Episode 266: The Journey To a Purpose-Driven Career with Adrienne Lofton
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Sometimes being the “only” means that you're paving the way for the many. The Beyond the Business Suit podcast sits down with Adrienne Lofton, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing at Google, to discuss getting out of your comfort zone in order to move forward in your career. Not only does she take us through her experience going to an HBCU, but she defines what success looks like when you're open to growth. From working with brands like Under Armour, Target, Nike, The Gap and now Google, she is no stranger to being the first Black woman in many places and spaces. In our conversation, she reflects on how her journey has led her to making a significant impact at a number of iconic brands, and what she has learned along the way.
Adrienne also shares how her team led the “Get The Message” campaign, which encourages people to speak up to Apple about the importance of adopting RCS messaging that allows equal messaging opportunities for Android and Apple users. This campaign has gained a lot of traction recently and is sparking much-needed dialogue about messaging between different operating systems.
ABOUT ADRIENNE LOFTON:
Adrienne Lofton is a marketing executive in tech with extensive experience in developing differentiated brand strategies, leading digital acceleration, and building unbreakable, authentic consumer relationships. Her career has focused on breakthrough storytelling and transformative experiences for some of the nation’s most well-known brands. She is Vice President of Global Brand Marketing at Google overseeing the end-to-end Marketing funnel for Google’s Platforms & Ecosystems portfolio (inclusive of Android, Chrome, Play and Education).
Prior to joining Google, Adrienne held executive positions at several leading Fortune 100 brands including Nike where she served as the Head of North America Marketing for Nike’s largest geographical segment, emphasizing being a brand with a purpose and supporting and strengthening consumers and communities through tangible action. As SVP of Under Armour’s Brand, Operations, and Philanthropy, unlocking the brand’s potential by creating the company’s first Woman’s Marketing Division and women’s category and contributing significantly to the growth of the company. She also served as CMO of the global Dockers brand at Levi Strauss & Co., and held marketing roles with Target Corporation, Starcom where she focused on the General Motors portfolio, and Gap Inc. where she began her career.
With over 20 years of cross-industry experience, Adrienne is known for driving transformation and always advocating a team-first internal mentality. She is an unabashed supporter of DEI, opening the door and amplifying the voices of minorities to create highly inclusive, valuable spaces. Adrienne prides herself in leading efforts that have consistently resulted in new market domination, multicultural and purpose-driven magnification, and the ability to identify and address unmet consumer needs.
An industry leader, Adrienne has been recognized for her contributions and impact by: Ad Age Brand Genius Award, Ad Week Most Powerful Women in Sports, NBC News Most Powerful Women in Sports, The Holmes Report's Influence 100, Black Enterprise Most Powerful Women in Business, Ebony Magazine Most Powerful Women in Business, and many more.
Adrienne serves on the Board of Directors of Alaska Air Group, Inc. and sits on the Advisory Board to Howard University’s School of Business, where she is a proud graduate and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Adrienne is an avid fitness enthusiast and resides in Los Angeles with her partner Eli Kumekpor and their puppy Kosi Langston.
QUOTABLES:
“I will not allow people to give me these biases, and allow it to seed in my head, that I am not exactly who I need to be exactly where I am at this moment, I will not change.”
“The younger stages of our career are so defining.”
“My passion is value-driven storytelling.”
“I am constantly navigating finding flow.”
“Everything I do is grounded in values-driven, purpose-driven narrative building, strategic planning and how I think about leading a team.”
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS:
- When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? When I was in high school, I wanted to be a storyteller. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a doctor (veterinarian).
- Where is your favorite place to vacation? Islands. Beaches. Water. My new favorite place may be Marrakesh. It used to be Greece, but I think it’s gotten overrun. Travel is my safe space. It felt like we were home. Somewhere far, far away to just completely escape from the every day.
- What is the best advice you’ve ever received? It was a two-piecer. One was just start saying “yes.” Step into the world and say “yes”. If you say yes to the right things, you’ll be deeply uncomfortable. And then, take on the challenges even when they scare you. And as you feel those moments, get comfortable in it.
How you can connect with Adrienne Lofton:
Instagram: @alofton31
LinkedIn: Adrienne R. Lofton
Twitter: @ALofton31
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