Hasta La Creative!

M&C Saatchi global creative director Justin Tindall caused a storm last week when, in a weekly critique of advertising, he professed himself “bored with diversity being prioritized over talent.”

Following an outpouring of scorn and horror, the next day the same publication gave space to Cheil U.K. creative director Caitlin Ryan to answer Tindall. Ryan delivered an intelligent rebuke from the point of view of a young male creative forced to suffer the “horrors” of a female dominated ad agency industry with stuff like “make-up desks” and “group periods” as standard.

M&C Saatchi, bulwark of the U.K. ad agency industry with Establishment leaders like Lord Maurice and Charles Saatchi, were undoubtedly horrified at the PR debacle. Tindall got to write an apology, also taking the opportunity to style himself asguess what?a pro-diversity leader and cast-iron credentials. He further volunteered that making Adland diverse was not a matter for a quick-fix but for long-term strategizing. (That sound you can hear is diverse candidates pushing a career in advertising further down their consideration list.)

Continue reading at AdAge.com