Banjo, Sydney apologises for ‘misunderstanding’ with job applicant over alleged racist comment
Sydney creative agency Banjo has offered an unreserved apology to a job applicant after a casual remark made by a senior staff member at the end of an interview yesterday – perceived by the applicant, Surungi Emily Hohol, to be racist – gained some notoriety on the applicant’s Facebook page (left).
The statement from the agency:
In the course of expanding the account management team at Banjo, an unfortunate misunderstanding has occurred during an interview with a candidate, for which Banjo would like to offer an unreserved apology.
The senior staff member who conducted what was a very positive interview, made a casual remark at the end of the interview, which was intended to set the person at ease. Unfortunately it was taken out of context and has since gained some notoriety on social media.
Needless to say, the Banjo staff member is deeply upset by the incident, which occurred yesterday. There has been a lot of media attention on the issue of equality – including race, gender and sexual orientation, and age – in recent times and we acknowledge that emotions can run high.
Says Andrew Varasdi, Banjo Managing Director: “The feedback I received was that the interview was a very positive one, reflected in an email sent immediately to the recruitment company that was complimentary of the candidate, and addressed the possibility to explore further opportunities with Banjo.
“Our position on this remains unchanged. When I learned of the situation I immediately contacted both the candidate and our staff member to offer my empathy and support. I have arranged to meet with the candidate first thing in the morning (Friday 5 August) to reassure her of our policies on recruitment.
“In Banjo’s seven-year history, the agency’s recruitment policy has always encompassed not only hiring the best possible talent, but also ensuring that the staff spans all ages, genders and ethnicities.
“We couldn’t possibly deliver on our promise that our clients come first, if our own staff did not reflect the Australian community. We are always prepared to offer our clients the best advice to connect with their customers.”
Vasasdi claims Banjo’s current staff includes 50% women in senior management and 50% women overall, and half of the staff are from ethnic backgrounds including India, Asia, UK and South America.
“We are extremely proud of the make up of our talented staff, which is reflective of the diversity of Australia. We hope that we will be judged on our record, and that all candidates who consider joining us at Banjo will do so too,” Varasdi said.
65 Comments
What was said?
What exactly
The applicant is a brown person and was told point blank that they wouldn’t be hired because the company already had a few brown people working there, and too many brown people would freak out their clients. Shame on you Banjo, for the initial act and for this pathetic “apology” that calls outright racism a “misunderstanding”.
Context please. What was the casual remark?
This wasn’t just any remark this was a racially discriminating comment.
Visit Banjo’s site and you’ll find the following statement, accompanied by a pic of one of those brown guys, with ‘Be Respectful’ tattooed on his stomach:
“One agency only works when there is respect.
We have the greatest respect for each other’s unique abilities.”
So good.
Love,
One of ‘those’ brown people.
The comment made by your GAD waa not made to put the candidate at ease. It was made by a foreign staff member from SIngapore who is Indian and clearly doesn’t understand the laws in Australia. She would get away with saying something like she said in SG and given that the candidates skin is much darker then the GAD’s she most certainly played the caste card. She would get away with this in her own culture, but most certainly not in ours. You cannot say to someone that they have the right skill set and attitude but that you cannot hire them because you already have 2 brown skinned people working on the account and the client would be concerned if 3 brown people turned up to a meeting. In SG they will choose people to sit at a clients table based on skin colour. Having a white face on the team helps an agency look international and gives them kudos. This woman has been raised in that culture and way of thinking. Nothing about this comment was taken out of context Andrew. The staff member should be dismissed immediately. comments like this are easily made in passing but that doesn’t make it right and there are laws that clearly state that this behaviour is not tolerated, is wrong and is illegal. Your client, the very client that this candidate was being recruited for is a household name, they are well known, they have a statement on their career page about supporting cultural diversity. If this was made public to them and they got caught up in this they would sack the agency. Your apology doesn’t really make up for it to the candidate or your peers in the industry . What action are you taking next? Tell us all that. Show the advertising community and the rest of Australia just how Australian you are how you support our diverse cultural make up. This story will continue to pick up momentum on social media as the above is a statement that is not even apologetic towards the candidate. Nothing was taken out of context by the Australian candidate, the only thing out of context was the statement made by the senior staff member, and that context is that skin colour doesn’t matter, the candidates skill set, attitude and her abilities are all that should matter. You had a brief to expand your account service team and this candidate filled the brief. Shame on you Banjo, you are very un-Australian.
