Naperville Central alumnus Demetri Morris, Class of 2016, was recently named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. As the founder of MORR, an advertising agency and venture studio, Morris has worked with major brands like Uber, Adidas and Chick-fil-A, helping them modernize their marketing and connect with customers.
Morris said his professional journey began with lessons learned at Central. One of his favorite classes — sociology — opened his eyes to the uniqueness of human behavior.
“It sparked my curiosity about how people interact,” Morris said.
He also found inspiration through a leadership role in the Food Fight initiative, where students from local schools raised funds and packed meals for underserved countries. During his time as a student, Morris organized events like benefit concerts and dinners, which culminated in large meal-packing drives.
“It was my first real taste of leading something that had a meaningful impact,” Morris said.
Building MORR came with its challenges.
“Deals fall through, clients can be difficult and the demands evolve,” Morris said. “The biggest thing is not letting your highs be too high or your lows be too low.”
Morris believes the key to success lies in staying steady through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.
MORR’s mission is to “make brands more human.”After feeling frustrated by businesses that excel at marketing while neglecting their customers, Morris made authenticity a core value.
“Where we’re headed as a consumerism society will expose every business that doesn’t treat customers with a sense of care and respect,” Morris said.
Being named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 has served as validation to Morris’ journey.
“It’s a testament to not giving up,” Morris said. “It solidifies our mission as an extremely necessary part of how businesses will be done in the future.”
According to Forbes’ profile on Morris, MORR has worked with 150 companies. Today, he hopes to grow MORR into a global agency known for helping businesses connect authentically with customers.
“Keep leaning into who you want to become,” Morris said. “And don’t let anything sway you.”