Adcolor Awards Presented by Arnold Worldwide, CNN, Diageo, Google Inc., Microsoft Advertising, Yahoo! November 17, 2008

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A special advertising section of

The 2008 AdColor Awards presented by Arnold Worldwide, CNN, Diageo, Google Inc., Microsoft Advertising, Yahoo! November 17, 2008

Cover Supplied By McCann

Awards Journal sponsored by Advertising Age Project6 10/27/08 12:16 PM Page 1

, We don t know your secret Byron. But your UWG family congratulates you on being recognized as a true legend in advertising. AA_Awards.qxp 11/6/08 3:43 PM Page 3

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE RISING UP,REACHING BACK

During a recent discussion about the historic political climate, a friend recited a quote he INSIDE had heard on NPR: “Rosa sat so Martin could walk; Martin walked so Obama could 4 Forward Momentum For all the debate about race in this industry, one thing is true: Those run; Obama ran so our children could fly.” whomakeitinandtoughitouthavetoreachdownandliftupthose Theideathateachstepforwardcreatesa below them. That’s where initiatives such as AdColor come in, says path for those to follow is not a new one. It is KenWheaton,featuresandblogseditorofAdvertisingAge. as old as time itself — and time is what it will take to imbed the idea within the adver- 6 AdColor Thank-You tising, marketing and media industries that AdColorthanksthepeoplewhohavemadetheAdColorAwardsasuc- cess for the second year. promoting success creates success. AdColor and the AdColor Awards were 8 Our Sponsors created for the purpose of sharing and high- Alookatthemanycompaniessupportingthisyear’sAdColorAwards. lighting the stories of those professionals of color who, despite the obstacles they over- 10 Signs of Success came and the heights they reached, have Spurredbyvariousfactors—nottheleastofwhichisthefactthatit’s always reached back. AdColor is dedicated to honoring the achievements of generations simply good business—the advertising industry is finally seeing changesthatarenotonlypositive,butalsoenduring. of men and women, the icebreakers, groundbreakers, game-changers and beneficiaries better known as Legends, Change Agents, Innovators and Rising Stars. 12 AdColor Honorees This year’s AdColor Awards honor 20 individuals and two companies in six categories: All-Star, MVP,Legend, Change Agent, Innovator and CELEBRATING OUR HONOREES Rising Star: The 2008 class of AdColor honorees was chosen from an impressive group of nominees 14) Russell Simmons from more than 80 different advertising agencies, marketing and media companies. 14) Saatchi & Saatchi, More than 70 percent of the 2008 nominees were African-American, and advertising Professional Partnering Solutions was the industry that saw the most nominees. Additionally, AdColor proudly honors its 16) Byron E. Lewis first Native American recipient, Chad Germann of the Red Circle Agency. What began 16) last year as an awards show has turned into a movement that embodies the adage “Be Renetta McCann the change you wish to see.” 18) Rishad Tobaccowala To continue the momentum the AdColor Awards created, the AdColor Industry 18) Carol H.Williams Coalition saw the launch of One Million Strong for AdColor and the AdColor Group on 19) Stacy Brown-Philpot Facebook and LinkedIn, respectively. The groups, begun by Alysha Cryer of Starcom MediaVest Group, have attracted more than 900-plus members combined who seek to 20) Vida Cornelious be part of a network that promotes and discusses positive solutions to the issue of diver- 20) Chad Germann sity in advertising, marketing and media. The Web site, adcolor.org, has evolved into a 22) Tony Hill repository of stories and videos from AdColor alumni, bringing their Ad Age profiles to 22) Donna E. Pedro life. They provide readers and viewers with an inspiring look into the ways in which these individuals made it to the upper echelons of their chosen professions. 24) Howard Buford Our Legends broke the ice so you could stand without falling; our Change Agents 24) Devika Bulchandani broke ground so you could build your careers; our Innovators changed the game so you 26) JD Michaels could play in it; and our Rising Stars benefited from the hard work of those who came 26) Danny Robinson before them. Whether you strive to be all of these, or an All-Star or an MVP honoree, I askallofyouwhoreadthepagesofthisprogrambooktoneverforgettoreachbackas 27) Kembo Tom you continue to rise, because that is the only way we will all be able to fly. 27) Catherine Auguste 28) Desmonique Bonet 28) Keenan Ellsberry 30) Kunal Muzumdar Tiffany R. Warren 30) Founder, AdColor and The AdColor Awards Angel Suarez VP-Director of Multicultural Programs and Community Outreach, Arnold Worldwide Cover: McCann Erickson Art Director: John Nguyen Copywriter: Mikal Cook

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE THE WINNERS HONORING EXCELLENCE. PERIOD ADCOLOR By the time you read this, you may be coming down from your Election Day high. But I doubt it. Barack Obama is president-elect of the United States, winning the White House with so many votes that even Florida couldn’t mess it up. Jackie Ghedine Election 2008 was one for the history books. It was also one for Managing Director, Sales the marketing books. As I wrote about Barack Obama as part of 212-210-0725 Advertising Age’s Marketer of the Year package, he wasn’t simply an [email protected] African-American candidate. He was a first-term, Democratic, African-American senator whose middle name was Hussein! Angela J. Carola Vanquishing the Clinton machine alone would have been surpris- Director, Sales Strategy ing enough, but to move into front-runner status for the bulk of 212-210-0407 the general election was something else entirely. One thing to keep in mind is that Obama is now our president- [email protected] elect because he tried to run what was dubbed a "post-racial" campaign. Thanks to both Democratic and Republican opponents, as well as remarks from his onetime minister, it didn’t always work out that way. Karen Egolf But all along, he made it clear that he wasn’t running for president of Black America, or Hispanic America, Editorial Director, or Asian America or White America. He was running for president of America. Period. Custom Programs And those who we are honoring this year at the AdColor Awards would say much the same thing. They 847-577-9032 don’t want to be honored for excellent black work, or Hispanic work or Asian work. They want to be hon- [email protected] ored for excellent work. Period. Of course, this is the advertising industry, which is still struggling to catch up to the rest of the country Nancy Giges when it comes to diversity. It may be awhile before we get to a post-racial advertising industry. (Actually, it Section Editor could be forever if trends keep moving toward more and more fragmented and niche media. Anyone want to team up with me to start a youth-aimed urban agency focusing on gay African-American men who hate cats and spend exactly 65.4 percent of their leisure time on the Internet?) Christine Bunish Either way, we’ve still got work to do when it comes to getting talent in the door and getting it to stay. Ina B. Chadwick Interested parties have tried begging and pleading. They’ve tried governmental threats. They’ve tried out- Sandra Guy reach programs and internship programs. Ultimately, the oft-rumored class-action lawsuit may be what it Katy Ingulli takes to kick in the door. Nancy Colton Webster Even so, it’s going to take old-fashioned relationships and recognition to get people to stay. For all the Writers debate about race in this industry, this is one area where Tiffany R. Warren is absolutely right: Those who do make it in and tough it out have to reach down and lift up those below them. Just as it was lonely for early gender pioneers in this industry, it’s lonely being racial pioneers. Those of you who are the only [fill Richard K. Skews in the blank] ethnicity in a general-market shop know exactly what I’m talking about. Associate Editor That’s where events such as the AdColor Awards fit in. And it isn’t just the awards themselves that matter. Sure, it’s great to be honored for what you do. It shows that people out there are watching, that some- Barbara Knoll one other than you and your mom respect the work you do. It’s a little bump in ego that feels almost as Copy Editor good as a bump in salary (well, almost). It’s validation. But ultimately, events like the AdColor Awards are as much about building a community as anything Jeanine Dunn else. Only a few people will walk out of the show tonight with a trophy. But behind every Tiffy winner is a Art Director large group of people—family, teachers and mentors—who made that one little statue possible. And the winners at this award show know for a fact that they wouldn’t be holding that Tiffy if it weren’t for that network of people around them. Hara Allison And more than the winners at other award shows, Tiffy recipients won’t forget. Whether they work in a Associate Art Director general-market agency, an ethnic shop or one of the many independent joints popping up left and right, they know that the Tiffy comes with something more than accolades and an ego boost. It comes with a Diane Maida responsibility: to reach back and lift up. Production Manager So let’s celebrate another year of excellent work and great mentors. And let’s look forward to another year of progress.

