5 Black, British Businesses Awarded Free TV Ad Space

As part of Channel 4’s Black In Business initiative, five British Black-owned businesses will get personalized free TV advertising as well as six months of tailored marketing and business support from Lloyds Bank, the channel, and social enterprise DOES.

The air time, according to a press release, is worth 500,000 pounds.

Black In Business ,launched as part of Channel 4’s Black to Front legacy, is the network’s ongoing commitment to improve Black representation on-screen and across the TV industry. The program, which offers support to small businesses new to television advertising, was founded after research done by the public channel found Black entrepreneurs face more obstacles running their businesses compared to their white counterparts.

Close to 50% of Black entrepreneurs claim to need marketing and public relations support; 20% stated they need assistance with finding new clients, according to a report from the Black Business Network.

Out of 1,000 applicants, the 2023 recipients are Dalgety Herbal Teas, founded by Mark Dalgety; LØCI, founded by Emmanuel Eribo; The Gym Kitchen, founded by Segun Akinwoleola; and The Turmeric Co from Thomas Robson-Kanu and TreasureTress, founded by Jamelia Donaldson.

Channel 4’s client strategy and communications partner, Clare Peters, said she hopes this initiative opens up more doors for Black businesses in the UK.

“When our research highlighted the obstacles faced by Black-owned businesses, we wanted to make a tangible difference by offering practical support to directly target some of the issues,” Peters said, according to The Media Leader.

“It is our sincere hope is that this scheme kickstarts wider awareness of the challenges faced by Black-led businesses and prompts action across the industry to deliver equal opportunities for entrepreneurs and business owners, regardless of their background and ethnicity.”

Production on the TV ads begin this fall and will hit screens in January 2024.

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