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“Where are all the Black people?” That was the joking-but-not-joking question that fell from the lips of a guest at a party hosted by renowned advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners party in the 1990s. This question lingered on the mind of agency co-founder Jeff Goodby, without finding an answer for it. Another industry luminary attempted to answer it while on a conference panel with Goodby in the new millennium — "I don't know where to find any."

Yes, with that remark, it became crystal clear that the advertising industry had a diversity problem, especially as it related to Black employees and leaders.

To address and combat the problem, Goodby and acclaimed creative director Jimmy Smith teamed with us at The One Club for Creativity in 2011 to present a discussion panel named after that very same question: “Where Are All The Black People?”

Later that year, that panel became a conference that grew in popularity and in scope with each passing year. Where were all the Black people? They were at this conference, demanding to be seen, to be respected, to have their seat at the table. From inspirational keynotes to portfolio reviews to recruiting booths, the conference brought agencies and brands together with rising stars, industry veterans, and aspiring talent.

The advertising community has made some strides, particularly on the heels of a tumultuous 2020 that left the industry and its clients with no choice but to act upon the question that is our conference's name. And yet, there is still much introspection and action to be done, to evolve beyond hollow platitudes and performative motions, to address and correct our imperfections. There has never been a better time to answer that question with a bold "right here."

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What is WAATBP?

Where Are All The Black People (WAATBP) is unlike any other industry conference. It's an annual diversity conference that exists to address and correct the scarcity of people of color within the advertising industry. Brought to you by the creators of One School, The One Show, and The ADC Awards, The One Club for Creativity places a special emphasis on nurturing and showcasing the best creative talent.

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Milestone Moments

In the 90s, an employee at GS&P asked Jeff Goodby “Where are all the black people?” during a company holiday party highlighting the lack of diversity in the creative industry.

In 2008, The One Club formed “One ID” to focus on Inclusion & Diversity programming.

On May 11, 2011, “Where Are All The Black People?” became a panel during The One Club’s Creative UnConference, as part of Creative Week NYC

On September 23, 2013, the conference & career fair changed names from “Where Are All The Black People” to “Here Are All The Black People.”

In 2017, HAATBP included mid-level programming and participants for the first time.

In 2020, we hosted our first virtual WAATBP. This allowed ad talent from all over the world to attend and connect with each other like never before. We saw a record 3,400+ people from 670+ cities, 50+ countries, and 170+ schools tune into the 3-day event and recordings.

In 2021, a record-breaking 60 brands and agencies participated and recruited talent at WAATBP. We also had several panels and workshops on topics such as disability inclusion, innovative leadership, and healing from racial trauma.

In 2022, WAATBP attendees gathered in-person for the first time in three years–marking our first hybrid event. We also introduced our first in-person wellness session led by Eric Mosley, Founder of Black Mat Yoga.

In 2023, WAATBP had a record breaking 850+ in-person job seekers, professionals, and creative talent in attendance.