Group Black & NBCU Partner To Accelerate Inclusive Investment

Group Black, a media company with what it calls the largest collective of Black-owned media, and NBCUniversal have formed an exclusive partnership “aimed to amplify Black-led content.” Through Black Excellence 365, NBCUniversal has “curated a collection of Black-led and diverse content for exclusive marketing and sale by Group Black, growing full-year advertising opportunity and investment in the Black-owned ecosystem.”

Through this partnership, Group Black will have 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. Black Excellence 365 will 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.

With Group Black having exclusive selling rights, the partnership will allow the majority of client ad spend to be funneled back into the Black-owned media ecosystem further fueling 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,” said 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.”

“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.”

Peter Blacker, EVP, streaming and data products and head of diversity, equity and inclusion, global advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal, said: “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. 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.”

And Carla Kelly, SVP, client partnerships, advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal, added: “NBCUniversal takes great pride in developing strategies and partnerships to amplify a focus on diverse and inclusive content and talent in front of and behind the camera and encouraging investment in powerful growth segments.”

The companies said this collaboration “was 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. In a study done by Nielsen, it was found that 55% of Black viewers are more likely to buy from brands that advertise in inclusive content, making this partnership between NBCUniversal and Group Black an answer that brands have been searching for when it comes to inclusive advertising that delivers on business growth.”