Black creators celebrated on billboards across the country

Ad Age is partnering with OUTFRONT for its annual Black History Month feature celebrating Black creative excellence.

The project is designed to shine a light on key moments in the careers of inspiring and influential creators from across the industry. Through the partnership with OUTFRONT, Ad Age will also showcase some of the industry’s most creative talent on OUTFRONT’s digital out-of-home media across the U.S.

For the feature, which debuts on Feb. 1, Ad Age has selected four accomplished Black creators who will serve as guest editors throughout the month. These creators will tell the story of the most pivotal project from their own careers, and then give the stage to other talents who are shaping advertising, marketing and beyond.

OUTFRONT’s East Coast Regional Creative Director Tim Wasicki, the artist behind the award-winning “Black Heart” campaign, will kick off the month of celebration.

Billy Porter, the Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor, singer, director, composer and playwright, will serve as a guest editor, along with Translation CEO Steve Stoute, Birk Creative CEO JinJa Birkenbeuel and Kin Co-founder Kwame Taylor-Hayford.

“We are thrilled to partner with OUTFRONT on this project and give the stage to incredibly talented creators across the industry. We hope this partnership will help amplify their voices and inspire other creatives,” said Jeanine Poggi, editor of Ad Age.

“As the most visible platform in America, OUTFRONT believes that we have a profound opportunity, and more importantly responsibility, to positively impact the people and businesses within the communities in which our canvases exist,” said Jodi Senese, chief marketing officer of OUTFRONT. “We have a unique role in driving cultural impact by being embedded into the fabric of our communities and trusted by the millions who engage with our media every day, driving a strong relationship between brands and audiences.”

Each billboard will feature a photo of a Black creative executive making an impact on the industry. In transit and street-level locations, the campaign will also include a QR code that will direct commuters to learn more about the full Black Creative Excellence series on AdAge.com.

The project is part of OUTFRONT’s commitment to shining a light on exceptional Black individuals who are making history in their fields, and this campaign is a natural extension of the “Making Black History” program that the company has implemented over the past few years. OUTFRONT has similar programs around Women’s History Month, Pride Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, among others throughout the year.