Carol H. Williams on life as a black woman in advertising
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For years, Carol H. Williams turned down invitations to join the Advertising Hall of Fame.
“I wanted to be comfortable that I was a Hall of Famer, and that I was ready for it, because becoming a Hall of Famer is about the highest honor that you can get,” says Williams, who was finally inducted in 2017. “Once you become [one], it’s time to transition. You cannot just stand there and be the Hall of Famer. Now what are you going to do?”
She’s doing plenty. Williams runs her own eponymous agency with offices around the country that serves a roster of blue-chip clients, but she’s best known as the first female and first African-American creative director and VP at Leo Burnett, which she joined in 1969. And to celebrate International Women’s Day, Williams will join five other famed adwomen at a May 5 event called “The Original Fearless Girls in Advertising.” In a visit to Ad Age, Williams, a born storyteller, recalls for Ad Age some experiences in advertising that shaped her history-making career. The following has been lightly edited.
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