10021: Primping & Pimping For Omnicom.

Advertising Age reported on the action New York City Comptroller John C. Liu took against Omnicom, and the trade publication even coaxed Chief Diversity Officer Tiffany R. Warren to speak up. Here’s the relevant excerpt:

Tiffany Warren, chief diversity officer at Omnicom, spoke with Ad Age about the matter. She said that the holding company is making strides when it comes to recruiting and retaining multicultural talent, but that it simply doesn’t think it’s in Omnicom’s best interests to comply with the Comptroller’s request.

Ms. Warren said the company later this year will release a national report outlining some of its results in the diversity space. It will be the first time that the company, with help from Fleishman-Hillard, releases its diversity report independent of its report on corporate social responsibility.

“[Our report] is a national project, not local to New York City,” she said. It will “talk about how internal and external outreach has been” in addition to quantitative achievements regarding the agencies’ efforts in “bringing in and hiring, and also retaining diverse employees, as well as women.”

When asked why Omnicom doesn’t comply with the Comptroller’s latest request if it already plans on releasing some of its data, Ms. Warren referenced the company’s position on the matter which was included in its most recent proxy statement.

It said: “Data is neither informative nor is it a reliable measure of our commitment to equal opportunity employment. We do not believe that disclosing it will meaningfully further the goal of workplace diversity. To the contrary, this information, which is susceptible to misinterpretation, could be manipulated by those with interests adverse to Omnicom’s and harm the company.”

Gee, it’s a wonder Warren didn’t insert a plug for ADCOLOR® too. Can’t wait to catch the upcoming diversity report detailing how Omnicom is “bringing in and hiring, and also retaining diverse employees, as well as women.” Including women—which undoubtedly means White women—is probably the only way the holding company will be able to present positive figures. In deference to all of Warren’s groupies, MultiCultClassics will simply say her statements are appalling disappointing.

Meanwhile, the Ad Age piece drew a comment from Chief Pimp Exposer Sanford Moore:

As the individual who went to both Commissioner Gatling and Comptrollers Liu and Thompson regarding the historical discriminatory policies of the ad agency holding companies and their affiliates, I am not surprised by their refusal to comply with the Comptroller’s request. They have stonewalled on this issue since the first Human Rights Commission investigation in 1968. Only now, the Jim Crow policies of Mad Ave have been whitewashed by the success of “Mad Men.” Of the five major ad holding companies, three are owned by companies from countries who were colonial powers and where people of color are discriminated against in most areas of endeavor and participation. But now they are joined by the American-owned holding companies who pretend that they too are above the law, above equal treatment and opportunity for people of color. Only when these same consumers of color resist and affect the bottom lines of the agencies’ corporate clients and when the Comptroller liquidates the holdings by the NYC Pension Funds which contain monies from workers of color in the recalcitrant agencies will the arrogance of management be wiped from their collective faces. Maybe it’s time to stop asking and start bringing some financial pain to the holding companies and their enablers; the corporate clients who depend on the spending of consumers of color for their success in the American marketplace.

10014: Omnicom Shows Its True Color.

Read the MediaDailyNews article below. A MultiCultClassics commentary immediately follows.

NYC Pressures Omnicom For Workplace Diversity

By Steve McClellan

The battle over diversity in adland is heating up again in New York.

The city’s Office of the Comptroller has asked four holding companies — Omnicom, Interpublic Group, WPP and Publicis — to publicly disclose detailed submissions required by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to show just how diverse — or not — their workforces are.

According to a spokesman for the Comptroller’s office — which advises funds with investments in the ad companies — only Interpublic responded.

The Office of the Comptroller, headed by John Liu, is taking the fight directly to the shareholders of Omnicom with a shareholder proposal that would require the company to disclose the EEOC filings that annually report a comprehensive breakdown of the company’s workforce by race and gender across all employment categories. The shareholder proposal suggests that this data be presented either in Omnicom’s annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) or sustainability report, beginning this year.

In his letter to Omnicom chairman Bruce Crawford, Liu wrote: “I am deeply concerned by the underrepresentation of minorities, particularly African Americans, in the advertising industry. These disparities, which can negatively impact individual companies and their communities, persist despite the many diversity initiatives highlighted by the major advertising firms, including Omnicom Group.”

“I am writing to request that the board of directors adopt a policy requiring Omnicom Group to disclose annually the [EEOC report that] details the composition of the company’s U.S. workforce by race and gender across employment categories.” Liu said such disclosure would allow shareholders to “evaluate and benchmark the effectiveness of the company’s overall effort to recruit, retain and promote minorities and women.”

Liu cited a 2009 study that showed that the “racial disparity is 38% worse in the advertising industry than the overall U.S. labor market.” The same study, Liu noted, also found that black college graduates in the business earn 20% less than their “equally qualified white counterparts.”

Liu added that it “is incumbent upon Omnicom to vigorously promote a more diverse workplace. Disclosure is a critical step in this process that will encourage management to integrate diversity into the company’s culture and strengthen accountability to shareholders.”

When Omnicom did not respond to the letter, Liu’s office opted to submit a proposal to shareholders — which according to Omnicom’s proxy materials will be voted on at the upcoming annual meeting May 22 in San Francisco.

The company is urging shareholders to vote against the proposal.

In its proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Omnicom argued that the EEO data does not account “for any company or industry specific factors. It is designed to yield generalized data across all categories of private employers rather than information specific to Omnicom or comparable companies in the advertising industry.”

As a result, Omnicom said, the EEO data “is neither informative nor is it a reliable measure of our commitment to equal opportunity employment. We do not believe that disclosing it will meaningfully further the goal of workplace diversity. To the contrary, this information, which is susceptible to misinterpretation, could be manipulated by those with interests adverse to Omnicom’s and harm the company.