Ken Wheaton is editor-features and blogs of Advertising Age

4 NOVEMBER 17, 2008 ADCOLOR Project3 10/24/08 2:30 PM Page 1 Then upside down. She comes at everything at sideways. comes She a whole lot of consumers think. Congrats on from this all Dev, amazing your friends honor, at York. McCann New Devika Bulchandani, our Chief Strategy Officer, changes the way we think. The way our clients think. And the way way the think.And clients our way The think. we way the changes Officer, Strategy Chief our DevikaBulchandani,

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE THE WINNERS

SEMHAR TESFAY LISA UNSWORTH Saatchi & Saatchi Arnold Worldwide AN ADCOLOR TONI THOMPSON CAROL WATSON ADCOLOR McCann Erickson Tangerine-Watson THANK-YOU Event Content & All-Star AdColor.org Web Site Search Committee Production Team SHANTE BACON,CHAIR 135st Agency MICHELE ARINI,COPYWRITER Tribal DDB MIKE A. SCOTT,CHAIR I humbly thank the AdColor Industry Coalition, the 2008 MPIRE Management KINNEY EDWARDS,CREATIVE DIRECTOR AdColor Awards Steering and Selection committees, and the BENY ASHBURN Tribal DDB McCann Erickson CHRIS MONTGOMERY,PROJECT MANAGER remarkable presenting, ambassador, friend and in-kind JESSE ASKEW Mr.Youth NyceLife Ventures sponsors for your selflessness, unwavering dedication, time VICTOR VELEZ SAPTOSA FOSTER Arnold Worldwide and financial support. 135st Agency NALEDI KHABO 2008 AdColor Awards Iced Media Selection Committee REGGIE MILLER Another chapter of the AdColor story has been written. It Iced Media ALLISON ARDEN KENJI SUMMERS Publisher reads: The tireless work of 10 founding coalition members; Mediaedge:cia Advertising Age 61 volunteers; nine advertising, marketing and media CONSTANCE CANNON FRAZIER Musical Director Exec VP-Mosaic Center & companies; 39 sponsors; 98 nominees; and 22 honorees AKINTAYO ADEWOLE Education Services Akande Inc. American Advertising Federation helped continue a movement already in progress. Nomination & Criteria KIPP CHENG Committee VP-Director of Public Affairs Tiffany R. Warren American Association of MARK ZANGRILLI,CHAIR Advertising Agencies Chair, AdColor Awards Steering Committee Publicis USA GINA GRILLO TARA GARCIA Arnold Worldwide Executive Director Advertising Club of New York FELICIA GEIGER AdColor Industry Coalition KRISTEN CHARD Deutsch Inc. NANCY HILL Google Inc. LISA UNSWORTH,CHAIR NICOLE HALL President-CEO CMO RUDY DUTHIL Arnold Worldwide American Association of Zoom Media & Marketing Arnold Worldwide RASHANA HOOKS Advertising Agencies CONSTANCE CANNON FRAZIER 2007 ADCOLOR AWARDS RISING STAR A&E Television Networks DAV I D PRINCE Exec VP HONOREE DARLA PRICE Director of Training, Education & AAF Mosaic Center & Education ANTONIO HICKS Saatchi & Saatchi Development Services The Estabrook Group American Association of American Advertising Federation COLLEEN TRAVERS DOUG MELVILLE EMI Records Advertising Agencies JIM DATRI President-CEO Magic Johnson Entertainment “Call for Nominations” BOB LIODICE American Advertising Federation MICHELLE NEWSON President-CEO GINA GRILLO Onederland Events PSA Association of National Advertisers Executive Director WARREN OLIVER WARREN OLIVER,CO-DIRECTOR CHRISTINE MANNA Advertising Club of NewYork Solo Project Solo Project VP-CFO NANCY HILL CHIKE OZAH CHIKE OZAH,CO-DIRECTOR Association of National Advertisers President-CEO Solo Project Solo Project SALLIE MARS American Association of Advertising ERIKA PRIESTLEY Agencies PR&OutreachCommittee Senior VP-Director, Creative Services Pepsi-Cola North America &Diversity BOB LIODICE JAN PERCIVAL,CHAIR MICHELE THORNTON Citi-Habitat McCann Erickson Worldwide President-CEO CNN Association of National Advertisers SHANTE BACON ANGELA MEADOWS JOHNSON ADRIENNE WILLIAMS 135st Agency Manager, Diversity Programs CHRISTINE MANNA Arnold Worldwide Exec VP-Industry Leadership Initiative/CFO ALYSHA CRYER American Association of Association of National Advertisers NAVA YESHOALUL Starcom MediaVest Group Advertising Agencies Google Inc. ANGELA MEADOWS JOHNSON SAPTOSA FOSTER LISA UNSWORTH Manager, Diversity Programs 135st Agency CMO American Association of Advertising Branding&Collateral Agencies MEREDITH VELLINES Arnold Worldwide Committee Arnold Worldwide TIFFANY R.WARREN SALLIE MARS,CHAIR TIFFANY R.WARREN VP-Director of Multicultural McCann Erickson Sponsorship Committee VP-Director of Multicultural Programs & Community Outreach Programs&CommunityOutreach MIKAL COOK Arnold Worldwide MARC STEPHENSON STRACHAN,CHAIR McCann Erickson Diageo NA Arnold Worldwide JOHN WEBB SUSANA MARQUEZ ALVIN BOWLES JOHN WEBB Partner Partner Reed Smith Arnold Worldwide BET Networks JOHN NGUYEN KAREN E. LIST Reed Smith Steering Committee McCann Erickson The New York Times Co. JIM WHELAN TIFFANY R.WARREN,CHAIR ERIC TAO SCAFFORD SIMMONDS JR. Director, Talent & Agency Relations Arnold Worldwide McCann Erickson Thomson Reuters Advertising Age

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Never judge a search engine by its interface.

Behind that simple search window is one of the most complex technology infrastructures in the world. And it’s run by an equally diverse group of people. At Google, we don’t just accept di erence – we thrive on it. We celebrate it. And we support it, for the beneﬁ t of our employees, our products and our community. Google proudly supports the AdColor Awards and congratulates all of the 2008 honorees. Your passion and accomplishments inspire us. www.google.com/diversity

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Presenting Friends In-Kind THE Sponsors

ADCOLOR 2008 ADCOLOR AWARDS

Are Brought To You By…

The 2008 AdColor Awards produced by PitchOne Presentations and Onederland Events Printing donated by Creative Printing Services and Media on the Run Ambassadors

is a proud supporter

of ADCOLOR. Worldwide

Exclusive trade media partner

8 NOVEMBER 17, 2008 ADCOLOR Project17 10/28/08 4:44 PM Page 1

Congratulations, Catherine Auguste + Keenan Ellsberry, on receiving the 2008 ADCOLOR® Rising Star Award and representing more than 1,000 distinct individuals at Team Detroit.

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DIVERSITY PROGRESS: LASTING ADCOLOR