In the course of expanding the account management team at Banjo, a discriminatory remark was made during an interview with a candidate, for which Banjo would like to offer a begrudging apology.
The senior staff member who conducted what was a very positive interview, made a racist remark at the end of the interview. Unfortunately instead of it being suffered or tolerated as per, it has since gained some notoriety on social media.
Needless to say, the Banjo staff member is deeply embarrassed by being labelled racist. There has been a lot of media attention on the issue of equality – including race, gender and sexual orientation, and age – in recent times and we acknowledge that we’re in hot water.
You say you want to offer an unreserved apology but then go on to justify the remark by saying it was taken out of context and was a misunderstandin.
Yesterday I had an interview at a creative ad agency in Sydney and was told that due to being brown and Indian (though I’m Sri Lankan) and have lived in Australia for 27 years
I wouldn’t be suitable for the role as they already had two other Indian people. Direct quote “the client might be alarmed by having three brown skin people attend a meeting”
Seriously what is wrong with people…
Racists in Australia?
No way….
You should be ashamed for writing such a insincere and empty apology.
And then to gives us a break down of just “how” diverse your team really is. That’s like saying whatever you want about a race just because you have a ‘brown’ friend.
I am in complete shock, I am angry, hurt, repulsed and ashamed to be part of an industry that is clearly condoning such behaviour.
The person who spoke up should be applauded. This has happened to so many people i know but everyone is terrified to speak up. You are brave. You are strong. I would love to have some of your guts.
“an unreserved apology”
“a casual remark”
“intended to set the person at ease”
“an unfortunate misunderstanding”
“the Banjo staff member is deeply upset”
“emotions can run high.”
“We hope that we will be judged on our record”
An agency that has no issue with bullying and intimidation, this comes as no surprise.
This is an embarrassingly empty and shallow response. The employer should know and acknowledge that they need to dismiss this employee without question. It worries me that they haven’t done so.
We should applaud the person for speaking up against this discrimination. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so brave, so honest and for fighting for what is right. I hope more people take a page from your kickass book.
Was the comment out of line? Yes.
Should Banjo do more to make it right? Yes.
Was the intention of the comment to discriminate? No.
I had the pleasure of working with one of the brown-skinned people in question, and I can say with confidence that they are a first class individual. Kind, open, genuinely caring and supportive. While I cannot question what’s been said, I DO question whether it was offered as the reason for the candidate not being successful.
As I know the person, the comment would have been meant in jest.
It’s a shame that it’s been escalated into a claim of racism. The person who said it is not a racist. Period.
So while you’re all out for blood, spare a second for the Banjo employee who’s throw away comment has now caused this shit storm.
A bad situation, inflamed by social media and poorly handled by Banjo.
Nothing more.
“an unreserved apology”
“a casual remark”
“intended to set the person at ease”
“an unfortunate misunderstanding”
“the Banjo staff member is deeply upset”
“emotions can run high.”
“We hope that we will be judged on our record”
Why im I not surprised.
@Banjo
Fire that GAD. She or he clearly is not capable of leading teams or conducting interviews. And do take a good look at yourself for this terrible, terrible apology.
I hope your clients ask you some serious questions.
Surungi, once we have another role going we get you back into our agency, mate.
Wait, so if it’s in jest can I call people whatever I like?
Or if it just rolls off the tongue naturally it’s not racist?
I don’t think the candidate cares whether it’s the reason she was successful or not. I think she cares that it hurt. Discrimination in a professional setting while both sides are making a first impression would make me question what the agency is like when they let their guard down a little.
This particular incident deserves an apology. One that actually says sorry. As opposed to ‘don’t get your knickers in a twist.’
If it’s not racist, what is it? A throw away comment – oh that’s ok then.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with the person on the receiving end of this ‘comment’.
A person who is good at their job and does not deserve to be treated like this.
So why don’t you spare a thought for that person. The victim in this outrageous display of racism. As if looking for a job isn’t stressful enough. There is no excuse.
From Banjo’s website:
“We stand up and take account for our actions.
We don’t lay blame elsewhere.
We man up and own up.”
and:
“Fiercely Australian. Self-conscious, at times. Self-deprecating, usually. Self-serving, never. ”
and:
“We abhor “us v them””
This is par for the course in an agency that is run with a policy of dis-empower, destabilise, devalue and degrade. Surprised it’s taken this long for the cracks to be so visible.
