For Immediate Release
November 24, 2022
AKIL ALVIN MAKES HISTORY WITH BOTSWANA’S MINISTRY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Detroit, MI - How do you get the opportunity to bridge culture globally and make history simultaneously? It’s by invitation only. Akil Alvin, Digital Detroit Media’s CEO and Chief Creative Officer, was invited to provide digital marketing insights as the keynote speaker closing out Botswana’s inaugural Global Entrepreneurship Week, a next-level product presented by the new Ministry of Entrepreneurship that launched during the inaugural Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa.
Facilitated by Kgomotso Garebakwena, a native Botswanian marketing expert known as ‘the brand whisperer’ who tells stories through brands she works to develop. She opened by acknowledging his “fans'' due to the abundance of love shown by the people of Botswana live; in anticipation of their discussion on how to help brands level up, Akil quickly reciprocated by expressing his appreciation for the people of Botswana and how they have quickly become his second family following his participation in the Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa. He then leaned into their talk by extemporaneously illuminating step-by-step details about digital marketing that quickly evolved into a Master Class in real-time. “It’s time to boss up and shine a light on the amazing entrepreneurs in Botswana,” as he added that “being dope and amazing is not rare in Botswana,’ before he segued into his talk about what it takes to become a marketing boss globally.
During their 45-minute discourse, Akil and Kgomotso discussed the impact that Botswana’s digital marketers can have globally. He flowed effortlessly throughout the lexicon of the ad agency domain, breaking down, point-by-point, how to tap into the power of the www, the World Wide Web, to move entrepreneurs in Botswana into the sphere of global marketing. He put the order of strategic components, emphasizing the need to contemplate distribution fulfillment before bringing SEO into the marketing mix and giving deep thought to how and when to marry social media and influencers to various phases of a client’s project to most effectively elevate their brand voice.
At the core of his talk, Akil underscored the importance of “knowing who you are” while producing for clients and sustaining client relationships. He said, “you have to know who you are and why you do what you do. What happens if there is no money coming at times?” For him, knowing your story is the heartbeat of it all; for him, to renew yourself, you have to be true to yourself, and you can’t always put a price on that.
Akil and his team are fully on-board to back Botswana’s highly motivated entrepreneurs as they prepare to unveil their talents to the world. His day of Thanksgiving was spent being grateful for his new southern Africa family and the opportunity to close out their Week of Entrepreneurship, taking his gratitude to the next level and knowing that the grind never stops.
About Digital Detroit Media
Digital Detroit Media Media is a global ad agency that goes beyond boundaries to expand into new terrain, driving storytelling into the realm of palpability. Our vision is to stretch narratives from a dot to a circle, transforming them from those that have arrived at the end of their journey into new ones whose time has come. It’s about inclusivity beyond words on paper and breathing life into a new creative experience of transformation that will resonate throughout organizations. We robustly disrupt stagnant concepts while offering new insights, lifting them into a dimension to innovate, elevate, and amplify narratives that Authentically Impact Culture.
For more information about Digital Detroit Media, contact Michelle Parizon, Global Director of Marcom and Community Engagement, at michelle@digitaldetroitmedia.com.
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For Immediate Release
July 22, 2022
DuPont Taps Global Ad Agency Digital Detroit Media for 50th Anniversary of Supplier Diversity
Detroit, MI - In preparation to commemorate 50 years of commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), DuPont, one of the world's largest producers of science-based products, announces their multi-year partnership with global ad agency Digital Detroit Media.
Digital Detroit Media (DDM) has a client roster including some of the world’s leading corporations and nonprofits, including The National Minority Supplier Development Council, The Walt Disney Company, Ford Motor Company, and The Coca-Cola Company. Known for its ability to amplify its client’s messaging to Authentically Impact Culture, DDM is the go-to agency for multicultural marketing. Akil Alvin, DDM’s Founder and Global CEO and one of Forbes Magazine’s 2022 30 Under 30 Top Advertising Executives for North America, stated, “Before Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion was a buzz phrase, DuPont played a pivotal role in the elevation of minority-owned enterprises around the country. We are honored to be trusted with such a historical project and look forward to shining a light on how DuPont has led by example for half a century.”
DDM’s creation of marketing and communication for DuPont’s ESG initiatives will highlight the progress and success of their DEI endeavors for half a century. The partnership underscores the corporation's commitment to fulfilling the diversity spending goal of $1 billion with minority-owned businesses by 2030.
