The AdColor Awards have evolved into one of the most highly anticipated events in the advertising, marketing and media industries. The honors are given to illuminate the dynamic accomplishments of people of color whose works have gone inexplicably overlooked or undervalued in previous years. Founded by Tiffany R. Warren of The Omnicom Group, the 2009 AdColor Awards take place Sunday, Oct. 4 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix. The annual soiree will be hosted by acclaimed CNN reporter Soledad O’Brien. The 2009 special All-Star Award will be given to multitalented media maven Cristina Saralegui. Previous years’ recipients of the All Star Award were NBA legend and businessman Magic Johnson and music impresario Russell Simmons. This year’s 20 awardees will come from such prestigious companies as Procter & Gamble, the Walt Disney Company, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO, Digitas, TBWA/Chiat Day and many others.
The AdColor Awards, put together by the AdColor Coalition, is the electrifying kick off to the 11th Annual Association of National Advertisers’ Multicultural Marketing & Diversity Conference.
What prompted you to found AdColor and the AdColor Awards?
I really started it as a way to celebrate the success of people of color in advertising, marketing and media. I went to several award shows — being that I’m in the advertising industry. And I was seeing that there weren’t a lot of people of color being honored in … a regular fashion. And I knew there were people out there who were doing incredible things but just really needed a platform to get their stories out and to create a way to inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
Why is Phoenix the place to be on Sunday if you’re in the advertising, marketing and media industries?
They expect to come and be a part of a growing family of people that are successful, that support diversity in advertising, marketing and media. And really what other venue will you go to, or do we have in the calendar year, that brings together so many dynamic people: visionaries, innovators, change agents, rising stars, superstars, celebrities. When you create a powerful idea and a powerful way for people to connect and come together, albeit once a year, people will come. If you build it they will come. There are definitely other conferences and other award shows. But people that come to AdColor say its something different that creates this meeting to come back every year to draw from that inspiration.
In three years, AdColor has received 300 award nominations and has given 57 to outstanding achievers in the field of advertising, marketing and media. AdColor has managed to find so many talented people of color despite years of claims to the contrary.
All you heard is the number one reason why people of color may not come into the advertising, marketing or media industry — or leave the industry — because they can’t see people like them succeed. Not only do they exist but they are succeeding. People said ‘well, where are they?’ Well, I’ve found 57 of them. Actually, I’ve found over 300 of them. Often when people of color are talked about, it’s sort of like a National Geographic special — we can’t track them; we can’t find them. I mean, really? We’re not that hard to find. I not only found them in places in New York, but all over the country.
Please describe what makes AdColor so special.
I always joke that the Monday after AdColor I go through withdrawal. There’s so much camaraderie, there’s so much kinship and fellowship in terms that are usually reserved for a Sunday church service. That’s what people have gone away feeling. You feel it coming through the screen. You see it coming through in the pictures of everyone interacting. You feel the love. I feel that people want that, especially in these times when there’s so much negativity out there.
This year’s event in Phoenix, despite an adverse economy, will have signifiantly more participants than
last year’s event, which was held in the breathtaking resort city of Boca Raton, Fla. Warren is justifiably excited about the possibilities for next year’s event, which will take place in Miami. –terry shropshire
