MEL Welcomes Gustavo Garcia as Chief Digital Officer

MEL, short for Messianu/Edelman/Lerma, proudly announces the addition of Gustavo Garcia as its chief digital officer. With over two decades of expertise in spearheading digital and social media strategies across a diverse array of sectors including consumer packaged goods, media, healthcare, automotive, food & beverage, tech, and hospitality, among others, Gustavo brings invaluable insight to MEL’s leadership team. Prior to joining MEL, Gustavo served as an executive vice president in the U.S. digital practice at Edelman.

“I’ve been lucky to be at the forefront of an ever-changing digital journey that continuously transforms brands, consumer habits and every aspect of marketing. In an era where AI is accelerating innovation, social media is driving culture, and the future of brand growth is Hispanic, I’m incredibly excited to join MEL. This stellar leadership team is harnessing the power of creative, earned, and digital to build success for our clients and their brands,” said Gustavo Garcia, chief digital officer, MEL.

Understanding that Hispanics not only have distinct online preferences, but moreover are trendsetters in digital behaviours, MEL underscores its commitment to offering a compelling digital strategy. As a minority-owned, Hispanic-led integrated communications agency, MEL believes that inclusion is table stakes and it is now imperative to recognise that Latinos live at the intersection of influence and impact, especially when leveraging their over index in smartphone ownership and social media usage.

“MEL is a hive of cultura co-creation, born of a shared vision to create buzzworthy ideas with impact — ideas that sting. Gustavo's strategic acumen in digital and social media, coupled with his unparalleled expertise in brand building within the Hispanic market, position him as an invaluable asset to our team and our clients,” expressed Luis Miguel Messianu, president and chief creative officer, MEL.

Beyond speaking to the legacy of its founders, MEL is also the Latin root of the word honey (“miel” in Spanish). In embracing this dual meaning, MEL’s brand identity reflects a spirit of collaboration to help brands thrive and lift la cultura. Gustavo Garcia joins the previously announced leadership team at MEL, which also includes Carla Santiago, chief operating officer; Omar Gustavo, chief strategy officer; Danny Alvarez, executive creative director; and Jennifer Rangel, head of client services.