SPURRED BY VARIOUS FACTORS, THE ADVERTISING INDUSTRY IS FINALLY

iversity in the ad ally,itisarecipeforsuccess.” year of successful testing in the New York office. agency business—or Even the head of the New York City Human Each is asked to meet four goals for the first “inclusion,” as many Rights Commission, Patricia Gatling, who took year: have all employees complete an online say they prefer—is advertising agencies to task two years ago, is workplace training diversity program, create moving out of HR sounding upbeat. At a public hearing in active multicultural employee networks, survey and into the C-suite. September called to discuss the progress of 16 employees periodically on diversity in the work- That’s just one sign agencies that two years ago signed a pact to boost place to gauge progress and provide advertising of progress for an minority hiring and set individual goals, Ms. messaging diversity training for employees at the Dindustry that for years has talked the talk about Gatling said she is “cautiously optimistic” that ad VP level and higher. making the advertising business more diverse, ini- agencies are bringing more minority executives As an industry, programs through the Four A’s tiating a variety of programs to attract people of into their organizations. go back to 1973, when a multicultural advertising color, particularly at the entry level, but has been Statistics released last spring found that most intern program was introduced. “We’ve done a slow to show much lasting progress. ofthe16adagenciesmetorexceededtheir2007 really good job of creating internships, and schol- Spurred by various factors—not the least of minority hiring goals. arships and entry-level positions,” says Ms. Hill. which is the fact that it’s simply good business— Says Nancy Hill, president-CEO of the “It’s obvious that’s not enough.” the advertising industry is finally seeing changes American Association of Advertising Agencies, In the last decade, the Four A’s began awarding that are not only positive but also enduring. “Once you have open, honest dialogue, then you scholarships, conducting diversity career fairs “I used to hear it’s so hard to get upper man- start to move things. Maybe in the past that and supplier diversity trade shows, providing agement to pay attention or put money behind wasn’t necessarily the case; people were reluctant guidance and best practices to agencies on diver- this or to give their time,” says Sallie Mars, senior to have conversations either out of fear or some sity. Last spring, the association announced a VP-director of creative services and director of other belief. Now that the lid has been taken off, partnership with Howard University, one of the diversity initiatives at McCann Erickson. “I never things should move a lot faster.” nation’s most prestigious historically black uni- hear that anymore. It’s all about management Lisa Unsworth, chief marketing officer of versities, aimed at attracting and retaining talent being more than willing to throw its weight Arnold Worldwide and chair- at middle- and senior-man- behind projects or to…take their time, which is woman of the AdColor Industry agement levels. the hardest part, to put their faces and words Coalition, says “socializing” the “We are clearly In this latest initiative, the behind it.” issue among senior people outside trying. ...Nobody Four A’s has promised to pro- Says Bob Liodice, president-CEO of the the human resources department wants to be on vide the university with indus- Association of National Advertisers, “We are is extremely important. “That is try leadership and $250,000 to clearly trying. There are very distinct efforts. what will ultimately help make the wrong side develop a Center for Excellence Nobody wants to be on the wrong side of this a difference.” of this issue.” in Advertising, which will issue. Even if we are not succeeding to the levels As more top agency execs dis- focus on achieving a more that others may want, it’s not because we are look- cuss diversity openly and sponsor inclusive work force at mid- ing the other way.” events, it’s “beginning to show that people who dle-to-senior management levels. In addition to Tiffany R. Warren, VP-director of multicultur- maybe were never at the center of this issue are seed money, the association pledged to assist the al programs and community outreach, Arnold getting involved,”Ms. Unsworth says.“That is one university in raising an additional $750,000 annu- Worldwide, and the founder of AdColor, a cross- of the things that will propel significant change.” ally to support the center. industry initiative serving as a catalyst for diversi- At McCann Erickson, for example, the chief At the American Advertising Federation, the ty programs, agrees. “Agencies are really trying. diversity officers in each of the agency’s offices are Mosaic Center on multiculturalism develops and Did it take a fire starter to get them started? Yes. line executives—VPs or higher in creative, implements programs and policies to address Butbecauseofthewaytheworldischangingand account services, media or strategic planning— diversity. In addition to encouraging more corpo- everyone is looking for ways to be more compet- not HR or administration. The people dealing rations to endorse its principles and practices, the itive, the best way to do that is through talent. If with clients and the business of agencies are the center celebrates multicultural marketing and you have an environment and culture that allows developers of the programs within each office. diversity efforts through award programs, schol- people to be 100 percent themselves but also con- McCann is currently rolling out a diversity pro- arships and career fairs. tribute intelligently, and intellectually and cultur- gram to 13 offices across North America after a The industry’s newest effort, AdColor, a grass-

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE CHANGE IS STARTING TO TAKE ROOT

SEEING CHANGES THAT ARE NOT ONLY POSITIVE BUT ALSO ENDURING

roots collaboration of AAF, the Advertising Club keting for Ciroc vodka, Diageo North America, the company’s first ever multicultural division. of New York, Arnold Worldwide, ANA and Four “AdColor has helped lead the way in highlight- “Once I presented all of my stats and data on the A’s, is credited with raising awareness. ing the leading diverse talent in the advertising multicultural industry, which made an impene- Mr. Liodice says the first AdColor awards a world today. We support events like the trable argument, my once general-market agency year ago and continued progress within AdColor AdColorawardsbecauseasaconsumerprod- jumped in the multicultural pool.” have been very successful in getting more people ucts company, we understand the need for Today, in addition to his experiential market- engaged, communicating and networking. It’s communications that really speak to our ing responsibilities, Mr. Duthil, 25, also serves as “been a grand example of how, when you do put diverse consumer base.” director of Zoom Forward, the company’s first the spotlight on what is taking place in the minor- Typically, says David W. Brown, president, multicultural division, leading a team of eight ity community to understand how diversity is BrownPartners, and a 2007 AdColor Innovator that he says has brought new life to the company. contributing to overall marketplace success, good honoree, one often feels“like you are the only one “I’m very excited for what the future holds for things can happen.” in the vineyard trying to change us,” he says. “All it took was some education on One company at the forefront “AdColor has the complexion of things. Since the multicultural industry, the demonstration of of “getting it” is Microsoft last year, I’ve connected with the importance of participating in multicultural Advertising, which jumped at helped lead the other AdColor alums, and we’re initiatives and explanation of the benefits of theopportunitytobeapresent- way in high- working together on some embracing diversity.” ing sponsor of the AdColor lighting the exciting things that will lift all awards as a platform for identify- boats with the tide.” ighting such fires is what AdColor and ing multicultural prospects and leading diverse Mr. Brown says he firmly other industry efforts are all about. Yet all potential partners. AdColor is as talent in the believes that those who have Lagree that their work is not even close to important as any new technolo- advertising made it “need to create ‘inten- being finished, and other programs and activities gyoradformattomakesurethat tional bridges’for people follow- are on the drawing boards. Research to determine all consumers and their needs world today.” ing us. It can’t be like pledging a just how diverse the industry really is and devel- are greatly celebrated, under- fraternity by saying, ‘I hope you opment of a social networking Web site are high stood and nurtured, says Mari Kim Novak, direc- make it through,’ and not have people on the on the priority list. tor of global marketing at Microsoft Advertising. other side to guide you over. Once The AdColor Industry Herteam’scharteristomakesurethatthe we’reinthedoor,weneedtokeep “Once we’re in Coalition has identified con- Microsoft brand engages with the industry and is it open and show others how to ducting research as a core aligned and influencing industry growth. walk through it and turn the knob, the door, we objective, held preliminary Activities such as participating in AdColor in a different kind of way.” need to keep it discussions with research are one way she helps her media team meet While networking was far and open and show companies and expects to people to connect with those who would advertise away most mentioned by first-year move forward toward identi- on MSN Latino (www.latino.msn.com), for awardhonoreesasamajorout- others how to fying research partners and example, or identify smaller, lesser known compa- come of the honor, many have walk through it.” approaches in 2009. nies that could be potential partners with MSN. already done more. The social networking site Other sponsors agree that initiatives such as Inspired by comments of Change Agent hon- is set to be launched under the AdColor banner in AdColor help lead to connecting with diverse oree R. Vann Graves, another 2007 recipient, January. A key element is a mentoring section audiences. “We believe that in addition to hiring Rising Star Rudy Duthil, was spurred into action. where diverse people in the field can give and get the best talent, having a diversity of perspectives, At the awards ceremony, Mr. Graves challenged help from others. ideas and cultures leads to the creation of better everyone to themselves be agents of change, so One of the challenges for diverse people is products and services. At Google, we aim to serve “10 months ago, I set out to step up to that chal- finding other people like them at senior levels in the long tail, so it is critical for us to hire a diverse lenge,” Mr. Duthil says. organizations who can be mentors and provide work force that can better serve all of our clients,” Believing his idea a “tad bit out there” for his guidance. Diverse people who stayed in the says Jordan Lloyd Bookey, Google programs company, Zoom Media & Marketing, a general- industry have said that having a sponsor to help manager, global diversity & talent inclusion. market agency that is French-Canadian owned, guide them has been instrumental in their Echoes Marc Strachan, director-brand mar- Mr. Duthil proposed to his bosses that he create career. ■

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The AdColor Industry Coalition is honoring 20 outstanding is becoming more inclusive. As demonstrated by the stories professionals at all levels and two companies in marketing, of this year’s AdColor honorees, the move toward a more advertising and media in the second annual AdColor Awards. diverse workplace is gradual, but it can be satisfying. The awards recognize outstanding performances in six categories: Still, there remains a perception gap between being an excellent professional and being an excellent black (or All-Star, MVP, Legend, Change Agent, Innovator, Rising Star. Asian-American or Hispanic) professional. Says Legend honoree Renetta McCann: “I am remarkably proud of my Through hard work and efforts such as those of the AdColor race and my culture. It is one of my greatest assets. Industry Coalition, the advertising, marketing and media world Granted, it is sometimes a double-edged sword. If nothing

RISING STAR: CATHERINE AUGUSTE RISING STAR: DESMONIQUE BONET CHANGE AGENT: STACY BROWN-PHILPOT INNOVATOR: HOWARD BUFORD

INNOVATOR: DEVIKA BULCHANDANI CHANGE AGENT: VIDA CORNELIOUS RISING STAR: KEENAN ELLSBERRY CHANGE AGENT: CHAD GERMANN

CHANGE AGENT: TONY HILL LEGEND: BYRON E. LEWIS LEGEND: RENETTA MCCANN INNOVATOR: JD MICHAELS

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE 2008 HONOREES

else, I’m used to walking in rooms and having to prove Arnold Worldwide and Reed Smith—also wanted to estab- myself every day.” lish a forum for honoring individual accomplishments and to perform industrywide research. To address disparities in the business, the AdColor Coalition was formed in 2006 when a group of advertising, The AdColor Awards were created as a way to provide role media and marketing executives met to discuss ways to models for people of diverse backgrounds who want to suc- increase diversity in their fields. The coalition—which con- ceed in advertising, marketing and media. As the following sists of leaders from the Advertising Club of New York, profiles show, success can come in many ways. Here, this Association of National Advertisers, American Advertising year’s winners offer their stories of how they got into the busi- Federation, American Association of Advertising Agencies, ness, why they stayed and what advice they have for others.

