Motivated by the lack of diversity in their field, a new coalition comprised of four Atlanta advertising agencies launched Friday to promote diversity and inclusion in Atlanta and ultimately help the city stand apart as a destination for new advertising talent.
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According to Adweek, Atlanta agencies 22squared, JWT Atlanta, Fitzgerald & Co. and Moxie make up the Advertising for Change (AFC) coalition.
For its first project, AFC collaborated with an intern program to promote the city’s advertising community to young talent.
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Ten interns from across the nation interested in learning what Atlanta has to offer were selected for the initiative, each assigned to one of the four Atlanta agencies. As they rotate weekly meetings with the other three agencies, the interns will be exposed to multiple cultures.
As teams of two, according to Adweek, the interns will also craft a pitch for an Atlanta-based nonprofit of their choice. At the end of the program, one intern will earn competing job offers to work at one of the four agencies.
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The coalition also plans to host “portfolio boot camps” and affordable advertising courses in the future.
"The state of diversity in advertising has been less than satisfactory for a very, very long time," Singleton Beato, 4A's executive vice president, told Adweek. "The AFC coalition is an outstanding example of how, by working together, our agencies can help drive the entire industry toward the type of change that can break down the systemic challenges of our past."
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