Wait a Second...There Are Black People in Advertising?

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By: Dwayne W. Waite Jr.

Believe it or not, the answer is yes. Jim Glover has just come out with a book called Mad Man, and it centers around the plight black advertising creatives have faced in the industry.

Glover's main character is a black creative director who complains about:

- the ceilings he faces,
- the lack of access, and
- hierarchy in agency life

among other things.

This subject has been a point of conversation for years. Advertising Week in New York even created a session to speak solely on diversity and how the agency world can change its perception to make it more welcoming to the black community. Every year, a handful of articles appear talking about the lack of diversity, the racial strains in the ad industry, and what can be done to attract minority talent.

Every year, the same conversations appear. Every year, no solutions are implemented.

Glover's book covers the situation in a rawer light than most. It dives into the psychological effects and, based on reviews, provides a compelling story.

What actions will the advertising industry take based on the revelations of the book?

It is easy to agree that there are not many black advertising professionals. According to the Madison Avenue Project, less than 6% of advertising managers and professionals are black.

It is easy to talk about a problem. Identifying a need or a niche, in the marketing and advertising world, is usually the first and sometimes easiest task. What separates the serious from the finger-pointers is what happens after a problem has been identified.

But then, is the lack of black people in the industry a problem created by the industry itself? What factors lead to black professionals choosing a career in advertising versus a different occupation?

The advertising industry is well aware of the lack of black professionals. But is the problem because of a good-ol'-boy network, or is it more systemic?

Hopefully this book and the commentary of others will help us find answers to these questions.

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About the Author

Dwayne W. Waite Jr. is partner and principal at JDW: The Charlotte Agency, a marketing and advertising shop in Charlotte, NC. He enjoys consumer behavior, economics, and football.

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