Advertising is one of the most powerful mediums and creative platforms in the world. Lasting images and messages from brands, get implanted into our subconscious and collectively, we make trillion-dollar purchases based upon this information. That’s why what AdColor represents is so paramount. It is an organization steeled in its resolve to imbue real inclusion in the industry that will enable it to represent and speak to a wide array of demographics and emerging markets in this nation. Rolling out spoke with several experts about how the advertising industry has evolved over the years, what that means and what’s being done to improve minority numbers in this all-important field:
Michelle Thornton, CNN, Director of Multicultural Sales; winner of the 2009 AdColor Change Agent Award:
“I’ve been working in the media industry on the sales side for 10 years, starting with the Weather Channel, History Channel, now with CNN. There is an evolution going on, but it takes an organization like AdColor to move it along and bring light to those individuals who are actually making a contribution in this industry. Because if we don’t get together and do it, then it may not get done. So, CNN is proud … we tell the untold story everyday and this is one of those stories.”
Danny Robinson, SVP-Creative Director, Martin Agency:
“We are still challenged as everyone knows. I don’t know how much longer we will say that we never have enough people of color in the industry. Needless to say there is a big difference in the efforts that are being made today, than where we were when I started in the business. From the creative side, there is a concerted effort to find people of color. But we’re still lagging behind in the hiring of people of color. But I believe the combination of outside pressures — pressures from clients — and I think that the industry is starting to understand that to talk to people that look like the world looks, you need more people inside the industry that look like the world does.”
Heather James, SVP and chief marketing officer, Advertising Research Foundation:
“The ANA has been a fantastic experience. This conference has helped everyone, from the CMO down to marketing manager [regarding] the importance of the emerging segments [Association of National Advertisers]. Multicultural, cross-cultural people, total market … that’s where we are today. And guess what? We’re in the middle of the largest research study in the world: Census 2010. The results are about to come and my organization deals with market researchers, agencies, advertisers and media companies. I had to be here to hear what is the perspective from advertisers. We realize that the opportunity is great. We must seize on the opportunity to speak to consumers in a culturally relevant way.”
Tiffany Edwards, Education Director, One Club; recipient of the AdColor 200 Rising Star Award:
“We not only recognize excellence in advertising, but we also diversify the industry by finding young students that don’t know about the field and bring them into the fold. Our main thing is the diversity boot camp, which we call the Creative Bootcamp. And what we do is we go onto college campuses and we find students who have creative skills, those who are into writing, drawing or whatever, and we tell them that you can turn that into a career in advertising. We put them through a four-day boot camp where they work with creative directors, art directors, copyrighters, etc., and they build an ad from the ground up. And it’s really cool. And at the end of that process, we give the top team an internship with some agency.”
