THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFESTO

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

By Jo Muse / Chairman & CEO Muse Communications, Inc. +

Originally Published October 30, 2006. Reprinted October 20, 2011. 2006. Muse and the Multicultural Manifesto are trademarks of Muse Communications, Inc.

2
MuseUSA.com

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFESTO

EL MANIFIESTO MULTICULTURAL

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

A new specter is haunting the advertising business -- the threat of multiculturalism. Traditional-thinking clients and agencies have entered into an unholy alliance to eliminate this new possibility in marketing communications. Multiculturalism calls for a transformation that will forever impact this $600 billion market of global commerce. The change that multiculturalists seek will be in the creative departments of global advertising agencies -- in account management, agency finance, media planning and placement, strategic planning -- and in the executive suites of multinational clients and advertising agencies themselves.

LE MANIFESTE MULTICULTUREL

3
MuseUSA.com

Results
will come from publishing this manifesto:

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

These consortiums of visionary people who promote the tenets of multicultural marketing are being eliminated from the ranks of the advertising business. Why hasnt the opposition risen up against the branding reproach of multicultural marketing communications? Can multiculturalists truly succeed against the more resourceful ranks of advertising and marketing generalists? Will they have presence in employment? In executive advancement practices? In recruitment standards?

TWO ONE

M U LT I C U LT U R A L I S M
will be accepted WORLDWIDE as a powerful MARKETING

force unto itself.

With this manifesto and other

open

expressions

of

support for its principles, multiculturalists in the professional and consumer ranks will face the world; publish and speak their views, aims and concerns; and discredit the fairy tale about the menace of multiculturalism. To this end, all multiculturalists, be they Black, Hispanic, Asian, European or otherwise, are being called upon today to publish this manifesto in every language on the planet to have their point of view understood and empowered, wherever advertising and its many sisters exist and

Or is the general marketing practitioners position that equality, diversity and a professionals race have no impact in crafting and bringing advertising messages to market going to succeed?

operate around the globe.

4
MuseUSA.com

The

Culture is more powerful than race, language or ethnicity.

1
9
Nine

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

Tenets of Multiculturalism

MuseUSA.com

In an effort to renew the importance of fundamental sociological observation, multiculturalists assert that when studying culture and its impact on consumer product marketing, focusing on race, language and ethnicity strips professionals of the ability to see how culture impacts consumers. Developing race-based categories for ethnic marketing stigmatizes those professionals who pursue these practices. In the last three decades, African American, Hispanic and Asian-owned advertising agencies have considered themselves separate and distinct from the general marketing process. Today there are fewer people of color in the business as a direct result of this balkanization.

Multiculturalists believe that by focusing on culture, more opportunities will become available to people of all backgrounds who wish to be part of the advertising process. Just witness the current tendency for general advertising agencies to do more multicultural casting in their ad campaigns. Nevertheless, people of color are not producing this work in large enough measure. The fact is that even though the advertising business has expanded in the last 30 years by more than 75% as measured in total dollars, there are fewer people of color working in the industry than in 1980. Eliminating the notion of race politics from the dialogue on employment practices and consumer segments will help

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

The Nine Tenets of Multiculturalism

It is our assertion that the reason for the continued shortage of people of color in the advertising business is the false view that people of European decent have a better capacity to market consumer products than people of color. If the industry indeed practiced a color-blind employment policy, the greater probability, given global population trends, would be the need for an affirmative action program for Anglos due to their under-representation in world urban population centers. The fact is that the only reason people of color are not valued as creative, thoughtful thinkers is that the men controlling the international holding companies are protecting their own power.

expand diversity of employment in all areas of the business, regardless of race or ethnic background. The current trends in employment, despite well-meaning organizations and their diversity efforts, are not favorable to people of color.

6
MuseUSA.com

The

With the emergence of ethnic consumers throughout the in tune with this demographic change.

world, the labor force of the advertising business must stay

2
9
Nine

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

Tenets of Multiculturalism

MuseUSA.com

advertising messages, the people of the world have a responsibility to construct, proliferate and control these messages beyond the force of multinational advertising holding companies. In China, as the market grows for consumer products, the value of having Asian American professionals help open this market is being overlooked. There is little evidence that these Asian American craftspeople are impacting the quality of the images and messages being developed in Asia today. In South America or Africa, there is also little to suggest that African and Hispanic marketing professionals are finding greater opportunity in the international advertising business. Advertising in these new markets is being monopolized by the European, Japanese and American holding companies with little regard for the potential contributions from executives of color.

