Group Black, NBCUniversal team to accelerate inclusive investment
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Editor
| 20 June 2023
Media company Group Black, which claims to have the largest collective of black-owned media, has announced it is to work exclusively with NBCUniversal to scale and sell ads within black-led content including black-led comedies, cinema and dramas.

The collaboration is said to be born out of a request from brands for more content that authentically reflects diverse audiences – audiences that were traditionally underserved. Brands know that growth opportunities lie in these communities, but currently, there isn’t enough scale to meet the demand. The two companies cited a study from Nielsen finding 55% of black viewers were more likely to buy from brands that advertise in inclusive content.

Group Black's objective is to build the largest collective of Black-owned media and diverse creators by actively deepening the pipeline of media dollars allocated to Black-owned media businesses and by investing in the next generation of innovative and equitable media. It is composed of two divisions, Group Black Media and Group Black Ventures, with the simple mission to transform “dramatically” the face of media investment and ownership.

Through the Black Excellence 365 programme, NBCUniversal says it has curated a collection of diverse content for exclusive marketing and sale by Group Black, growing full-year advertising opportunity and investment in the black-owned ecosystem. Black Excellence 365 is designed to give marketers and advertisers the opportunity to work with Group Black to increase their scale while continuing to buy in familiar formats with best-in-class NBCUniversal measurement for effectiveness.

The new partnership will see Group Black gain exclusive access to sell ads within premium Peacock AX programming that features black-led dramas, black-led comedies, and black-led cinema, as well as a curated collection of NBCUniversal content that amplifies black voices. With Group Black having exclusive selling rights, the partnership intends to allow the majority of client ad spend to be funnelled back into the black-owned media ecosystem further fuelling Group Black’s mission to dramatically transform the face of media ownership and investment which includes supporting Black content creatives.

“The scale of investment that NBCUniversal has made into Black audiences is the first of its kind, making this pioneering partnership a major step towards growing diverse voices in general media,” explained Bonin Bough, Group Black’s co-founder and chief strategy officer. “It is a clear example of the power of our mission at Group Black and the effectiveness of our strategy to provide more scale and solutions that deliver against brand goals while unlocking the spending power of diverse audiences.”

“Creating long-lasting change and impact across audiences is vital, and I am incredibly proud that NBCUniversal is partnering with Group Black to move the industry forward in a meaningful way,” added Peter Blacker, EVP, streaming & data products and head of diversity, equity & inclusion, global advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal. “This partnership demonstrates how NBCUniversal is collaborating with the industry on innovative ways to connect with the full spectrum of identities and communities across the globe.”

“What we know is that brands want content that is premium, brand safe, and also provides the amplification that streaming can give,” said Cavel Khan, Group Black’s Chief Growth Officer. “This partnership shows that it is possible to listen to what brands want, but still invest in the Black-owned pipeline. Through this collaboration, we are showcasing the value we can bring together that we cannot accomplish individually.”