As someone who grew up in the wake of the Civil Rights era I, and countless like me, were living examples of the corporate world's experiment of trying to get their diversity and inclusion agenda right, while simultaneously targeting us via multicultural marketing. It was something I thought would evolve over the years, but progress has been slow.

While working at Ogilvy & Mather, I realized that brands were still applying the antiquated marketplace and workplace disciplines that I’d grown up with to a world that had completely shifted. That didn't make sense to me, and when I left Ogilvy, I decided to see what I could do to change things. I had one mission: to help accelerate New Majority business transformation for brands and businesses. It was time for a new approach to the workplace and the marketplace. In order for brands to thrive in this new world, they would need to evolve to a Total Market approach, and their messages would need to speak to the New Majority.

Fact: The discipline and practice of general market and multicultural marketing is dated, despite the huge ($350 billion+) size of the Marketing and Communications industry. Earlier this month, General Mills publicly stated that they were establishing quotas for their “general market” agencies competing to become agency of record. Does this mean we will have a more diverse “general market” agency? Or will more work go away from multicultural agencies? Both models are antiquated and it’s time for a new model for brands and businesses. In 2013, via a LinkedIn survey at our very first Total Market Industry Summit, REFRAME: asked over 30 brands if they were satisfied with both their general market and multicultural marketing agencies. Not one of the brands came back with a satisfaction ranking over 7 on a scale of 1-10.

These agencies are unlikely to change.

Fact: For the first time in human history, the workplace and marketplace future is dependent on how well brands and businesses attract and retain women and minorities—what we call The New Majority. The focus on female and minority talent is sharper than it ever has been before. Despite that, problems endure. Talent disciplines and Diversity & Inclusion programs were established to support a mono-cultural workplace in compliance with anti-discrimination laws. That's a far cry from seeing Diversity & Inclusion as a competitive advantage.

What’s the answer?

Brands need to REFRAME their approach to the marketplace and workplace to reflect today's world. Since 2009, I’ve been crafting the thinking, discipline, and application of a new marketplace approach that speaks to the whole marketplace—the Total Market. If brands are to have the outcomes they desire, they need to approach the market from a cross-cultural direction. Brands will need to simultaneously undergo a full transformation to become Total Market Enterprises™, and that means changing the way they think about themselves and approach their talent. These adjustments require careful change management strategies, but they are doable and scalable, provided the organization can be led to readiness for the New Majority.

Since the re-introduction of the total market industry vertical in 2010 at the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Conference, many brands and businesses have asked, what is a Total Market Enterprise™ (TME) organization? Why is the approach not considered another form of General Market or Multicultural marketing and communications?

At the inaugural REFRAME: Total Market Summit in 2013, Mr. Farfan (formerly PepsiCo and now Verizon) and Ms. Williams (Kimberly – Clark) both were pioneering the TME change management approach for their brands. They shared their definition, internal stakeholders they partnered with for the shift, their wins and key learnings.

It’s that time of the year where we reflect and set new goals for the New Year.  We have a lot to be thankful for in 2014 and excited about the great year ahead.  Without you there would not be an Association.

There is still more work to be done within the emerging Total Marketing Industry.  If you missed our 2014-year end membership meeting, please have a look at the brief year end presentation.  This provides a recap of our 2014 and our 2015 objectives.

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]  .

Happy New Year!

Jeffrey L. Bowman 

It's hard to believe it's been more than a week since the 2nd Annual Total Market Summit & Awards Event.  Many thanks again to our partners Contently, MetLife, PepsiCo, Kimberly-Clark, Prudential, Ogilvy, FCB, Cynopsis Media, PRNewswire and Savoy Magazine.  The feedback and follow-up has been overwhelming. 

The team is documenting the summit and making notes on how to improve the member experience heading into the back half of the year.  If you did not attend the event, you can view the program at the following Program Link.  

Over the next couple of weeks we will post updates from REFRAME:  The Summit as well as announce the new platform and tools.  Below is a summary of the event and the activities from such a wonderful event:

REFRAME:  The Summit Moderator TJ Holmes kicks off the day and provides perspective on the content and panelist.