That apology is laughable. The fact that you’re trying to justify the comment as a misunderstanding rather than calling it what it is, fuels the racism fire that is evidently still burning in Australia. If I were you Banjo, I’d update your website because its just spinning a bunch of bullshit lies, tricking people of ethnic backgrounds into thinking they would be openly accepted in your workplace!
@Former Banjo Employee
It doesn’t matter if they intended to racially discriminate or not. They did. And they told her to her face that she was doing it. She even prefaced it by saying “don’t be offended but…”
Telling someone they aren’t getting a job because of the colour of their skin is disgusting. And saying their client might be intimidated by three brown skinned people being in the room just blows me away. I don’t care if the person is upset. I would sack the employee who said it and think seriously about who I do business with if they have a problem with skin colour.
I understand that people know people at Banjo. But the person this happened to is someone I know, and have worked with before. I’m outraged and I want to see more than this piss poor apology.
This country does my head in sometimes.
So basically you’re saying sorry that you’re not sorry. Make up your mind. Own your apology and don’t give some half arsed attempt at apologising.
And what a dumb GAD, she should be fired. In what world is it “assuring” to hear that. We shouldn’t even be talking about this. It shouldn’t be an issue in this day and age. If the shoe was on the other foot…
Fuck me dead. I guess that’s one way to apologise.
That’s that then, I will never recommend or work for Banjo.
Banjo “We man up…”
Enough said.
I had many happy years at Banjo.
Angels, they ain’t.
Devils, neither.
That said, I never knew racism there. Ever.
Not at the partner level. Still less at the senior level. And at the level of the two interviewing suits being discussed, there was never a hint.
Both these terrific women have Indian heritage (one via the UK, the other via Singapore). So they’re exceptionally aware of being made to feel isolated due to race. I know they both felt at home at Banjo, as do many other people from ethnic minority groups.
One of the ways they both used to handle the topic of race and ethnicity was – and think this is to their credit – by using humour.
I don’t know the full context of what was said, but I can bet it was about diffusing tension. That’s the style of both these professionals.
People who’ve never worked at, or worked with Banjo may like to give a screed. That’s fine. But don’t pretend you know the quality of the people concerned.
They’re bloody decent, extremely fair people. And it would be a thing of horror, and outright hypocrisy, for the blogocracy to judge these two women of colour for talking about colour.
Anyone who knows the person in question will know how ridiculous the accusation is.
The irony is that it was more than likely a joke about Australian racism – as in they (white Australians) will be shocked if so many ethnic folk turn up at a meeting. The dude probably wants a US style payout from Banjo because he knows what a hot potato racism is in this country.
If Australia really cares about sorting out it’s racist image perhaps they need to address the small matter of the concentration camp island off PNG and their treatment of people there.
ooohhhh ok, this comment was ‘to make them feel at ease’- nothing makes me feel at ease like casual racism! STRAYA!
But seriously, this ‘apology’ just puts the blame back on the victim- they misinterpreted, they were too sensitive, they didn’t understand… how about owning up and acknowledging that what they did was racist and abhorrent? Be part of the solution, rather than continuing the victim blaming and thus the problem.
Oh, and saying ‘it’s not racist- we’ve already hired some brown people!’ is akin to saying ‘I’m not racist, I have black friends!’
Banjo has a racist GAD. They don’t do anything about it other than to spin what is an outrageous and unacceptable comment – whether in jest or not.
I wonder id racial discrimination laws have a section on “racist comments made in jest” or “racist comments taken out of context.”
Andrew Varasdi’s excuse/apology only shows that instead of being sincere and admit that it was a racist comment and will not be tolerated, he’s spun this into a claim that says more about his personal attitudes than not: if you spin it, then you condone it.
This is how to apologise properly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BKUtppXxVw
Indeed, “ignorant tool.”
I have worked with Surungi previously and not only is she fantastic at her job, she is an amazing kind person.
@pot&kettle
You’re saying the accusation is ridiculous? It doesn’t matter what the intention was, it was a completely inappropriate thing to say and massively offended the applicant who, for your information, is not male or looking for compensation. But if she was, I would imagine she’d get it. there are laws against this sort of thing for a reason. The amount of assumptions you are making and pathetic attempts to validate what went on here astound me.
This is so typical of an Adland world where far too many people live in a parallel universe. I can see the crisis meeting now: ‘we’ll deny it was racist, we’ll say it was a misunderstanding and then we’ll ask her in for a meeting with the MD and he’ll smooth it over’. Give me a fucking break.
It’s easy, sack the idiot who hasn’t the faintest clue what they are doing, issue an unreserved, unconditional apology and hire a team of experts to sort out the racist attitudes.
