Richards Group Founder & CEO STAN RICHARDS is leaving his acclaimed Dallas advertising and marketing firm in an "attempt to stop a week of bleeding and internal turmoil caused by his racially insensitive remarks," according to Dom DiFurio of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Richards said to the company’s 650 employees via Zoom on Thursday afternoon, “I am firing myself." Controversy "erupted this week over Richards' description of a Motel 6 campaign concept as being 'too Black' for the Carrollton-based motel chain’s 'white supremacist constituents.'" His remarks came during an "internal meeting over an idea to celebrate black artists in a Motel 6 campaign." The motel operator "promptly fired Richards' firm after his comments were publicized." In the following 48 hours, Home Depot, Keurig Dr Pepper, grocery store chain H-E-B, Orkin and Advance Auto Parts "all severed ties with the Richards Group." Richards said that the company, which brought in about $200M in revenue last year, "will have to make cuts because of the business it’s lost" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/16).
