Anomaly Introduces Cultural Marketing Initiative

By Erik Oster 

Anomaly is launching a new cultural marketing initiative, designed to help brands participate in contemporary culture, as well as cultural movements related to diversity and identity.

The practice transfers Anomaly’s existing expertise and creative and strategic cultural marketing process into a specific division within the agency.

“As true business partners to our clients, it is imperative that our strategies and ideas drive effectiveness,” Anomaly partner and CEO Franke Rodriguez said in a statement. “That’s not truly possible without a full understanding of the forces driving culture. We want to further focus our energy on the actionable happenings and shifts in culture where our brands, and we as an agency, can have a purposeful role.”

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To lead the new initiative, Anomaly hired Jeff Beck (pictured, right) as group planning director, director of strategy, cultural marketing.

Beck arrives at Anomaly from The Community in Miami, where he spent the last six years, including the last three leading the agency’s cultural strategy practice as senior director of cultural strategy after previously serving as director of planning. During his tenure at The Community, Beck worked with brands such as Verizon, Red Bull, Dominos, Converse, Modelo Especial and Hornitos. Prior to joining The Community in 2012, he spent nearly five years with CreativeOndemanD, where he most recently served as director of strategic planning and cultural insights and worked with brands including Volkswagen, Miller Lite and MTV.

“We searched the world to find a unique talent to strategically lead us on a cultural mission. Jeff is someone who has spent many years digging into culture with agencies small and large, from New York to Brazil to London,” Anomaly partner and chief strategy officer Gareth Goodall said in a statement. “He has explored mobile phone trends in barbershops in Jamaica, experimental creative culture in Detroit, tequila’s history in Guadalajara, global black identity in London and modern family dynamics in Middle America. Now is the time for us to do this, and Jeff is the person to do this with.”

Anomaly also is turning to agency veteran Damien Reid (pictured, left) to help Beck build up the practice. Reid will take on a role as managing director, cultural marketing, in addition to retaining his current responsibilities as group business director.

“Gaining traction in cultural strategy across the agency, will require a business leader who not only knows Anomaly, but is also equally passionate about defining and shaping culture,” Rodriguez added. “Fortunately, there is nobody better suited to that role than Damien Reid. Damien has a proven track record in leading a group of Anomaly businesses that have frequently impacted culture through efforts such as Keep Walking America, Sports Matters with DSG and of course Jane Walker.”

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