The ADCOLOR™ Awards

Over 500 of the country’s top diversity advertising executives gathered in Boca Raton Florida, on November 4th. The ADCOLOR™ Awards, a program that honored outstanding diverse professionals at the junior, mid and senior levels in each segment of our industry, was the first of its kind. After this first awards program, ADCOLOR is anticipated to evolve into the next generation of diversity programs (for more info, check out Adcolor.org).  With sponsors like Yahoo, Microsoft, McDonald’s and Google, it turned out to be an electric night!   

The Ad Color Awards opened with a cocktail reception. Networking and introductions to some of the most talented people in our industry was my goal.   The role of niche marketing and boutique agencies dominated most of my conversations. Another popular topic revolved around the future of traditional media and how digital is impacting our industry.  It was inspiring to hear the diverse views and opinions of theses industry influencers.   

The evening continued with opening remarks, dinner and then finally the awards presentation.  There were 15 individuals selected from over 100 nominations. Nominations were based on the person’s ability to: deliver strong outcomes; contribute to their company, industry and/or community; having a reputation as “best in class” by serving as role model for others; and, strong professional character and leadership. The award categories included; The Legend, The Innovator, The Change Agent and The Rising Star.  As each honoree took stage and accepted their award, it was evident that all were passionate about their craft. But most important, was each person’s role as an ambassador for diversity and inclusion in advertising.

By the close of the evening, we were all inspired to head back home and continue to push diversity initiatives and create great work.   Ad Color was a wonderful reminder of all the efforts that have been made in the name of diversity and also a great motivator to “add a little color” to our canvas.

Rebecca