RISING STAR: KUNAL MUZUMDAR CHANGE AGENT: DONNA E. PEDRO INNOVATOR: DANNY ROBINSON MVP: SAATCHI & SAATCHI, PROFESSIONAL PARTNERING SOLUTIONS

ALL-STAR: RUSSELL SIMMONS RISING STAR: ANGEL SUAREZ LEGEND: RISHAD TOBACCOWALA INNOVATOR: KEMBO TOM

LEGEND: CAROL H. WILLIAMS

ADCOLOR NOVEMBER 17, 2008 13 AA_Awards.qxp 11/6/08 3:43 PM Page 14

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE ALL-STAR MVP SAATCHI & SAATCHI, NY ADCOLOR PROFESSIONAL PARTNERING SOLUTIONS, NEW YORK

Saatchi & Saatchi considers hiring minority-owned vendors as a key business measure to infuse multicultural insight into its overall marketing strategy to be a top priority. That’s why the agency connected with Professional Partnering Solutions, a supplier diversity specialist, to create a formal supplier database for North America. “Markets like New York, Miami or L.A. are becoming majority minority populations,” says James Orsini, Saatchi exec VP-director of RUSSELL SIMMONS finance and operations. “To gain a better understanding and work CHAIRMAN-CEO, RUSH WORLD SYNERGIES, NEW YORK

For Russell Simmons, the designation “hip-hop pioneer” is just a beginning. The rap impresario’s marketing brilliance not only moved hip-hop culture into the American mainstream, but Mr. Simmons par- layed its popularity into a broad-based highly successful entertainment conglomerate. In so doing, he fulfilled a vision of becoming an influen- harder to connect with those tial trendsetter in pop culture. people, we needed to broaden Today, 34 years after creating Def Jam Recordings, the 51-year-old our partner supplier base. The Mr. Simmons, whose nickname is Rush, heads RUSH World Synergies. key for us is how we infuse His empire has not only ventured into movie and TV production, pub- multicultural market insights lishing, advertising, fashion and jewelry, but also finance and online into general market advertis- ventures. In recent years, he has begun devoting a great deal of time and ing. It becomes so much easier money to helping others. with diverse suppliers.” “My life has largely been about promoting the anger, style, aggres- This thinking has been injected into the agency’s DNA. PPS staffers sion and attitude of urban America to a worldwide audience,”he wrote are housed on site, and Saatchi teams are learning that utilizing this in the first of several books he has authored. database is smart business—not simply good intention. Over time, as he realized there was still something missing, Mr. The database is more than a diversity management system, says Simmons made philanthropic and social causes a big piece of his life, Anita Laney, PPS president. It incorporates in formation from all capitalizing on his belief that hip-hop can be an influential agent for Saatchi North America vendors. Vendors interested in working with social change. Saatchi must register and include a description of their businesses and, Mr. Simmons is chairman of Rush Community Affairs, an umbrella in the case of certified minority-owned businesses, register as such. organization for a coalition of non-profit organizations he has formed. In addition, PPS staff, with their expertise in working with minor- His first major endeavor started with the formation of Rush ity suppliers, can facilitate a relationship with the agency. Philanthropic Arts Foundation, dedicated to helping young people “That’s where the bridge is created,”Ms. Laney says. “We have rela- pursue their dreams through the arts and creative expression. tionships with vendors who have been successful. It is tough to vet Other major initiatives Mr. Simmons is pursuing through the Hip- new vendors. We serve as that conduit.” Hop Summit Action Network he helped form are spearheading Support comes right from the top: Saatchi management estab- changes to the New York state Rockefeller drug laws, with their manda- lished a budget to get the job done. “We have the whole agency mov- tory-sentencing policies for drug offenders; orchestrating the restora- ingtowardthegoalswe’veset.Andthenattheendofthedayyou’ve tion of $300 million to the city of New York’s education budget; regis- got to spread the word that this is good business, not required proto- tering and mobilizing young voters across the country; and conducting col,” Mr. Orsini says. financial empowerment summits. This year, he launched an entrepre- He cites a recent strategic partnership with a Chicago-based neurship competition for those in the fields of fashion, film and music minority-owned production facility, Avenue Edit. Saatchi asked its aimed at inspiring new ideas and the next generation of entrepreneurs. two largest clients—Procter & Gamble Co. and General Mills—to How does he choose where he puts his time and money? “You’re participate. “They supported us on this,” Mr. Orsini says. “We believe given so many resources,” he says. “The trick is to find out how best to this is historic—groundbreaking. Anita helped broker that for us. We use them to give back. There’s so much ignorance and poverty every- liked the quality of the work, and the clients embraced this whole- where. I try not to over-think things and do the work.” heartedly.” —Nancy Giges —Nancy Coltun Webster

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE LEGENDS BYRON E. LEWIS RENETTA McCANN CHAIRMAN-CEO, UNIWORLD GROUP, NEW YORK FOUNDER, PUBLICIS GROUPE’S VIVAKI PEOPLE PRACTICE ADCOLOR Renetta McCann’s rise to the very top of the media agency world over 30 years is notable in many contexts: as an executive, as a woman, as an African-American. She takes great pride in her commitment to remain in the industry and create a path of firsts for others to follow—all the way up to first African-American CEO at Starcom MediaVest Group. Last June, she stepped down as global CEO to form and lead the people practice of VivaKi, a new Publicis Groupe umbrella organization for Starcom MediaVest, Denuo and ZenithOptimedia. She says her decision to put more focus on other aspects of her life— she plans a yearlong sabbatical starting in January—represents another first. “I hope it serves to inspire others who might want to take unexpected journeys,” she says. Ms. McCann, 51, has two pieces of advice for those starting out. The first is to learn how to manage paradox and the second is to build In Byron E. Lewis’ vision of tomorrow’s media environment, no one is resilience. frowning. Mr. Lewis is unusually optimistic about opportunities for She notes her own personal paradox: The balance between what it people of color: means to be a business leader and what it means to be a black business “This is the best time for minorities in this business. They’re the leader. fastest-growing influence on music, sports, fashion, entertainment and “I am remarkably proud of my race and my culture. It is one of my technology, both here and globally.” greatest assets,” Ms. McCann says. “Granted, it is sometimes a double- Like many pioneers, Mr. Lewis’ repeated exclusions from Madison edged sword. If nothing else, I’m used to walking in rooms and having Avenue’s white culture in the 1960s motivated him further. He started toprovemyselfeveryday.Thepeopleinthatroommayhaveanegative his own agency, UniWorld Group, in 1969 and built it into one of the largest African-American-owned multicultural advertising agencies, with annual billings of $250 million. Its clients include household namessuchasBurgerKingaswellasFordandLincolnbrandautomo- biles. Now 49 percent owned by WPP Group, the agency remains 51 percent minority-owned and run. Mr. Lewis also pioneered ethnic branding in entertainment, beginning with the “Shaft” TV series. Mr. Lewis, 76, grew up in Far Rockaway, N.Y., where he loved listening to people’s stories. After a stint in the Army and graduation from Long Island University where he studied journalism, he quickly deduced that “writing headlines required brilliance. You’ve got a long story to tell with so few words.”From that observation, he began to explore how to reach the black community with pointed, relevant communications. “Blacks were perceived as uneducated and poor,” Mr. Lewis recounts. “But the true story of hardworking blacks wasn’t being told. My mother, a maid, came home from work and told white people’s stories. Why wasn’t she telling her own stories?” Mr. Lewis filled the black storytelling deficit by creating the first suc- [perception] of me, or they may expect less than I can give. But because cessful black soap opera, “Sounds of the City,” 15 minutes long, syndi- I’ve had to walk into that room and prove myself every day, I know my cated on black radio stations in the early 1970s and sponsored by own value. Having fought for it so hard, for so long, it is now second Quaker. Though the sponsor’s products were a staple in black house- nature. I own it.” holds,thecompanyhadtobeconvincedtosignonandpaymoney. She says resilience is powered by coping mechanisms and conflict res- Proud of his agency’s contributions to multicultural success stories, olution techniques. Mr. Lewis gives back, serving on the board of the Apollo Theater “It can be the ability to keep performing with excellence even though Foundation, the Jackie Robinson Educational Foundation and a host you have been passed over for a VP title. It might be deciding to stay in of other important ethnic organizations. a company or an industry where there are precious few role models or “Eccentricity,”he says,“is a good quality to have in this business, but mentors. It is finding a way to blow off as much steam as we need to in reading comes first. Read. Finish school. For blacks, that’s doubly true.” the most productive manner possible and then go back to work.” —Ina B. Chadwick —Nancy Coltun Webster

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The CNN audience doesn’t just receive news and information, it responds. In 2007, more than 7,000 audience nominations Involve came in for Heroes in 93 countries.

