Sunday, November 9, 2008

Careers, Color and Congruence

This illustration makes an exceptional graphic statement (apologies to the artist, I couldn't find a credit).

This reminds me of a personal experience. About six years ago, while working for a large advertising agency, I submitted a billboard design for a nationally-known health insurance company. The billboard featured a simple headline, along with a stock photograph of a doctor, who happened to be a black man.

A few hours later, the account executive asked to meet with me. He said the client liked the design, but had requested one simple revision: change the doctor from a black man to a white man. In our state, the client explained, people just weren't ready to accept the image of a black man as a medical doctor. I smiled to myself. My own personal physician is a black man.

It's encouraging to realize that, six years later, the majority of voters of the United States are willing to elect an African-American as our President.

(In retrospect, though, the client was right. In our state, every single county was won by McCain.)

1 comment:

Tony C said...

I want to share a comment left on my blog from a Follower:

BUT...I have one little issue. This whole deal with Obama being the first "black" president. Um...he's BIRACIAL! How does having an absent, black birth father, yet being raised by white women, make someone black? I have a biological nephew who has a black mother...and he's biracial. He tells people he's "tan."

I'll be much happier when the man is described as what he is...a man of two races. NOT a black man.

Can you tell I feel strongly about this, Tony????

Never gave it much thought before this comment...now, I'm not so sure. Either way, the dominance of WASP Presidents is being challenged...and that's not necessarily a bad thing in our 'melting pot' society.