Respect the Crown / KV
As P&G prepared to launch into Black haircare, the ad agency ran into a problem: their lead Black copywriter was leaving the agency. After months of searching, they found me. But, I wasn’t interested in a full-time role. So, they lured me out of semi-retirement with the promise of a flexible schedule and a real opportunity to present Black hair through a traditional beauty lens.

Ain’t nothing sexy about dandruff. But, the result was a luxe campaign that stood out in the category, paying homage to the beauty and strength of Black women and our hair. And, I also had the chance to help curate a predominantly Black production team and glam squad. In the end, we led creative and delivered assets to the IAT that captured true #BlackGirlMagic in all of its miraculous tones and textures.

Respect the Crown / :15 OLV
Head & Shoulders is a brand built on efficacy and product demos. Another first in this campaign was a demo featuring an African-American scalp. Trust me, it was very big deal! And, we chose to make the most of the moment by featuring a hairstyle with deep cultural significance within the Black community: cornrows.

We were all committed to delivering the best cultural representation possible, on-time and within budget. That said, translating visual references filled with nuance to a 3-D artist who was not a member of the Black community was a challenge. And yes, the parts are a little far apart for my liking (absorption was the main focus.) But, it takes a team and I had a great one.

Respect the Crown / Behind-the-Scenes Content
After we had amassed a stellar production team and glam squad, the client wanted to capture BTS footage which would also highlight this historic achievement. So, we decided to put those accustomed to making the magic, in front of the camera. I had to pitch them the idea and fortunately, they all said yes!

The video series featured our celebrity stylist, Oscar James, campaign photographer, Itaysha Jordan and celebrity hair braider, Shani Crowe. Their insights included thoughts on their involvement in the project, the shift toward embracing Black textures and the importance of Black hairstyles being welcome in the workplace.