2000s -2010s · Closing the Gap: Professionals of Color in Advertising

“I believe this year, today, might be the most important year for diversity and multiculturalism in our industry. If we don’t react today to the changes that are coming in the demographics of our country, we will never be prepared as an industry. This is the most important year for how we shape and frame and envision the future.”

Grag D’Alba, CNN (2010)[1]

[3]

The interest in multiculturalism in advertising only became stronger during the 21st century. It reflected the United State's increasingly diverse population. After the 2000 U.S. Census showed Hispanics as the largest ethnic minority group, there was an increasing emphasis on Hispanics as consumers. Moreover, urban, hip-hop, and Latino cultures have expanded in it's reach since they appeal to many young white, Asian, surburban-dwelling, and other people.

Esther Lee, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing, Advertising, and Sponsorships for AT&T, in Advertising Age's "Without Ad Age Campaign." This campaign depicted well-known industry executives in their very first jobs to inspire the next generation of advertising and marketing talent. [11]

With this multicultural sector of advertisement came debate. Some saw multicultural divisions as a a barrier that limited the professional development of people of color and thought it perpetuated racial separation within the advertising industry.

"The creation of such departments, as does the creation of companies that supposedly specialize in urban youth and multicultural marketing, also relieves whites of their responsibility to learn from other cultures and their responsibility to include us in advertising."

A creative director who wrote to Advertising Age

Other found this segmentation to be necessary. Multicultural departments are currently a generally accepted phenomenon. A survey done in 2004 found that about 60% of advertising professionals favored preserving multicultural departments in general market agencies. They provided an awareness of the cultural nuances for communities of color and prevented potential ineffective advertisements with diluted messages.[2]

Stuart Elliott Collection 2_An Affair to Remember

AdColor Awards [1]

AdColor Awards [1]

AdColor Awards [1]

The 2000s also saw some new and old faces in the advertising industry. Many of these professionals are awarded at the AdColor Awards. This award ceremony, founded by Tiffany Warren, was designed to encourage diversity in the marketplace and promotes the success of people of color. Recipients have each contributed to the advertising industry in some capacity, despite the unique paths it took to get there. Honerees include people such as Kendra Hatcher King, who advised Initiative on diversity-related issues, and shaped Starcom MediaVest Group's SMG Diversity Exchange, which assisted minority owned media companies in strenghtening business relationships with the ad industry.

Additionally, the Adcolor Reaches initiative was developed in order to bring attention to programs that help diversify all segments of the communication industry and help inspire future pioneers of color in the advertising.[1]

Elliott, Stuart. Stuart Elliott Papers, 1875-2014 and Undated. N.p., 1875. Box 103. Ford 2010. John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. Print.
Davis, Judy Foster. Pioneering African-American Women in the Advertising Business : Biographies of Mad Black Women. New York, NY: Routledge, 2017. 55-59. Print.
Cause Marketing Forum, Inc. and David Hessekiel. Halo Award Records, 2002-2012 and Undated. N.p., 2002. Box 26. Folder 2. John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. Print.
Elliott, Stuart. Stuart Elliott Papers, 1875-2014 and Undated. N.p., 1875. Print. Box 103. Folder 7. John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
Elliott, Stuart. Stuart Elliott Papers, 1875-2014 and Undated. N.p., 1875. Print. Box 103. Folder 3. John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
Cause Marketing Forum, Inc. and David Hessekiel. Halo Award Records, 2002-2012 and Undated. N.p., 2002. Box 2. Folder 5. John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. Print.
Cause Marketing Forum, Inc. and David Hessekiel. Halo Award Records, 2002-2012 and Undated. N.p., 2002. Box 5. Folder 2. John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. Print.
Elliott, Stuart. Stuart Elliott Papers, 1875-2014 and Undated. N.p., 1875. Print. Box 143. Folder 14. John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
Elliott, Stuart. Stuart Elliott Papers, 1875-2014 and Undated. N.p., 1875. Print. Box 181. Folder 11. John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.