Stan Richards, who founded The Richards Group 44 years ago in Dallas, is leaving the agency in a storm of controversy. Clients continued to part ways with the agency Thursday after Motel 6 ended its longtime relationship over founder Richards calling an ad concept “too Black.” Home Depot quickly followed suit, and now Keurig Dr Pepper, The Salvation Army and grocery store chain H-E-B have done so as well. (We spoke with DEI advocates Lincoln Stephens, Cindy Gallop and Nate Nichols about what the industry can learn from the ongoing situation.)

A continuing shift: Public support for DEI has become a priority for brands in recent months. 

Related: “The advertising industry as a whole is failing—failing to diversify teams in an authentic way.” Marla Gonzalez, co-founder and managing partner of RAXO, comments on the Richards Group  situation in a Voice piece and explains what the implications are for the industry as a whole.

In a departure entirely lacking in controversy, McCann chairman and CEO Harris Diamond announced he is retiring at the end of this year after nearly a decade at the global agency network. Bill Kolb, who was named chief operating officer at the start of this year, will be stepping into the role.

A sparkling legacy: Under Diamond’s leadership, McCann racked up accolades including Cannes Network of the Year.

“Authenticity” is the brand buzzword of the day. But for the most important brands of 2020—the presidential candidates’ campaigns—authenticity can be difficult to pin down. Taking a look back at the way design influenced the perceived authenticity and outcomes of the 2008 and 2016 elections, Adweek talked with experts about what a campaign’s visual assets can contribute to the candidates’ platforms, why people rally around them and what that means for the 2020 Biden-Harris ticket, whose branding has been described as “safe.”

When design changes the world: Voters connect with design assets as visualizations of what a candidate stands for. But is authenticity in politics an oxymoron?

Please consider supporting our journalism with an Adweek Pro Subscription and gain full access to all of Adweek's essential coverage and resources. 

Independent bookstores are challenging Amazon in a bold new campaign. #BoxedOut, led by the American Booksellers Association and created by DCX Growth Accelerator, trolls the behemoth by taking over the indie shops’ storefronts and wallpapering them with biting anti-Amazon messaging including “Our WiFi is free—please don’t use it to make a $1.6 trillion company even richer” and “Books curated by real people, not a creepy algorithm.”

See more: The extensive campaign spans the country.

More of Today’s Top News & Highlights

• This Startup Aims to Help SMBs Survive Covid Via Voice Apps
• Domestic Travel Will Dominate in 2021, Says Airbnb
• What Marketers Need to Know About the Google Analytics Privacy Reboot
• Publicis Groupe Exceeds Q3 Expectations With Organic Revenue Down 5.6%
• Airlines and Airports Hope to Encourage Travel With Testing
• Nielsen Expands Connected TV Measurement to YouTube and YouTube TV

Adweek invited Dunkin’ vp of brand stewardship Drayton Martin to talk about how the brand repositioned itself two years ago, and how that effort’s gone so far. Watch and learn how the overhaul reinvented the donut brand as a coffee brand and carried it forward to today’s consumers.

The Cookie-less world is fast approaching. What should marketers know about the new--and better solutions being developed? Prepare with the newest course of the Institute for Brand Marketing. With four short lessons designed to take you no more than 10 minutes each, making time for your professional development is easy. Learn more today.

Consumers had a lot of distractions this year

Challenger brand follows competitors like KFC, El Pollo Loco in the battle for flexitarians

Engage at the community level

World of Wonder, show's producer, continues brand partnership drive

Education for the massive influx of early voting amid the pandemic

Skincare brand partners with players on social media content, among other media