Publicis Once & For All Coalition Is Making Change in the Ad Marketplace

Founded and led by Publicis Media, the Coalition is a multi-year initiative to increase equitable investment and improve representation for underserved and minority suppliers. The Coalition is a partnership between Publicis Media, its clients, diverse and mass market suppliers, research firms Comscore and Nielsen, and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM)

"The goal is to establish new diverse-owned content, media buying initiatives, and increase opportunities for diverse suppliers and creators," Vice President Rejon Thomas-Ferdinand explained. "We've sparked new ways of working and delivered new processes on how to approach the marketplace, and we've opened the apertures for new suppliers and brought in new partnerships."

At a time when the media and advertising industries are fortifying their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the Coalition's work is timely and prescient. Brands and agencies are directing more dollars to reach multicultural audiences.

But there's more to be done, Thomas-Ferdinand noted. "It is imperative that we go beyond spend," she said. "How do we invest and measure media? How do we create content and do inclusive marketing? It is a collective problem to solve."

The Coalition has focused on three core initiatives with tangible actions and activities, and the efforts are coming to fruition.

1) Invest in Diverse Content Creation and Production

To nurture diverse programming and creators, Publicis Media's APX Content Ventures Inclusion Investment Fund invested $25 million to support diverse content creation.

The Coalition's content investment supports multi-platform content. Several shows have hit the market, including Aspire TV's 6 Minutes to Glory: The HBCU Band Experience, which followed six HBCU bands as they prepared to compete in the HBCU All-Star Battle of the Bands event, and a streaming series with Alpha Precision media,5GRV: Gamers on the Road, a reality show featuring three Black female gamers on a 10-day road trip visiting HBCU campuses.

There's more to come. Thomas-Ferdinand said the Coalition is funding more than 25 concepts with a dozen media partners.

2) Improve the Planning Process

The Coalition is developing tools and programs to help brands and agencies increase their multicultural planning and spending. So far, Publicis Media has developed nine new media buying and planning tools across its three verticals to chart best practices. The goal, Thomas-Ferdinand explained, is to improve the measurement of consumer sales lift, return on investment and KPIs.

3) Hone in on Measurement

The group launched a market measurement pilot with 18 of its advertisers and five measurement partners at the end of last year, Thomas-Ferdinand explained. The tool will help evaluate the impact of diverse consumers and suppliers on business outcomes.

A reflection of the industry's focus on DE&I, the Coalition is proliferating. It currently counts about 60 members, including Publicis clients, mass market and diverse-owned, -operated and/or -targeted suppliers and measurement firms.

In two years, Thomas-Ferdinand said members have 50% higher budget allocations toward diverse media and engage with 40% more diverse suppliers vs. non-Coalition members.

Since taking the helm of the Coalition a year ago, Thomas-Ferdinand has served as the program's point person. She calls on advertiser and supplier members, facilitates communications and best practices and leads the group's gatherings. She said the Coalition's members and the ad industry are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and she keeps Coalition members focused and on task … The Coalition meets in person quarterly, and smaller groups, such as advertisers and suppliers, gather regularly. Stakeholders keep in touch through a LinkedIn group, newsletters and virtual meetings. Thomas-Ferdinand said they're working towards common goals: Better investment, measurement, inclusive content and marketing.

"We know that we need to do better as an industry … and we're working toward progress," she concluded. "All players need to come together to address and break down legacy barriers, and the Coalition is allowing for a new level of community and commitment to build a more equitable ecosystem together."

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