done so); but because they will have no choice. “The ad industry doesn’t just have a diversity problem," Mehri said. It is guilty of “pervasive racial discrimination” that not only ‘under hires’ and segregates African Americans but pays them 80 cents for every dollar it pays comparable white employees.”
Some agencies and holding companies have partnered with advertising schools like Miami Ad School, the Portfolio Center, VCU and others to help develop a young, very diverse group of advertising talent that can feed their agencies. And they should be commended for their continued support. But where will they find those African Americans whose years of advertising experience enables them to service the clients' business and manage and grow their brands from the most senior of positions? Those who will also be the mentors and role models the young people of color will need in the general market agencies? And let’s be clear, everyone, regardless of color needs mentors and role models – that’s how aspirations and dreams are achieved.
part 2 follows...
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