A special advertising section of The 2009 ADCOLOR® Awards presented by: Arnold, CNN, Google, Microsoft Advertising, The Home Depot, Omnicom Group, One Club SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2009 Awards Journal sponsored by Advertising Age SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE ‘THIS IS YOUR SONG‘ “Thank you, thank you, thank you, you’re far too kind… INSIDE hold your applause, this is your song, not mine.” PAGE 4: Building a New Era It’s one thing to market a post-racial world, — Jay-Z, The Blueprint 3 but it’s another to actually build and live in one. And build one we must, says Ken Wheaton, assistant managing editor of ay-Z could not have created a more timely and Advertising Age. pitch-perfect soundtrack for AdColor. The archi- PAGE 6: AdColor Thank You tects of AdColor’s blueprint want no awards, need AdColor thanks the people who have no applause and receive no accolades; they simply made the AdColor Awards a success for the third year. act on behalf of furthering the belief that diversity PAGE 8: Our Sponsors Jcreates not only innovation, but also limitless possi- A look at the many companies supporting bilities. From the beginning, their only motivation has been this year’s AdColor Awards. the industry’s opponents telling them what they could not PAGE 10: The New AdColor be—a catalyst for real change. Now their hard work and After two years of success, the AdColor Industry Coalition is expanding its unsung participation in AdColor’s mission have created a mandate—as well as its membership— foundation on which current and future generations of professionals of color have and to broaden its message, and its work, will build their dreams. of inclusion in advertising, marketing and media. Hundreds of years ago, Napoleon Bonaparte said,“A leader is a dealer in hope.”That PAGE 14: AdColor Honorees line may have launched a thousand dreams, but the reality is that the true and everlast- This year’s AdColor Awards honor 17 ing equality our society dreams of has had trouble getting off the launching pad despite individuals and three companies in seven the best efforts of leaders, policy-makers and barrier breakers. A speaker at this year’s categories: All-Star, MVP, One ClublAdColor Creative of the Year, Legend, Change 4A’s Leadership Conference said that mobile has been the “next revolution for the last Agent, Innovator and Rising Star. eight years.” I argue that diversity in advertising has been the next revolution for the last PAGE 16: Cristina Saralegui 50 years. MS&L Worldwide The quiet revolution the AdColor Industry Coalition launched in 2005 has been Egami Consulting Group fueled very consistently by monthly coalition meetings, the impassioned award nomina- PAGE 17: Jimmy Smith tions submitted by proud companies, the hundreds of unbillable hours donated by PAGE 18: Ernest Bromley members of the AdColor Awards Steering Committee, the world-class contributions of Gilbert Davila our diverse vendors and sponsors, the unique stories of success offered by our honorees PAGE 20: Monica Gadsby and, finally, the powerful network established not only among the Friends of AdColor Sheldon Levy and alumni of The AdColor Awards but also the Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and PAGE 21: Karla Gray-Mayers Twitter communities. Procter & Gamble Co. AdColor is the new hope dealer in the advertising, marketing and media industries. Edgar Sandoval During these uncertain times, President Obama has shown all of us that hope could PAGE 22: Michele Thornton Antoinette Zel move mountains—or at least get you the possibility of being chiseled into one. My hope PAGE 23: Eduardo Dehesa-Conde is that AdColor will continue to etch new faces, stories and pathways to success into the Grace Hon rocky history of our industries. At this year’s AdColor Awards, as in the past, stars will PAGE 24: Maria Lopez-Knowles be born. Let’s not only clap for them and the advertising, marketing and media indus- LaTanya Beauregard tries that helped to create them, but also remind our Honorable Mention, Rising Star, PAGE 25: Joydeep Dey Change Agent, Innovator, Legend, MVP,One Club|AdColor Creative of the Year and All- Christian Jackson ✰ Star honorees that they are already home. PAGE 26: Phil Jackson Honorable Mentions Tiffany R. Warren Founder, AdColor and the AdColor Awards Cover: Gary Mack Chief Diversity Officer, Omnicom Group Creative Director, NBA OCTOBER 4, 2009 I ADCOLOR I 3 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE ADCOLOR BUILDING A ‘POST-RACIAL’ WORLD ere we are, almost one full year Tiffany R. Warren may have shifted from an into the administration of agency to a holding company (and may have Barack Obama, and every corner slacked off on her blogging for a certain publica- of the country—right down to tion), but she’s still at the helm of the AdColor the advertising industry—is a awards, steering the ship straight. fireside circle of diversity. On top of community- and pride-building HOK. So