BBH USA announced today that Erica Roberts has been appointed Chief Creative Officer. In this role, Roberts will lead all creative strategy and execution for BBH USA clients including Samsung, Google, Mattel’s Barbie, Netflix, Martell U.S. and Brighthouse Financial. Roberts will partner closely with Amani Duncan, CEO of BBH USA, report to Carla Serrano, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis Groupe, and will join the BBH Global Board.
A 15-year Publicis Groupe veteran, Roberts is a renowned creative leader within the industry, having been named to Adweek’s Creative 100 list as an Agency Leader to Watch, in addition to Campaign US’s 40 Over 40. She has led award-winning, business-transforming work across nearly every category, from CPG to QSR, financial services and retail. A champion of Publicis Groupe’s Power of One model, Roberts helped relaunch 10 brands within The J.M. Smucker Company’s portfolio including Jif, Folgers, Milkbone and Café Bustelo. She led Jif’s recent award-winning creative campaigns “Jif vs. Gif,” which was cited as the “best peanut butter campaign of all time” by Campaign US, and the Lil Jif Project’s #JifRapChallenge, which was recognized by Adweek as one of the five “Best Ads of 2021.” In her new role, Roberts will also bring BBH's cultural fuel and creativity to Power of One accounts she has nurtured over the years.
“It’s such an honor to be joining BBH, one of the most storied creative brands in the world. The BBH USA team has been doing remarkable work over the past year, and I’m excited to build on this momentum to propel the agency, its talent and its clients into their next phase of growth and creative transformation,” said Erica Roberts, CCO, BBH USA.
Her appointment shows further advancement of BBH’s presence and impact in the U.S. and its unique strengths across diversity, culture and innovation. The news follows the promotion of Amani Duncan to CEO earlier this year, and Alex Grieve being appointed to a newly-created global CCO role as well as the launch of the new global BBH Board. These announcements herald a commitment to empowering local leadership, maintaining global connectivity across the BBH offices, and driving the power of creativity across the agency’s key markets.
“BBH USA has built a strong creative reputation in the U.S. for championing and producing culturally relevant and diverse ideas and experiences for brands,” said Amani Duncan, CEO, BBH USA. “With Erica joining us and our team of creative all-stars, we will continue to bring this approach to life – both in the work we do for our clients and in the culture we create for our people.”
“Erica has talent to burn. She’s won everything there is to win. But, much more than that, she has character,” said Alex Grieve, Global and London CCO of BBH. “Her huge ambition is matched only by her huge heart. She’s empathetic, straight-talking and resilient. Erica is the shepherd this flock of black sheep needs. We expect great things.”
The appointment builds on a year of momentum for BBH USA, which was recently named an Ad Age 2022 A-List Standout Agency. BBH USA has enjoyed strong growth over the past 18 months, with headcount increasing by 77%, and the agency landing new clients including LinkedIn, Google, Walmart, Mattel, Netflix, Lionsgate and Martell U.S. BBH USA’s award-winning work was recognized with more than 50 trophies at Cannes Lions, One Show, D&AD, ANDY's, Clios and Webbys, as well as Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards and Campaign’s Power of Purpose Awards.
