Impact Over Trophies and Ego: Behind this Harlem Agency’s Investment in Local Education
Elite Media is a Black-owned, female led, independent creative agency based in Harlem. It believes businesses, organisations and people have the power to use their gifts to help solve problems in their own communities.
And Elite is trying to lead by example. Recently, the agency hosted an event at a local public school designed to unveil its ‘the Schoolys’ programme, part of its disruptive, impact-based model, by bestowing a $150,000 self-care grant to Teachers College Community School in Harlem.
To find out more, we sat down with Elite Media founder and CEO Chris Crawford to better understand what is behind the agency's thinking and how he hopes to deliver on the challenge for businesses to ‘outgood’ one another.
LBB> Tell us about the Schoolys programme and what are you hoping to achieve with it.
Chris> The Schoolys platform is part of a broader initiative designed to demonstrate how businesses, organisations and people can use their own gifts to help solve challenges in their communities. This specific programme was created to help celebrate, honour and affirm teachers and school staff members at local schools. We are thrilled to work with the Teachers College Community School as our pilot school for the launch of this initiative. The multi-year commitment will include physical improvements to the building, securing real-world talent to enhance the school’s clubs and courses, and helping staff members secure additional funds for other projects. Over the months and years to come, our investment will look at everything from helping to beautify the space and purchasing new tech equipment, to offering dance courses taught by famous choreographers and hosting cooking courses from local celebrity chefs here in Harlem.
LBB> Why did you launch it?
Chris> Unfortunately, schools around the country are facing difficulty retaining and recruiting teachers and staff. We launched this initiative by announcing and distributing a ‘self-care’ grant. With about $3,000 in grant funding, each of 50 staff members were able to utilise the donation to engage in radical acts of self care. For me, this partnership is also personal: my father worked at PS 28 [school] in Harlem nearly 50 years ago. So, I know first-hand how much dedication, time and money school teachers and staff pour into their students and school community throughout the year. With happier teachers come more successful students. We felt it was important for staff to know they are valued and that they are seen as an integral part of the initial phase of this work.
LBB> What example do you hope it might set for the industry?
Chris> As an industry, we too often get caught up in shiny things - trophies and egos over impact. We can lose sight of what's happening in the larger world. We believe local impact is the path forward, and that we as advertisers have the power to shift culture, conversations and perceptions. We want to encourage other businesses to reimagine how they can drive local impact and make intentional choices that will change the world for the better, one block, one person or one community at a time.
LBB> What other purpose-based plans do you have going forward?
Chris> In 2025 and beyond, we have plans to create and share a national blueprint for the Schoolys programme to encourage communities across the country to celebrate school heroes. We want to invite citizens, businesses, brands, and foundations to join us in this effort. We’ve also helped to empower, and will continue working with, the protectors, non-profits and local heroes in our village of Harlem.
LBB> Your agency just celebrated its 10th anniversary. How are you evolving as you enter your 2nd decade?
Chris> Elite Media is proudly not Madison Avenue. We are an agency who already knows who we are and have always been clear on who it is we serve. In our second decade, we are taking the business to the next level. As our industry evolves, we believe the agencies that thrive will be the ones who maintain a real connection to culture and a commitment to driving innovation with diverse audiences forward. We should all be asking ourselves, 'How as a community are we calling people in and calling people out for the systems that are changing and the changes we would like to see implemented during this moment in advertising and cultural history?'
LBB> How is your purpose-based model providing a lens through which you decide what clients and projects to take on?
Chris> We seek to only work with like-minded people and clients. That is because we believe courage is required in this type of work. If you take a look at the latest census data, we should all be equipping ourselves with the staff, knowledge and resources necessary to reach and truly connect with the new general market. This generation is our future. It is only right that we nurture and listen to their needs, desires and dreams. We invite everyone to join us in seeking to ‘outgood’ one another.
LBB> Final question: Is the term multicultural agency still relevant?
Chris> No. Multicultural audiences are today's new general market. While we have the spine of an agency, we are – at our core – of the culture. We partner to create with others that are also of - and embedded in - the culture. Real people contribute to the work we do. If multicultural marketing means growth and is the lifeline for your business, then yes, please call us multicultural. But make sure you call us with the budget and resources that match that of the general market.
