The Look of Diversity

This is just a quick aside, but I thought you might enjoy it.

I went to a luncheon last week, "Marketing to Mommy and Daddy" was the topic as part of the Orange County Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America's focus on diversity. This was one aspect of diversity they identified worthy of a discussion.

Upon arrival they gave us this bag of goodies sponsored by NBC Universal's diversity department. I'm not sure if that is a human resources department or an affirmative action group working toward diverse programming.

Here's the logo:


Boy, doesn't that look very similar to Leadership Long Beach's logo? I am not suggesting one group took the idea from the other group, I think that is just how we picture diversity these days. There are other "colorful people in circle" logos out there that also reflect a core value of diversity.

In this bag of goodies was an array of things with this logo: a really nice stadium blanket, a t-shirt, a pen, and a little bottle of hand sanitizer. Because nothing says diversity like hand sanitizer! I am sure there was not an intended message with these choices, I just found it funny.

It did make me wonder, what would you put in a diversity goodie bag that would be symbolic of diversity without being politically incorrect? Please share your ideas and remember, diversity is not covered just with a pack of crayons. Just as the OC PRSA showed, it also means parents and the myriad of stages that brings to your world, socio-economics, education, gender, regional differences, and so on.

Funny Things I’ve Noticed This Week

What’s the Question?
I reconnected with an old friend last week. I e-mailed him to get some info for an article and we headed into small talk to reconnect after probably a year of no chat. He asked, “What shows do you watch these days?”

This made me laugh. He and I first met when “Cheers” and “St. Elsewhere”* were at their height, we were both roughly college age, so that was a great foundation for any friendship. I have to admit, you can tell a great deal about a person and their interests based on what they watch, as well as the stage of life they are in, but I still found it funny. It also occurred to me there were worse questions he could have asked, like: What’s your name again? What are you wearing? Or, Can you smell that?

Serious Retail Support
I recently sent an online inquiry to a retail company and got a response from customer service. Well, this wasn’t ANY customer service representative. You see at Tom’s of Maine they have “Citizen's Advocacy Representatives.” Seriously! If that title didn’t materialize after a motivational, politically correct, bionically inspirational conference, I don’t know where it might have come from. I’m not sure I feel advocated for as a citizen asking their company a question. I’ll let you know once I get an answer.

Speaking of Advocating
Can the Boeing workers please go back to work? I just want to get out of my car and say, “You have a job! GO DO IT!” The picket signs for more money and better healthcare are simply audacious when millions of people in this country are out of work. I’m embarrassed for them. I wish they realized how fortunate they are to not only get a paycheck, but that their employer pays any part of their health insurance, and sick days, and vacation pay is a blessing. Not to mention they have a community within the walls of their workplace. That’s the community that throws them birthday parties, baby showers, wedding showers, and retirement parties. The C-17 program might be completely canceled because of the strike and then they won’t have a job at all.

In addition, I am really not sure what picketing on the streets will do for them. Okay, I won’t buy a C-17 today ... or ever. Not even a used one. Happy?

I want to shout at them, “Unless you are being mistreated (as in bodily harm or name calling) or being threatened to be mistreated, GO BACK TO YOUR JOB AND TELL YOUR EMPLOYER THANK YOU! Your ‘statement’ that you should get paid more or should not have to contribute one cent to your own health insurance or deserve a better pension falls on deaf ears. Especially to those of us who are self-employed and pay for all of that 100% for ourselves. Be grateful because you are fortunate. Who is really being greedy here?”

Global What?
This week the weather in Southern California is unseasonably low and dreary. It’s the kind of rain that makes you think clouds are blowing razzberries down on the planet. I think my dog stopped shedding, it’s so chilly. The husband even put on the heater last night. It must be blazing hot somewhere else to make up for the global warming average. How ‘bout that?

* For you young people, you have probably caught “Cheers” in syndication, but “St. Elsewhere” was a great medical drama pre-dating “ER” that may have escaped your radar. It is worth mentioning that Denzel Washington was on “St. Elsewhere” with Howie Mandel—when he had loads of hair, Mark Harmon and Ed Begley, Jr. This show is really ripe for a VH1-style ‘where are they now’ show.