The company also cited steps it has taken in recent years to promote diversity, including the formation in 2007 of The Omnicom Diversity Development Advisory Committee (“DDAC”) to enhance diversity at Omnicom. It also cited its hiring of a chief diversity officer and the formation in 2009 of the Omnicom Medgar Evers Associate Program, which provides financial support and has created numerous internships and other opportunities for students with diverse educational, socioeconomic, political and cultural backgrounds.

The company said it supports Adcolor, an industry coalition, which creates networks of diverse professionals and “champions” of diversity and inclusion. And its Diversity Initiatives Group meets monthly to “share best practices and develop tools to efficiently and effectively incorporate diversity and inclusion initiatives at Omnicom offices.”

It also cited its G23 group, a strategic insights organization founded in 2008 that focuses on the economic and social impact of women in the global economy.

A source at the Comptroller’s office said those efforts were commendable, but that “without some transparency and data, there’s no way to know if the efforts are effective or substantive.”

Meanwhile, “the door is open,” at IPG for a potential dialogue, the source added — but declined to elaborate on what IPG said in its response. IPG officials couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.

It was unclear how the city would approach WPP and Publicis — which, like Omnicom, did not respond to letters from Liu. But given that the companies are both based outside the U.S., the New York Comptroller’s Office does not have standing to offer shareholder proposals.

The Omnicom response and recommendation to its shareholders is nothing short of obscene.

“We do not believe that disclosing [the EEOC information] will meaningfully further the goal of workplace diversity. To the contrary, this information, which is susceptible to misinterpretation, could be manipulated by those with interests adverse to Omnicom’s and harm the company.” Leave it to adpeople to be concerned about someone manipulating the truth.

And what’s with the defense featuring all the patronizing smokescreens?

The holding company proudly created The Omnicom Diversity Development Advisory Committee. Um, what do the committee members have to say about concealing the EEOC information?

The holding company hired a Chief Diversity Officer. Um, what does Tiffany R. Warren have to say about concealing the EEOC information?

The holding company launched the Omnicom Medgar Evers Associate Program. Um, what do program participants have to say about concealing the EEOC information?

The holding company sends money to ADCOLOR®. Um, first of all, Omnicom hired the organization’s founder (Warren), so of course it’s going to fund the minority enterprise. But what do ADCOLOR® Award Winners have to say about concealing the EEOC information?

The holding company points to its Diversity Initiative Group. Um, what do the groupies have to say about concealing the EEOC information?

Hey, what does the diversity-loving PepsiCo client have to say about concealing the EEOC information?

Most importantly, what does concealing the EEOC information say about Omnicom?

9952: ADCOLOR® To Honor Popeyes’ Annie.

The 2012 ADCOLOR® Awards and Industry Conference plans to honor Popeyes spokeswoman Annie the Chicken Queen with the prestigious All-Star Award. The gala event is scheduled for October 18-20, 2012, at The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.

“Annie symbolizes everything our 501(c)(6) trade association stands for,” explained ADCOLOR® Founder Tiffany R. Warren. “We’re pleased to add her to our illustrious honorees, representing true diversity champions who work together to further diversity and inclusion efforts in the advertising, marketing and media industries.”

Everyone at our agency is thrilled to be a part of this recognition,” gushed GSD&M CEO Roy Spence, one of the originators of the popular campaign character. “Annie has always been committed to giving back—as well as giving hearty helpings of Popeyes Bonafide® Chicken, Popcorn Shrimp and Catfish Meals.”

“I cannot begin to express my sincere gratitude for this award,” said Annie the ADCOLOR® Honoree. “I haven’t been this excited since Popeyes beat KFC in a national taste test. I’m dancing, honey!”

2011 ADCOLOR® Catalyst Honoree Dan Wieden added, “I’ve always respected Annie for her courageous refusal to move to the back of the bus on that fateful day—December 1, 1955—in Montgomery, Alabama. Oh, wait a minute. That was Rosa Parks. My bad. But hey, Annie’s cool too.”

Awarding a coveted trophy to Annie the Chicken Queen also drew criticism. “I deserved to win over Annie,” huffed Diane Amos, The Pine-Sol® Lady. “That’s the power of cronyism, baby!”

9742: Is TBWA Director Of Talent Biased?

Admittedly did not closely read the lengthy Advertising Age ageism story, and missed the following gem:

“The job market is pretty rotten,” said Nancee Martin, director-talent at Omnicom Group’s TBWA Worldwide. “Opportunities are limited. Agencies aren’t doing the same kind of hiring they were five years ago, and there’s no denying that those closer to 55 are going to have a harder time,” she said, particularly creatives vs. those in sales or strategic planning.

Ms. Martin then spoke bluntly. “For a creative, pardon my French, but good fucking luck. There’s a commonly held conception that to be a creative, you need to know what’s hot, what music is cool, what website is all the rage—and [with age] you become less aware of those things by and large.”

Wow. That is pure, unadulterated, blatant ignorance straight from the mouth of an executive charged with hiring talent on Madison Avenue. Plus, the moron misused conception for perception. What’s next? Blacks aren’t smart enough to handle the intellectual challenges of life in an advertising agency? Latinos are too lazy to work alongside the privileged White people? Asians can’t… oh, wait a minute. Those Asian folks are really good with computers—and most of them are awesome designers. Somebody call Omnicom Chief Diversity Officer Tiffany R. Warren pronto. Or Cyrus Mehri. It sounds like Martin openly and literally admitted that older candidates are fucked when applying at TBWA. As elder adman Dan Wieden might say, “Now that’s fucked up.”