Journey From Executive Assistant to Creative Strategist

Creative Strategist, Tahnyl Jordan , is one of our creative leaders taking brands to the next level. Here’s a more about her journey from Executive Assistant to Creative Strategist.

Q:Tell us how you got your start in strategy.?

A:I started at 19th as an Executive Assistant so I got a full view into how everything works, and I was also able to get a clear understanding of what each department did and their roles and responsibilities for each project from start to finish. I realized that I was always giving insights into everything and that I loved seeing things through from ideation to execution. As 19th grew as a company, I learned that this was what the strategy department honed in on and knew that’s where I wanted to be. I’ve gone from EA to Producer to Account Manager, so when I was given the opportunity to work in the Strategy department, I took it & have been a Creative Strategist ever since.

Q:What part of strategy do you love the most?

A:The part I love the most about the strategy process is staying on top of culture and really diving into why people are doing what they’re doing or enjoying. It’s something I was already doing unintentionally before so once I realized it went hand in hand with what I needed to do for work, I realized it was my favorite part. I take a lot of references from lyrics, tv shows, memes, music videos, and even just song titles to all make the strategy come together and make sense. Creative Strategy does entail a lot of research but it doesn’t make it less sexy and once you notice you’re doing it already, now all there is to do is apply it to the campaign. Understanding things like why certain approaches work, how it makes sense, and how it aligns with the client’s objectives really help show how everything comes together. Strategy explains the why behind advertising and that’s exciting to be a part of.?

Q:What’s a campaign that 19th & Park executed that has inspired you?

A:The campaign that inspired me the most would be the Dark & Lovely campaigns that we worked on for the Protective Styles Product line. We began working on this pre-covid and production got shut down due to the pandemic but we were able to pick back up and finish with remote shoots before being allowed back into a studio to do an in-person shoot. The hairstyles, the ideas, the research, the colors - this was one of the first projects I would say that every department across 19th was involved in and at that time we were a way smaller team. The framework and approach for this campaign was intentional and meant for Black Women specifically so it was beautiful to see that everyone behind the scenes was also a Black Woman. So yes this campaign was about Dark & Lovely’s new product line but we were able to capture and promote friendship, community, and representation all at the same time. We talk a lot about representation and our work environments and this specific project let me know the rooms I wanted to be in moving forward.?

Q: What advice would you give to someone looking to become a strategist?

A: I would advise anyone looking to become a strategist not to give up. Strategy can be intimidating because many people think it is daunting and heavy on just research specifically. I found that there are different structures and ways to do it that can work for you. The way others work may not be the way you work and your thought process may not look like anyone else’s but as long as you can build a POV and gather your insights to make it all make sense, you will succeed.