Last weekend, ADCOLOR, a US organisation that champions diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the creative industries, announced the winners of its 13th annual awards.
Each year, the ADCOLOR Awards recognise individuals making strides in D&I in the marketing, advertising, public relations, media and entertainment industries. This year’s celebration was hosted by New York Times best-selling author, Luvvie Ajayi, in Los Angeles.
Award winners and honourees were carefully selected from a large population of diverse influencers across the creative industries, according to the award organiser. Those honoured not only excel in their own careers, but also give back to the community and support their peers, it added. The winner in each category is the one who best represents ADCOLOR’s motto “Rise Up and Reach Back”.
RECOGNISING REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Actor, Director, Producer and Activist, Eva Longoria scooped the 2019 Beacon Award presented by Adweek, for her efforts to empower Latinas in STEM education and entrepreneurship, as well as being a voice for diversity in Hollywood. “From her formidable seven-year-old Eva Longoria Foundation that empowers Latinas via STEM education and entrepreneurship to her leadership role calling for diversity in Hollywood, Eva’s remarkable accomplishments are both authentic and action-oriented,” stated Lisa Granatstein, Editor, SVP, Programming of Adweek.
Photo credit: Eva Longoria Foundation.
Nike’s ‘Dream Crazy’ ad, featuring Wieden and Kennedy, picked up the Ad of the Year Award. Google and UN Women were awarded The Most Valuable Partnership Award, which recognises two people or companies that team up for either a short or long-term project that furthers D&I.
Check out the full list of this year’s ADCOLOR Award winners and honorees below.
AWARD WINNERS & HONOUREES
BEACON AWARD: The inaugural Beacon Award honours talent who uses their celebrity as a catalyst to change the status quo in the quest for D&I. It recognises the fearless leaders and rising stars in marketing and media who embody ADCOLOR’s call to “Rise up and Reach Back.”
HONOUREE: Eva Longoria, Actress, Producer, Director at UnbeliEVAble Entertainment
CATALYST AWARD: This award is presented to an individual (or organisation) of note, who uses his or her platform to serve as the voice of a cause or community. Their provocative courage, professional brilliance and selfless community outreach have sparked change and propelled progress within their respective industries and the world.
HONOUREE: Gold House
HONOUREE: AdFellows, a Verizon programme
HONOUREE: The Curly Girl Collective
ADVOCATE AWARD: This award is presented to an LGBT advertising, marketing or media professional who increases awareness of LGBT causes within and outside of the creative industries.
HONOUREE: Emil Wilbekin, Chief Content Officer at Afropunk and Founder at Native Son
LEGEND AWARD: This award is for a trailblazer who isn’t afraid to be different and who shows brilliance in his/her actions, a singular leader in their industry.
HONOUREE: Helen Lin, Chief Digital Officer at Publicis Media
HONOUREE: Steve Pamon, Chief Operating Officer and President at Parkwood Entertainment
HONOUREE: Ted Chung, Founder and Chairman at Cashmere Agency
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: This award is presented to inductees into the AAF Advertising Hall of Achievement or individuals who are seasoned industry veterans who pushed the boundaries and created positive change, setting the stage for generations to come to take the opportunities made by these icons even further.
HONOUREE: Sheldon Levy, Former SVP, Deputy/Associate Head of Production at Saatchi & Saatchi (presented in memoriam)
HONOUREE: Hector Orcí, Founder and Chairman at Orcí Advertising
ADCOLOR | ONE CLUB CREATIVE AWARD: This prize is awarded to creative professionals of multicultural background who have demonstrated noteworthy talent and achievement within the media, creative, digital and traditional advertising disciplines.
HONOUREE: Brandon Rochon, Managing Chief Creative Officer at Kastner and Founder & Chief Creative Officer at snkr INC
HONOUREE: Robert Wong, Vice President, Google and Co-Founder, Creative Lab Google at Google
THE AD OF THE YEAR AWARD: This award recognises a campaign or single execution that is truly brilliant. That pushes boundaries, promotes conversation and highlights the lives of multicultural, LGBT and/or other under-represented Americans in the mass media.
WINNER: Wieden + Kennedy/Nike/“Dream Crazy”
ADCOLOR IN TECH: This award is given to a D&I champion in the tech industries, who has pushed the boundaries and created positive change, setting the stage for other generations to take the opportunities made by this change agent, even further.
WINNER: Danielle Lee, Global Vice President Partner Solutions, Spotify
CHANGE AGENT AWARD: A ‘Change Agent’ is the individual within a company who is using his/her talents and position to enhance the corporate culture and create a more inclusive environment – calling attention to the talents of all types of people. This can be part of, or beyond, the scope of that person’s primary role.
WINNER: Vincent Pierson, Diversity Client Partner, Bloomberg
INNOVATOR AWARD: An ‘Innovator’ is an employee who embodies progress and imagination. He/she stands out among peers as an inclusion game changer and brilliant pioneer in their role, creating breakthrough developments and/or improvements, whether tangible or intangible.
WINNER: Antionette D. Carroll, Founder, President, and CEO, Creative Reaction Lab
ROCKSTAR AWARD: A ‘Rockstar’ is someone who shows brilliance as a leader and visionary in the industry. He/she has a positive track record and the potential to accomplish so much more. Falling in between the Rising Star and the Legend, this individual is creating his or her own path and encouraging others to shine.
WINNER: Dhane Scotti, Integrated Market Lead, Pixel, Google
RISING STAR AWARD: A ‘Rising Star’ is an ‘up-and-coming young gun’ with less than seven years of experience. He/she stands out amongst his/her peers as someone who is brilliant, whose personality shines and whose differences only make him/her and those around them stronger as they move forward in their career.
WINNER: Mariano Pintor, Account Supervisor, McCann NY
MOST VALUABLE PARTNERSHIP AWARD: This award recognises two people or companies that work together to provide exceptional and highly effective diversity solutions within their organisations and industries. They may be an agency, marketer, media company or diverse supplier with NMSDC or WBENC certification that teams up for a short or long-term project that furthers D&I.
WINNER: Google & UN Women, “Courage To Question”
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