Doner names president as it prepares to launch inclusive marketing practice

Doner has appointed a new president to help launch its first inclusive marketing practice. Ben Grossman steps into the role after most recently serving as chief strategy and integration officer at the Detroit-based, Stagwell-owned agency. He will build the inclusive marketing practice alongside Alima Trapp, who returns to Doner as executive VP, head of inclusive marketing after three years at Walton Isaacson, where she was executive VP, head of strategy. Grossman will report to Doner Partners Network Chair and Doner CEO David DeMuth, who previously held the president title. DeMuth said he “felt it was time” for Grossman to “have a bigger say” in the agency’s operations, including client relationships and recruitment. Read about Ad Age’s 2024 Leading Women here Grossman will spearhead the agency’s account services department, managing clients such as McDonald’s, Stellantis and Coca-Cola’s Fairlife, while continuing to oversee strategy. “We envision the next era of ‘Modern and Main Street’ being more digital-first, data-driven and diverse,” said DeMuth. “The way Ben approaches opportunities embodies all those things, so he’s very much the perfect person to assume this role.” Grossman and Trapp will aim to bolster Doner’s internal initiatives and culture, working with VP, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Shelia Minetola to help with recruitment, employee resource groups and employee training. The duo will also focus largely on external efforts, developing tools and frameworks to ensure a range of diverse voices are well-represented in clients’ creative. Bucking the trend Doner is developing its new practice in response to clients’ increasing efforts to market across areas including ethnicity, age, religion, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, primary language and geographic location, Grossman said. It comes as other agencies make cuts to DE&I departments and brands hire fewer diverse vendors and suppliers. “Most of the brands we work on behalf of are mass brands. They’re trying to appeal to everyday people,” said DeMuth. “For us to effectively do that, we need to really understand the changing landscape of mainstream America, which isn’t even really mainstream anymore.” The inclusive marketing practice will build on Doner’s prior work, such as its Calm Cabin package campaign for Chrysler, which was created in partnership with the Autism Society of America and designed to support the needs of individuals with autism and their loved ones. Doner declined to specify the inclusive marketing practice’s launch clients but said that brands span the automotive, health and wellness sectors. “The [phrase] we’re using to describe this practice is ‘intentional inclusion,’” said Grossman, who will also continue to serve as chief strategy officer of the Doner Partners Network. “And that means inclusive thinking needs to be incorporated into every step of the way we think about a client’s business opportunities.”

Doner names president as it prepares to launch inclusive marketing practice

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