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

As the international markets open to

The Nine Tenets of Multiculturalism

Message crafters must understand that consumers want images of themselves in the media that project respect, empowerment and realism in ways that non-multiculturalists cannot develop on their own. Like no other industry in the world, advertising lacks African, Hispanic and Asian thinkers in the professional ranks of its creative and strategic planning departments. This demonstrates an obvious disregard for the value of these individuals who will soon be seeking employment in the business.

Institutions of higher learning must understand how this bias is propagated. Multiculturalists must speak out about the silent practices that keep people of color from being nurtured and empowered in all aspects of the advertising business.

M u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t s m u s t h a r n e s s s o c i a l a n d p o l i t i c a l f o rc e s i n t h e

world to make executives of advertising holding companies and their clients understand that this lack of progress will no longer be tolerated. Their will to fight for diversity and the full integration of the work force must be tested. Otherwise a multicultural work force in advertising will not exist in our lifetime.

8
MuseUSA.com

The

Attempt the extraordinary and the world will move in your favor -- in ways sometimes planned, and sometimes never imagined.

3
9
Nine

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

Tenets of Multiculturalism

MuseUSA.com

Multiculturalists must take risks in the workplace to advance the progress that must occur from this day forward. Those at the client level must take their agencies to task for not having a work force that looks like the world clients sell products in. If the agency resists, then force it to provide proof of its commitment to affirmative action regarding the employment of people of color. If they have Chinese in China, they should have a fair representation of Chinese wherever they do business. Given the Chinese Diaspora throughout the civilized world, a focus on their employment figures is a critical matter in this business of multicultural marketing and advertising.

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

The Nine Tenets of Multiculturalism

In the end, the will of corporate America to sell products to all qualified consumers will win out. Trust the movement, and stand and present the principles of multiculturalism right where you are. The multicultural movement is not only behind you, it is you.

Multiculturalists believe that an open dialogue needs to begin between government and business organizations to ensure that monitoring of employment practices is constant, regular and in keeping with corporate diversity practices.

Taking advertising agencies to task will certainly create a dialogue and perhaps foster career development for people of color.

10
MuseUSA.com

The

Anticipate the unexpected. The changes of the millennium will surpass our current understanding of race, ethnicity, culture and community.

4
9
Nine

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

Tenets of Multiculturalism

11

MuseUSA.com

Multiculturalists understand that the demographic changes in world population will ultimately change the way companies do business. What is unknown is how fast these changes will occur. Over the last three decades, demographic changes have outpaced population projections. In the heart of this sea change lies the growth of mixed-race youth. As they inherit this world, the changes to be expected in terms of world culture and ideas about race and ethnicity will alter the practice of marketing. No longer will there be a general market construct that does not take into account the impact culture has on consumer values and behavior.

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

The Nine Tenets of Multiculturalism

A first sign of this transformation is the phenomenon of hip hop and how it has permeated the world of commerce. Soon there will be a need for corporations to be more authentic and realistic about the portrayal of these trendsetters. Thinly veiled imitations and poorly constructed messages will not resonate with this target. There will be a need to reassess how marketers do business in the global marketplace, and how authentic cultural intelligence can contribute to a brands success.

12
MuseUSA.com

Multiculturalists know that the time is fast approaching when advertising and its sister industries will be required to go beyond homogenized messages in order to provide fresher, more authentic and more realistic portrayals of these new consumers. These changes will bring advertising holding companies to their knees, and it will be the multiculturalists who will inherit their power and control this brave new world of advertising. Multiculturalists know that the protectionists are capitalizing on the rise of the Hip Hop Nation, and that the multicultural talent currently being co-opted will not garner any true power in advertising, such as having control of media dollars or direct contact with the CEOs of leading clients. That is, their wings are clipped.

