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Ad industry veterans Kai Deveraux Lawson, Simeon Coker and Tracey Busch saw the need for industry action when it comes to culture, one that could move the needle rather than the boxes.
Enter Valerie, a one-woman, Black-owned creative strategy agency and cultural consultancy, officially launching today to be a white brand partner for brands and agencies. The agency is named after Valerie Graves, the former CCO of UniWorld Group, whose total market approach to brands helped create award-winning work for Burger King, Ford Motor Company and Pepsi over the years. 90. The Valerie agency sees Graves’ historic work as its blueprint.
“It’s a barrier that refused to conform to the expectations of its time,” Deveraux Lawson, Valerie’s co-founder and chief culture officer told ADWEEK. “She relied on culture, took big changes and dared the industry to underestimate. These characteristics are the essence of who we are as founders and the essence of what this agency will represent as we grow.”
Graves is not only an inspiration, but also a client. Valerie served as the strategic and creative agency for the inaugural AfroGames 2024, providing event branding, asset design, communications strategy, media placement, influencer marketing and social media campaign services. for the sporting and cultural experience founded by Graves and held in South Africa. .
“Naming the agency after her is an expression of gratitude and recognition of the legacy of the contributions of black women to this industry,” said Coker, co-founder and chief creative officer.
Valerie the agency has a mission to help brands think outside the box instead of just checking one. The independent shop specializes in creativity, branding, social strategy and cultural consulting, as well as working with agency teams.
The founding partners collectively bring decades of industry experience, having worked at agencies such as Dentsu, AKQA, MRM, and R/GA, with brands such as Nike, Disney, Hyatt Hotels, Cadillac, and American Express, among others . Her work has earned recognition from Adcolor, ADWEEK 50, and Women in Marketing.
Culture is what drives the agency, said Deveraux Lawson, and specializing in culture puts Valerie at the center of the ecosystem.
“Every aspect of our industry directly and indirectly involves culture,” said Deveraux Lawson. “We have built a flexible structure that adapts to the unique needs of each partner because we know that culture is always changing and needs a tailored approach.”
Addressing frontal DEI reduction
The world of advertising and marketing has seen a rapid decline in DEI programs at brands and agencies, with big names such as Walmart and Molson Coors announcing cuts to their programs.
Deveraux Lawson said that the biggest misconception that the industry has seen is the confusion of GOD and culture, which are not the same thing.
“DEI is a way to engage with culture and helps to give the language to understand, but it is not culture in itself. And in the current landscape it will be important to be explicit about the different aspects of culture including DEI”, said Deveraux Lawson.
