When Steve Stout helmed the urban divisions at Sony Music Entertainment and Interscope Geffen A&M Records in the early ’90s, he made a name for himself as a record exec, forging tight bonds with hip-hop artists and rappers.
In 2004, Stout launched a multicultural ad agency called Translation. His partner in Translation is the most-famous rapper in the world, Jay-Z.
It’s not unusual to hear a rapper such as Nas or J. Cole drop his name in one of their songs. Mr. Stoute knows a bit about the fabulous life too; when not at a meeting with one of his clients, which include State Farm or Coca-Cola, he can be found out in Brooklyn at a Nets game, jetting to his weekend home in the Bahamas, or getting serenaded with “Happy Birthday” in front of thousands at U.K.’s Glastonbury music festival by Beyonce.
Mr. Stoute’s “outsider” perspective — and his ability to travel in circles that most agency execs aren’t invited into — is highly buy viagra denmark appealing to many clients.
Translation was behind the idea to launch Budweiser’s Made in America music festival. Held last summer in Philadelphia, the event is a physical manifestation of Mr. Stoute’s philosophy that brands must be able to speak in one voice to younger, multicultural demographics.
In 2012, the agency grew its revenue 60% and increased its head count from 70 to more than 120 employees in New York and Chicago, with work from clients like McDonald’s. State Farm and A-B InBev getting general-market play. Picking up the Bud Light creative account shows that big marketers increasingly have faith in Mr. Stoute and his agency.
In 2009 the American Advertising Federation inducted Stoute into their Advertising Hall of Achievement, the industry’s premier award for outstanding advertising professionals under age 40. In 2013, Stoute was named “Executive of the Year” by AdAge, the leading publication for the advertising and marketing industries.
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