Corporate Insider Exposes Racism and 'Urban Culture' Hustles within Marketing and Advertising Industries
"Knock the Hustle" exposes the rampant racism and abuse of affirmative action and diversity initiatives within the marketing and advertising worlds. "Knock the Hustle" also breaks down how marketers manipulate clients, employers and consumers in the name of profit. It's an explosive tell-all from an 11 year industry insider.
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) February 3, 2005 -- “It’s been going on since Day One—
the prejudice and institutionalized discrimination,” says Hadji Williams, an
11-year veteran of the advertising industry. In his new book, "Knock the
Hustle": How to Save and Your Life from Corporate America (www.knockthehustle.com,
ISBN: 1-932523-00-6, $24.95), Williams exposes what he calls, “the hooded white
elephant in the room that my near-95% White industry still refuses to fix.”
As a respected copywriter and brand consultant, Williams has spent the
last decade plus with top Chicago and New York ad agencies and marketing firms
building major Fortune 500 brands including Mercedes Benz, Wrigley’s Gum,
Cingular Wireless, and Radio Shack. “I wrote "Knock the Hustle", in part, after
years of talking with black and minority professionals across the country and
realizing just how entrenched and systemic the prejudice remains and how much
it’s still hurting everyone.”
"Knock the Hustle" is filled with
surprisingly current case studies that illustrate the severity with which racism
still pollutes Madison Ave., from personnel decisions to the way minority
culture and consumers are manipulated to build brands to the Jim Crow-like
policies under which accounts are awarded and compensated. “First off, we still
treat diversity as mainly blondes, brunettes, redheads plus gay versions
thereof. Secondly, white women benefit from corporate diversity and affirmative
action more than everyone else and everyone knows exactly why. Plus, what few
Black professionals we have are paid less than their white counterparts and
given fewer opportunities to excel. Thirdly, Black agencies are often banned
from pitching mainstream (white) accounts, which are the most lucrative.”
Williams explains. “Furthermore, Black agencies, media outlets and vendors are
grossly underpaid and disrespected despite consistently pulling in white
consumers in addition to their minority core. For generations White agencies and
marketers have made hundreds of billions of dollars off of Black consumers and
Black culture (music, fashion, entertainers, etc.) yet they screw Black
marketing and media professionals out of their share. It’s time to stop
it.”
But Williams notes that "Knock the Hustle" goes beyond blame. “My
generation isn’t about excuses or handouts; we’re about solutions. So while
"Knock the Hustle" brings the ruckus, it also delivers intelligent, fair
solutions that benefit all,” Williams claims. “Marketing is a multi-billion
dollar industry— there’s more than enough cream for everybody.”
Williams
also believes that "Knock the Hustle"'s unapologetically urban perspective
offers fresh, innovative solutions for business’s toughest challenges ranging
from corporate ethics and leadership, to diversity and workforce management, to
branding and building consumer relationships. “Whether you’re a CEO, a
secretary, in college or right off ‘the block,’ "Knock the Hustle" will broaden
your mind and empower you to excel in business and in society in a way that you
can be proud of.”
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/2/prweb204504.htm