Selﬂessness has a powerful effect on people. CNN Heroes inspired viewers to take action themselves—donating time, Empower resources, and money to many Heroes and their causes.

“CNN Heroes” honoree Peter Kithene of Seattle, Washington founded a clinic in his native Kenya that has provided services to more than 18,000 patients. © 2008 Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. Company. Warner Time A © 2008 Cable News Network.

Unheard and unrecognized – until now. CNN Heroes honors extraordinary contributions to the world. CNN solicits its global audience to nominate these selﬂess individuals, and utilizes its international resources to tell their stories. And in the process, CNN gives advertisers not only the opportunity to reach an informed, involved, and empowered audience—but to also be part of something bigger.

CNN.com/Heroes

Source: During February ’08, the CNN brand reached more people (117 million P2+) with its TV networks and websites than any other cable news organization. Sources: TV - Nielsen NPower (February ’08), Web - Nielsen Online Home/Work Panel (February ’08). AA_Awards.qxp 11/6/08 3:43 PM Page 18

LEGENDS CAROL H. WILLIAMS PRESIDENT-CEO & CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER ADCOLOR CAROL H. WILLIAMS ADVERTISING, OAKLAND, CALIF.

Carol H. Williams thought she had retired from advertising in 1986 after creating highly memorable campaigns for major brands and racking up many “firsts” at Leo Burnett Co. in Chicago and Foote, Cone & Belding in San Francisco: the first female and first African- American creative director and VP.But the phone kept ringing, and it was former clients on the other end of the line. When the work started taking up most of her time and bedroom, “my husband lovingly kicked me and my papers out,” and Carol H. Williams Advertising has since grown to rank as the country’s largest African-American agency. “I [realized I] had a particular talent for helping Fortune 500 companies successfully connect to African- American and urban audiences,” she says. It was fate that got her into advertising in the first place. While she was a pre-med student at Northwestern University, an advertising executivetooknoteofaplayshewroteandofferedherasummer internship. “I … was hooked and have been in the advertising busi- RISHAD TOBACCOWALA ness ever since,” she says. CEO, DENUO, AND CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER, Ms. Williams, 59, says her father’s philosophy influenced her life: PUBLICIS GROUPE MEDIA, CHICAGO “You can’t make the basket if you don’t take the shot,”he told her. And when she saw a player thrown out at a Chicago Cubs game, he said In an industry in the fast lane, few can claim to have been out in front for that it didn’t matter if the player was right or wrong.“I can’t win if I’m decades. Rishad Tobaccowala, 49, CEO of Denuo, a Publicis futures com- not in the game,” she recalls. pany that brings new media and marketing technologies to clients, is still Mentors at Leo Burnett helped her gain her own confidence: aleaderofthepack. Charles Blakemore, her creative director when she created the cam- At the same time he serves as chief innovation officer of Publicis paign, “Strong Enough for a Man, But Made for a Woman” for Secret Groupe Media, a board that oversees media specialists Starcom deodorant; Rudy Perz, copywriter and creator of the Pillsbury MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia. His successes include founding Doughboy; and Bill Haljun, a 30-year-veteran until his retirement in and developing SMG Next, which spawned a variety of innovative media 1995. practices to leverage video games, word-of-mouth, mobile marketing, To help others, Ms. Williams is active in philanthropic efforts on search applications and consumer engagement with video marketing. behalf of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Congressional Black Caucus, He came to the U.S. from his native India in 1980 to study for an NAACP, U.S. Dream Academy and National Newspaper Publishers M.B.A. at the University of Chicago. As a student who knew little about Association. American culture, he realized he needed to learn fast. His drive was later —Nancy Coltun Webster fed by “a fantastic boss,” who told him soon after he joined the media department at Leo Burnett Co. in 1982 that he was not going to be eval- uated on his work. “You do your work better than anyone. You live in America and don’t know how to talk about sports. [You need to] get to one sporting event every two weeks. You need to understand American male culture.” In an environment where acceptable small talk included the weather or sports, Mr. Tobaccowala understood that his boss “meant white male culture. I recognize in 2008 human resources would tell him he couldn’t say anything like that—and yet that was the best advice he ever gave me.” He says today the world is much more multicultural, and young people are “living in a world where it is easier to advance.” He advises those starting out to avoid building walls, “celebrate who you are—but don’t beoverlysensitivetopeoplewhoarecritical. “Successful people, in addition to having opportunity and drive, are very passionate about what they do. They find something that aligns with who they are. Define yourself by who you are. You are not defined by where you come from and what you look like.” —Nancy Coltun Webster

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE CHANGE AGENTS STACY BROWN-PHILPOT DIRECTOR-CONSUMER OPERATIONS GOOGLE INC., MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF.

Growing up in Detroit, the daughter of a single mother, Stacy Brown- Philpot worked hard to get good grades and become the first person in her immediate family to attend college. When she was 19 and ending her second summer as an intern in accounts payable at General Motors Corp., the program leader told her that while everyone loved her work, nobody knew who she was as a person. “ ‘You’re not focusing on the relationship,’ he told me, and he was right.Ineverhadtointeractwithpeoplewhoweren’tblackbefore.It forced me to realize that as important as what you do are the relation- shipsyoucreateovertime.” Thus it’s no surprise that relationships are at the heart of Ms. Brown-Philpot’s diversity efforts at Google, which she joined in 2003 Her involvement in the network and collaboration with executive as a senior financial analyst before moving up to her current position, councils have fueled Google’s diversity initiatives and drawn attention in which she leads a team of more than 200 responsible for the sales to a dire need to expand diversity within the technology industry. and operational support of more than 30 consumer products. Ms. Brown-Philpot, 33, landed in the communications industry by Along the way, she served as the director of finance for Google’s a circuitous route. After earning a B.S. in economics and graduating Online Sales & Operations, managing the incoming revenue from magnacumlaudefromtheWhartonSchoolattheUniversityof Google’s multibillion-dollar online advertising business. Pennsylvania, then earning an M.B.A. in business from Stanford Recognizing that “we’d been so busy growing a sustainable business University, she worked in various positions in finance, operations and that we had to start thinking how to diversify inside the company,”she business development at such companies as PricewaterhouseCoopers, founded the Black Googler Network, an employee resource group that Goldman Sachs and SAP. helpshunt attract, recruit and retain African-Americans. —Christine Bunish smarter. ﬁ nd the best jobs. recruit the top talent. adage.com/talentworks

