This was a beautiful campaign to lead. It was also one of the most challenging campaigns I’ve ever worked on.
The story of Bessie had been in the making for over a decade, and Queen Latifah’s early connection to the project made the campaign feel deeply personal and full circle. The opportunity to use music as both a storytelling device and a community touchpoint this early in my career was creatively fulfilling and culturally important —and it marked the beginning of a creative thread I’d come back to time and again.
There were other lessons learned, as well. This was a multi-market, multi-channel campaign with various stakeholders but minimal team staffing. On the final night of our experiential activation, The Bessie 81 Theater Tour in Los Angeles, a torrential rainstorm forced me to reimagine our red carpet, content capture area, and private outdoor dinner within 48 hours. Weatherproofing resources were stretched thin citywide due to graduation season, but we worked quickly with a resourceful vendor team to erect new structures. The storm persisted, damaging the roof, shorting one of the power sources, and threatening the evening’s performances.
Thanks to the venue’s multiple grid system, we were able to reroute power, and the DJ—D-Nice, who was fortunately on the working grid—kept the energy high. The audience never knew a crisis was unfolding behind the scenes. When Solange took the stage, the lights were back on and the moment unfolded seamlessly.
That night reminded me what it means to lead during chaos. I couldn’t let stress or frustration ripple through the team. I had to stay grounded, listen, ask the right questions, and act decisively. Our calm and communicative agency partners were essential in turning potential disaster into a memorable cultural moment. That trust and synergy solidified them as my go-to collaborators for years to come.
This campaign remains a meaningful chapter in my body of work—a testament to the power of cultural storytelling, strategic leadership, and staying steady when it counts.
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Objective
Educate audiences about the life and legacy of Bessie Smith—a music pioneer whose influence reverberates through today’s cultural and artistic landscape. The campaign aimed to build buzz and drive engagement across multicultural and millennial audiences by amplifying media coverage and sparking meaningful conversations.
Approach
Though Bessie Smith helped shape modern music, her story remains largely underrepresented. With Queen Latifah in the starring role, the film offered a timely and powerful opportunity to reintroduce her to new audiences. Music became the anchor of the campaign, but we looked beyond soundtracks—tapping into music as storytelling, songwriting, performance, and lived experience.
A multi-city campaign was developed to reach audiences in ways that felt intimate and culturally resonant. At the center of the campaign was The Bessie 81 Theater Tour, a series of immersive events that paired screenings with powerful musical moments and community-driven experiences. Strategic partnerships with ASCAP and BMI allowed us to create exclusive songwriting camps featuring Grammy-winning songwriters like Stacey Barthe and Bryan-Michael Cox, bridging the legacy of Bessie with today’s most influential music creators.
In New York and Los Angeles, special screenings were followed by private dinners designed to maximize influencer engagement and content creation. Each city also featured live performances inspired by Bessie’s spirit. In New York, artists like Deva Mahal, Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Adeline Michele, and Phony Ppl brought the energy. In Los Angeles, performances by Tiffany Gouché, Kehlani, and KING culminated in a surprise set by Solange, underscoring the campaign’s cultural weight and artistic integrity.
Impact
Bessie premiered as one of the most-watched HBO Original Films ever and remains a top performer among African American audiences. Press coverage of the Bessie 81 Theater Tour alone garnered over 262 million impressions, further amplifying the conversation around Bessie Smith’s lasting influence.