My Code Media, the advertising and marketing firm behind a collection of multicultural manufacturers together with Remezcla, has appointed Kristen Elliott as its chief income officer, formalizing a job she started on Aug. 25.
Elliott, a longtime media and promoting govt, steps into the place because the writer seeks to broaden its attain with Fortune 500 manufacturers whereas navigating a shifting panorama round variety and illustration.
Based a decade in the past, My Code helps entrepreneurs join with audiences by way of its portfolio of owned and operated manufacturers, together with HCode (now Remezcla Media Group), BCode, PrideCode, and AACode, in addition to greater than 1,000 writer companions.
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The corporate, initially marketed primarily to Latino and Hispanic audiences, and rebranded from HCode to My Code in 2022. It has since positioned itself to satisfy the preferences of minority and Gen Z shoppers, a lot of whom establish as multicultural.
The corporate has constructed a enterprise that mixes owned media with information, inventive, and occasions. Its work has attracted main advertisers in classes together with drinks and sweetness, and counts Coca-Cola amongst its current experiential companions. Elliott will now oversee all income capabilities, spanning media, inventive, information, and consumer companies.
“I spent near 30 years on this enterprise, and when My Code got here to me in April, I thought of the place I used to be happiest and making the largest impression—that was on the writer aspect,” Elliott mentioned. “I’m a builder, and Edgar [Hernandez, chief strategy officer] instructed me he wanted me to return in and construct throughout gross sales, account companies and extra. That’s what obtained me excited.”
Scaling the gross sales group
Elliott mentioned her first precedence is evaluating how My Code’s gross sales operation is structured. The staff at present organizes round classes, but additionally juggles enterprise accounts and RFP-heavy relationships.
“My first precedence proper now’s to search out alternatives,” Elliott mentioned. “I need to analyze the gross sales group—how are we matrixed out? Ought to we be company, consumer or class first? The enterprise has been constructed rather well over the past 10 years, and now the problem is placing in a development mindset to get folks considering greater.”
The income veteran can also be considering by way of the way to higher stability enterprise accounts with RFP-driven income, whereas making certain MyCode continues to guide with insights and companies.
Navigating cultural headwinds
Elliott joins My Code at a second when many firms are scaling again their commitments to variety, fairness, and inclusion initiatives, in addition to dealing with stress on points like immigration.
That setting makes My Code’s work with multicultural audiences extra fraught—and extra important.
“My Code was forward in understanding nomenclature and serving to shoppers perceive the place they must be by way of reaching Gen Z,” Elliott mentioned. “Because of D.C. insurance policies, chairs are being taken away from tables, and it’s our job to verify they’re changed. Once we’re speaking to shoppers, we’re speaking concerning the significance of minority communities. The conversations are nonetheless taking place.”
Increasing experiences and direct channels
Alongside scaling media and information choices, Elliott mentioned she sees alternative in stay experiences and direct-to-audience channels. She pointed to the success of My Code’s BCode activation in Martha’s Winery for example of how the corporate can replicate cultural moments throughout the nation.
“With experiences, the best way BCode confirmed up at Martha’s Winery was actually necessary—how will we replicate that nationwide?” Elliott mentioned. “I believe that occurs by way of Substack, by way of newsletters, by way of direct channels. With Remezcla Media, will probably be necessary with its studio, and we’re doing nice work with Coca-Cola that I believe we will construct out from there.”
Elliott beforehand held senior roles at Kargo, Pink Ventures, Condé Nast, and Time Inc., and brings a perspective formed by each writer and adtech environments. She mentioned she plans to combine inventive, commerce, and content material into the best way My Code exhibits up for shoppers.
“I’ve seen the journey of publishers evolve from print to digital to social to newsletters like Substack,” she mentioned. “I need to lengthen how we take into consideration that have at My Code. It comes all the way down to content material, inventive, and exhibiting up the place your audiences are.”
