Case Study: Just Like Me x Havas

Role: Social Strategist, Havas Chicago (#BLACKATWORK ERG collaboration)

Project Background

Just Like Me, created and directed by TTK Harris, is a short documentary spotlighting eight Black creatives in advertising and design. The film set out to break through the glass ceiling many of us know well—where Black professionals are often over-represented in service and administrative roles but rarely seen in creative leadership. Growing up, so many Black kids don’t see art directors, designers, or strategists in their communities, so those careers don’t even feel possible. This project existed to change that narrative.

My Contributions

Cultural Insight
Through social listening, I surfaced the truth we all live with: visibility shapes possibility. Black youth weren’t exposed to creative career paths in their environments, which meant those jobs didn’t feel real. This became the cultural backbone of the project.

Strategic Narrative & Deck
I built the deck that tied this cultural gap to the documentary’s mission—framing Just Like Me not as a side story, but as a cultural need.


Content Rollout Planning

I mapped a three-phase content strategy to make the film’s impact extend beyond release:

  • Pre-launch: teasers, BTS content, and conversations about representation.

  • Launch: premiere coverage, social spotlights of each creative.

  • Post-sustain: educational and inspirational content designed to keep the dialogue going for weeks.

Promotion Strategy

I shaped the promo plan to leverage Havas networks, social platforms, and community partnerships—ensuring the project lived where Black creatives and young audiences could actually see it.


Media & Coverage

Press coverage elevated the campaign, spotlighting its cultural relevance and Havas’ leadership in representation:

  • Campaign Live framed Just Like Me as a journey through the career paths of eight Black creatives—highlighting its power to inspire the next generation of diverse talent.

  • Reel Chicago emphasized the film’s mission: to expose the invisible challenges Black creatives face and underline the importance of representation in advertising and design.

  • PR Newswire revealed stark industry context, citing that just 7.4% of entry-level marketers are Black (per ANA), underscoring the film’s urgency.

Reflection

As a Black strategist, this work was personal. I wasn’t just validating an idea through data—I was naming a lived reality and helping turn it into a cultural intervention. Just Like Me reminded me why I do this work: strategy can give language and structure to our stories, and in doing so, amplify them to places where they can shift culture. For me, this wasn’t just a campaign—it was a chance to make sure the next generation sees themselves in spaces I wish I had known existed sooner.