Not long ago, I spoke at one of the bigger advertising portfolio development schools. As I stood in front of an advanced class of aspiring industry creatives and faculty, I realized that I was the only black person in attendance. This made my presentation on the importance of creatives being able to understand consumers from all cultural backgrounds all the more salient.

Knowing that virtually all the student body would end up at general market agencies and vendors I decided that the best way to drive home the importance was by presenting case studies of two ad campaigns for general market clients that I’d worked on—one campaign was built around mainstream assumptions and stereotypes about black consumers and the other was rooted in a more genuine understanding and respect for black consumers.

I presented the work pointing out differences in the two campaigns highlighting the whys for the choices in language, visuals, and interpretation and the struggles of explaining these choices to the clients and GM agencies I was working with. Then out of nowhere, the professor jumped in loudly:

“So then targeting black consumers is just like golfers!”

Being black is just like playing golf. Oh, the irony. The professor continued on explaining that, as an avid golfer, he knew marketers needed to understand and respect golfers in their efforts to build brands with them. For several moments I, a black professional, sat in stunned silence as this white graduate-level professor boldly, proudly and without the slightest bit of hesitation explained that, in effect that one’s cultural background is no different than a hobby or pastime. And the whole time his students nodded in agreement and smiled as if fresh enlightenment were washing over them.

But it hadn’t. It couldn’t. Not in this situation. That’s when it hit me just how much theses students and faculty were like so many clients and so much of the advertising and marketing industry.

Too often we resort to metaphors, similes, and analogies to relate and understand. And in doing so, too often we make things worse. Technically, nothing the professor sad was inaccurate. We do need to understand differences to better relate and communicate. But when we are only willing to see through the lens of our own value system, we usually devalue them.

Black people are not a hobby or a sport as golf is. Being Black is not something that you pick and choose like an outfit or an occupation. Black culture is not a club or a shot selection. But if that’s the level of your comparison, comprehension and understanding, then you’re all but guaranteed to miss the point, probably sooner than later.

Like all ethnic consumers, Madison Avenue has to understand Black consumers, but not on its terms or thru our clients lenses, as it does now; but on their own terms. Until that level of respect is afforded Black and other ethnic consumers, the work, the brands and the potential for full, lasting relationships will continue to suffer.