In his new e-book, Black on Madison Avenue, Mark Robinson does one thing few different promoting autobiographies do: he takes us again to a special period and ties it to our sophisticated, irritating present period. He’s the consummate promoting account government, coming of age when large New York-based advert companies offered intensive coaching to their new account executives, and launched them into ever-increasing obligations and high-profile assignments.
From there, Robinson walks us by way of an amazingly profitable profession. Ranging from his expertise with the 4A’s Multicultural Promoting Intern Program (MAIP), Robinson moved on to a number of giant NYC companies, then gained expertise with Uniworld, labored with Spike Lee to open a brand new company aligned with DDB, created a multicultural holding firm, spent a while on the shopper facet and even launched his personal model of merchandise.
What struck me most about Robinson and his writing type is his formality and lack of hyperbole. He’s a buttoned-up man and it exhibits as he walks us by way of his many triumphs. And that’s additionally what I’d contemplate to be a weak point within the e-book, not the person: He doesn’t ever handle a significant failure, or stroll by way of an extensively difficult time, or present us classes to construct on. And since many advert company memoirs are written by creatives who don’t thoughts admitting their screwups, it could’ve made for a extra fascinating learn if Robinson had shared a stumble or two. (Even getting personally sued by a well-known celeb didn’t appear to ruffle his feathers an excessive amount of.)
Because the title would counsel, Robinson stood out in a sea of pale faces on Madison Avenue however aside from hinting at a couple of microaggressions, nothing appeared to face in his approach. In case you’re in search of provocative “holy shit, that really occurred?” tales like those my good friend Derek Walker mentions on social media, or a no-holds-barred revelatory e-book like “Knock the Hustle” by Hadji Williams, you’re not going to search out them right here.
Robinson acknowledges how far the business has to go in its want to rent, promote, and advocate for blacks and different minorities, and presents a couple of solutions for enchancment, however all of that comes close to the tip of the e-book. Nonetheless, “Black on Madison Avenue” is a good take a look at one man’s spectacular profession, in addition to essential reminder to all of us that a lot of our business’s most essential tales stay ignored and untold.
Particular because of Mark for giving me a evaluation copy.
