Planet Money Summer School Intro Econ 7: Advertising & Race
Aug 19, 2020
A black ad executive revolutionizes the advertising industry through his groundbreaking approach. The podcast explores the career journey of Tom Burrell, racial dynamics in advertising, targeting in marketing, and advertising to African Americans.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
The Mailroom
- In 1961, Tom Burrell applied for a mailroom job at Wade Advertising.
- Despite being the only applicant, his hiring required a major senior management decision due to his race.
Christmas Party Incident
- Burrell faced subtle racism, like being asked to sing "down home" songs at the office Christmas party.
- He never sang, instead focusing on writing copy and even pitching edgy ideas, albeit unsuccessfully.
Continental Airlines Ad
- Burrell's creativity was evident in a competition against Keith Reinhard.
- His innovative idea for Continental Airlines involved printing seat cushions on a newspaper spread to demonstrate wider seats.