Muse Releases White Paper About Diversity Communications

While Melvin makes some interesting points, he mainly addresses the justification for "minority agencies," not the hiring practices of the industry. And this is a huge source of frustration for some of us. Diversity is... well, diverse. Different groups inside the minority community have different interests that do not always overlap.

Minority shops are concerned with defending their existence.
Minority talent is interested in getting to work in the industry, and advance their career.

We keep referring to diversity as if it is one subject but it isn't. By talking as if they are the same, we do neither any real justice. To defend the need for minority shops to exist requires a different set of reasons from defending the inclusion of minorities in the general market agencies hiring pools.

I am not sure they are not in some form of conflict with each other, but I'll comment on that at a later time.

I read the document to see if Melvin was addressing any of the issues that I was thinking about concerning the hiring practices of the industry. No luck. He focuses on why minority shops need to exist. And I understand why he would - he owns a minority shop.

I guess, I am waiting for us to step outside of our self interest and take a stand for others simply because it is the right thing to do without benefiting ourselves. That's why I sign my name. It means, I know the costs of speaking up.

Cue crickets chirping sound effect.

The silence of comments concerning this is beyond hypocritical - we lined up to take our swings at a white agency CEO for trying to spin the issue of diversity for his advantage but we give a minority agency CEO a complete pass. You have got to be kidding me?!!

The fact that blacks are slow to criticize other blacks in public is a shame. Muse's words should have been subjected to the same level of scrutiny as Boschetto's words. I know they are different situations, Muse has hired and promoted creatives of all color but is that addressing the diversity hiring issue in advertising?

Does this white paper serve us all or a select few who happen to own minority shops?

How is he and other CEOs, who have a conduit to leadership at the clients, voicing their concern about the hiring practices of general market agencies?

Should they even be doing that?

Does that jeopardize their existence?

What role should they play in this diversity discussion when it comes to hiring?

Does a white paper like this help those trying to find work in advertising?

I'm not looking to attack anyone, but come on folks - we all want to be treated equally when it comes to hiring and retention, then we must treat each other equally when it comes to issues like this. It feels like he is getting a pass.

This isn't hate but the ultimate respect, I'm treating him like I would a white CEO. Go look at the Boschetto comments and tell me we are treating him the same. No one questioned anything about this white paper.

But feel free to attack me...

Cue crickets.

Derek,

First, I'm guessing most have not commented because they didn't bother to read the document. It is 16 pages long, after all.

Also, I don't feel obligated to comment on every post at The Big Tent.

To be honest, I originally read the document differently than you. I never viewed it as focused on the advertising industry; rather, it was a global statement about diversity and suggested best practices.

To be even more honest, my initial and continued reaction is: What's new? It continues to astound me that people have to keep making these presentations. Boschetto pointed out the growing diverse society and the spending power of minority groups. For him, it's news. For the rest of us, it's merely a regurgitation of common knowledge – at least common for anyone with an inkling of knowledge beyond the White world.

You wrote: "I know they are different situations, Muse has hired and promoted creatives of all color but is that addressing the diversity hiring issue in advertising?" Um, it's doing a hell of a lot better than Boschetto's alleged committed efforts. I'll bet cash money right now that Muse – with his local-level agency – has hired and promoted more minorities than Boschetto with his global firm.

You wrote: Does this white paper serve us all or a select few who happen to own minority shops? My initial read was it attempted to serve us all – including Boschetto. Again, I read it as a global statement.

I didn't give Muse a pass. In fact, I wish there might have been more original thinking in the piece. But as we see with diversity in advertising, the ruling majority isn't even open to embracing the core values. No need to think something radical – outside of a civil action lawsuit – might inspire more.

Attacking Boschetto – at least for me – is a totally different thing. There isn't the inherent hypocrisy with the statements forwarded by Muse. Muse is simply reaffirming the basic tenets his career is based on. Hey, I think Muse's kid just landed a gig at W+K. So it's not like the old man is saying multicultural marketing is Nirvana. At the same time, he's not naïve enough to think our post-racial society negates the need for shops like his. Until Boschetto makes good on his diversity promises, Muse must continue to hype his diversity perspective. It's the never-ending dance.

Jack,

I wasn't demanding that anyone respond but each time a post comes from one of the CEOs of the larger black agencies post of the Big Tent it feels like we simply nod and move on. Eugene Morris got 6 comments on his last post but other than that nothing. Muse's other post 1 comment.

I do not believe we are to the point that we don't need African American shops but to effect real change we have to realize that it isn't a black talent fight or a black agency fight or a hispanic whatever fight, it is a minority fight. While we wrestle among ourselves for crumbs, the cake is being eaten by someone else. We have to put our self interest aside and think globally. Right now, we are pulling in too many directions, sometimes against ourselves.

You are right, it is a never ending dance.

Derek,

The posts you referenced rarely demand comments, as they are often informational. Maybe that's an issue too. Maybe the bigger issue involves the lack of industry executives – i.e., folks actively working in advertising agencies – even writing for The Big Tent.

The lack of unity is not going away, especially as shops continue to be a part of global networks. Actually, so long as minority shops remain individual minority shops – i.e., not creating larger "brands" like other below-the-line enterprises (e.g., digital shops like Digitas or Razorfish) – there is little hope for change.

The minorities remain both segregated and local. The best the bigger players manage is a few satellite offices. Unity is a nice concept, but the business overall continues to run on competition. And on the billings of White corporations.