He started a decade ago. Today, at 33 years old, Valón Thorpe, the St George’s College alum, UWI geography university major, and MBA holder sits at the helm of Mystique Integrated, a well-respected, well-oiled, full-service marketing powerhouse. Thorpe has also been dubbed a marketing visionary who has positively disrupted the local and regional creative agency space.

Thorpe, his team, and those who have poured into his success over the years, gathered at the agency’s HQ, at 6 Altamont Crescent, on Wednesday, November 29 for a black-tie affair celebrating the agency’s 10th anniversary. The event was hosted my attorney-at-law and media personality Khadine “Miss Kitty” Hylton-Wilkinson, who shares a special relationship with not just Thorpe, but his entire team.

Thorpe’s success was earned not given. In fact, his trajectory has garnered the attention of influential businessmen, his peers and family alike who will admit that they saw his potential for greatness from an early age.

“Many people come up to me and they will ask, ‘When did you know that Valón was so bright and creative?’ And I wish I could tell you it was this time or that time. What I have realised is that it’s only in hindsight that I can say that maybe there were particular incidents that meant something,” shared Thorpe’s mum, Sharon as she regaled guests about her son’s talents.

M-One co-founder and CEO Saeed Thomas says Thorpe always understood the assignment. Now business partners, the pair became friends during their time at St George’s College. “It was the year 2003… The assignment on hand was for each of us to go in front of the classroom to give an example of the literary device sarcasm from the popular comedy series Friends,” said Thomas during his address.

“One by one each boy walked back to their desk dejected as they got their example wrong…

“Fortunately for Miss Reynolds [our English literature teacher] there was hope. There was one student who identified it. A lanky young man walks to the front of the class and gives his example. He gets it right, the class looks on in awe. This young man was none other than Valón Thorpe. That day showed me something about Valón. He understands the assignment and this would foreshadow his success to come,” said Thomas.

“Fast-forward to 2017. Javae [Munroe] and I would have recently formed the company Cinecore. Mystique is well into its operations and we need work from an agency. We reached out to Valón to see if he had a steady production partner. He didn’t, but Boom! We now have the M-One Productions Limited. What started out as one or two digital executions has now grown into a successful partnership with two companies doing major brand campaigns and… setting trends in our local creative community,” Thomas continued. “I would like to close with the South African word Ubuntu, which means I am because we are. Valón, your journey, the people around you, the growth of Mystique and M-One is a true meaning of the word. I am, because we are.”

That ‘we’ is the Mystique family, which has moved from a staff complement of three to 40. There are still some ‘day ones’ — Matthew, Vanassa, among others — as well as young creatives who have joined the team more recently. The team, however, has all helped to contribute to Mystique’s success and was on Wednesday fêted for their hard work and dedication.

The team, along with other guests, dined al fresco in an elegant gold and black set-up by Main Event. Champagne flowed, and the best wines were poured as seated guests relished a four-course meal by Chef Shea Stewart, and those in the elevated suites savoured treats from Pink Apron. Reggae artiste Sevana graced the stage twice, belting out a few of Thorpe’s favourites.

“As a disruptive standout in the local and wider creative agency space, Mystique has, in many ways, spearheaded global thought to finish for new age marketing in Jamaica… And to know all this work is being done by persons under the age of 40, lets me know that our country is heading in the right direction for the future,” said Dominic Bell, brand PR & communications manager, Campari Group. Bell, as well as CB Group Head of Regional Development Alicia Bogues, NMD Inc founder & CEO Nasha-Monique Douglas, CB Group Senior Manager Tina Hamilton, and Scotiabank Head of Marketing Tonya Russell all took to the stage separately to laud Thorpe and his team.

But it took Thorpe’s friend, politico Lisa Hanna, to bring it all home.

“Valón comes from two people who Jamaica was built on, people who have become the foundation of our country. What we would consider ordinary, everyday Jamaicans who work tirelessly to make sure their children have the best of everything, and are successful in their education,” said Hanna.

“Our relationship is very interesting… We’re different generations, but Valón is one of my best friends. And when we clicked, I recognised very, very early his discernment. Valón is bright; he’s the brightest boy in the class. Matter of fact, Valón is the sun that comes into the room that lights up the moonfaces of us all. We need him to reflect our beauty. But what Valón has is the best of his parents. Valón has the tenacity, drive, discipline, and sticktoitiveness of his father, and the compassion, sympathy, the understanding of how to move a generation of young people, from his mother,” she added. The Thorpes’ — Sharon, an educator, and Floyd, a transporter — beamed with pride as Hanna spoke highly of their son.

The event’s highlights are difficult to narrow down. But Thorpe’s address was the perfect ending to a delightful evening.

“What they don’t tell you about leadership when the influencers and thought leaders post online is the importance of community, that leadership is a team sport. How leadership requires the shared value and belief system from top to bottom. How can we all be passionate and working in excellence when we don’t know what we’re trying to achieve. Figuring out that my brief was incomplete was a significant shift for me,” explained Thorpe.

“Anchoring the idea that Mystique is the space where the young creatives can be themselves, in some cases find themselves, learn and earn — this gave me purpose. Seeing how Mystique was positively impacting the lives of the people around me. Propelling them forward, as my colleagues were purchasing their first cars, taking care of their families and clearing debts. I felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility and trust. I say it all the time — putting people in a position to earn for themselves is the realest thing you can do for someone,” he continued.

“As we look forward, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, for the next 10 years of innovation, we hope to achieve a physically larger footprint as we position ourselves as ‘the’ Caribbean agency. We hope to continue learning and sending the elevator back down to all creatives, ensuring that we’re not paid in exposure, as done in times past, but credited, respected and remunerated. We are creating the inroads and laying the foundation for a powerhouse creative community and economy in Jamaica.”

Cheers to that!

Photographer: Karl Mclarty