Many roads and personal passions have led our team members to BBMG. Some have backgrounds in politics, some have studied sustainability systems and ESG reporting, many of us hail from traditional marketing and advertising firms or got a yearning for mission-led branding while working in-house at a brand. We also have snowboarders, scuba divers, amateur farmers, sustainable fashion entrepreneurs, dog lovers, musicians, and zine makers. And now with the recent addition of Strategy Director, Hannah Thomas, we not only have someone who’s spent the past few years working closely with nonprofits on their strategic communications, we have a true sci-fi nerd on the team.

Read on to learn how the wild imagination mindset of science fiction has informed Hannah’s approach to brand building, how her own experience as a biracial woman led her to do purpose-driven work, and her top five favorite films of all time.

What was your personal journey that led you to work with mission-led brands and ultimately here to BBMG?

I studied both film and racial identity in college. I have always loved movies and remain fascinated by their role as a shaper of – and mirror to – culture. So I got my start working in NYC’s repertory film community, learning the ropes of butts-in-seats marketing and communications at some really cool institutions. But as a Black and white woman, I struggled with the very white and very male state of the ecosystem. I wanted to get a different vantage point on how to effect change. I wanted to expand my horizons.

That led me to Big Duck, a branding and communications agency whose clientele includes nonprofits across a variety of industries and issue areas. I had the opportunity to learn and grow a LOT, working with clients across spheres including social justice, health, education, broader arts and culture, and beyond.

I knew already that I’d find value and fulfillment supporting missions toward social change. But this experience also cemented for me that I love the practice of branding! I find some connective tissue between movies and brands. The core, of course, being the need to tell a compelling story that we can see ourselves in.

And now I couldn’t be more psyched to expand my horizons again at BBMG, working with thoughtful leaders at some of the most inventive, ambitious, and powerful brands in the world as well as colleagues and partners whose innovations and curiosity are deeply nourishing to me as a strategist and life-long learner.

What person or experience most shaped who you are in the world?

I will start with my family: mom, dad, and younger sister. The love and support continues to shape me! I’m incredibly grateful for them.

I’d also have to shout out Octavia E. Butler. When I read Bloodchild, my world was rocked. Though I had been a life-long sci-fi nerd, I had never experienced stories like these. Extraordinary ideas communicated in a plain, straightforward manner. New lenses and entry points for imagining how we might approach the right here and right now for the better. Through Octavia Butler, I also learned about Ursula K. Le Guin, adrienne maree brown, Grace Lee Boggs, and many other incredibly inspiring and entertaining thinkers and artists whose perspectives definitely inform my professional practice.

Describe in five words the future you want:

We’ll embrace change with care.

What is the role of brands in creating the future you want?

They can play a boundless role. Brands can positively influence peoples’ beliefs and behaviors, help redistribute resources more equitably, foster belonging and community-building, and spark collective momentum toward social good. They can turn mundane choices into opportunities for intentional, impactful expressions of our values.

They *can* do these things. But it’s not inherent, not a given. They can just as easily–more easily, in fact–reinforce terrible systems, encourage greed and individualism, and make us believe that we’re all in an unending state of competition.

I believe one of the roles leaders must play to create this future is to create and wield brands with a learning mindset, a focus on the collective, a hefty dose of imagination, and an even heftier dose of vulnerability and humility.

What does building Regenerative Brands mean to you and what role do you hope to play?

To me, building regenerative brands calls to mind “with great power comes great responsibility.” Yes, I did just reference Spider-Man. It’s about decentering profit to prioritize a more abundant definition of success: one where people and the planet thrive, not just the company.

I think pushing the envelope where branding meets social impact feels like a sweet spot for me professionally. When it comes to creating a future where we embrace change with care, there are no shortages of inspiration, and I love injecting the beats of strategy (research, insights, facilitation, etc.) with references from science fiction, grassroots learnings, the natural world, and beyond.

And personally, I’m always learning and striving to make choices rooted in solidarity and imagination.

One last question for you as a film buff: what are your top five favorite movies?

• Illusions – Julie Dash
• Blade Runner – Ridley Scott
• Do the Right Thing – Spike Lee
• Marie Antoinette – Sofia Coppola
• The Brother from Another Planet – John Sayles