Tom Burrell

Thomas J. Burrell is one of the most consequential figures in the history of American advertising — a visionary founder, cultural trailblazer, and the man who fundamentally changed how brands speak to Black consumers. Beginning his career in the 1960s at agencies including Foote, Cone & Belding and Needham, Harper & Steers, Burrell witnessed firsthand how the industry ignored, stereotyped, or simply erased the African American experience. In 1971, he co-founded Burrell-McBain Advertising in Chicago — later to become Burrell Communications Group — becoming one of the first Black-owned advertising agencies in the United States and a landmark institution in the industry's history. Burrell's revolutionary insight — *"Black people are not dark-skinned white people"* — became a creative and cultural awakening that reshaped the advertising landscape. His philosophy of **Positive Realism** rejected tokenism and stereotype, instead portraying Black Americans with dignity, nuance, joy, and authentic aspiration. Under his leadership, Burrell Communications crafted iconic campaigns for some of the world's most powerful brands, including McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Ford, Procter & Gamble, and Toyota. His work didn't just sell products — it changed how an entire community saw itself reflected in media. Inducted into the **Advertising Hall of Fame in 2004**, Burrell is also the author of *Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority* (2010), a landmark examination of media's impact on the Black psyche. He has received lifetime achievement honors from the American Advertising Federation, the Clio Awards, and The One Club Creative Hall of Fame, and his legacy has been documented in PBS's *The HistoryMakers* series. Perhaps Burrell's most enduring legacy is the generation — and generations — of advertising legends he launched and mentored. Countless Black creative professionals trace their careers directly to his influence, his agency, and his unwavering belief that authentic representation is not a niche strategy but a universal standard of excellence. At Ad Legends Academy, Tom brings this lifetime of hard-won wisdom to students, teaching them that the most powerful advertising begins with a deep, honest understanding of the people you are trying to reach. His lessons go far beyond multicultural marketing — they are a masterclass in empathy, cultural intelligence, and the courage to reject the conventional in pursuit of something true. A celebrated keynote speaker at industry conferences, universities, and cultural institutions worldwide, Tom Burrell continues to inspire the next generation of creative leaders with the same conviction that built his legend: that advertising, at its best, is a mirror held up to humanity — and it is our responsibility to make sure that mirror reflects everyone with honesty and dignity.