What Does Being Black Mean to You?

Context

TfL’s Diversity in Advertising competition challenged brands to create campaigns that authentically represented Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. The winning campaign would receive £500,000+ in advertising space across the TfL network, one of the UK’s most valuable outdoor media estates.

Role

As Head of Marketing at Nubian Skin, I led the creative direction and execution of the campaign from concept through to rollout.

Approach

The campaign centered around the question: “What Does Being Black Mean to You?” and was designed to challenge one-dimensional portrayals of Black identity in advertising.

The creative direction focused on authenticity, confidence and self-definition, using minimal, neutral environments to ensure the emphasis remained on the individuals themselves and the emotional impact of the campaign. The intention was to create a series of visually striking moments that felt personal, empowering and culturally resonant, while reinforcing Nubian Skin’s positioning as a brand designed to celebrate and complement Black skin tones.

Alongside the creative, audience consideration played a key role in rollout strategy. I curated station placement across the TfL network to align with areas that reflected the brand’s audience and cultural reach.

Impact

The campaign won the TfL Diversity in Advertising competition, securing £500,000+ in premium advertising space across London.

Beyond the campaign rollout itself, the work drove significant audience growth across social media and email, strengthened brand visibility, and contributed to increased customer engagement and sales. The campaign also received widespread industry recognition and press coverage, including features in British Vogue, Campaign Magazine, Marketing Week, The Drum and Retail Week.