How Ogilvy is Celebrating Brotherhood

Over the years, the ad industry has been criticised for its lack of racial diversity when hiring leading to various initiatives being introduced to counter the issue. One such scheme sees Ogilvy attempt to carve out a transformative space for Black men to cultivate community, develop their leadership skills, and pave the way for greater representation in the upper echelons of the sector.

The Brotherhood program was piloted in the US before expanding to South Africa and now the UK. It was born out of a recognition that there was a glaring gap – the absence of dedicated leadership development initiatives specifically tailored for Black professionals. For the second year of The Brotherhood, VML joined Ogilvy to include Black male colleagues from both agencies.  

The Brotherhood Programme consists of a seven-week curated framework. Each session, developed in partnership with Coaches of Colour, covers crucial topics such as psychological safety, imposter syndrome, creativity and code-switching.

A distinctive feature of the programme is collaboration with Ogilvy’s clients. The UK mentees were given the opportunity to present their career manifestos to marketers from EY in a traditional agency pitch format, offering real-world experience in a high-stakes environment. 

As Tope Ajala, global head of DEI for Ogilvy states: "This  shouldn't be the first of its kind, but one of many."

Following the UK cohort’s completion, a graduation ceremony took place at VML’s headquarters which included a fireside chat with Dr. Raphael Sofoluke, founder of the UK Black Business Show. 

This sense of pioneering spirit and the responsibility to "pay it forward" was palpable throughout the ceremony, as the participants shared their personal journeys and aspirations. 

"I laugh and I joke and I say, you know, this shouldn't have been the first, right?" remarked Tope. "But one of the upsides to being fearless leaders is it's okay to be the first."

For the participants, this program represented a rare opportunity for them to be their authentic selves in the workplace – a luxury they reveal has often eluded them in the corporate world. As Lavu Njobvu, the learning and development manager at VML, shares, "I've always struggled in the corporate world trying to navigate, how do I behave? How do I talk? How do I sound?"

The program's emphasis on fostering a safe space for vulnerability and open dialogue resonated deeply with the participants, allowing them to shed the masks they had grown accustomed to wearing.

"I had this moment where I looked around and I saw all of these Black people on the board, and I just paused and thought 'this is powerful,'" Njobvu reflects. "I've never seen anything like this, and that image shouldn't be limited to just the program. It shouldn't stop there."

This sentiment of collective empowerment and a desire to extend the program's impact was echoed by many of the participants, who recognised the transformative potential of such initiatives.

"We do need more Black leaders to encourage and inspire people, because that same young, 15-year-old boy who I was when I started the work environment. there are other 15-year-old Black boys as well who think the work environment is white, and we need to change that perception," he asserts.

For Dillon Osei, rewards partner, VML, EMEA, the program has been instrumental in shaping his leadership aspirations. "My long-term goal is to become a rewards director that's known for being fair to people, especially coming from stereotypical diverse backgrounds, and being able to make sure that when reward and compensations are made, they're being treated fairly, and promoting equality and fair fairness around the business," he shares.

As the Brotherhood across Ogilvy and VML continues to evolve and expand, the participants' collective commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable industry serves as a powerful testament to the transformative impact of such programs. By empowering Black men to embrace their authentic selves and cultivate a supportive community, this initiative is paving the way for a future where diverse leadership is the norm, not the exception.

Here are the thoughts of those driving the initiative within the agency:

Elaine Grell, chief people officer, Ogilvy EMEA: “The under-representation of Black men is one of the most pressing challenges our industry is facing. Seeing the first UK graduates of The Brotherhood Programme is a milestone not just for Ogilvy but for the British creative sector across the board. It feels even more poignant as we start to mark UK Black History Month. I’m also thrilled that the successful US and UK rollouts mean we’ll touch more talent across the globe. A real testament of us putting the ‘borderless’ into ‘borderless creativity’”.  

Tope Ajala, global head of DEI, Ogilvy: “The Brotherhood Programme isn’t just an initiative; it’s a movement. There’s a significant gap in our industry when it comes to the representation of Black men, and this programme is a bold step to address that. By partnering with senior stakeholders and involving our clients, we’re not only impacting the men directly but also encouraging companies to look inward and address their own gaps. We partnered with Coaches of Color for their expertise, ensuring the men were represented at all levels. For us, fearless inclusion means doing things for the first time, knowing it’s bold, but also knowing it could reshape our industry and how we approach development for specific groups. The results are already speaking volumes.”  

Elaine dela Cruz, co-founder and director, Coaches of Colour: "We are driven by an equitable approach to Learning and Development, so partnering with Ogilvy and VML—pioneers in their space— to develop The Brotherhood programme was a natural fit. We’re embedding equity and fairness at the core of talent development, ensuring underrepresented groups have the tools to unlock their full potential. One day, this approach will be the standard. We are proud and privileged to be leading that change today.”