not quite. efforts such as the awards show, AdColor is work- By now, I think even those who expected Barack ing in other areas. This year at Advertising Week, Obama to usher in a new, post-racial era in American the AdColor Coalition announced it would be life (c’mon, you know there were a few of you) remem- expanding into a full-fledged membership organ- ber now that progress isn’t ever so easy. And that suc- ization. That way, agencies, advertisers, media cess in one area doesn’t automatically lead to success in organizations, research firms, production compa- another. nies and associations can actively participate in But there is a key lesson to be learned by comparing the Coalition forums, events and task force meetings, “helping us to Obama campaign to the Obama administration. It’s one thing to build and share the knowledge and experience that will mean- market a post-racial world, as Mr. Obama did to a certain ingfully and sustainably advance diversity throughout the mar- extent—and as we tend to do sometimes in advertising. It’s keting industry.” another to actually build and live in one. Some, of course, will question the value of this work—saying And build one we must. it’s not enough. More is needed, they say. Even if some question the value that the perspective of a Maybe more is needed. I’ve always been quick to bang that “wise Latina” might bring to the nation’s highest court, I don’t drum. But why is it that some of those who grouse about efforts think anyone in the advertising trenches would pass up a waged on behalf of diversity so often have a surplus of criticism chance to get a wider range of views involved at the ground but a paucity of practical ideas? And why does the criticism level on any and all marketing efforts. Such perspectives are not seem to so often be laced with an urge to tear down the efforts only good for business, they have the added benefit of helping of others? to prevent some boneheaded mistakes. (One only need Google I’ve probably mentioned it in this letter in previous years (and the phrase “Texican Whopper” to see an example of one such I’ll continue to do so in the future), but one of the most inspira- mistake—and be reminded that this phenomenon isn’t unique tional things about the AdColor Awards—and the Coalition’s to the U.S.) mission in general—is the insistence on reaching back and So the work continues. You show up for work to crank out pulling up those who come after you. killer creative for your agency and clients, doing your small part At its best, this is an industry of inspiration, and the AdColor and hoping that your own brand of wisdom seeps into the culture Awards show is nothing if not an example of the industry at of the agency as a whole. its best. ✰ The folks at AdColor do the same. Ken Wheaton is assistant managing editor of Advertising Age. Jackie Ghedine Karen Egolf Kathleen Barnes Barbara Knoll Managing Director, Sales Editorial Director, Christine Bunish Copy Editor 212-210-0725 Custom Programs Julianne Hill [email protected] 847-577-9032 Katy Ingulli Hara Allison [email protected] Nancy Coltun Webster Art Director Angela J. Carola Writers Director, Sales Strategy Nancy Giges Jeanine Dunn 212-210-0407 Section Editor Richard K. Skews Section Design [email protected] Associate Editor Kate Costanzo Production Manager 4 I ADCOLOR I OCTOBER 4, 2009 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF ADVERTISING AGE ADCOLOR AN ADCOLOR THANK YOU AdColor Industry Coalition I humbly thank the AdColor Industry Coalition, the 2009 AdColor Nominations & Criteria Subcommittee NANCY HILL, CO-CHAIR Awards Steering and Selection committees and our exclusive trade President-CEO media, presenting, friend, in-kind sponsors and preferred vendors for MARK ZANGRILLI, CHAIR American Association of Advertising Agencies your selflessness, unwavering dedication, time and financial support. Publicis USA BOB LIODICE, CO-CHAIR DARLA PRICE, VICE-CHAIR President-CEO The third and most exciting chapter of the AdColor story has been Saatchi & Saatchi Association of National Advertisers written. It reads: The tireless work of nine founding coalition members; ALVARO CIFUENTES 64 volunteers; 48 sponsors; 104 nominees; and 20 honorees helped con- DAS Latin America Executive Committee tinue a movement that is entering its most important phase. CARL DESIR CONSTANCE CANNON FRAZIER JWT Exec VP-Corporate Programming and Development Tiffany R.Warren TARA J. GARCIA American Advertising Federation Chair, AdColor Awards Steering Committee Arnold New York JIM DATRI FELICIA GEIGER President-CEO Deutsch Inc. American Advertising Federation CAROL WATSON GINA GRILLO Branding & Collateral SINGLETON BEATO Tangerine-Watson Executive Director Subcommittee JWT Advertising Club of New York CARL DESIR AdColor.org Subcommittee CHRISTINE MANNA SALLIE MARS, CHAIR JWT McCann New York Chief Operating Officer JOSÉ FERNANDEZ CHRIS MONTGOMERY, CHAIR Association of National Advertisers GARY MACK, VICE-CHAIR Deutsch Inc.