The Black-White Divide on Industry Diversity Efforts. Here’s the Facts.
Based on a study of 700 media and advertising professionals conducted just prior to Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter activism, 43% of Black, Hispanic/Latino and Asian professionals in the advertising and media business agreed that the industry is doing its best to advance diversity, equality and inclusion. By comparison, 60% of Caucasian professionals in our community agreed. Only 12% of white people in the ad/media business believed current efforts are insufficient vs. 35% of Blacks, 31% of Hispanics/Latinos and 21% of Asians. The remaining group offered no opinion. The Myers Report, which conducted the survey from February 1 through March 15 for MediaVillage and AdvancingDiversity.org, plans to repeat the survey later this year and again in early 2021. Below are insights gathered on attitudes toward diversity, online education, compensation, on-the-job training, and COVID-19 economic concerns. Respondents represented an accurate representation of the community:
Corporate communities are grappling with the growing recognition that the Black Lives Matter movement is a sustainable reality that requires action. Advocacy without activism is unacceptable. Allyship without proven results is unworthy and moot. It’s time to implement solutions, which AdvancingDiversity.org is publishing separately based on its three-years of research and development in partnership with more than 40 industry leaders. The first step to real change is to understand perceptions.
