Who is the target market? The only color that matters is green.

I wouldn't blame the industry, their business is to sell. But I do find it worrisome that business has found that black doesn't sell. No, the number doesn't have to match exactly, but it's a pretty big percentage difference.

Effectively what this says is that we as a society don't find black women attractive enough to sell clothes. Which is unfortunate.

I manage a theatre company in South Florida. We are still relatively new on the scene but making quite a name for ourselves. My Artistic Director recently went to a panel for local theatre companies. One of the topics that came up was “diversity” in the arts. The woman at the helm of the discussion apparently did nothing but lambaste the local Directors that were in attendance because they, in her opinion, weren’t doing enough “diverse” work or advertising to more “diverse audiences”. She insisted that none of us were doing enough to bring in the black audiences and weren’t hiring enough black actors. Even when questioned on what they could do to bring in these audiences (as if they were being turned away at the door?), she had no answer but continued to insist that WE were the problem. One director, asked her about the African-American theatre in Miami and if they were going to be held to the same standard and be forced to hire more white actors. She completely avoided the question.

One of the Directors in attendance was a gay man who runs a theatre that does predominately gay themed works. He’s got a corner on the niche market that is gay theatre but has gift for making it appealing to ALL audiences. My thinking is, if ANYONE in that room could understand discrimination and the need for diversity in the arts, it was him. She laid into him the hardest. Everyone in the room was flabbergasted by this blatant attack on one of the most well-known and well respected Directors whose KNOWN for creating diverse and interesting theatre for ALL audiences.

I recently held auditions for my own show. In my casting notice, I made it very clear that I was looking for people of all ethnicities. I am especially looking for a black man for one lead part. Out of over forty audionees, TWO were black. I've reached out to every single one of my connections and BEGGED them to send me ethnic actors. None have responded. I'm even willing to consider casting a black woman to play the man's part but again, no response. Now, tell me. What am *I* suppossed to do about that? I am now even considering casting a white man to play the black mans part if I get no response.
Do you think the fact that I've gone out of my way to reach out and get ethnic actors for my show will stop the nay-sayers? Probably not.

I’ve discovered these things to be true from those who make the most noise about “diversity”:
1) They’re almost always black.
2) When challenged about the actual numbers of black talent being used vs. being available the response is always how it's someone elses fault. “You’re not doing enough to attract black people.”
3) They will never hold themselves to the same standard and never respond well to the challenge to do so.
4) They want it handed to them; they don't want to have to work for it.

It’s not about diversity; It’s about entitlement.
They know how to play on the sympathies of those out there that suffer from “white man’s guilt” and the do it, shamelessly.

Will obi say that if he had sons, they'd look like these:

http://sandrarose.com/2013/08/prosecutors-will-not-charge-elderly-bus-driver-for-not-doing-more-to-stop-attack-on-bus/

Asians while extremely xenophobic (especially against other Asians) love the looks of pale blonde white people. You gotta be pale k? None of that tanning shit, they do NOT like it. Plus Koreans have tons and tons of plastic surgery to look more Western.

As for those unfamiliar with fashion history tons of white models used to get turned down because of their "darkness" or being too "ethnic" looking.

YSL was the first major dude to feature black models prominently.....but very dark skinned women do not sell, even to blacks. People do not like very dark skin, especially those with dark skin. Bleaching is popular in black countries and in India. In the history of humanity I don't think truly dark skin has ever been popular.

Anyways if you look at the rankings, right now several Asian and black models are considered top. I believe the top model right now is Dominican (black). Multi-racial girls are also becoming popular thanks to the past wave of Brazilian girls.

But what people need to understand is models are fads. One of my favorite periods was when the whole "baby faced alien" look was in. Famous in its portrayal by Gemma Ward.

And well those in the background of fashion are very diverse.

The NFL is about 70% black.

Time to thin that number. Right?

Hypocrites. There isn't a strong enough word for how repulsive these rabble-rousers are.

Personally Amy, I think you would be a better fit in the NBA.

What about the diversity of the NBA? And the number of white fans?

I would imagine that the issue of Western billboards in China is akin to the use of British spokesmen to sell stuff in the U.S. American consumers (apparently) hear a British accent and assume the pitchman is legit.

There's something about the "other" in advertising. (Or in the consulting world, it's the inherent trust given to the "guy from out of town with the briefcase.")

"She insisted that none of us were doing enough to bring in the black audiences..."

Now this is interesting. Are we going to now have ethnic quotas on audiences? I encourage this. In the context of the unaware self-mockery into which government-regulated Western art has descended into, this might well be the ultimate achievement.

Cousin Dave, the thought is frightening.