Is It Time for Us to Consider New Stages During This Season?

Above: Teachers College Community School in Harlem 8th Grade Commencement Ceremony

Image credit: Jupiter Works DBA, Sirin Samman Photography

It’s mid-June. And while many advertisers spend an obscene amount of money to stand on stages and participate at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, I chose to stand on a stage with a much more daunting audience: that of 50 teenagers at the 8th grade commencement ceremony for the Teachers College Community School (TCCS) in Harlem.

To back up, last year, during Cannes, we launched The Schoolys programme as a creative call to arms: a reminder that businesses can — and should — do more for the communities around them. We established a “self-care grant” of $150,000 for 50 staff members at a local public school, with each receiving $3,000 along with a trophy of appreciation during a surprise ceremony at the end of the school year that included a guest appearance by CBS Morning News anchor, Gayle King.

This year, we returned to TCCS public school where we once again had the privilege of giving back, both literally and figuratively. Figuratively in the way of a commencement speech. And literally through tokens of appreciation for forty-five students and seven teachers. Our way to say: we support and affirm you.

At Elite Media, our foundation has always been rooted in doing good. From the moment we launched, our agency was built not just to serve clients but to uplift communities — especially the very ones that raised and welcomed us. That commitment runs deep, and it’s why we continue to guide our work with purpose, integrity, and a constant drive for impact. We’re not just proud of our work with clients — we’re energised by our impact work. It makes us better storytellers, better listeners, and better leaders.

Yes, we love when our client work wins awards. But nothing hits more like the joy of investing in our community. We chose to cut back on our participation in the Cannes Lions Festival to reinvest those resources into our local community. Doing good should be the standard. The real competition should be focused on “outgooding one another." It’s the kind of work that fuels everything else we do — and honestly, it makes us better at our jobs.

And we’re just getting started. This summer, the second phase of The Schoolys programme will focus on making physical improvements to TCCS school’s gym and playground, enriching after-school programming, and offering our agency staff as grant writers to help them access sustainable resources and growth.

If you’re an agency or business leader wondering how to make a difference: honour the privilege of choice that you’re sitting on at this moment. Make the choice to start with one person. One block. Be intentional. Be sincere. And most of all, be good.

While I understand the creative thrill of chasing a Lion, in a moment where communities are facing real challenges, we have a real opportunity to use our creative gifts to chase challenges here at home.