Sherman Kizart

Mr. Roger Schaffner

CEO

Palisades Media Group

Santa Monica, Ca

 

Good morning Mr. Schaffner,

 

I will get to the point of  my e-mail correspondence. Palisades Media is in the process of placing a radio advertising campaign for BMW’s Mini Cooper brand in the Boston, Baltimore, Washington DC, and Houston markets respectively.

 

The troubling aspect of this pending advertising buy is the total exclusion of Urban/African American targeted radio for the BMW Mini Cooper campaign. The email below from Candace Ross of Palisades Media makes it very clear that Urban Formats will not be considered or purchased for this campaign.

 

That directive from your agency on behalf of BMW/Mini Cooper is minimally very disturbing and troubling. BMW Mini Cooper will not get the benefit of inviting the $900 billion African American consumer market to buy its cars. 

 

Miss Ross directive that No Urban formats will be considered or purchase is crystal clear.

 

Mr. Schaffner, I’m interested in working with you, Miss Stein, and your media team to reverse this policy/practice.

 

The American Association of Advertising Agencies, minority owned and targeted broadcasters, and the Federal Communications Commission have been working cooperatively and collaboratively to eliminate the practice of No Urban Dictates as outline the directive from Miss Ross of Palisades Media.

 

In fact, the Media Council of the 4As recently agreed to new procedure and structure to address No Urban Dictates on May 23 at American Association of Advertising Agency headquarters in New York.

 

As a courtesy, I’ve copied Nancy Hill, President/CEO of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, and Adonis Hoffman, SVP/Governmental Affairs. They were an integral part of the May 23 meetings. 

 

The core of this new structure to address No Urban Dictates calls for executive level access at the top of the agency( a face meeting with you and your executive team) and minority targeted and owned broadcasters or their representatives to address this matter in courteous and professional manner.

 

I represents the interests of the Federal Communications Commission and African American owners in this arena.

 

Interestingly enough, Radio One, the country’s largest  African American owner of stations, are clearly being put at a severe financial disadvantage by Palisades Media directive not to buy Urban Radio in Baltimore, Washington DC, and Houston respectively.

 

We want to get this situation addressed promptly and fairly.

 

Thank you in advance for your attention, time, consideration, and response.

 

Sincere regards

 

Sherman   

 

   

Sherman K. Kizart
Managing Director
Kizart Media Partners
(312)421-4803 - office
(312)371-4127 - cell
shermankizart@att.net - email