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

The Nine Tenets of Multiculturalism

Multiculturalists know that these arbitrary media research models can be retooled so that all ethnic media can be properly categorized as not only a trusted source of news in ethnic communities, but also a platform to

Until these multicultural specialists are provided real access to the executive suites of the corporations that seek their advice, the clients understanding of these popular culture mavens and their cultural insight will be minimized by the protectionists.

enhance the credibility and authenticity of products and services advertised in these arenas. Giving greater consideration to ethnic media is our goal in this increasingly multicultural world. To do so will empower communities and the families who live in them to buy the products clients and advertisers sell.

Multiculturalists call for opening the highest levels of client organizations to cultural specialists, and for giving them control of client media budgets as well. Ethnic media has been segregated and marginalized too long by the institutionalization of self-serving research methodologies. They serve little purpose other than to support the mainstream media, and to discount the value of those reliable ethnic media organizations throughout the world that are using language and culture as a means to create integrity and trust with many racial groups.

13
MuseUSA.com

The

Recognize and appreciate our greatest resource -the diversity of our people.

5
9
Nine

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

Tenets of Multiculturalism

14

MuseUSA.com

The global consumer market is a mixture of races, cultural traditions and languages that will require an ever-increasing number of people who know how to best interpret these evolving

consumer needs. Providing the best cultural insights will require an expansion in multicultural staff, an increase in knowledge sharing and a shift in cultural attitude that cant be accomplished

with protectionists controlling the involvement of people of color in the business. Cross-culture communications at every level of the global advertising spectrum will ensure that clients will

acquire better messaging in their brand communications in every country. Multiculturalists will help lower the cost of marketing communications throughout the world, as well as reduce

dependence on a European perspective. International communication can be replaced with truly world-class communicators who know that the multicultural approach is not just good business but the key to a successful marketing enterprise. The challenge will be on the protectionists to open their ranks to include multiculturalists at all levels of agency management. In the near future, advertising agencies will employ executives of color to run their billion-dollar franchises. Up to now, the employment of people of color as senior executives of international holding companies has been nearly non-existent. Now is the time for multiculturalists to demand fair employment practices at the executive level.

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

The Nine Tenets of Multiculturalism

15
MuseUSA.com

The

Seek knowledge about the lives of those we live

among, and move forward with leadership to foster

ZONES OF COMMONALITY in marketing communications.

6
9
Nine

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

Tenets of Multiculturalism

16

MuseUSA.com

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

The Nine Tenets of Multiculturalism

Multiculturalists understand that research and account planning are powerful tools in fostering cross-cultural communication. Presently, the protectionists have taken little advice and counsel with respect to cultural specialists who advocate the use of these marketing planning tools to determine the efficacy of target markets. Clients are not spending enough to learn about the multicultural consumer.

to consumers, advertising and marketing communications can promote the commonalities of humanity and use these common bonds to make the world a better place.

On the other hand, protectionists use their sometimes stereotypical and thoughtless imaginings to implant racial prejudice and misunderstanding.

Also lost in the ignorance of the research imperative to learn about emerging markets is the possibility that so-called ethnic consumers offer great insight into the motivations and trends of the overall marketplace. What happens in U.S. The general

Rather than being held in low regard by the public, advertising can be seen as a mirror into the world of human behavior and provide more than pseudoentertainment -- it can proliferate racial and cultural understanding. Advertising can inspire and inform. The protectionists see themselves as white-faced entertainers who embed powerful images that do little to inform or educate. The caliber of advertising can improve with just the simple acknowledgement that we are more alike than different, and that the more these messages are crafted by people of color, the more they will resonate with and educate the people of the world.

cities finds its way to the streets of Nepal, Tokyo or Budapest.

market and multicultural consumers are indeed linked. They share common bonds and an affection for consumption. The use of these zones of commonality can in fact build bridges of multicultural understanding that will foster acceptable forms of communications and involvement throughout the world of consumerism.

A multiculturalist believes that in addition to selling goods and services

17
MuseUSA.com

The

7
9
Nine
Consumers want image-makers and messagecrafters who look, act, feel and think like them.

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

Tenets of Multiculturalism

18

MuseUSA.com

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

The Nine Tenets of Multiculturalism

We do not need artificial diversity programs; the business simply needs a fair and purposeful playing field that is accountable to the clients, governments and agencies that employ the thousands of people in the world who see advertising as a worthwhile career.

