2013-02-21 16:42:41 -
Panel Discussion Moderated by Soledad O'Brien, CNN Award-Winning Anchor
New York, NY - February 21, 2013 - In honor of Black History Month, Interpublic
Group's Black Employee Network (BEN), one of the company's business resource
groups (BRGs), hosted a panel discussion, "Black in Advertising & America: Old
Challenges and New Opportunities." The event took place on Tuesday, February 19
at the Time Inc. Building in New York. Soledad O'Brien, Anchor and Special
Correspondent, CNN and author of The Next Big Story, moderated the celebrity
panel. Two authors and two IPG advertising executives discussed the challenges
and opportunities for Blacks in the advertising industry and in America
generally, and how those challenges and opportunities compare.
The two-part panel began with authors Leonard E. Burnett, Jr., co-author of
Black is the New Green:
Marketing to the Affluent African American and Tanner
Colby, author of Some of My Best Friends Are Black: The Strange Story of
Integration in America. The conversation continued with advertising executives
Vann Graves, EVP, Executive Creative Director, McCann Worldgroup and Vita
Harris, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Draftfcb.
The program was webcast nationally to seven cities and included remarks by IPG
EVP, Chief Strategy and Talent Officer, Philippe Krakowsky. Attendees included
IPG employees and multicultural influencers.
"Interpublic's Black Employee Network hosts a number of educational, thought-
provoking events throughout the year," commented Heide Gardner, SVP, Chief
Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Interpublic. "Our Business Resource Groups
are part of a comprehensive, systemic program at IPG that encourages a workplace
that is as inclusive as possible. We are especially excited about this event
that features an exciting combination of IPG talent, authors and an award-
winning anchor. The topic is both relevant and timely - the challenges and
opportunities of African Americans in Advertising and America."
About IPG Diversity + Inclusion MERGE Program
MERGE (Multicultural Resource Groups for Excellence) is the company-wide
employee resource group within IPG. Under the MERGE umbrella, there are national
and local MERGE Councils and Business Resource Groups (BRGs). IPG employees
created cross agency business resource groups to foster an inclusive work
environment as well as to increase networking and business opportunities. These
include the Asian Heritage Group (AHG), Black Employee Network (BEN), the IPG
Gay Lesbian Bi-Sexual, Transgender and Allies (IPGLBT), Hispanic/Latino Heritage
Group (SOMOS) and the Women's Leadership Network (WLN).
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About Interpublic
Interpublic is one of the world's leading organizations of advertising agencies
and marketing services companies. Major global brands include Draftfcb,
FutureBrand, GolinHarris International, Huge, Initiative, Jack Morton Worldwide,
Lowe and Partners, MAGNAGLOBAL, McCann, Momentum, MRM Worldwide, Octagon, R/GA,
UM and Weber Shandwick. Leading domestic brands include Campbell Ewald;
Campbell Mithun; Carmichael Lynch; Deutsch, a Lowe and Partners Company; Gotham
Inc.; Hill Holliday; ID Media; Mullen and The Martin Agency. For more
information, please visit www.interpublic.com.
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Contact Information
Jemma Gould
(Press)
(212) 704-1326
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Source: INTERPUBLIC GROUP OF COMPANIES, INC. via Thomson Reuters ONE
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