Creativity Demands Diversity

Share Post

Do you recognize who made these apologizes?

Major brands and agencies are apologizing because of their unconscious, cultural bias. They have created work that is offensive and hurtful to different ethnic or racial groups.

What can we do to fix this?

Creative and marketing departments need to reflect the diversity in the United States. The population of the U.S. is 39% minority and becoming more diverse every minute. This year, for the first time in history, minority children out number white children. By contrast our industry is between 10% to 24% African American, Asian and Latinx. (Numbers vary depending on which report you read.)
Frequently agencies ask Miami Ad School to connect them with mid and senior level minority creatives. The school has graduated many fantastic minority creatives. Here are portfolios of three of our art direction and copywriting graduates: Caprice Yu Group Creative Director, EVP, McCann; Donnell Johnson Group Creative Director, Anomaly and Andres Ordonez Chief Creative Officer, Energy BBDO. If you look at their portfolios you can see why they are so sought after, their work is amazing. But there isn’t enough talent to go around. This talent has to be grown.

 


In three years Miami Ad School more than doubled minority enrollment. The diversity program we developed is really working!

— Pippa Seichrist, Co-founder, Miami Ad School


 

Miami Ad School knew if we could attract and train more minority talent we could help companies have more diverse creative departments. In 2016 the school developed and launched a comprehensive minority scholarship and mentorship program. We asked our existing minority students the obstacles they faced in trying to enter the industry. Then we developed a program that addressed these obstacles: knowledge of creative careers, funding, role models and industry connections.

The first 51 students in our minority scholarship and mentorship program graduated. They were hired by these brands and agencies.

There are a lot more students of color getting ready to follow in their footsteps.

The program is getting support from industry leaders. 

This year Facebook, R/GA, VaynerMedia, Canvas, Carmichael Lynch and Campbell Mithun partnered with the school. They are providing funding and mentorship. Learn how your company can do this too!

Cannes Advertising Festival, the largest industry event in the world, has invited Miami Ad School to present the diversity program at the festival. Pippa Seichrist, co-founder of the school, will be presenting along with design student, Sheba Lee, and graduate, Mya Passmore, copywriter at Pandora Music.

Thank you for the photo Shenice Bee, art direction graduate. Shenice is now Production Coordinator at Cashmere Agency, multicultural agency of the year.

Enjoyed The Read?

Grab a free course brochure

Enter your email and download your brochure of choice. You’ll find all the info you need to jump into a new creative career.

[gravityform id="17" title="false" description="false" ajax="true" ]

O network criativo

Faça parte da nossa rede.

Há mais de 20 anos, estamos construindo a rede criativa mais influente do mundo: ex-alunos, profissionais que fazem a indústria e professores. Chegou a sua hora de fazer parte dela.

Quando alguma nova ideia surgir…você será o primeiro a saber. Ou quem sabe essa nova ideia não é a sua?

[gravityform id="12" title="false" description="false" ajax="true" ]

Schedule a Call

Find out more about our admissions process and take the first step towards your dream career today
[gravityform id="10" title="false" description="false" ajax="true" field_values="calendly=https://calendly.com/madkristint"]