The year following the 2024 election has been devastating for the communities represented by Adcolor, the ad industry group for diverse creatives.
The federal government has fired all DEI-related positions and is threatening states to do the same. Corporate America has eliminated 1,700 jobs with “diversity” or “DEI” in the first five months of this year alone. There’s an ongoing affordability crisis, and entry-level agency positions are being lost to AI and consolidation.
All of these issues have impacted Adcolor’s 2025 Ctrl+Alt+Lift summit, which took place Nov. 11-14 at Disney’s Coronado Springs hotel in Orlando. The 19th annual conference shrank dramatically in every way from 2024: Attendance was down 37% to 900, with 54% in advertising/marketing, 17% from entertainment/media, and 12% digital and technology companies.
Sponsorships also dropped by more than a third compared to 2024, with over half of returning partners investing less than last year. All of the Adcolor staff at Ctrl+Alt+Lift volunteered their time due to budget constraints.
Adcolor staff see this setback as temporary. “As we look to next year, we have already spoken to many partners who are excited to be a part of both year-round events and our 20th anniversary celebration,” said vp of partnerships Ana Leen.
Attendees also seemed determined to embrace the conference’s message that it’s never been more important to take control, cultivate new skills, and reach back to lift up your community.
“There’s always going to be some evil queen, some jealous king, or spell cast over half the country that makes everyone go to sleep—AKA, not woke,” Adcolor founder Tiffany R. Warren told attendees. “I want each of you to remember that you are the main characters in this story.”
Keeping steady
Despite the hostile political climate, the business case for inclusion is only getting stronger. Companies in the top quartile for gender and/or ethnic diversity on executive teams were 39% more likely to have above average profitability than those in the bottom quartile, according to a 2023 McKinsey & Company report.