Adcolor Names Droga5 Its Creative Agency of Record

Adcolor, a nonprofit that aims to champion diversity, equity and inclusion in creative industries, has selected Droga5 as its creative agency of record. According to Droga5, it will work with Adcolor on a pro bono basis, helping the organization capitalize on the “increased engagement and overall awareness” it’s experienced throughout the past year thanks to virtual, rather than in-person, programming. The Accenture-owned agency also said it will “drive the evolution of Adcolor’s business model,” but did not share further details. The nonprofit was founded in 2005 by Tiffany R. Warren, who recently left her role as Omnicom Group’s svp and chief diversity officer to take on a similar position at Sony Music Group. In addition to its annual conference, which took place virtually for the first time last year, Adcolor has an awards program as well as an initiative called Futures that provides mentorship and training opportunities to young professionals. Last year, Adcolor’s Beacon Award, which honors “individuals of note who use their considerable platform to change the status quo in the quest for diversity, equity and inclusion,” was given to Black Lives Matter founders Alicia Garza, Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Opal Tometi. “We’re ecstatic to partner with Droga5 and tap their industry-leading skills to evolve our brand and continue pushing boundaries in the DE&I world,” Warren, who serves as president of Adcolor, said in a statement. “We’re confident Droga5’s top-notch creativity and brand thinking coupled with Adcolor’s immense ambition will help us take the organization—and the way our community experiences our brand—to the next level.” In the coming months, Droga5 will assist the nonprofit as it prepares for Adcolor Everywhere, which will encompass its 15th annual awards, conference and Futures program. At this time, Adcolor has not shared information regarding whether the event will involve in-person components, or which elements will take place virtually. The organization is also preparing to roll out Adcolor in Music next month. While details remain scant, Adcolor said it will involve amplifying the achievements of the diverse artists, producers, publishers, professionals and allies who power the world of music. Droga5 has been involved with Adcolor in various capacities for quite some time. According to the agency, its employees have served on its awards juries, and Droga5 has been nominated for Adcolor’s Ad of the Year several times. In 2019, Kevin Brady, executive creative director at Droga5, made Adweek and Adcolor’s Champions list, which honored individuals “who embody the most effective examples of influencing inclusion and diversity in the marketing, advertising, media, technology and entertainment” spaces. “It is such an important opportunity to partner with Adcolor given their prominent role as thought leaders and advocates in the DE&I space,” Susie Nam, chief operating officer of Droga5, said in a statement. “We are honored to support them in their continued groundbreaking work in community organizing, mentorship and gathering of the best and brightest year after year." Last year, Droga5 created a pro bono TV campaign for Shine, a self-care app founded by two women of color. In September, the agency promoted Tiffany Edwards to global head of diversity and inclusion.