William J. Wheeler -President of the Americas - MetLife (Partner & Host) provides the welcome address and purpose

Jeffrey L. Bowman -The CCMCA and REFRAME: (tm),  shares the State of the Industry and Keynote Address

Victor Parada - REFRAME:  The Association, Membership Chair, recaps 2013 and shares 2014 membership priorities

Joe Coleman - Contently, announce the REFRAME: The Publication and Contently partnership

Pamela Roach - Breakthrough Marketing Technology (moderator); Ashish Midha - Deloitte (panelist) and Courtney Jones - Nielsen (panelist) share their perspectives about helping brands crystalize The Market Opportunity

Cynthia Augustine - FCB (panelist), Laurel O'Brien - Prudential (moderator) and Miriam Muley - The 85% Niche (panelist) electrified the audience with a discussion about Organization Design and Talent for a Total Market Enterprise organization

Barbara Lippert - Media Post (moderator), Keith Clinkscale - Revolt Media (panelist) and Spencer Balm - VICE (panelist) discuss one of the hottest topics in the industry, Experience and Engagement for the Total Market

Stuart Elliot - The New York Times (moderator), Lewis Goldman - MetLife (panelist) and Heidi Arthur - The Ad Council (panelist) presented and discussed Total Market marketing and advertising case studies

Andy Hasselwander - Latinum Network (panelist), Ola Mobolade - Firefly Millward Brown (panelist), Julie Halpin Anderson - The ARF (moderator) and Jeff Yang - The Futures Company (panelist) gave the audience a glimpse of Total Market Key Trends and What's Next

Toby Thompkins - Tides Foundation (moderator), Ben Maulbeck - LGBT Funders (panelist) and Samantha Papadakis - Populist (panelist) bring insight and out of category case studies demonstrating how to impact underserved audiences with the REFRAME:  Foundations + Non-Profits discussion

Ola Mobolade - Managing Director - Firefly Millward Brown kicked off the Inaugrual Total Market Industry Awards with a review of the Brand Cross-Cultural Index, Powered by BrandZ(tm) methodology.  Based on a survey results with consumers, brands were ranked across three categories (Banking, Quick Service Restaurants and Beverages - Beer) and scored based on how the brand appeals to the Total addressable market (White, Hispanic, Black and Asian)

Total Market Industry Awards and the Leslie Uku Total Market Enterprise Brand Change Agent Awards

Gabriela Mangieri Harper accepts the Total Market Industry Award - Quick Service Restaurant Category - Subway

Charles Riscauage accepts the Total Market Industry Award - Banking Category - Chase

TJ Holmes accepts the Total Market Industry Award - Beverage (Beer) Category - Heinieken USA

Amelia Nicholas provides the background on Leslie Uku's contributions to the formation of the Association and why we named the Brand Change Agent award in her name.

PepsiCo named the Leslie Uku Brand Change Agent Award for driving Total Market Enterprise(tm) education and embedment within their organization.  Melissa Miranda, Cultural Strategy & Lifestyle Marketing accepts on behalf of PepsiCo.

Kimberly - Clark named the Leslie Uku Brand Change Agent Award for driving Total Market Enterprise(tm) education and embedment within their organization.  Lizette Williams, Multicultural Marketing Leader, North America accepts on behalf of Kimberly - Clark.

Vita Harris - FCB, Chief Strategy Officer facilitating a Summit "wash-up" asking for input and suggestions for the 2015 agenda.

THE END...for information or feedback, please do not hesitate to reach us at [email protected] .

While an intern @proctergamble during the Summer of 1997, I was given a number of books to read about brand building.  One book that set my mind on fire was Managing Brand Equity by David A. Aaker .  This taught me how to build and manage brands within large organizations.  I've read several of his books since then and his teachings gave me a rock solid foundation on building brands.  

 I recently reached out to a mentor "from afar" Mr. David Aaker.  His work inspired me and continues to every day while working with brand leaders.

About a week ago, Mr. Aaker sent me a copy of his latest book.  He wrote me a nice note about the work we are doing to help transform the industry and build relevant brands for the New Marketplace.  One of the principles of building strong brands begins within the organization.  Providing executive education about the Total Market and the benefits is the purpose for The Association .

