Client Relationships

Unless we have relationships with the most senior clients on the Brand; those who are the decision makers, those who live intimately with the nuances of the brand and who in fact own the brand...then we're not really doing our job as their agency partner and steward of their brand. It's difficult to passionately debate the brand direction with someone who doesn't know its essence. That is especially true in the multicultural marketplace.

Our clients

We can't wait for our clients to tell us what they want us to do. No, we must have a strong POV as to what we think the client should be doing based upon our intimate and ongoing knowledge of their brands and their customers. Unless we are engaged in passionate debate of the brand on their behalf we are not really their partners.

Our Role as An Agency

It's important that we manage our clients' business as if it is our own. That means we must know the brand and its customers intimately. We must predict consumer behavior so we're certain that as the Brand evolves it will continue to maintain its Brand promise and converge with the customers at all the right touch points. We must have a strong POV based upon informed judgement for everything we do on behalf of our clients. We can't wait for them to tell us what to do - why would they hire us as an agency if that's the case? No, we must passionately debate the Brand with them. We can't really be their partner otherwise.

Madison Avenue Initiative

It's important that general market agencies hire senior level employees of color throughout all departments in their agency. But the inclusion of a more diverse group of people does not guarantee the development of relevant messaging and communications. No, that alone is not the answer. The key is to make sure that those who are responsible for developing the overarching strategies for the brand, and the corresponding positioning statements and creative briefs as well, have the requisite background, knowledge and skill set to understand the influence of all cultures and the subtleties and nuances of race in that strategic process. That's more important than anything else.

Being Pro-active...

It's important that we know our clients' business and their customers intimately. How else can we 'see around the corner' and predict consumer behavior? How else can we make sure that the consumers and the brand are moving together with one another? Brands stray when no one owns them. The recent, disastrous redesign of the Tropicana packaging is a case in point.

Post-Racial Society?

Too many people and news media believe that the election of Barack Obama officially ended racial discrimination in the US. Well, of course that's not true...not even remotely so. And I think more and more of the public is beginning to understand that...in large part because of the 'Gates' incidence and the obnoxious behavior of people protesting health care at various Town-hall meetings throughout the country. Rest assured if Obama was white the town hall meetings would take on a much more civil tone. No, the uproar is really about race at the end of the day. People who don't want to see a Black president are venting. Sad, but true.