When the annual A-List Awards were announced June 7 by Ad Age—an industry-leading global media brand focused on curated creativity, people, and culture—members of the marketing and media community eagerly checked the list to see which of their peers (and competitors) secured the top 10 categories. The highly-coveted awards celebrate the industry’s most accomplished agencies, standout work, and forward-thinking leaders and talents.

NIMBUS, a strategic marketing firm headquartered in Downtown Louisville, was named Ad Age’s 2021 Multicultural Agency of the Year. The Ad Age editorial staff selected NIMBUS based on criteria including excellence, marketing effectiveness, account wins/losses, strategic thinking, management strength, and financial performance.

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Ad Age noted two considerable changes which transformed the industry in 2020: diversity and social justice becoming a business imperative and the nearly ubiquitous pivot to digital platforms. Like many 2021 A-List winners, NIMBUS excelled on both fronts last year. But their expertise in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), success in developing multicultural marketing strategies, and capacity for building meaningful connections between brands and consumers in the digital space was being cultivated well before becoming hot topics last year.

Stacey Wade, NIMBUS CEO & Chief Creative Officer, launched his agency as a sole-proprietorship in 2002. Ultimately, he expanded to become a full-service creative, experiential, and strategic marketing communications powerhouse. As one of the few minority-owned agencies in the region, Wade recognized his unique position for articulating the business case for DE&I and speaking to diverse audiences through multicultural marketing strategies.

“I’m particularly gratified to be recognized not only for the work we do at NIMBUS, but also because our thought leadership is inspiring awareness and change for companies and their brands as well as within our community,” said Wade. “We’re known for challenging convention and digging deep to identify what we call ‘Brand Resonance.’ Uncovering that level of authenticity isn’t always easy, but the results deliver, and I appreciate our clients trusting us through the process.”

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The agency’s portfolio of local, national, and global clients testifies not only to the depth of talent at the agency, but also the team’s diversity of experience, insights into market trends, and cultural perspectives. NIMBUS relationships include: Brown-Forman, HUMANA, KFC, Metro United Way, Papa John’s International, Swisher International, TOYOTA, and Tradewater among others.

“Introducing clients to our ‘Contextual Ambidexterity’ approach expedites their ability to more effectively navigate cultural complexities within the marketplace,” according to Dr. Dawn Wade, NIMBUS Chief Strategy Officer & Managing Partner. “We use it at NIMBUS, too—leveraging data to exploit the present by improving current business activities while simultaneously exploring the future through disruptive and new opportunities.”

Case in point: NIMBUS will soon open their new Louisville office while also pursuing additional client relationships and continuing agency expansion into the Atlanta market.