Multiculturalists know that having more people of color in the business will spark better creative ideas and achieve better thinking for the client and the brands we promote. Improving alleged minority hiring by 20% would be a huge breakthrough for the business at large, not just at the holding companies but also in the small, entrepreneurial agencies around the world, whether owned by African Americans, Japanese, Germans or the French.

Consumers want advertising that speaks to them. The more highly evolved the messages are, the more consumers will relate to and respond to them. Multiculturalists know that the inclusion of people of color in the business will be seen as a leap forward for advertising. The consumer will also take notice and have a more meaningful understanding of the role of advertising in society. This would be great for the business. After years of stagnation, advertising might experience a renaissance like never before. Perhaps one day advertising professionals will be viewed as individuals of purpose and integrity.

Multiculturalists know that the world is a remarkable model for an advertising agency.

Multiculturalists know that the lack of so-called minorities in advertising is artificially arranged.

19
MuseUSA.com

The

If advertising holding companies had it right, the advertising business would not need multiculturalists.

8
9
Nine

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

Tenets of Multiculturalism

20

MuseUSA.com

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

The Nine Tenets of Multiculturalism

But after the wave of women in the business in the 1940s, little regard was given for showing the same inclusion to Africans, Hispanics and Asians. Instead the

protectionists constructed barriers and used the general market concept as code for White. People of color were systematically excluded from entry into advertising at a time when they were most needed. These practices have fostered an industry that remains the most segregated in America and perhaps the world.

Multiculturalists know that fixing this is as simple as giving the thousands of highly creative people of color who have an interest in being in the business a chance to grow and prosper -- not just in niche marketing but in the global market where their cultural intelligence can be valued like that of any true professional.

About 100 years ago an advertising model was created called the general market concept. It was meant to suggest that all people had commonalities and that by understanding this grand design, you could reach husbands, housewives and their families with a single message. After 10 decades and 15 generations, the model still works, even though agencies have long forgotten the basic principle of inclusion that makes general marketing work.

The general market model can still work today; we just need to employ people at general agencies who reflect the world as we know it. Inclusion is the key, not protectionism.

Before the days of purported program integration, the business of advertising was a WASP male business. Then came the Jews, Italians, Germans and Brits.

LATER CAME WOMEN

21
MuseUSA.com

The

As clients change so will the advertising business.

9
9
Nine

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

Tenets of Multiculturalism

22

MuseUSA.com

Multiculturalists know that in the end, the changes that will occur in advertising will come from the clients, for agencies will give them what they want as they have for decades. Clients who are multiculturalists know that an agency should look like the consumers that the brand wants to reach. They must hold their shops accountable and preach the benefits of multiculturalism in boardrooms, at company picnics and even on production shoots. The multiculturalists client knows that a production for his global brand should look more like Babylon than white suburbia. Clients know that in the end the consumer will decide. Can a client ever forget the look on any consumers face when he or she stays loyal to the brand because it stands for the same values the consumer wants? Multiculturalism is not a call from the remote outback that has no impact on consumerism; it exists in the hearts and minds of Americans, Australians, Africans -- in all people.

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

The Nine Tenets of Multiculturalism

It is time for the forces of multiculturalism to change the way clients think about their brands. It is time for those who believe in these values to stand up and be counted. If you have read this manifesto and are a multiculturalist, unleash this message on the world by e-mail. Post the manifesto in chat rooms. Send it to clients. Fax it to the heads of multinational holding companies. Send it to your brother or a college student who might be considering advertising as a career. Own it. Speak to it. Come up with your own way of conveying the importance of multicultural thought in advertising.
Now is the time for multiculturalists to be heard around the world -- in agencies, pubs and living rooms everywhere.

23
MuseUSA.com

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFEST

By Jo Muse / Chairman & CEO Muse Communications, Inc. 9543 Culver Blvd. Fl. 2 Culver City, CA 90232 310.945.4100 + 5358 Melrose Ave. Suite 209W Hollywood, CA 90038 323.960.4080

24
MuseUSA.com

THE MULTICULTURAL MANIFESTO