Off-Target: Ghettoizing Black Advertising

Brandweek, Dec 6, 1999

There are certain insights that only a black or a Latino person can bring to advertising. You can't fake it with music or casting. You either know it or you don't. There's nothing more offensive than "trying to be down" with another culture in order to sell a product. Consumers know when they're being had. We may think we're fooling them, but we're not.

By the way Latinos will be the biggest consumer group in America in about three years. It'll take more than Ricky Martin and a Chihuahua to reach them. And 30-something white guys doing creative based on focus groups won't do either. It's gonna take real insight. Insight that comes from real diversity.

So how do we get diversity? I don't know. If you try forcing agencies to hire more minorities, my guess is they'll simply hire more assistants, secretaries and mailroom workers to meet quotas. And you can't very well tell clients who to give their money to, either.

Maybe it's as simple as everyone recognizing the true value of minorities. Not just as spokespeople or on-camera talent, but as valid resources for creative ideas and strategic insights. Maybe clients need to respect what targeted agencies bring to the party and give us the same consideration they afford general market agencies. Likewise, agencies need to do a better job of hiring and cultivating minority talent. It'll expand the talent pool, the idea pool, and thus improve "the work." And isn't the work really what it's all about?