THEAGENCY

“The agency” campaign celebrates the contributions that African Americans

have made in the advertising, media & fashion industry in the 1960s.

The campaign is designed to pay homage to a select group of pioneers of

African American MADMEN in the industry whose old cool have paved the way

for a new cool on culture creators.

OLDCOOLNEWSCHOOL The campaign uses the fashion & style of the 1960s as the theme for

thecampaign, while using modern clothing provided by BANANA REPUBLIC.

It willfeature new school advertising & marketing professionals who will bring

to life afiction-based-on-fact depiction of the climate and advancements of thepioneers that will be celebrated. The goal is to provide for history to be

sharedin a manner consistent with the story telling capabilities that these

individuals areknown for. Select pioneers (or their families & former employees) will

contributeshort stories, based upon real life experiences, which will then be

brought to lifein a transmedia story.

PIONEERS

• Vince Cullers• Bill Sharp• Harry Webber• James Glover• Sharon Jones• Carol H Williams• Moss Kendrick• Byron Lewis• Johnson Publishing

OLDCOOL NEWSCHOOL Introducing the new web series entitled THEAGENCY. bananarepublic.com/theagency

The StoryThe employees of the Irving Middleton Agency are celebrating a recent victory

ofa new account, a liquor brand which will seek to pay the agency a $3.8 millionretainer over a two year period. The agency, once a fledging dream in the eyeof Irving Middleton Sr. has been left to his two children Raymond andConstance, both in their mid-30’s. The kids, raised as semi-spoiled heirs to theMiddleton media legacy, are no strangers to the money, but are fairly new to

themanagement savvy that it requires to run a successful marketing firm in aclimate where marketers are not certain of the African American consumermarket as a viable customer base for their products. With the new win of theBrookstone whiskey brand, the new agency heads feel confident in thedirection of taking on clients once forbidden by their late father, includingalcohol, military and tobacco products The base of the agency’s clients hadpreviously consisted of only skin & hair care products as well as homeappliances.

CharactersIrving Middleton Jr. (33) and wife Nicolette (37)

Irving, the male heir to the Middleton Agency has his hands full, balancing running the agency that his father sacrificed his family time for, bringing in new accounts through connections that he has been building rapidly after the news of his father’s untimely death, and keeping the peace between all of the women in his life, including his wife, his sister and his secretary. His wife, Nicolette, is your typical wealthy housewife, who can’t seem to stay at home. Though she and her husband are interested in having children, the timing is not right and largely due to Nicollete’s shopping habits, love for martinis & cigarettes and the stress that is caused due to the jealousy of the relationship between her husband and his attractive secretary Claire. Claire an agency die-hard, has been with the company since she was in her early twenties, after her family relocated from the South to Chicago. She is extremely protective over Irving and has a slight crush on his success. She is a good girl, but is often tempted by Irv Jr.’s frustration with his wife’s antics.

Claire Clifton (31)

CharactersKenton Browning 40 and wife Sharon Middleton-Browning (38)

Sharon the older sister of brother Irving Jr. is the true head of the agency’s creative force, as Chief Creative Officer and former VP Creative Director at Leo Burnett. The intoxicatingly beautiful and well polished Spelman grad, recently wed her on again, off again college sweetheart Kenton Browning, who is a music producer and part-time radio DJ. Often unhappy with Kenton’s “head in the clouds” mentality, Sharon often finds solace in the arms of a young mail room supervisor and soon to be Account Manager, Charles Jackson (much to the surprise to the rest of the agency).

Charles Jackson, 28

CharactersJulius Dawson (32) and William “Jimmy” Irvine (32)

Julius and Jimmy, the art director and copywriter duo who have won every account that the agency has off of the breakthrough campaigns that they tirelessly crank out. They are the oldest and most loyal creatives that the agency has, having joined the agency as 20 year old, wet behind the ear young brothers eager to find their way into the business. They easy going duo are also the cause of frustration for Delilah Malveaux (born as Augustine Jenkins) a younger college sorority sister of Sharon Middleton-Browning, who was recently brought in to the agency to add a female perspective and voice to the creative that is being developed. The extremely talented Delilah finds it difficult at first to gain the respect as a creative force, due to the misogynistic behavior of Julius and Jimmy. Delilah Malveaux, 26

Distribution

OnlineThe campaign, which will largely live online via a BR microsite will come to life as a web series also available on a YouTube

channel . Themicrosite will be promoted online via banner ads on relevant blog sites.

PrintThe campaign will extend itself via printed in a mini-magazine inserted in special edition copies of UPTOWN Magazine and other

relevant lifestylepublications. nside of the publication a series of print-ads will promote the launch of the online series.

OfflineThe campaign will come to life experientially with signature in-store promotions held as an after-hours cocktail partyseries honoring each of the pioneers in their market of influence. The events will be held as fashion marketing &media industry and will serve as launch parties for each new webisode.

PRThe purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness around careers in the advertising & mediaindustry, while raising fiscal support for The Marcus Graham Project, a non-profit leadership developmentorganization for young adults of color in the marketing & media industry.

THE WHY

Banana Republic has the opportunity to celebrate

the contributions that African American’s havemade in the advertising industry, by leveraging

theMADMEN partnership to tell an inclusive story ofthat currently has no voice.

Banana Republic can participate in helping toshare history, while also making it.