There's no news in the fact that North American and UK populations are growing in their diversity and multiculturalism. And clients and agencies alike are increasingly going after visible minorities with an enthusiasm that was once reserved for the mainstream. But while few are foolish enough to ignore people of color as consumer targets, minorities themselves are still rarely the ones taking aim. Boards spoke with American director Charles Stone III and British agency exec Sandip Vadher about why they think there are so few minority faces in the advertising crowd.

Why do you think there are so few minorities in advertising?

VADHER: In terms of jobs in advertising, minorities - especially South Asians - don't see it as a career. Sometimes, it's pressure from the parents who encourage their kids to pursue more traditional and lucrative careers. I'm not sure what it's going to take to convince minorities to get into the ad business.

STONE: There are few people of color in production. If you go to a function there aren't too many dark faces. It's lacking. In terms of agencies, there are minorities but generally they're at the agencies specifically geared to marketing to minorities - like UniWorld. That may be because in lower income environments there are fewer opportunities presented and less tolerance for getting into a career that is not seen as lucrative, like advertising. In middle- and upper-income families of color, there may be more lenience with career choices, but there is still pressure for the traditional. When I was growing up as a kid I hated reading but I liked to play and draw. Then I was sent to a private school for a while to rectify what my parents saw as a reading deficiency and to make sure that I was affected by academics. Once I got to high school I got involved in filmmaking and creative things in general. My folks saw that I had found my calling. I was lucky; they supported me - despite their old-school upbringing of kicking ass and working harder just to get noticed because you're black.

What's changed in terms of minorities being represented both in the media and in the industry?

VADHER: In general, the UK is 10 years behind. In New York there are tons of ethnic agencies. Americans understand that there is money to be made. In the UK, there are few role models. I can only think of one agency person in a senior level who is from a minority. There is a recruitment issue.

STONE: Though I can't say I've seen everything, I don't get infuriated anymore, it's getting better. There is more of a market for color programming. I do see more commercials where there is more normalcy portrayed in American black life.

Where is the greatest resistance in having diversity more accurately represented?

VADHER: Only 4% of people working at ad agencies are from visible minorities and most of them are in the finance or IT end. At JWT, we're not very multicultural either but at least we're addressing that now. Also, even though everyone is talking about diversity in positive ways, brand owners don't understand what to do. They don't see where approaching minorities fits in the budget. They say 'do I hire another agency or another specialist or what?'

STONE: [When directing], I might say that one of the guys in the elevator should be Muslim but the agency guy will say no because it's a risk to their job. They think 'I don't want to hear my boss asking why is there a Muslim on the elevator?' It's safer to go with the white person.

Final Thoughts?

VADHER: [Encouraging minorities] is something that takes time. It's two things: from a moral point of view it's a good thing - any company that encourages minorities will be seen as positive. But then there is the business case. If you work at a diverse company you will probably be happier and do a better job.

STONE: At a certain point it's not going to matter. [Everything] will all be so mixed because people can't stop having sex with each other. In the future, I would imagine advertising will just be based on class.

Charles Stone III is best known for the creation of Bud "Whassup?" He has also directed the features Drumline and Mr. 3000, and was recently praised for his short film The Bet for the Sony Dreams. He is represented by bicoastal/international Believe Media.

Sandip Vadher is a self-described "South-Asian Briton" who has recently been put in charge of JWT Diversify, that agency's effort to reach out to British visible minorities as a market and as possible employees.

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