Jonathan Mildenhall is a respected leader in branding, marketing, and commercial creativity, boasting over 30 years of experience. Born in Leeds, England, he graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a degree in advertising and later completed courses at Harvard Business School. Mildenhall began his advertising career at McCann Erickson before moving to Bartle Bogle Hegarty, where he became an account director. He then joined Lowe Howard-Spink as a board account director and HHCL as head of account management. In 2000, he became managing director at TBWA London and later co-chaired the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising to address industry discrimination. In 2005, Mildenhall joined Coca-Cola as vice president of global advertising strategy and creative, leading the successful "Open Happiness" initiative, resulting in the company's significant profit increase. In 2014, he joined Airbnb as chief marketing officer and was responsible for groundbreaking global campaigns such as "Wall and Chain," "Never A Stranger," and "Live There." In 2017, Mildenhall founded TwentyFirstCenturyBrand, a marketing consultancy firm that has worked with notable clients including Uber, Peloton, WeWork, Nextdoor, and Mars. He is openly gay and has a husband and daughter.
Jonathan Mildenhall knows that purpose-driven companies outperform their competitors, and that purpose-driven marketing can produce value for brands and become legacy content. He highlights successful case studies of companies that promote diversity both in the workplace and in their campaigns. From Nike and Dove’s success in marketing to women, to his own work at Coca-Cola and Airbnb, Jonathan shows the impact of highlighting diverse communities.
Jonathan Mildenhall delves into marketing, branding, and digital transformation, offering insights on AI, digital platforms, and purpose-driven branding. Talks inspire adaptation to digital shifts and aligning branding with values.
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