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE CHANGE AGENTS VIDA CORNELIOUS CHAD GERMANN VP-CREATIVE DIRECTOR, DDB WORLDWIDE, CHICAGO PRESIDENT-CEO, RED CIRCLE AGENCY, MINNEAPOLIS ADCOLOR Chad Germann, a Native American, grew up just 15 miles outside the local Native American reservation in Sandstone, Minn., and experi- enced both worlds. Mr. Germann, who credits his family’s work ethic with giving him the tools he now uses to ensure that Indian casinos make the most of their resources, said his maternal grandparents played a powerful role in his life. He has benefited from their beliefs that their children and grandchildren must succeed in the “white” world while remaining rooted in their culture. While Mr. Germann, 36, attended St. Cloud State University, Minnesota’s second largest university, he interned every summer with the Minneapolis-based advertising office of his hometown casinos, owned by the federally recognized American Indian tribe of Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. After finishing graduate school in language and literature at the Even before Vida Cornelious found a career in advertising, she agreed University of North Florida, he worked in advertising and marketing with the principle set forth by Eldridge Cleaver: “If you’re not part of at the Grand Casino in Hinckley and rose to advertising director, the solution, you’re part of the problem.” where he was responsible for a $4 million budget, overseeing media But when she entered advertising, those words took on special res- buying, marketing planning, media and creative strategy. When his onance. “I am a strong proponent of being a team player,” she says. tribe identified Mr. Germann as a leader and asked his goal, he told “Collaborative problem solving, both at the agency and client, is ger- them he wanted to run his own ad agency. He believed there was a mane for establishing trust and the cooperation needed to achieve need for an ad agency that understood Indian culture and respected your goals.” the decisions of tribal councils. As an undergraduate at Hampton University studying graphic Thus in 2001, Mr. Germann started Red Circle Agency as a shop to design, Ms. Cornelious, 37, had her eyes opened to advertising as an work exclusively with Indian gaming casinos and tribal councils. option for emerging artists. She pursued ad studies in graduate school “Our goal and our mission is to help these tribes grow their casino at the University of Illinois; landed an internship at UniWorld Group, businesses to make them the most effective and efficient businesses,” New York; and went on to become a senior art director with Burrell he says. In one case, Red Circle reduced a casino’s media spending by Communications Group in Chicago. 33 percent while increasing its reach. She considers herself lucky to have“cut [her] teeth” with two minor- This is important because the casino revenues pay for basic needs ity agencies. “At both UniWorld and Burrell, I felt a sense of cama- such as clinics, schools and elder housing, he says. raderiethatprovidedalevelofsupport,thusallowingmetoconcen- Most recently, Mr. Germann started Howl Fire Agency in partner- trate on learning the business and doing good work. There was never ship with the Forest County Potawatomi in 2007 because he realized a feeling of isolation that I know so many other minorities in less that Native Americans could create unique marketing and supplier diversified environments have felt.” diversity partnerships with Fortune 1000 companies. Since joining DDB Chicago eight years ago, Ms. Cornelious has con- —Sandra Guy tributed to highly celebrated wins and global clients, with notable ad campaigns for McDonald’s Corp. and Dell Inc. Most recently, she led the creative launch of Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light Lime, one of the most successful product launches in the beer/wine/spirits category. She serves on DDB’s Bill Bernbach Scholarship Award Committee and as liaison to Virginia Commonwealth University’s Brandcenter, where she fosters students’ career development. Despite numerous successes, Ms. Cornelious believes that “there are times when, through disappointment, you learn how to get stronger, how to use your cognitive skills to focus yourself and look beyond any external forces working against you. I’ve had plenty of those moments as a person of color.” Looking ahead, she says she strives to “continue to do great work that gets us awards, raise the level of creativity and reach out to young people who want guidance and assistance,” just as a professor once helped her find the path to advertising. —Christine Bunish

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PIONEERING AUDIENCEOLOGY

audienceology pronunciation: - noun 1. a synergy of media and technology 2. the science of connecting with your target audience across multiple digital touchpoints 3. at the heart of Microsoft Advertising

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www.advertising.microsoft.com AA_Awards.qxp 11/6/08 3:43 PM Page 22

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE CHANGE AGENTS DONNA E. PEDRO

ADCOLOR SENIOR PARTNER-CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER OGILVY NEW YORK

When Donna Pedro began her career in human resources 25 years ago, “diversity as a practice did not exist,” she says. But as it came into its own at major corporations, she saw the opportunity to specialize in diversity and inclusion. After 13 years as corporate head of diversity and staffing at Sony Music Entertainment, Ms. Pedro joined a consulting firm specializing in diversity and inclusion, The FutureWork Institute, and was introduced to Ogilvy New York as part of the organization’s executive-on- loan program in 2006. “No one at Ogilvy was dedicated to doing diversity and inclusion work,”she recalls, and she was given the job of finding a head of diversity. During that process, Ogilvy’s top executives and Ms. Pedro herself TONY HILL came to realize that she was the best match for the job, and she joined the agency in 2007. VP-ADVERTISING, USA TODAY, McLEAN, VA. With Ogilvy’s goal to be the “employer of choice” for all groups in advertising, Ms. Pedro has established an active employee advisory At Tony Hill’s metaphoric dinner table where he invites all the “new kids” council and professional networks; established a highly rated diversity to sit down and work together, he’s happy to share his lucky charm—his and inclusion “sitelet” on the ogilvy.com Web site; hosted frank, infor- talisman for success. It’s not magical: It’s the willingness to let luck coexist mal diversity dialogues between senior leaders and employees; and with “busting your hump and understanding the job that you’re doing.” grown numerous diversity training programs. He’s humbled by the fact that five of his direct reports have received the She has also expanded Ogilvy’s college pipeline and recruiting prestigious Sales Executive of the Year award at USA Today, “all because efforts at historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving they pulled their weight, together—not thinking as minorities.” institutions and among student-led affinity groups on general cam- At USA Today, where he started in 1985 as a circulation representative and was named VP-advertising in 2002, he recollects how founder Al Neuharth nurtured people of color. “When there were seven or eight white guys sitting at the table, Neuharth would look at the newspaper and if there were no minorities ‘above the fold,’the issue wouldn’t fly,”says Mr. Hill, 54. Growing up in a black neighborhood in Washington, D.C., with his grandmother and mother, a bank teller, Mr. Hill admired lawyers because “they dressed nice, spoke nice and acted nice.”He planned to become one. However,aftergraduatingfromHolyCrossUniversity,hejoinedXerox’s sales training program. One of his accounts was the USA Today startup. He jumped on board. His "Aha!" moment came after a particularly grueling sales pitch he made with his team. After winning the account, they developed a team slogan: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” Mr. Hill is completely committed to bringing more young people into today’s digitally transforming newspaper industry. “Kids coming to work here are very smart—smarter than me. But I tell them, ‘No matter how puses. This year half of the 28 hires for Ogilvy’s 12-month rotational smart you are, you’ve got to lose your sense of entitlement. Get someone entry-level program are people of color. In October, Ogilvy received an a sandwich if they ask, and drop the attitude.’” American Advertising Federation Mosaic Award in recognition of the He encourages them to take risks. “Ask, ‘Can we try it this way?’ achievements of Ms. Pedro and her team. Challenge the status quo.” While she has undoubtedly been extremely influential in her nearly Despite economic pressure, Mr. Hill says that“loving your work makes two years at Ogilvy, Ms. Pedro hopes the person she has the greatest financial sense. Love what you do, and the money will follow.” influence on is her 17-year-old daughter. “I think I’ve been able to He sees his future in his current position. “So much to wrap my head show my daughter that she can do whatever she wants—advertising, around—digital, vertical products. It seems like second nature to the kids, law, environmental science. She has choices and options; she has a lot but I’m in there learning with them. I’m expanding.” of opportunities today.” —Ina B. Chadwick —Christine Bunish

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE INNOVATORS HOWARD BUFORD CEO-FOUNDER, PRIME ACCESS, NEW YORK ADCOLOR

When Howard Buford saw the 1990 U.S. Census figures showing people of color to be a growing audience in the U.S. marketplace, he knew the time was right to create a multicultural marketing agency. He was also encouraged by the inclusive policies of the Clinton administration that served as a role model for corporate America. “People take their cues from the top,” he says. With one client and a high-tech answering machine, he opened Prime Access in 1990, offering advertising and marketing communications services that target African-American, Hispanic and gay consumers. Mr. Buford, 49, draws on the expertise he developed working in brand management at Procter & Gamble Co. and in account services at Young & Rubicam, New York, and Uniworld Group and also credits his education—a B.A. in linguistics, psychology and social relations from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School—for his success. “Overall, I had great experiences and great assignments,” he says. “I think that’s unusual for people in advertising in general. Ultimately, I was fascinated with the psychology of advertising and the art of persuading DEVIKA BULCHANDANI people.” EXEC VP-CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER In the early days of Prime Access, Mr. Buford relied on his relation- MCCANN ERICKSON, NEW YORK ships to turn business. But that all changed in 1994, when the agency created a direct-mail piece for AT&T that was clearly targeted at the gay and Studying for her master’s degree in communications at the University lesbian market. A first for a Fortune 500 company, the piece got media of Southern California, Devika Bulchandani was sure of one thing: “I coverage around the world. “We got so much PR … it really put our would never sell my soul by going into advertising.”Her plan was to go agency on the map,” he says. into social marketing and “make a difference in the world.” But the AT&T piece was challenging to create.“A lot of [casting] agen- And for a while she did just that, working on a Ford Foundation- cies wouldn’t send their people over. So a lot of casting we did off the funded project for her native India. street,”he says.“Of course, now we get models from every agency in town But Ms. Bulchandani, 39, found it “really depressing” because “I with no problem.” couldn’t wait forever for results. I’m more of an instant gratification Mr. Buford has been recognized not only for his work, but also for kind of person and need to see results.” extensive community service for African-American and gay, lesbian, bisex- So she moved to New York and did exactly what she said she ual and transgender causes. In 2005, he was recognized by the Southern wouldn’t. She joined McCann Erickson in 1997 and has been moving Poverty Law Center for outstanding dedication and commitment to up the ladder ever since. She says she never really thought much about human rights and equal justice, and he has served as a member of the exec- her ethnicity in the workplace. utive board of GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “I was and am pretty much color blind when it comes to my career,” —Nancy Coltun Webster Ms. Bulchandani says. But she did realize that walking into a room and not speaking like everybody else is “a huge advantage because they listen to you.” She and colleague Eric Keshin, regional director of McCann Erickson North America and chief operating officer of McCann Worldgroup, have a running joke. As she tells it, he teases her that he has all the good ideas, but when she articulates them “with my accent, they sound better.” “One of the things I’ve always done at McCann is wear all kinds of strange Indian things to work. It’s not that I consciously think, ‘Let me be different.’ It’s who I am, and I think that attitude of being comfortable with who I am makes everybody else comfortable and allows them to embrace you.”She says if she has any advice to those of different ethnicities, it would be, “Don’t try to be somebody else.” Ms. Bulchandani says she believes the advertising industry is ideally suited to people who are different because it’s an “idea business, and in anideabusinesspeoplewhoareoff-centerworkaslongastheyare confidently off-center. This is a business where you are looking for things to come out of a different angle, a fresh perspective.” —Nancy Giges

