Andre Gray (Annex88) | Brands Must Understand Their Role in Culture

Andre Gray is the Chief Creative Officer at Annex 88, which is part of the France-based Havas Group – one of the world’s largest communications companies. Annex88 believes that brands thrive only when they bring culturally representative creative ideas to the market.

Andre has a resume befitting a top creative person in a top agency. He spent the bulk of his career in Europe, where he was the global lead on Adidas and Gatorade. He has also worked at creative agencies Digitas LBi, the Grey Group, and TBWA/Neboko.

Andre is the author of "Digital Anthropomorphism: Humanizing the Brand, a Master of Arts in Global Communications." He is a staunch advocate for underrepresented voices and lives to add to the cultural conversation. For him, it is not what you say, but what you do. 

In this episode, Andre and Jim discuss his involvement in the documentary, Black Madison Avenue: 7 is Not Enough, which gives a raw look at the Black experience in advertising. The also dive into why brands must understand their role in culture and the importance of the CMO and CCO relationship. 

Check out the first edition of The CMO Podcast Magazine. In it, host Jim Stengel talks to marketers and executives about how to become an inclusive leader and the ways they're promoting DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion).This includes discussions about initiatives they're implementing in their company, how they're succeeding, and why DE&I is vital to their bottom line. 

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