What a cluster. Aren’t you supposed to be communication experts in touch with the pulse of contemporary Australia?
Unfortunately racism is still an industry standard in Australia.
Quite a few Sydney agencies come to mind.
A despicable racist remark coated as a ‘joke’.
But lets not all be so serious I guess.
After all, a racist joke in Australia is part of the industry culture apparently.
Bravo.
I’m a client. I’m brown. And I’m offended.
And that was NOT an acceptable apology from Banjo.
The staff member who made that comment needs to be relieved of their duties.
This reflects poorly on Banjo’s management and their policies as a business.
A business that my company, and many other clients will not tolerate.
Australia a multicultural country.
Watch as clients leave Banjo effective immediately.
Who is the client that has given the agency the impression that having too many brown skinned people work on their account would be an issue and how did they give this impression? Just sayin’.
wouldn’t a smart person doing the interview thank the applicant for their time and saying nothing about anything and that we will begin touch after reviewing all applicants and handle it with professionalism?
Or has basic skills of any kind disappeared?
Sitar.
Excellent! Another day, another opportunity for outrage over remarks that offend. Another opportunity to show how earnest and correct we all are as we pile in stacks-on-the-mill style to express our anger. How wonderfully sanctimonious the ad community is. How wonderfully ironic in view of what conscience-free sluts we are when it comes to gilding the truth and minimising the negatives about the brands and products we advertise.
I think the apology is worse than the original incident.
They fucked up not once.. but twice with that apology.
This is a reflection on our society at large.
Banjo is not racist in any way as they already have employed 2 brown skinned people.
However, they know their clients and their thinking hence the honest comment during the interview.
Like the manager said, it is was a comment to encourage the interviewee that she did not get the job, not because she was not qualify, but society/clients compels them to show diversification in staff mix.
We still have some way to go in terms of acceptance/diversification.
As an Australian of Malaysian decent who grew up in this country, let me say this.
I agree that the apology is worse than the incident.
That being said:
All the idiots passing it off as just a ‘casual remark’ are the same idiots that would think that there’s nothing wrong with putting on a bit of black face to go on Hey Hey it’s Saturday to do a funny dance.
It’s shit like this that makes our country look like stupid.
The same old white patriarchal POV is why the Australian advertising industry is rubbish and why 90% of the attempts at comedy are either dad jokes or on the cusp of being racist/sexist or just not funny.
Rubbish!!
I’ve always thought the Banjo name was a tad racist. The people of the Appalachian Mountains draw great offence to any reference to the stringed instrument formally known in our parts as the ‘banjo’. What’s next? A spin off known as ‘dang a dang dang dang dang’? Or digital arm squeallikeapig.com?
Wow I think we all like a bit of drama..let’s face it, if you didn’t, you wouldn’t work in this industry.
I normally just like to read comments but this subject got me.. I always stand up for people who have been mistreated. In this instance I can support the one who was offened by racial remarks but I can’t support the people slagging the agency. How are they at fault for someone’s stupidity?
To those who are blaming the agency –
Do you take responsibility for all your colleagues behaviours? Can you control what they do and say all the time?
And just so we are clear, I also feel for the person who made the comment, even without knowing them I can only assume that they would be feeling horrible right now.
Those who are throwing insults to the one who made the comments are behaving just as bad. Forgive and forget. We all make mistakes…
Nobody is going to come out a winner in this situation.
Two thoughts;
1. Anyone who’d make such a comment would have to be either very junior or very lacking in common sense and acumen. What on earth were they doing in the job interview?
2. Had the staff member made a comment to a client about the colour of their skin would they retain their job so easily?
I am not for witch hunts and public floggings, but the harm that this has caused the agency from a PR sense, SURELY someone needs to be shown the door.
people love laying into the competitors on here
they slag of their shite work, refuse to praise any good work and jump on any chance to kick them when they are down
why? because the ad game is based on winning accounts and when your place loses one, you might lose your job.
Advertising is generally extremely cool about mixing it up. And very non-racist in a very UN-patronising way. Great ideas come from a team with loads of differences – and no-one cares what they are. Every good agency gets it.
One car crash of an interview, one Facebook post and everyone get shouty. One agency with a person who showed absolutely no idea of this industry does not make a racist industry.
Being Australia and not the USA, I think you’ll find the name is more linked to Banjo Paterson.
Firstly, the agency employs people from multiple ethnic backgrounds so they are NOT a racist company.
