<p>When Omar Deacon decided to leave Lima, Peru to head to New York to begin his <a href="https://www.sps.nyu.edu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-integrated-marketing.html">MS in Integrated Marketing</a>, he was stepping into a completely new chapter of his life. The transition came after nearly a decade of experience leading brands in Latin America. “I had built a solid career in marketing, but I wanted something more global, something that would challenge the way I thought about storytelling and building people-first brands,” he recalls.</p> <p>Now the global branded events and experiential marketing lead at Zoom, Deacon’s story is one of transformation, resilience, and purpose.</p> <p>Deacon began his career at Procter &amp; Gamble, joining while still in university. “I always say P&amp;G was my marketing school,” he says. “It’s where I learned to think strategically and put consumers at the heart of everything.” Over the years, he managed iconic brands such as Gillette, Old Spice, Tide, Ariel, and Clorox, eventually leading local and regional marketing campaigns across Latin America. Yet even with that success, he wanted to see how brand storytelling evolved in a more global context. That search brought him to NYU.</p>

<p>Deacon arrived in New York just before the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world. “I moved in January 2020, ready to experience the city that never sleeps, and suddenly, it was asleep,” he laughs. “It was not the New York I imagined, but it ended up being exactly what I needed.”</p> <p>Classes went online, and the city went quiet, but for Deacon, that time became one of reflection and connection. “We were all so far from home, yet we became each other’s support system. That sense of community was one of the most meaningful parts of my SPS experience.”</p> <p>What struck him most about the NYU SPS environment was the diversity of thought. “I had classmates from media, tech, nonprofits, people with completely different perspectives and diverse backgrounds. After ten years in marketing, I wasn’t there just to learn; I was there to share too. The conversations in class were so rich because everyone brought real-world experience.”</p>

<p>After graduating in 2021, Deacon entered a challenging job market. He joined a Chicago-based startup as its first marketing director, then moved to a consumer goods startup in New York, where he helped build a brand and a marketing team from the ground up. The experience tested every skill he had and pushed him to be resourceful, creative, and agile in ways large corporations never could.</p> <p>When that company downsized, Deacon treated the setback as a turning point rather than a loss. Within weeks, he had offers from major players in the industry, including Disney, Wella Company and Logitech. He ultimately chose Logitech, drawn to the chance to step into the tech world and expand his marketing expertise.</p> <p>At Logitech, he led global alliances with partners like Zoom and Google, helping achieve unprecedented growth through partnerships that combined joint innovation, customer-centric storytelling, and extraordinary collaboration. His leadership and creativity earned him the company’s CEO Award, one of Logitech’s highest honors and Google’s Partner of the Year Award 2023.</p> <p>&quot;When I call myself a people-first brand builder, it’s because the kind of marketing I believe in is about people, not products,” he reflects. “Whether you’re selling shampoo or software, it’s always about creating an emotional connection. Embrace challenges head-on—the experiences that push you out of your comfort zone are often the ones that teach you the most.</p>

<p>Today, Deacon leads global brand experiential marketing at Zoom, focusing on creating experiences that connect people to the brand’s human side. At its core, his work is about making that connection tangible, emotional, and memorable in a world where audiences are fatigued by traditional advertising.</p> <p>He emphasizes that international professionals bring a wealth of stories and backgrounds, and the real opportunity lies in positioning that diversity as a differentiator in the market. Everyone has a unique value proposition that can help them succeed, it’s just a matter of unlocking it and showing it to the world.</p> <p>“Your career is not a straight line,&quot; Deacon stresses. &quot;It’s a mix of risks, timing, and purpose. Growth happens when you’re brave and resilient enough to bet on yourself.&quot;</p>