“Black in Business” is up for an OBIE.
The season premiere of VH1’s hit reality TV show “Black Ink Crew” was right around the corner, and VH1 wanted to do something special after the crushing Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020. The focus of the 9th season was a newly reopened tattoo studio in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, the theme was inspiring: “Black in Business”.
VH1 wanted to go beyond Black Ink Brooklyn’s reopening, they hoped to actually support other local, black-owned businesses in the neighborhood.
The novel coronavirus has highlighted issues and inequalities that have long been present, and have had enormous impact on Black-owned SMBs. VH1 and their agencies Mediahub & Rapport WW collaborated with @BLACKOwnedBKLYN, to identify and highlight 20 Black-owned businesses across the borough, as they continued to weather the pandemic storm and its aftermath.
Helping Local Businesses With Cash Grants
VH1 awarded each business exposure on @BLACKOwnedBKLYN and the network’s social media channels, as well as a no-strings-attached cash grant, which WNDW coordinated and administered through its Small Business Direct product. To highlight the upcoming series and to reach local target audiences in Brooklyn, WNDW also installed WindowPoster™ Displays in the windows of each business.
Engagement with sponsored content was 50% higher than VH1 and @BLACKOwnedBKLYN organic content, earned impressions were 11X higher than paid, and Black Ink Crew’s season premier was the best day rating VH1 had garnered in over a year.
The OBIE Nomination
The significance, the impact, creativity and the execution of this initiative, as well as the collaboration by all parties involved, is what drove WNDW to sponsor and nominate the campaign for an OBIE Award, the OOH industry’s most prestigious honor.
WNDW has long been recognized for our WindowPoster™ Displays, but we do so much more, offering the best in Experiential, Digital Integration, and our unique Small Business Direct service to help our clients Be Seen throughout the country.
