—Throughout Black History Month, The Message will be sharing short profiles of Black professionals from across the industry: marketing, advertising, PR, media, and production. Written by POCAM members, the profiles are a way to “fight invisibility,” an exercise in representation for an industry where representation must get better—
Azeezat Oyawoye is an artist and a project manager at Huge, a global creative consultancy. Her artistic practice is run under the name “Àbíkẹ́ The Artist,” where she creates art highlighting BIPOC women through a focus of her cultural history. In her year of working as an artist, she’s worked with brands such as MLSE (Raptors 905) and Sephora.
Oyawoye graduated from the University of Waterloo with a science and business degree in 2021 and decided to lean into the business side of her degree. She started as a media analyst in 2021 but moved into project management in 2022 as she was intrigued by the idea of navigating the complexities of bringing a project to life. It was difficult to break into that space since she didn’t have prior project management experience but “having the support of the people I connected with on LinkedIn helped,” she said. Her career has allowed her the opportunity to learn fast, challenge herself and be resilient.
As a young professional, Oyawoye struggles with finding and connecting with other Black creatives and PMs in the same industry. “We need more mentorship programs and events to foster greater representation and encourage more people of colour in marketing,” she said.
Her goal is to make the industry better by showing a diverse perspective in her art. In her own words: “My goal as an artist is to tell Afro-infused visual stories on an amplified scale. I hope to do this by working with brands that want to tell interesting narratives that place BIPOC people centre stage in a vibrant, modern, and exciting manner.”
Oyawoye is extremely proud of the work she’s been able to accomplish so far in the first year of her artistic practice. Most specifically, she’s proud of her collaboration with Raptors 905 since it happened so early in her artistic journey and fully embodies the goal of her work as an artist.
Her personal mantra is “Do it even when you’re scared.” This has helped her get into spaces she never imagined despite “the fear of taking that step forward.”
She offers some advice for Black professionals entering marketing: “Express the unique perspective you bring boldly. In today’s age, a distinctive viewpoint or skill is valued, even in the absence of conventional experience, so it's crucial to own that uniqueness.”
This POCAM BHM 2024 profile was written by Aleena Mazhar Kuzma, SVP, managing director, partner of FUSE Create and a steering board committee member of POCAM.
France-Michèle Thomas has practiced her trade for more than 20 years and is presently the VP of Citoyen Relations. “I came for the fashion and the beauty and stayed for the creativity, the dynamism, the creativity and the opportunity to do work that actually matters,” Thomas said. She acknowledges the industry is slowly embracing diversity and recalls, “When I started, you could count on two hands the number of POC who were part of the industry.”
When asked about role models, Thomas cites the work done by her friend Martine St-Victor. At a time when Quebec’s media and PR industry wasn’t very diverse, St-Victor created networking opportunities that helped many get their foot in the door.
Many inclusion initiatives making a big difference now were absent when she started her career. Naturally, she dealt very differently with discrimination back then. She feared she would be sidelined (something did actually happen), and that kept her quiet. Today, she isn’t afraid to speak up for herself and for others.
Still, Thomas emphasizes that it’s important not to get too comfortable—what may appear as gains for some can be perceived as a loss for others, she says.
She wants recruitment to be inclusive, leadership to be representative, and for the industry to ensure that pay and advancement are equal for equal work. She stresses the importance of making space for underrepresented groups.
For Thomas, getting hired at Citoyen Relations in 2018 was a career highlight. “It’s a dynamic environment that’s conducive to learning, growth and development,” she explained, “we get to work with really, really smart, talented and creative people, and the work we do in EDI is very important to me.” She’s talking about the many diversity and inclusion initiatives, vendor diversity programs, mentorship, and community outreach and engagement programs underway at Citoyen (and Plus Company at large).
In 2023, Thomas herself led a workshop on “Getting off the Glass Cliff” with the CPRS (Canadian Public Relations Society). It focused on how to equalize and transform PR workplaces and ignited critical higher management conversations on diversity and representation that continue today.
Thomas advises young Black talent: “Do not be afraid to knock on doors; reach out to POC and Black people who work in the industry, network, do your homework, study what has been done, what’s being done, be knowledgeable and stay close to the culture—it’s important and so influential.”
She draws strength from James Baldwin’s maxim, "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
This POCAM BHM 2024 profile was written by Gavin Barrett, CEO/CCO/founder of Barrett and Welsh Inc and a co-founder of POCAM and the Multicultural Marketing Alliance of Canada.
Olivia Saïzonou is a talent agent at Dulcedo Management, but she got her start in the industry eight years ago, in PR. Saïzonou confesses she thought PR was like in movies—"pitches like in Emily in Paris, organizing big events in crazy venues. I was a model and wanted to connect with the beauty industry behind the scenes,” she said.
