Our colleague Doug Zanger just published this important piece in Adweek. He writes how agencies are tasked to solve important problems, but ignore the largest problem facing the industry: the lack of diversity particularly in upper management. In our MABR program, we talk a lot about ‘whose voice is missing at the table’. And in the advertising industry, it is often the voices of People of Color. Without these voices, advertising risk perpetuating old stereotypes, falling back on ‘hopes and prayers’, and being a truly authentic brand.
Agencies must be proactive, not reactive. Agencies must stop responding to report after report about the lack of diversity. One individual that Zanger interviewed said “Whenever people say they can’t find diverse talent, it’s because they’re not looking for diverse talent for the value that it adds. They’re looking for people that tick a particular box or have a precise lived experience. It’s like an act of choice that we as an industry are making not to be more inclusive and representative of what talent looks like or is.”
As we talk about early on in our program, brands (and their agencies) have the luxury of weighing in on social issues–or not. But this is not an issue where silence is acceptable. We cannot relegate the suffering of our fellow men and women to to-do list that we’ll take on when it’s convenient.
This list of 75 things that white people can do for social justice today was brought to my attention and the most important word is today. Today and everyday. A take away for me was #73:
“A wise former teacher once said, “The question isn’t: Was the act racist or not? The question is: How much racism was in play?” So maybe racism was 3% of the motivation or 30% or 95%. Interrogate the question “How much racism was in play?” as you think about an incident. Share this idea with the people in your life when they ask, “Was that racist?””
We strive to be inclusive and welcome a range of voices to our MABR program. We can do better. We will do better–because we know the current-and-future professionals we work with can change the world. They are ready not to settle for status quo. As Zanger’s article concluded: “I truly believe most brands want to say something, but they will make any excuse not to if the agency doesn’t hold them to the fire. So I think that it’s the agency’s responsibility to be doing that right now.” That’s why courage is at the center of our program. It takes courage to hold clients to the fire, and courage to recognize that one’s voice is powerful and can create positive social change. We know our soon-to-be graduates have found their voices. We will do everything we can to have the industry listen to them.