He's a Senior Solutions Consultant at Xandr and has collaborated with the Ad Council on 15 advertising campaigns in the past year alone ranging from Shelter Pet Adoption to Autism Awareness. Get to know our latest Champ 4 Good: Munya Choga!
Q: How have you worked with the Ad Council? What campaign(s) have you supported and what was the project you worked on with us?
Munya Choga: I have worked with the Ad Council through my work providing campaign setup and support for the Xandr PSA Program – an initiative that helps nonprofits with free advertising through our Digital Platform. Since May 2018 we have supported 15 campaigns, including Wildfire Prevention, Buzzed Driving Prevention and High School Equivalency.
Q: Social good ads pull at our heartstrings. What social good ad has made you cry or stand up and cheer?
MC: Microsoft’s Xbox Super Bowl Ad definitely pulled my heartstrings! It stands out to me as a brand that is solving a social challenge and is making life better through innovation.
Q: Why do you think it’s important for brands to have a corporate social responsibility plan in the world we live in?
MC: I believe having a solid Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plan is becoming more and more important for the success of brands or corporations simply because it is a win-win for everyone involved. The successful implementation of CSR initiatives increases the visibility of the brand or corporation in the local and global community. A corporation that is socially aware and philanthropic also creates a platform for its employees’ personal and professional development through volunteer or giving opportunities which in turn helps nonprofits to establish and nurture corporate relationships and increase volunteer involvement.
A corporation that is socially aware and philanthropic also creates a platform for its employees' personal and professional development.
Q: What was the greatest piece of advice someone gave you, and how did it end up helping you?
MC: In my junior year of high school my dad advised and encouraged (“forced”) me to focus on developing my technology skills. I remember signing up for my computer science classes while kicking and screaming but looking back – I’m glad I did! Over the years my desire to understand business and how the world works have been rooted in my experiences and exposure to solving problems using technology in different areas.
Q: What age would you want to meet up with your former self, and what advice would you give to that younger you?
MC: I would like to meet up with my former self at the age of 18 when I had just finished high school and was looking into the next stage of my academic career. I would definitely tell my younger self to “live a little” - travel the world, learn more about myself, pick up a new skill like playing the piano and to spend more time with family and friends.
I would definitely tell my younger self to "live a little" - travel the world, learn more about myself.
Q: How has your organization improved or innovated the digital landscape in the last year?
MC: Xandr offers tools to improve the digital landscape in many ways. One worth mentioning for 2018 was the launch of AppNexus Programmable Platform (APP), Xandr’s demand-side platform (DSP) that enables clients to build custom solutions to meet their unique digital advertising objectives and create a competitive advantage with brand-safety and increased transparency.
Q: What value(s) of your organization are you most proud of?
MC: “Learn and Teach” is my organization’s value that I’m most proud of. Reading about this on the AppNexus website prompted me to submit my job application three years ago. At that time, I thought it was something that was just on the company website. I wanted to experiment and see if this was actually true.
Fast forward to today, I can definitely confirm that both my client commitments and community involvement at AppNexus (now Xandr, following our acquisition by AT&T Inc.) and home have constantly challenged me to learn something new, grow from both successes and failures and most important of all – pay it forward by teaching someone else who can grow and benefit from my experiences.
Q: You’re planning a “Change the World” dinner party and you can invite anyone (living, dead or fictional). Who are three people on your list?
MC:
- Nelson Mandela--I could definitely do with a dose of wisdom from one the most inspirational African leaders.
- Anthony Bourdain – Learn a thing or two about food and traveling the world to parts unknown.
- Mother Teresa of Calcutta – To understand how she was able to impact the world in the way she did through her passion for the less privileged.
Q: Tell us what you hope to see more of or experience more of in the next year, using only emojis.
