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Industry awards shows are known for being uplifting affairs, and Adcolor’s weekend gathering in Los Angeles did not skimp on its displays of positivity, pomp and passion.
But along with saluting the cream of the crop in creative fields, the 17th annual event also spotlighted the harsh realities facing people of color and marginalized communities in the workplace—and, more broadly, in a divisive American environment.
“In a world where the striking down of affirmative action casts a heavy shadow over us, we are reminded of the persistent barriers that hinder true inclusivity,” Tiffany R. Warren, Adcolor founder and president, said from the stage at the J.W. Marriott LA Live. “At a time when apathy toward diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives is on the rise, we must not only acknowledge but actively counter this indifference.”
A number of the night’s honorees used their acceptance speeches to draw attention to hot button issues of the day. Jerri DeVard, founder of the Black Executive CMO Alliance, said this year’s Adcolor conference and awards tagline of “Double Down and Double Up” is vitally important as “individuals and companies who believe in the power of true diversity are under attack.”
“We’re in the fight of our lives,” said DeVard, a Lifetime Achievement honoree. “But we’re in familiar territory.”
Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, an honoree in the Advocate category, called 2023 a “devastating year for the LGBTQ community,” noting there have been “over 500 anti-LGBTQ bills in state legislatures across the country, hundreds of acts of violence. And next year is on track to be even worse—not just for queer people but for all marginalized people.”
“Extremists and unchecked social media voices” are filling information gaps with hate, Ellis said, imploring the brands and executives in the room to speak out in favor of equal rights.
“The next generation of consumers and employees expect you to take a stand on the right side of history,” Ellis said.
In a message directed at his fellow marketing leaders, Steven Wolfe Pereira referenced the lip service that has left previous diversity pledges largely abandoned. He called out “all the bullshit that’s happening around this industry, where people who say they’re going to commit to diversity and then they turn a blind eye.”
