Diversity in the Advertising Industry

The success of President Obama’s broad-based and extremely diverse campaign coalition tells us that the tipping point in our culture has already happened. What is necessary to harness the power of today’s multiculturally-influenced market? It is essential for the business to have diverse employees in all areas and a corporate culture that look through the eyes of those diverse employees to think like your increasingly diverse customers. Join the conversation this week on "Diversity in the Advertising Industry." I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

Comments

[John]

I believe people should be hired on their merits, regardless of race or religion. I also believe one of the areas where advertising lacks diversity is in the area of age. Right now the industry is extremely young, particularly as agencies reduce salaries. It has always been young, but I believe it has gotten younger. Meanwhile there are legions of highly competent older workers who desperately need work. I would love to see the ANA lead the charge to make sure that hiring practices don't discriminate against older workers. Currently they seem to be highly discriminatory. All that older workers want is a fair chance.

[SayItAintSoJohhny]

What is it with you guys in advertisement or just society in general? Can’t trash one group so pick another?
I am a member of the “dumb white guy” group that now seems to be the target of most advertisements – (see new Yellow Book advertisement – there are many more similar (exactly the same tone)examples. Sooner or later this group will get pissed off enough to stand up – hopefully before you trash a generation or two of white guys and boys like you have other groups (dumb ethnic groups, dumb blonds etc) and hopefully before a generation or two of boys don’t grow into manhood believing that all white guys are dumb.
I won't use any product that trashes guys - being too sensitive – tell that to the every other race, ethnic, and gender groups that have been trashed over the years – who’s in charge of advertisement now – can we tell from the adds? What about Sit-Coms – is that were you take your lead? Every sitcom now has at least one dumb white guy or dumb white geek as part of the cast.
From just another dumb, over sensitive white guy who can’t do anything right.