An Introduction

We’re excited to announce our new diversity blog series. In this series, we will be exploring the objectives of the American Advertising Federation’s Mosaic Principles. We will also be highlighting organizations, brands, and individuals who not only embody these initiatives, but also actively work to promote variety and inclusiveness within the advertising and marketing industries.

Diversity in the media needs a helping hand, and although certain cultural, racial, and sexual representations have progressed, there is always room for improvement.

In advertising and marketing, delivery is everything. Well, research and delivery. We’ve all seen those print ads and commercials that while they may have had positive intentions, fell flat due to odd delivery, questionable relevance, and lack of connection to targeted demographics. Or maybe there were stereotypes being subliminally presented that once noticed, could not be unseen or unheard. That’s what the Mosaic Principles were created for -- to combat stereotypes and improve companies’ ability to establish a relevant connection to their target audiences.

The Mosaic Principles are recommendations for agencies and brands to help them meet the demands of consumers. The Principles are as follows:

1. We must recruit for America.
2. We must recognize the diversity of talent within the industry.
3. We must provide greater access to development and leadership opportunities.
4. We must encourage the industry to portray realistic images of multicultural youth and communities.

The diversity series is just getting started, so make sure to subscribe to the Ad 2 Austin newsletter and follow us on social media for updates on future posts!