The Community is driven by honest concepts and ‘the new mainstream’

As the multicultural conversation continues to grow and influence the American majority, The Community has secured its place as a creative partner for “the new mainstream,” its term for approaching the mass market and multicultural audiences on the same level rather than as separate segments. “Our focus on the new mainstream is special to us because we represent the new mainstream,” said Marci Miller, president, U.S. “We can really lean into who we are as an agency and demonstrate that for our client partners.” See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Agency A-List winners here With more than 79% of the agency’s employees self-identifying as diverse, and with women making up over 60% of the agency’s workforce, The Community showcases a commitment to diversity at all levels. Additionally, the leadership team reflects a diversity rate of more than 60%. The Community gained 15 new client relationships last year, including Walmart, Bath and Body Works, Taco Bell, Perfect Bar and Grupo Bimbo. The agency adeptly juggled a variety of campaigns, from a huge mass-market Super Bowl spot for Netflix to multicultural campaigns for Walmart and a Hispanic-focused campaign for Verizon. To promote Netflix’s partnership with General Motors, The Community imagined actor and comedian Will Ferrell driving electric vehicles into the worlds of “Squid Game,” “The Walking Dead,” “Bridgerton” and others. As the agency pointed out, GM’s stock price soared 6% the next day. During its first year working with Walmart, The Community’s goal was to expand the brand’s reach within multicultural markets. It aimed to highlight the retailer's accessibility, just a click away, with a Spanish-language app that caters to the nuances of the language. This effort was part of a partnership with Publicis and sibling agency Contender, which included setting up an intelligence hub to gather insights for marketing to Hispanic and Black audiences as well as the broader market. The year began with the launch of an anthem film under the theme “Welcome to your Walmart,” followed by back-to-school and holiday campaigns. Ad Age A-List and Creativity Gala Buy your ticket to the in-person event Click here Efforts such as this have also allowed the agency to bridge the gap between clients and brands that continue to engage with diverse communities. “What we’ve seen too in the last year or two years is that brands are more engaged in that conversation than ever,” said Luis Montero, CEO. “They’re looking for answers.” The Community also continued its creative collaboration with Diageo, launching a new ultra-premium product, Tequila Don Julio Rosado. The campaign, filmed in Mexico and directed by Tanu Muiño, highlighted the brand’s luxurious qualities. Additionally, The Community worked on a Volkswagen campaign for the new Atlas. With spots titled “Too Slow” and “Mateo,” the shop aimed to showcase a driving experience the entire family can enjoy. For Verizon’s flagship MyPlan product spot, featuring Colombian singer J Balvin and directed by Oz Rodriguez of Caviar, the focus was on Hispanic consumers. The campaign emphasized that you don’t need to be a celebrity like Balvin to get the new iPhone 15 for free. Even as the agency expands, it retains the philosophy it had since the beginning, said Chief Creative Officer Joaquin Molla: human sensibility. “What wakes me up every morning is to be that company, to represent the values we believe, where people can come and do the best work of their career,” he said. Molla added that there are creatives that have grown within the company for more than 15 years. “I’m very proud of that.” “We do walk the talk,” added Miller. “Leaning into culturally honest work and that constantly evolves, so keeping the pace of that alone is enough drive for the collective agency and is what I think keeps people inspired.” See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Agency A-List winners here

The Community is driven by honest concepts and ‘the new mainstream’

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