Driven by DDM’s signature blueprint and proven ability to curate powerful campaigns, brand activations, and results, the global partnership will produce innovative opportunities for reflection that look back over DuPont’s last five decades of success as they forge new pathways for the future.
About Digital Detroit Media
Digital Detroit Media Media is a global ad agency that goes beyond boundaries to expand into new terrain, driving storytelling into the realm of palpability. Our vision is to stretch narratives from a dot to a circle, transforming them from those that have arrived at the end of their journey into new ones whose time has come. It’s about inclusivity beyond words on paper and breathing life into a new creative experience of transformation that will resonate throughout organizations. We robustly disrupt stagnant concepts while offering new insights, lifting them into a dimension to innovate, elevate, and amplify narratives that Authentically Impact Culture.
For more information about Digital Detroit Media, contact Michelle Parizon, Global Director of Marcom and Community Engagement, at michelle@digitaldetroitmedia.com.
For Immediate Release
December 3, 2021
Every generation a handful of leaders are summoned to answer the calling of their destiny. But it is a rare opportunity to be in the presence of true leadership as it unfolds.
Digital Detroit Media is humbled and proud to announce that Akil Alvin, our CEO and Global Chief Creative Officer has been named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 for 2022. That’s THE FORBES, not a local chapter or subsidiary, but the actual Forbes Magazine as 1 of 30 Top Advertising Executives, under the age of 30, in North America.
Congratulations to some of the other members of his historic class which include NBA’s Devin Booker, NFL’s Dak Prescott, Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, and top-ranked tennis phenom Naomi Osaka, to name a few. And let’s not forget Forbes’ 2022 30 Under 30 Hall-of-Famers Facebook's Founder Mark Zuckerberg, Grammy Award-winning Recording Artist and Fashion Mogul, Rihanna, and NBA's LeBron James.
This is a real ‘drop the mic’ moment.
Inspired at the age of 18 by the lyrics of the legendary Christopher Wallace to “Stay far from timid, only make moves when your heart is in it, and live in the phrase, “The sky's the limit.”
Many people may not have been listening, but Akil took these words to heart. With those iconic lyrics in mind, he unleashed his brand within the foundation of Digital Detroit Media (DDM), headquartered in the city bearing its name.
Akil launched his company after graduating from the world-renowned Detroit School of Arts, in 2013. His vision has evolved into a multimedia content creation agency empowering ambitious brands to thrive in contemporary culture through a mix of storytelling, insights, and a dash of #Detroit Hustle.
DDM is on the main stage boasting a clientele that includes large entities and municipalities such as the City of Detroit, and some of the world’s leading national and global brands such as Ford Motor Company, Major League Baseball, McDonald's, National Minority Supplier Development Council. In 2020, DDM continued to make history with a first-of-its-kind advisory mentorship with the iconic Walt Disney Company.
We meet you at the intersection of Vision, Innovation, Culture, and Impact.
But without visionary leadership fueling the drive, there is no way to make it to the intersection. And to accomplish this before the age of 30 cannot be understated.
For Akil, the inclusion of the word Detroit within the agency’s name was by design. Being true to who you are means you have to be real to who you are, so Detroit had to be included in his brand- our brand- which underscores the power of who we are.
Working with Akil doesn’t allow us to consider ourselves lucky; we consider ourselves selectively chosen to do what we do, which is the vital work at the heart of our calling and mission to Authentically Impact Culture.
We understand the power of being who we are, as we are, and where we are. We moved the world, we made you dance, and when faced with adversity, we never quit. We keep it real.
We are Digital Detroit Media.
Akil has left the building.
DIGITAL DETROIT'S CEO HONORED BY THE CITY OF DETROIT
April 27, 2021
Akil, considered by many as one of Detroit's proudest treasures, came back to where it all started, The City of Detroit Government, to be honored for all of his accomplishments.
At the young age of seven years old, Akil was called upon to produce events and initiatives for his local public library. His innovative programming revitalizes the local branch, making it the number one library in the City of Detroit. At the age of 10, Akil began his career with the UniverSoul Circus, becoming a pillar in the Detroit Market for the world-renowned show. At the age of 13, Akil began interning for the City of Detroit's Media Services Department, his start in broadcast television, and his passion for storytelling became evident. After graduating high school, Akil started Digital Detroit Media and grew it to one of the top ad agencies in the region.
Watch the video below for Akil's story and the remarks from government officials who know Akil best.
INTRODUCTION VIDEO:
DDM'S CEO AKIL ALVIN
THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND VIRTUAL TOUR HOSTED BY
