The Advertising Hall of Achievement is the premier event recognizing top young thought leaders making a significant impact on our industry and their communities. The impressive alumni network–each selected by peers in the advertising industry–includes nearly 200 members who have transformed the landscape of advertising, entertainment and media.
The Advertising Hall of Achievement is the industry's premier award for outstanding advertising professionals age 40 and under. The AAF established this program in 1993 as a way to recognize talented individuals whose leadership, career achievement and personal characteristics inspire others to excel.
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What makes this year’s Hall of Achievement class truly special is the diverse representation across all of the contributors in the greater advertising ecosystem. We also have inductees coming from the emerging and growing Creator community. No one represents this trend in creator-led cultural influence better than Issa Rae, whom we are excited to present the Cultural Force Award. Her journey from creator to entertainer represents the game changing contributions that other Hall of Achievement inductees have pioneered in their own respective fields.
Through her detailed event design and community building, Imani is revolutionizing the relationship between Black creatives and the experiential advertising industry. CultureCon is the largest community in the country for Black and Brown creatives, offering network opportunities for nearly 30,000 creatives every year. Imani’s passion to pour back into her community and create something bigger than herself is what fueled the creation of The Creative Collective, the community and engine behind CultureCon.
Bianca is one of the lead architects behind what has become the most in-demand creative department in the world at the agency, Mischief @ No Fixed Address. A Founding Partner, her biggest strength is to play angel’s advocate—finding ways to make the impossible possible. What started out as six people behind a Zoom is today five times Agency of the Year, the most effective Independent Agency, and multiple Most Innovative Agency winner. A career that started in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Bianca is the American Advertising Dream.
ONA was born in 2015 based on Sanja’s desire to focus on social change, especially as it pertains to women’s rights and representation for other marginalized groups. Standing for “her” in Bosnian, ONA has grown to include global brands like the Nike Jordan Brand, Ulta Beauty, US Soccer, WNBA and more, as well as the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and notable women-led startups. Sanja recognized the importance of gender equality and sports early on. “I am trying to build up other women and people who have been left out of our industry.”
"Can we stand for something?" This compelling inquiry has been a torch for Danisha, driving her actions within her team, workplace, industry, and community. Inspired by this pivotal question, she has taken the reins in embedding DE&I as a systematic and recurring element in all aspects of business—from social marketing practices to Inclusive Tech. Proactive by nature, Danisha is deeply involved with Boards advocating community development, dedicated to her agency and clients, outspoken about her views and fully committed to her perpetual journey of self-growth.
Karen’s goal is to make sustainability relevant and actionable for everyone. She kicked off her career as a national winner in AAF’s National Student Advertising Competition. Her work has created impactful change in the space of sustainability, including areas like female empowerment and equity, improving the quality of food in America, youth efforts for climate action, helping solar energy to be adopted, and participating in our democracy. Quite simply, Karen believes in the power of creativity to do good.
A complete outsider who decided to enter the advertising world, Neil has forged a path for himself and influencers and creators as an unmistakable force in the ad landscape. Whalar Group has become the world leader in professionalizing the entire process of collaboration between creators and brands. He’s applied neuroscience to his work, fielded a first-of-its-kind Media Mix Model, and his company has been recognized as Most Innovative, a Best Place to Work, and Social Media/Influencer Agency of the Year. And more.
Few marketing leaders want to spend their time in contracts. But that’s where Melanie not only thrives, but innovates. At MediaLink, she established a new specialty practice—Contract Optimization and Risk Evaluation (C.O.R.E.), which has completely reshaped how brands, agencies and their legal teams structure deals, drive growth, and navigate the economic, regulatory, geopolitical and environmental issues challenging the industry. Known as the “Contract Whisperer,” Melanie has architected contractual terms that have influenced $45 billion of global media spend.
From Deloitte to PepsiCo to American Express, Marques is an award-winning marketing strategist and brand builder who operates at the intersection of creativity, culture and commerce. In his role at Amex, he has led the development of programs supporting underrepresented business owners, as well as conceived and executed differentiated experiences celebrating Black chefs, creators and culture. He’s passionate about recruiting and developing talent and serves in volunteer leadership roles at ADCOLOR, arts organizations, and his alma mater.