President and CEO, Prime Access
When advertising powerhouse Prime Access was founded in 1990, diversity was an afterthought for most of the industry — however, its founder, president and CEO Howard Buford, recognized the need for a brand that understood and spoke to African American, Hispanic, and gay and lesbian communities.
“If you look at the numbers and look at the statistics, you’ll see that the multicultural audience in America is a huge audience and a very powerful audience with a lot of spending power,” explains Buford. “These audiences aren’t exclusive unto themselves — there’s a mixture across those communities. We really represent those consumers and we fight for advertising dollars in those communities.”
Buford credits an opportunity to work with Bill Cosby’s iconic Jell-O advertising campaign as the spark he needed to take his career to the next level.
“[The Cosby Jell-O campaign] really let me experience what advertising is all about, [and] it gave me great exposure,” he recalls. “If you go into advertising, you have to look out for your career, make sure you get the experiences, education and training that you need. You have to fight for yourself, because it’s not an industry that gives people what they think they deserve. You have to have your own plan and make sure your needs are met.”
With more than 25 years of experience in advertising and marketing communications, Buford has lots of advice for minorities hoping to get into the business. Yet, his overall message is clear; they must harness their power.
“You want to support people that support you. You want to spend your money in a wise and educated way,” he advises. “You want to do business with people who are supporting your community as a whole.”