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INNOVATORS JD MICHAELS DANNY ROBINSON VP-DIRECTOR, PRESS, BBDO NEW YORK SENIOR VP-CREATIVE DIRECTOR ADCOLOR MARTIN AGENCY, RICHMOND, VA. “My mother still says that it’s not a question of if you can do something, but a matter of how you’re able to get it done.” That principle serves Jd Michaels well in his role as head of BBDO’s rebranded print department, whose acronym, PRESS, stands for “Producing Relatively Everything Somebody Suggests,” he says. “For just one job, I called NASA, the special-effects director from the Pink Floyd tour and members of Cirque du Soleil. BBDO always wants our ideas to be the first, best and most incredible.” To that end, PRESS used innovative photoluminescent paper for Vegas-like animated signage for Pepsi; crafted 12-foot Havaianas san- dals filled with tropical flowers for an art installation; and used a trans- formation drawing technique to create a five-story image of an international news event seemingly constructed from coaxial cable for “BBC World News.” “My job is rendering the creatives’ imagination, like an in-house Industrial Light & Magic [visual effects company],” Mr. Michaels, 42, explains. “I call it ‘possibility engineering.’” A graduate of Yale University with a degree in literature and an artist who has written symphonies, taught vocal jazz and studied with Los Danny Robinson was introduced to advertising as an assistant product Angeles’ Groundling Theater, Mr. Michaels never intended to get into manager at General Foods Corp.“The times I got most excited was when advertising. A temporary secretarial job at JWT led to an entry-level we had meetings with our agencies,” he recalls. “Frankly, I was better at position in that agency’s print department and a series of hard-to- creative thinking than I was at crunching numbers.” define creative posts (with escalating responsibilities) at FCB in New He landed his first agency job at Guild Group, a small sales promotion York and San Francisco. agency, where he ran the copywriting department. It was the right move to build a solid foundation before co-founding groundbreaking Vigilante Advertising, a joint venture with Leo Burnett Co. Vigilante was positioned as an urban market agency. “A lot of people dubbed‘urban’ a euphemism for‘black,’”Mr. Robinson says.“We defined urban as a psychographic, not a demographic. It’s about consumers of all things urban regardless of race. It’s a sizable and influential group.” At Vigilante he oversaw the ad and event business for Johnnie Walker Black Label and Sprint, expanded the audience for Major League Baseball and launched the Pontiac G6 with “The Oprah Winfrey Show’s” car giveaway. The chance to join the Martin Agency as creative director came as Mr. Robinson, 48, was reconsidering the pace of building a business and weighing the opportunities at an agency he had long admired.“I thought there would be a chance at Martin to do a different kind of work.” So he moved to Richmond and focused primarily on new business, winning significant accounts, including AOL, Sirius Satellite Radio, Hoover and Wal-Mart Stores. Recently he added the title of creative Mr. Michaels remembers the“slight gasps”from people meeting him director of BrandFirst Entertainment, the agency’s new branded-content for the first time in business situations.“The words ‘Kansas City native’ division, to his responsibilities. and ‘Yale graduate’ give people certain mental pictures, none of which Mr. Robinson continues to draw on his experiences at Vigilante. really describes the way I look,” he says. “But now I’m proud to meet “When I [came here], I promised to do more than win accounts and do more and more clients from all sorts of backgrounds and ethnicities.” great work,” he says. “Part of my commitment was to find and hire peo- A member of BBDO’s Diversity Council, Mr. Michaels recently bro- pleofcolor,helpmentorthemandmaketheagencyamorediverseplace. kered a partnership with the council, BBDO’s clients and Marvel At Vigilante, I had an opportunity to hire people who often wouldn’t Comics, creating original co-branded works that address diversity and have gone into the business. Some of them are now marketing managers inclusion. “This initiative takes our clients’ passion for diversity and at corporations and creatives at traditional agencies. I would love to have matches it with our own powers of nationwide communication,” he that kind of impact while at Martin. There is so much more work to do says. “It made my mother realize that all those comics she’s been stor- to make our industry look more like the range of consumers to which we ing actually paid off.” advertise.” —Christine Bunish —Christine Bunish

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE INNOVATORS RISING STARS KEMBO TOM CATHERINE AUGUSTE VP-IDEAS AND INNOVATION, GTM INC., ATLANTA DIGITAL MEDIA PLANNER MINDSHARE-TEAM DETROIT, DEARBORN, MICH. Kembo Tom is a man powered by the love of sound. At the age of 18, he came to the U.S. mainland from St. Thomas. Catherine Auguste has shown at age 23 a maturity and ability to initiate Drawn to the nightlife of Orlando, Fla., he was “blown away” by rave projects that prompted her bosses to offer her a permanent position and house music, and found his niche in the event promotion industry. seven months into a one-year internship. In fact, she skipped the entry- He moved to Atlanta, where he produced some of city’s hottest music level assistant planner role at Mindshare-Team Detroit to become a dig- and entertainment events throughout the 1990s. ital media planner and buyer. “She knows how to apply the digital world to real-world problems and achieve client objectives,” says Lynn Mroz, the agency’s senior VP- group director, digital communications. Ms. Auguste had planned to become an engineer when she entered Michigan State University, but the creativity that comes with an advertising career so attracted her that she switched majors and instead graduated with a B.A. in advertising. “Iconsidermyselfluckytohavebeengiventheopportunity,working in digital, the hot spot of the industry right now,” she says. She has impressed her employer with her initiative and creativity. Soon after she developed an internal presentation explaining why auto dealers should try to reach African-American customers online, Ms. Mroz said she got similar feedback from a groundswell of dealers saying that people of color should be included in online marketing— essentially echoing what Ms. Auguste had already figured out. A Detroit native, Ms. Auguste sees a lack of diversity around her as a challenge to become a role model. She is optimistic that inclusion is a priority because she has seen Mindshare’s efforts increase for Latino, In 1999, he drew on his multifaceted talents working with the City of African-American and Asian recruitment and advertising. Atlanta’s Bureau of Cultural Affairs. While at the bureau, Mr. Tom han- Her parents, natives of Haiti who never attended college, have been a dled all aspects of marketing and production for Atlanta’s annual great influence in supporting her education, and she is now preparing Montreux Jazz Festival. His insight into emerging cultures inspired him to establish Elevation Inc., described as the Apollo Theater of Atlanta and voted Atlanta’s No. 1 venue for seeing the best up-and-coming talent. Over the course of its seven-year run, Elevation was host to such performers as Erykah Badu, Outkast, India Arie and George Benson. Mr. Tom likens the “magical” experience of Elevation to a primitive version of Youtube.com and myspace.com, where people congregate to hear and be heard. In 2000, he cofounded GTM Inc., a strategic lifestyle marketing company with expertise in trendsetting global, urban and popular culture. He develops creative marketing and advertising programs for such clients as Current TV, Nissan, Procter & Gamble Co.’s Tag body spray and Verizon. “There’s no industry quite like marketing if you want to create a creative message,” he says. “At GTM we want to dispel the myth that it’s about race-based marketing. It’s about culture vs. race. That requires us to keep an open lens on diversity.” to start studying for a master’s degree in integrated marketing commu- As a globe-trotting DJ, Mr. Tom furthered his cultural understanding nications while working full time. Ms. Auguste has not forgotten her by seeking out differences and similarities in people from Iceland to Italy heritage. She has served as a translator on seven medical mission trips to to Egypt to Thailand. Mirebalais, Haiti, and is treasurer of a nonprofit organization that aims Mr. Tom lives by the message he gives to people of different ethnic to increase Haitian cultural awareness. backgrounds just starting out: “Bring [your] heritage to the table. Most She advises other people of color to stay up to date on industry news people assimilate and in that we lose crucial insight related to a culture and to make connections. of people. Bring it into play so you are truly valued. That’s what makes “Be proactive, take notes and listen carefully—and network as much a person unique.” as you can,” she says. —Katy Ingulli —Sandra Guy

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE RISING STARS DESMONIQUE BONET KEENAN ELLSBERRY SENIOR ACCOUNT EXEC, GOOGLE INC., NEW YORK VP-HEAD OF INTERACTIVE SOLUTIONS ADCOLOR OGILVY-TEAM DETROIT, DEARBORN, MICH.

