Hip-Hop mogul and Translation Consultation + Brand Imaging Founder Steve Stoute was formally inducted into the Advertising Hall of Achievement today (November 18).
The annual Awards luncheon, which was held at Cipriani’s 42nd Street, recognizes individuals under the age of 40, who have had an impact in the advertising industry.
Stoute was inducted for creating a number of successful campaigns for a variety of Fortune 500 companies, including McDonald’s, Reebok (Jay-Z) and General Motors (Mary J. Blige) and Hewlett-Packard (Gwen Stefani).
Most recently Stoute, who owns Translation Advertising with rapper Jay-Z, paired Chris Brown, Ne-Yo and Julianne Hough with the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, to remix its signature jingles.
“Being awarded today was significant, [because] it wasn’t just me. They’ve inducted the work that I’ve done, which is primarily bred from the culture of Hip-Hop,” Stoute told AllHipHop.com. “The 12 of 13 years in the business makes me feel great, knowing that Hip-Hop played a very important role in my career. It being acknowledged by the mainstream media executives and advertising moguls from around the world felt great.”
Stoute, who was a music industry executive from 1990 to 1999, helped launch the careers of Will Smith, Nas and Mariah Carey.
As President of the Urban Music division at Interscope/Geffen/A&M Records, Stoute also over saw blockbuster releases by Eminem, Eve, Limp Bizkit, U2 and Mary J. Blige.
Blige, who attended the formal luncheon, posed for photos with Carol’s Daughter Founder Lisa Price, as well as Stoute’s mother, father, daughter and executives from Translation.
“Doors will be opened for others to really have a shot at controlling our image and preserving the cultural realities that Hip-Hop has to offer,” Stoute said. “Instead of interpreting it now, the real guys will have a chance to get in the door and do it right.”
A number of other influential young executives were honored during the two-hour ceremony, which was chaired by Starcom MediaVest Group’s Laura Desmond and Google’s Director of Industry Relations, Chris Theodoros.
Jon Gieselman SVP, Advertising & PR at DIRECTV, Chris Kempczinski VP of Marketing of the Non Carbonated Beverages division of Pepsi, Penry Price VP of Advertising Sales for Google and others were also inducted during the luncheon.
The American Advertising Federation, which is over 100 years-old, established The Advertising Hall of Achievement in 1993.