Steve Stoute
8.00 (Hustle Quotient)
- Overview |
- Deals |
- Endorsements |
- Achievements |
- Quotes |
- Links |
- Videos
LIKE A LOT OF the names on this list, Steve Stoute started in music, first as a road manager, then an A&R exec with Sony Records and Interscope. He did talent scouting — discovering a young 50 Cent, among others — and guided the careers of Mary J. Blige, Nas, Mariah Carey, Eminem and Jay-Z.
He got his biggest idea, though, from sunglasses. At Sony, he convinced the marketing guys that fans would buy the soundtrack to the Will Smith film Men in Black. They did, spending $10 million on copies of the album. But they also bought $14 million worth of sunglasses. That's when Stoute realized you could sell everything around the music itself.
Hustle Quotient:
8.00
Born:
1971, Queens, New York
Education:
Attended five colleges in two years; did not graduate
Category:
Brand Builders
Steve Stoute Featured Content
in Deals
GUCCI & FFAWN
To support FFAWN, the women's organization he cofounded with Mary J. Blige, Stoute negotiated a deal through which Gucci would create a special version of its iconic Twirl watch, with a portion of revenues earmarked to support FFAWN's health, education and career-building initiatives.
in Endorsements
THE MATCHMAKER
Translation Advertising Agency matches pop-star spokespersons with corporations seeking to promote their brands — Gwen Stefani with Hewlett-Packard, Justin Timberlake with McDonald's, Beyoncé Knowles with Tommy Hilfiger, Jay-Z with Reebok.
in Achievements
Inducted into the American Advertising Federation's Hall of Achievement, 2008.
in Quotes
THE SIDESHOW
"When Janet Jackson showed her breast at the Super Bowl, I knew the album was gonna be terrible."
