Agency Launches Effort To Drive More Ad Dollars To Minority-Owned Radio Stations

Havas Media Group is the latest ad agency to launch a program designed to help advertisers direct more revenue toward Black- and Hispanic-owned radio stations in the U.S. The media buying shop says more than 180 minority-owned radio stations are participating in BIPOC Media Connections, including those represented by Katz Media Group and Gen Media Partners. BIPOC refers to Black, Indigenous and People of Color.

Havas says the initiative will help marketers reach millions of Black and Hispanic American consumers by giving advertisers a more efficient way to access and place buys on Black and Hispanic-owned stations at scale with the ability to customize delivery based on specific marketing needs.

The program is one of several introduced by ad agencies intended to help clients direct money to minority-owned media companies, following initiatives by Dentsu and Group M. In addition, Coca-Cola North America announced plans in late June to nearly double its advertising expenditure with minority-owned media companies over the next three years. And McDonald’s said that by 2024 its franchise owners have committed to more than doubling their marketing spending with media companies, production houses and content creators that are Black, Hispanic, Asian, Women and LGBTQ-owned.

“Radio has a very powerful and meaningful connection in the Black and Hispanic communities it serves,” said Mark Gray, CEO of Katz Media Group, one of the rep firms participating in the Havas program. “We are proud to support long-time partner Havas and amplify this important program dedicated to making it more efficient for advertisers to invest on minority-owned radio stations nationwide.”

Kevin Garrity, CEO of Gen Media Partners, another participant, said making it easier for advertisers and their agencies to place buys on the minority-owned radio stations that his company represents “is a win for everybody. Havas has shown great leadership with this initiative that targets the often underserved Black and Hispanic communities.”

BIPOC Media Connections comes on the heels of Havas Media Group’s Social Equity Marketplace launch last summer, comprised of BIPOC- and LGTBQ+-owned media businesses with the goal of allowing clients to positively invest funds in underrepresented businesses.

“In a time where consumer and client sentiment are focused on social action in many forms, we felt it was important to collaborate in launching a product like BIPOC Media Connections,” Havas Media Group Global CEO Peter Mears said. “Products like this and our Social Equity Marketplace allow clients to take positive actions with their media spend. We are thrilled to bring this solution to our clients.”

Inside Radio 7/8/21