Secondly, the comment was made by an Indian to what appeared to be a person with the same understandings and sensibilities. It wasn’t “casual racism” which implies the cliched white man who doesn’t recognise the phenomenon.
Thirdly, when considering a candidate, a company has the right to decide who they want to employ. In this case I assume that after all the resumé and personality considerations had been made, they chose to not hire this person in the interests of creating a balanced ethnic mix for the staff representing this particular client. Just as an employer might choose to mix up the ages and genders of staff in general, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Usually you wouldn’t share this information with the candidate but it was shared in this instance probably in an attempt to reassure her that there was nothing wrong with her resume etc. This quiet word was not taken in the context that it was intended and instead the race card was played. Once it’s on Facebook of course everyone becomes hysterical.
If I was the employer I would be making the apology to the poor employee from Singapore, she had no idea of this oversensitive madness in Australia.
What the initial FB post and the agency apology failed to note was that the Banjo staff member who made the comment has Indian heritage.
Everyone here apart from the few who have tried to point this out have assumed that this comment was made by a privileged white person. It wasn’t.
This is nothing like people using “brown face”, or saying “I have a black friend therefore…” etc. It is VERY different when someone of colour talks about colour, particularly to someone else of colour (Doesn’t matter if it’s Indian, African, Asian, Pac Islander etc). Sure they shouldn’t of said it, it’s probably perpetuating racism rather than helping and it hurt someone but it still doesn’t make them racist.
Put the pitchforks down.
I sure hope you’re not a lawyer, or in a position to hire anyone. Or actually employed for that matter.
“a company has the right to decide who they want to employ” and “they chose to not hire this person in the interests of creating a balanced ethnic mix for the staff representing this particular client”.
Actually, no they don’t have this “right”.
…now get back to bloody work!!
@Syd
A company can’t possibly control what an employee says at any given time. But it has full control over its response. Banjo had an opportunity here to apologise, instead they hedged, and qualified, and reasoned. This is the real issue here. A company failing to accept responsibility. Not some stupid blundering comment made by an idiot. And for the record, the background of the idiot is completely irrelevant, and does not mitigate their remarks.
With regards to your three points.
1. No-one’s accusing Banjo of being a racist company, they just handled this like dicks.
2. No, it wasn’t casual racism. It was specific racism. And the ethnic origin of the person in question is irrelevant. Is is acceptable for an old boy from a fancy private school to be racist just because of his background? No.
3. Of course a company has a right to hire who they like. If they reject a candidate based on ethnicity alone, it isn’t about creating a balanced ethnic mix, it’s because of racism.
Oversensitive madness, you say. You know what? It’s actually ok for people to be upset about this sort of shit. And you don’t get to rule on whether it is or not.
…now get back to bloody work – the lot of you!
you’re racist, I’m racist….who cares.
Spilt milk. Next time don’t place the glass so close to the edge.
Advertising moves on….
I don’t think anyone here has the information to make a call.
We don’t know what was said or how it was meant.
Racism is ugly, no matter how you look at it, but holy fuck, when did adland get so hysterical?
I sure hope you’re not a lawyer, or in a position to hire anyone. Or actually employed for that matter.
“a company has the right to decide who they want to employ” and “they chose to not hire this person in the interests of creating a balanced ethnic mix for the staff representing this particular client”.
Actually, no they don’t have this “right”.
If the law gives employers the imperative to be equal opportunity and employ people of all races, genders and age groups, then the law is telling employers to discriminate… favourably. In this case the employer discriminated in the interests of having a range of ethnicities working on the same account. If you say it is illegal to do so, that means an employer can never set out to alter their existing ethnic, gender or age mix by hiring a new employee. According to you, they must only consider qualifications. But isn’t that the argument that many white male dominated work places make to justify the lack of women or people of colour in their workplace?
If you’ve worked in any multi-national agency in Singapore, you’ve seen the infamous Indian caste system operate every single day.
Add to that all the prejudice that comes with an Indian female in a position that’s superior to another Indian female of a different caste and you’ve got racism deluxe to the power of 10.
In her mind, she was doing no wrong – just making sure the applicant knew her place.
As the most racist country in the world, Australia has a lot to learn from its neighbours.
It still doesn’t make it right, but it does put it into some kind of context.
Now, get back to your anti-Kevin blogs.
Very much agree that the GAD who conducted the interview is not suited to leading a team. She should be relieved of her duties.
That ‘apology’ is an embarrassment to their leadership team and positions them squarely as B-graders.
Would love to see Banjo’s clients take a stand.