Purpose-driven New York agency Oberland hired Davianne Harris as vice president, head of strategy.
Harris arrives at Oberland from New York agency Cassandra, where she spent nearly two years as senior director, brand strategy. During her year as a brand intelligence manager for JWT New York she worked with clients including Nestle, Johnson & Johnson, Walmart, Shell, Puma, Epson, AstraZeneca, HP and Tim Hortons. She left JWT in 2014 to lead CPG/healthcare accounts for Reckitt Benckiser at Karlen Williams Graybill as strategic planner and account lead. Harris also spent time as pro bono brand strategist at Catchafire, a community that matches professionals with nonprofits. A mother of two, Harris earned a B.A. in Communication and Consumer Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University.
In her new role, Harris will work across brands including Uber, Heifer International, The Nature Conservancy, Blockchain.com, Autism Speaks, Happy Egg Co, New York Institute of Technology, and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).
“Millennials and even younger consumers are pushing brands to be more purposeful as they are conscious about the brands they consume and work for,” Oberland co-founder and president Drew Train said in a statement. “Davianne’s strong expertise with these audiences and what makes them tick will enable our clients to establish the meaningful connections that drive long-term success for purpose driven brands.”
“Purpose isn’t an after-thought or a nice-to-have platform,” Harris added. “How a brand behaves in the world matters to consumers. Brands must elevate, inspire, and propel change. Purpose must be interwoven into a brand’s DNA and I’m excited to join Oberland’s crusade to show marketers the way.”