We are three days from the www.reframethebrand.com 2nd Annual Total Market Summit and Awards event.  Our goal for the summit is to bring clarity to the industry as to what Total Market is and the implications for the industry vertical and enterprise organization.

The 2nd Annual Total Market Summit and Awards Event is a full day of learning for big business.  We will also introduce REFRAME:  THE BRAND powered by The CCMCA.  It is an on-line education platform for all things Total Market, Cross-Cultural and Total Market Enterprise(tm) for brand and business leaders.

Thank you @davidaaker for sharing your knowledge and the vote of confidence.  We look forward to a successful summit.  If you can not attend, follow us @reframethebrand 

Last week we shared our new brand experience www.reframethebrand.com , powered by The CCMCA.  

REFRAME: THE BRAND ™ is a response to members and partners who expressed confusion on what to do with words like total market and cross-cultural.  Everyone got the multicultural growth opportunity or “the what.”  The words were perceived to be technical and members did not know what actions take away from the conversation or “the how.”  

With the word REFRAME: being a verb, quite simply the action we are asking you to take is "To look at, present, or think of (beliefs, ideas or relationships) in a new or different way"

We'd like to hear your brand story about how you are looking at or thinking in a new or different way about the new marketplace.

On the Creation of REFRAME: THE BRAND™

" An identity must be a narrative, it can be symbolic and through it simplicity visually memorable. The idea of a cohesion brand with each segment having its own individual identity was key in the creation of REFRAME:  THE BRAND™. 

When tasked with the challenge of bringing life and the visual identity to REFRAME: THE BRAND™, I knew that I had to remain true to the visual systems that existed with the CCMCA yet, include all the new and unique assets that Reframe, brings to the market. Knowing that the brand had to be a cohesive narrative and represent such complex ideas of marketing through graphics alone was tremendously difficult. 

The overall visual identity of REFRAME THE BRAND™ encompasses the concept of Cross-Cultural Marketing, a key identifier of the CCMCA. Yet keeps a sense individuality through color, intersection, dynamic visuals and symbolically encompass of all the multiple touch points of Total Market. 

The role of color is vital to the life and story of the brand. Each color symbolizes both the hierarchy and its placement of THE BRAND, THE ASSOCIATION, THE LAB and THE ASSOCIATION within REFRAME:. The balance of each color woven together is exciting and passionate. 

The logo and typeface that was chosen is simple yet strong. While creating a logotype that was more refined, durable and that could leave room for the brands expansion. 

Having the opportunity to create a visual system for such a diverse and positively new brand, is an honor and something that does not happen to every designer. I put myself in everything I create and can say that the Reframe is very close to my heart.” 

All credit goes to our designer Gabby Valdespino on execution of the idea.  The visual message we wanted to deliver was the New Market mindset of change is infinite.  That’s why the need for a colon after the call to action.  This does not go away because of the macro shift.

Coming the Fall of 2014 are the following brand extensions:

REFRAME: THE PUBLICATION™ – we will tell Total Market, Cross-Cultural and Total Market Enterprise™ stories

 The CCCMA becomes REFRAME:  THE ASSOCIATION™ - just a simpler way of driving member engagement and activation.

REFRAME: THE LAB™ - the learning destination for enterprise organization and individuals to learn how to apply Total Market, Cross-Cultural and Total Market Enterprise principles.

REFRAME: EVENTS™ - Your destination for one – on-one and live Total Market events.  

Through months of planning, feedback and more feedback from our members and partners, this is where we landed.  REFRAME:  THE BRAND™.  Why the name and call to action for brands, business, government and education leaders within the U.S. and globally:

Thank you for reading our first the REFRAME: THE BRAND™ Tumblr blog post.  

REFRAME: THE BRAND™ is powered by The CCMCA - A Total Market Industry Association (www.theccmca.org ).  A tongue twister...I know. So are the words, Total Market, Cross-Cultural and Total Market Enterprise™.

Our story is simple.  The Association was challenged from one of our partners - "Make the language simple to understand and develop a call to action.”  Based on that challenge, I think we’ve developed a simpler message as well as a call to action.

Why the picture frame above?