Reel 360 News’ Reel Black List is more than just a month-long celebration—it’s a commitment to recognizing the impact of Black professionals in advertising, film, TV, music, radio, and media every single day of the year. In a time when DEI initiatives are being challenged and progress is at risk, it’s more important than ever to amplify the voices and contributions of Black creatives, leaders, and innovators who shape our industry. For the next 29 days, we’ll shine a spotlight on extraordinary individuals making an indelible mark with their talent, vision, and influence. But let’s be clear—Black excellence isn’t limited to February. It’s 365. Today, we feature Supergood’s copywriter, Aaron Marshall.
Aaron is a senior copywriter at Supergood, a full-service advertising agency that blends human ingenuity and judgment with AI-powered insights. Beyond his work developing creative campaigns for clients, he serves as an Advisory Board Member for SAY (Stuttering Association for the Young) and mentors aspiring next-generation advertising students.
Despite his relatively short time in the industry, Aaron has already earned recognition from One Show, Clios, Webby Awards, Epica, ADC, Adweek, AdAge, and ADCOLOR. However, his proudest achievement is a national PSA campaign dedicated to raising awareness for the stuttering community.
Let’s meet Aaron!
What’s your Origin Story?
I’m from Portland, Oregon. Born and bred in a predominantly white city, I always felt like I stood out compared to the other kids. Luckily, my parents instilled in me at a young age the importance of confidently tackling any adversity that comes my way. Being born with a stutter, their encouragement led me to embrace my vulnerabilities, which only amplified my creative talents and ability to shine.
What did you want to be as a kid?
Aside from being an NBA player (like every young Black kid who loves hoops), I really wanted to be an ESPN sports writer. Sports and writing are two of my biggest passions.
How did you choose your career path?
I grew up loving Nike basketball commercials without knowing what advertising truly was or that Nike worked with an ad agency to produce them.
I had a deep interest in journalism and sports writing for a long time until I took an advertising class in college. At that time I had no portfolio or network and was doing informational interviews all over town to learn how to “break” into the industry. From there, multiple industry folks recommended that I go to Ad School, which I did; the rest is history.
Describe your creative process.
One of my former leaders and mentors David Lubars told me a great analogy that stuck with me— “You can either be a chef or a waiter.” He later explained that a waiter brings clients exactly what they asked for. Nothing more, nothing less. Meanwhile, a chef thinks out of the box and experiments with different ingredients (ideas) to create new concepts, many of which some clients may not have known they needed or wanted before.
I think my creative process is a lot like a chef — logically thinking about what makes sense but also simultaneously pushing the boundaries of my thoughts into new territories that feel fresh and unexpected.
Who inspires you?
I’m inspired every day by those who view failure as an opportunity to grow. People who don’t let their challenges define their journeys and continue to push forward, despite others’ limiting beliefs.
The most unconventional risk you’ve taken in your career.
Taking out thousands of dollars in loans to leave my hometown without a backup plan and attend an Ad School in Atlanta called the ‘Creative Circus.’ It ended up being one of the best investments for my advertising career and set me on the right path.
Give us a story that’s true but sounds like a lie.
During my college graduation, I cut a hole through the top of my cap to showcase my high-top fade. Not only did I celebrate my blackness, but it went viral on Instagram with over 179k likes. That’s the power of Black culture.
When faced with setbacks, what keeps you going?
I know there are lessons in every setback. If you can genuinely learn from a setback, is it truly a “loss”? In my opinion, a loss is just the blueprint for your next win.
When Money Making Mitch said in the all-time classic ‘Paid In Full’ film, “I love the game… I love the hustle”— I really felt that. It’s the deeper belief that no matter your craft, setbacks are a part of the game, and they remind you why you started and to love the process.
Linus has his blanket for comfort, you have…
Music. I’m a big music head and can’t remember the last time I went a full day without listening to some type of music. No matter my mood that day, music brings me a level of comfort and clarity that makes my days better— My rotations usually always include Teddy Riley (and his New Jack Swing influences), Nas, and Hov.
Twilight Zone Moment – you have a chance to be magically transported into a Spike Lee Joint or a Jordan Peele film. Choose.
All love to Jordan Peele, he’s been on a hot run but I gotta rock with the OG Spike. He Got Game is one of my favorite films and my character would be blessing ‘em like Jesus Shuttlesworth.
Favorite movie from 2024
It’s a toss-up between Monkey Man and Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
Favorite album from 2024?
It’s hard to pick just one. I’ve had a few on constant repeat this past year. In no particular order, I’d say GNX (K.Dot), Born into the Wild (Tems), Mutt (Leon Thomas), We Don’t Trust You (Future & Metro), and Doing It For Me (Larry June).
What’s on tap for 2025?
Continuing to live a blessed life and share new pathways for all my people along the way.
To see the up-to-date Reel Black List, click here.
REELated:
RBL celebrates, Nat Dixon, actress
