Man of the Month: Tom Burrell
Burrell Communications founder talks media messaging, brainwashing and ad exec diversity
Tom Burrell established his legacy when he founded what’s now known as Burrell Communications, a marketing communications agency, in 1971; the company’s focus on the neglected black consumer changed the face of marketing. Though Mr. Burrell officially retired from the CEO post in 2004, he’s now tackling another complex set of issues affecting African Americans, entwining media, social dynamics, history, crime, beauty standards, education and more into his debut book, Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority.
Among other topics, Brainwashed mines messaging, from slavery-era propaganda to modern day media like TV and music videos, to explore how media has contributed to what Mr. Burrell terms the “black inferiority myth.”
“Media is the major carrier of attitudes and beliefs,” says Mr. Burrell. “There’s nothing more powerful than media messages to affect human attitudes and behaviors.”
And while he calls it a “multi-media bombardment of negative images,” as an ad man, Mr. Burrell notes that advertising plays a certain role in creating dominant narratives. He lays partial blame for this on the lack of diversity in the top ranks of major advertising agencies. Though he cites an “infusion” of African Americans into advertising in the 1960s, progress has since stagnated, and even declined.
“If you look at the advertising agency business relative to other categories, you have a very poor performance in terms of the make up of upper management,” he says. “In that sense, we have to give ourselves a pretty poor grade.”
Mr. Burrell identifies several reasons for the lack of diversity: the relatively small size of the ad business that creates a tight, insular inner circle of opportunity; the subjective nature of the product that makes it more difficult for candidates to be judged on pure merit; and a tepid commitment to diversity throughout the industry. These factors combined mean that while a pool of diverse talent is available, they’re not finding a place for themselves in agencies; without diverse voices represented, the historically dominant narratives are perpetuated.
“There are all these efforts to get more African Americans trained for the advertising agency business,” Mr. Burrell observes. “[But] you’re setting these people up and selling them a bill of goods if you’re asking them to study to be excellent in a field where they are not readily accepted. The first thing you have to do is educate the people who do the hiring…If you don’t get real commitment, not just at the top, but throughout the ranks, then you’re not going to get much traction.”
Tagged as: Tom Burrell, Burrell Communications and diversity
is managing editor and electronic media editor of Today's Chicago Woman. She is active in various local and national women’s groups, including Step Up Women's Network, Rape Victim Advocates and the TCW Foundation, and is a member of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Young Professionals. She writes and speaks about local, national and international women's issues, including in her blog, “Twice As Well."
