Veteran marketer and brand strategist Amani Duncan has spent nearly three decades honing her ability to identify and execute on strategic partnerships that help brands grow their audience, while leveraging their own value by tapping into creative partners.
Now she’s putting her diverse experience across music, entertainment, and consumer brands to work to shake up the advertising world with big ideas and inspiring initiatives.
As CEO of BBH USA – a creative agency equally obsessed with increasing brands’ value – Duncan oversees day-to-day activities while also managing high-level strategy and direction for clients like LinkedIn, Google Shopping, Netflix,
Since originally joining the agency as President of BBH NY, she’s been promoted to CEO and head the newly formed BBH USA and has helped bring to fruition major campaigns including Glass Ceiling Breaker, a portrait homage to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Google’s Black Owned Friday, which was named Campaign US “Most Purposeful Campaign of 2021”.
A passionate advocate for female leadership and diversity, Duncan is a founding member of Chief, the leadership network for women, and serves on several boards and committees, including the 4A’s Board of Directors, 4A’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Steering Committee, Fender Musical Instruments (Fender Guitar) and Outward Bound USA. She also regularly speaks at industry events and has interviewed culture-defining leaders and artists, such as Jane Fonda, Sir John Hegarty and Wyclef Jean.
She served as a 2021 Cannes Lions Entertainment Lions juror, Effie Awards co-chair and Grand Effie juror. Duncan is serving as
President of the Entertainment Lions for Music jury at Cannes Lions 2022,
Duncan’s extensive career spans a diverse range of some of the biggest names in entertainment and marketing. Before joining BBH NY, she served as MTV’s Senior Vice President of Music, where she strengthened the network’s industry relationships through innovative artist-driven initiatives, strategic campaigns, and the creation of music content.
Prior to MTV, Duncan was Head of Brand Marketing at Martin Guitar. She helped reimagine the 200-year-old brand, crafting an ambitious global marketing plan that paid off. By leveraging new partnerships, including Ace Hotels, Levi’s, Stetson and Surfer Magazine, and forming relationships, such as one with (then) emerging artist Ed Sheeran, Duncan enhanced the brand’s equity, introducing Martin guitars to a wider and more diverse consumer base.
Her enthusiasm and leadership have earned her industry recognition as 2022 Ad Age’s A-List &
Creativity Agency Executive of the Year, Campaign Female Frontier Award honoree and
Advertising Week’s Future is Female Awards winner.
2022 Clio Music
Awards Music Marketing juror and 2022 Campaign Female Frontier Awards 2022 juror.
As Chief Marketing Officer of Sean Combs’ Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group, Duncan orchestrated synergy through marketing and publicity across the company’s many verticals, including fragrances, clothing, music, TV/film, spirits, and charitable initiatives. Duncan has also held senior positions at Capitol Music Group, where she served as Senior Vice President of Marketing, and Virgin Records, where she worked as Vice President of Production and Promotions. In these roles she delivered new revenue streams through third party alliances such as Chase and Southwest Airlines.
Since starting her career at Def Jam Records, Duncan has left her mark on every organization and brand she’s worked with – helping propel everything and everyone from emerging artists to the iconic Martin guitars to the next level, picking up brand partners and new fans along the way. Her standout career path and boundary-pushing approach has been profiled by Billboard, Fast Company, Variety, Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal and more.