Carmichael Lynch CEO Marcus Fischer is being honored with the 2018 Mosaic Champion Award from the American Advertising Federation. The AAF’s Mosaic Awards recognize individuals whose commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident through their creative work and organization-wide initiatives.
“This year’s honorees reflect the exceptional creative work and leadership we are seeing in our industry that is ushering in inclusion and solidifying it as the norm,” said Danielle Austen, Chair of the AAF Mosaic Center and CEO of fluent360. “This year’s panel of judges was given a difficult task and we are thrilled to recognize companies and individuals who have made inclusion a priority.”
The Mosaic Champion is awarded to the professional who has shown continuous support of diversity and inclusion within the advertising and marketing industry and has demonstrated unwavering belief in this cause through mentorship, leadership and support of D&I program initiatives.
Fischer has been instrumental in cultivating an agency culture focused on inclusion and equity. He has spearheaded initiatives to increase the diversity of the workforce and the collaborative nature of our processes.
“Building a diverse workforce and inclusive environment is paramount to our agency’s success, and ultimately that of our industry,” said Fischer. “We view the health of our agency culture as an investment, not an expense, and that is crucial in effecting change. I am honored to receive the 2018 Mosaic Champion Award, and I will continue to push our diversity and inclusion initiatives.”
As an example of his efforts, he recently strengthened the agency’s relationship with The BrandLab — a nonprofit organization that introduces diverse students to creative careers — by connecting each member of the senior leadership team with a BrandLab mentee. He also initiated a yearlong unconscious bias training course for senior managers and extended the training to the entire agency in an effort to evolve our processes to help mitigate biases in our day-to-day work.
“Marcus has championed diversity and inclusion as a pillar of our DNA. He sets an example for leaders in our industry through his commitment to elevating marginalized voices, fostering greater collaboration and creating a more equitable and inclusive culture,” said Carmichael Lynch President Julie Batliner.
Since its inception in 2001, the Mosaic Awards have been an extension of the American Advertising Federation’s (AAF) commitment to diversity and inclusion, promoting and honoring content that has paved new paths and broken diversity barriers in advertising, media and entertainment. Winners include companies and individuals who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to inclusion and offer a voice to multicultural communities. This year’s esteemed panel of judges included executives from BBDO, Droga5, FCB, fluent360, HZDG, JP Morgan, Omnicom Group, Quantcast and Young & Rubicam.
The AAF will honor the winning campaigns, industry leaders and programs at the 2018 Mosaic Awards on June 6.