She quickly learned that PR isn't all glamour. And, as her career progressed, she began to focus on influencer marketing. Working on the brand side, she realized that POC—and Black women especially—were underpaid. Saïzonoua decided she preferred helping people rather than brands and she became an agent focusing on the growth and economic capital of Black creators.
It was easy enough to break into the industry. “I've always been very social and very smart about making meaningful connections and being observant when in certain spaces,” she explained. “Most of my jobs in PR were thanks to references.” And she had a good role model in Renée Weekes.
Looking back, Saïzonou said, “I’m amazed by the confidence I gained, being able to fight for Black women and Black creators to have space but also for me to have a say and a seat at the table.”
When dealing with bias, microaggressions or plain racism, Olivia stays professional but firm. “I don't sugarcoat anymore. If I feel uncomfortable I let it be known to my peers,” she said. “I also protect my energy by not over-explaining or justifying who I am.”
Saïzonou wants more people who look like her behind the scenes and in senior positions. She actively educates her peers on effective DEI methods. “I wish we could expand the idea of what is being "Black" to remedy tokenism,” she said, and she means it. She has decided to have a roster of mainly—and sometimes only—Black creators.
Her advice for young Black talent? Read and be aware of the current trends, software, and data. Take up space. Take initiative. But always be smart about your worth. Understand how to read job offers, how to negotiate and how the corporate world works—especially as Black talent. Reject spaces that prevent Black talent from learning or advancing.
This POCAM BHM 2024 profile was written by Gavin Barrett, CEO/CCO/founder of Barrett and Welsh Inc and a co-founder of POCAM and the Multicultural Marketing Alliance of Canada.
Jason Cole is the founder and creative director of 3 Apples High – a reimagined creative services firm based in Toronto. I first met him in 2022 and was immediately intrigued by the name of his agency.
“What’s the story behind 3 Apple High?” I asked.
“It’s named after The Smurfs,” he replied.
“As in “la, la, la, la, la, laaaa?” I hummed the tune. Of course I knew this song!
“But why name an agency after The Smurfs?” I managed to ask in between la-s.
Cole paused and smiled. “Smurfs are exactly three Apples High. Although small characters in size, in a business context, are the 'go-to' team of experts supporting from behind the scenes.”
Cole was drawn to the marketing and advertising industry through his love of visual arts, a passion nurtured by supportive parents originally from Jamaica. This culminated in a Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Communications, and later forayed into a Master's Degree in Process Engineering and Management Sciences from the University of Waterloo.
His professional trajectory was marked by a blend of creativity and engineering always mindful of environmental impact. He’s worked with creative and marketing communication firms like Saatchi, SGK, TC Transcontinental, SGS & Co, and Flipp, and served on the Board of Directors for the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) and the Mohawk College Program Advisory Committee (PAC). Maintaining a creative agency focused on sustainable growth, Cole has collaborated with digital providers, CFIA, and Health Canada, championing sustainability.
Being an agency of record for Sysco is a highlight for Cole, working hand in hand with their marketing leadership team to reposition the brand from "Good Things Come from..." to "At the Heart of Food and Service" for their bicentennial year. “I'm filled with pride every time I see a truck go by.”
Throughout his journey, mentorship played a pivotal role, with individuals like Henry Wong (creative direction), Tony Lee-Chong (office services), and Georgia Demmitt (creative services and account management). More recently, Ernie Francis (design management), Jason Cho (design process), AJ Santiago (strategy), and Denise Cole (co-founder of Juliet) have helped to shape his craft.
Reflecting on what the industry can do to change for the better, Cole believes there is an opportunity for a kinder approach within our industry. “Recognize that multicultural is mainstream, embrace diversity of thought and the uncommon experience. I choose to use my words to build up rather than destroy the abundance of talent around us.”
Despite facing bias, microaggressions, and racism in the industry, he advises young professionals to remain steadfast and move forward with resilience. “Bias, microaggressions, and racism are unproductive and often born of ignorance,” Cole shared. “If I have the time and inclination I take the opportunity to teach. If not, I simply move on. After all, it's the output, not the input, that defines who you are.”
To young Black talent aspiring to enter the advertising industry, Cole offers a message of encouragement: “Do it. And do it boldly remembering that iron sharpens iron.” As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. There is mutual benefit in the rubbing of two iron blades together; the edges become sharper—in times of meeting, fellowship and community.
“There is a place. A place that knows no sadness, where even feeling blue is a happy thing. A place inhabited by little blue beings 3 Apples High“ Smurftastic!
This POCAM BHM profile was written by Joycelyn E. David, owner and CEO of AV communications and a POCAM board member.
