30 Agencies, Including 72andSunny and Wieden + Kennedy, Are Releasing Diversity Data

The agencies—which are listed in full below—are taking part in #CommitToChange, an initiative started by 600 & Rising, the newly formed nonprofit founded by Bennett D. Bennett and Nathan Young dedicated to advocating for Black people who work in advertising. 

The organization was formed after Bennett and Young spearheaded “A Call for Change,” the open letter to agency leadership signed by more than 600 Black advertising professionals earlier this month. 

In the letter, they outlined 12 steps agencies can take to address systemic racism in the industry, one of them being to “track and publicly report diversity data on an annual basis to create accountability for the agency and the industry.”

According to 600 & Rising, agencies that agree to participate in #CommitToChange must publicly share their internal diversity data broken down by gender identity, race/ethnicity, seniority and department. 

While initial participants will release this information today, 600 & Rising is encouraging other agencies to follow suit. A brief put together by 600 & Rising includes more information on #CommitToChange and what is expected of agencies that want to join. The nonprofit said “dozens” of agencies have expressed interest and are collecting diversity data. 

“This campaign is the first step on a long march toward justice,” said Young, who serves as president of 600 & Rising and group strategy director at Periscope, in a statement. “We applaud all of the agencies who have made a public commitment to change and taken this important and symbolic first step with our members.”

At this time, it’s unclear if agencies with offices outside of the U.S. will be releasing global data as well. 

“Seeing 30-plus agencies make their own personal, unique commitments to creating a more diverse and equitable future, on the eve of Juneteenth, gives our members confidence that this industry is invested in creating a better industry together,” Bennett D. Bennett, vice president of partnerships at 600 & Rising, said in a statement. 

600 & Rising officially launched earlier this week and already has nearly 1,100 members. The nonprofit recently secured a partnership with the 4A’s and plans to work with the trade body on “providing key guidance on the critical next steps agencies need to take to address systemic racism in the advertising industry.”

Here are the inaugural participants of #CommitToChange:

72andSunny
barrettSF
Camp + King
Cornett
Copacino + Fujikado
Collectively
DNA
Ecotone
Giant Spoon
Grow
Ingredient
Instrument
NOBL
Noble People
North
Nostos
O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul
Observatory
Periscope
Preacher
Red & Co
R/GA
Sideways NYC
Solve
Stink Studios
The Many
The Martin Agency
The Social Lights
Turnstyle Studio
Versa
Wieden + Kennedy
Wondersauce
Zambezi