In September 2006, the Commission successfully negotiated agreements with the CEOs of 16 of the City’s largest advertising agencies to boost minority representation in their creative and managerial positions, and make their firms more reflective of the City’s diversity. These groundbreaking agreements provide the framework for the hiring, retention and promotion of minorities and require the agencies to establish recruitment goals and report those goals at the beginning of each year.

Additionally, the agencies are required to report their demographics, and provide data detailing staff promotions and separations. Should the agencies fail to achieve their goals in any year, they must hire consultants to assist them in the following year.

The agencies that signed agreements are: Arnold Worldwide and Euro RSCG Worldwide (HAVAS); BBDO, DDB, Merkley + Partners, and PHD USA (OMNICOM); Avrett, Free & Ginsberg, Draft New York, FCB New York, and Gotham, Inc (IPG); Grey Direct, Grey Interactive, Ogilvy & Mather, and Young & Rubicam (WPP); Kaplan Thaler Group, LTD and Saatchi & Saatchi (PUBLICIS GROUPE).

The Commission conducted a two and one-half-year investigation into 16 of the city’s largest advertising agencies’ hiring, promotion and retention practices following complaints that minority employment levels in the advertising industry in New York City had not kept up with other industries and did not reflect the City’s diversity.