As the leader of a team asked to work on many aspects of a clandes- tine digital project—strategy, e-commerce, information architecture and functional templates—Keenan Ellsberry realized the value of different skills. To develop those skills himself, Mr. Ellsberry, 33, followed a circuitous route. Interested in technology, he started working with com- puters in high school. He graduated from Eastern Michigan University, then developed database-driven Web applications in a computer lab. After a number of jobs in Web technology, network management and computer training, Mr. Ellsberry caught the advertising bug when he was hired four years ago as client service manager at ePrize, an interactive promotion agency, handling clients such as Amtrak, Boeing Corp., Columbia House, NASCAR and Tyson Foods. “I thrive on challenges,” he says. “When I’m given objectives, I ask, ‘What can we do with technology to meet these brand awareness or advertising objectives?’ ” Mr. Ellsberry, who returned to school to work for advanced degrees, took advantage of an unexpected offer in 2006 from Ogilvy-

The best birthday gift Desmonique Bonet ever received was not your typ- ical present. It was on her 30th birthday in 2001, when she attended her first sales meeting at Radio One, the nation’s largest urban radio broad- cast company, that she knew she had found her calling. She left the meeting captivated by the exchange of brainstorming for sales ideas sparked by her boss, Cathy Hughes, Radio One founder and chairwoman, the first African-American woman with a company to go public on the New York Stock Exchange. Ms. Bonet was interested in the power of communities and the ways people organize them to achieve personal, political and social change. Since this interest was backed up with a Ph.D. in political science, she jumped at the chance when Ms. Hughes asked her to learn the radio business as her assistant. Within two years, she was ready to move on and joined Interep National Radio Sales as director of marketing, overseeing radio campaigns for such diverse clients as rapper Eminem’s Shady Ltd. Clothing line, Tiffany & Co. and GlaxoSmithKline. In 2006, she joined Google as Team Detroit. Ogilvy identified him as a rising star after seeing his senior account exec, part of a team responsible for applying emerging involvement in contributing to success for its clients: the first acces- digital technologies to radio. sories e-commerce solution in the auto category for Ford Motor Co. She feels a responsibility to help others and spends a considerable and its Custom Accessories brand; another e-commerce first solution amount of her time mentoring young people. “As a person of color, you for Ford Wholesale Parts; the pro bono development of a new Web do think about diversity,” she says. site for child and family services nonprofit Starfish Family Services; At Google, Ms. Bonet has founded the Hispanic Googler Network, is and strategic digital insights for a campaign drive for the United Way part of Google’s Mentor Marketplace, regularly volunteers at Google for Southeastern Michigan. diversity recruiting events and is a member of the Google Culture Club. Mr. Ellsberry says he’s never let racial stereotypes deter him. “I tell She also mentors students through the International Radio & Television others to set your goals; challenge yourself with real-world applica- Society Foundation. tions; surround yourself with people doing what you want to do or Her advice to young people of different ethnic backgrounds who want better; and follow the best until you’re in a position to lead, then fol- to venture into the advertising world:“Have a real passion for it … and be low the best again,” he says. “If you ever fail to meet your goals, don’t a constant learner. Always think big, not just in terms of advertising but in consider yourself a failure. Learn from it and turn the experience into your life as well. You never know where the future is going to take you.” opportunity.” —Katy Ingulli —Sandra Guy

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THE BIG STORY. THE BIG SECRET. THE BIG LIE. THE BIG CHALLENGE. THE BIG THREAT. THE BIG MESS. THE BIG OPPORTUNITY. THE BIG QUESTION. THE BIG FAUX-PAS. THE BIG ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. THE BIG COP-OUT. THE BIG WHOA. THE BIG PICTURE.

CULTURAL, CROSS-CULTURAL AND MULTI-CULTURAL BUSINES INSIGHTS. AN ADVERTISING AGE BLOG WWW.ADAGE.COM/BIGTENT AA_Awards.qxp 11/6/08 3:43 PM Page 30

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE RISING STARS KUNAL MUZUMDAR ANGEL SUAREZ ACCOUNT PLANNER, RAZORFISH, SEATTLE BRAND MANAGER, DISNEY ESPN MEDIA NETWORKS, NEW YORK ADCOLOR

Angel Suarez is used to being first: the first-born of four children, the first in his family to attend a major university and the first to work at a large corporation. The child of U.S. Air Force parents, Mr. Suarez lived in eight states while growing up. “Moving so often made me grow up fast,” he says. He completed high school in three years and at 17 began studying creative writing at Florida State University, where he started an entertainment publication, Speed Magazine, distributed to universities throughout the Southeast. After graduation Mr. Suarez joined Zimmerman & Partners Advertising, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where he managed 25 to 30 auto- motive retail accounts, including some of the largest franchises in the country. But Mr. Suarez’s aspiration was to be at the “center of the marketingworldandgiveNewYorkashot....Iwasverypickyand only wanted to work at a big agency.” He was so thrilled to accept an account management position at Arnold Worldwide in 2006 that he commuted four hours a day from his parents’ house in South Jersey until he moved to Manhattan a year later. At Arnold, Mr. Suarez excelled: A GlaxoSmithKline campaign he Kunal Muzumdar planned to be an engineer, but he changed those worked on won an Effie, and he was elected co-chairman of Arnold’s plans during the first advertising course he took in college. There, he Multicultural Employee Network. His own diverse ethnic heritage thought of advertising as having a kind of “Hollywoodish, cool sort of includes German, Irish, Filipino and Puerto Rican. “Diversity isn’t vibe.” His infatuation—along with the realization that engineering about color, but about celebrating our differences,” he says. didn’t give him enough interaction with people—put him on a differ- Recognizing its importance, Mr. Suarez says, “I don’t let stereotypes ent path. let me feel restricted. The important thing is to keep your eye on the Mr. Muzumdar, 25, never looked back. After graduating from the prize, work hard, treat everyone with respect and you’ll be recognized University of Texas at San Antonio with a B.B.A. in marketing, he for your achievements.” worked at several agencies, including Campbell-Ewald Advertising He has lived his own advice. This year he was recruited by Disney and Young & Rubicam Advertising in Detroit, and in September ESPN Media Networks to become affiliate marketing manager, man- joined Avenue A|Razorfish, now Razorfish, in Seattle. aging brands such as Disney Channel, ESPN and ABC Family He said he has been encouraged by people he has worked with. He throughout the mid-Atlantic region. And he is upward bound already, takes special pride when he recalls top executives at Campbell-Ewald named in June as brand manager of ESPN360.com, a priority broad- praising him soon after he joined in 2007 for his role on a pitch, a les- band product for the company. son that encouraged him to speak up. “Usually impatient,” Mr. Suarez says he is now content. “It’s been a “This is an idea-driven industry. Too often, minorities seem like roller-coaster ride, but it’s only going up and up and up.” they are walking on eggshells,” he says. “I say, ‘You cannot be afraid to —Katy Ingulli have an opinion, and you cannot be afraid to stand up for it.’” He also learned the value of a strong mentor who allowed a new- comer to take on responsibility quickly. Indeed, he was promoted to his mentor’s former job as manager of account planning after his mentor moved on. Mr. Muzumdar has received kudos for pushing himself to uncover the best insights in consumer culture to improve business for his clients. As both a member and student of the Millennial Generation, he provides an inside view of today’s consumer world and offers a valuable perspective on the changing landscape, particularly as it is affected by the digital age. His work has covered the apparel, automo- tive, beverage, finance and food industries, as well as government. At Razorfish, he works on Best Buy, Coors Brewing Co. and Nike. Mr. Muzumdar says he hopes one day to run his own business and seepeopleawardedfortheirownwork,makingtheneedforminori- ty achievement awards obsolete. —Sandra Guy

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buford, devika, jd, danny and kembo, byron, renetta, rashad, carol, and then, oh... stacy and vida, chad, tony and donna, catherine, desmonique, angel and then, um, uh... ellsberry, muzumdar... people of muscle!

(and thanks, too, to rush — aka russell).

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