Vevo said it launched Afro Pulse, a new product featuring music videos from Black artists for advertisers looking to reach diverse audiences.
The launch comes at the beginning of Black Music Month, but Vevo said Afro Pulse will be around all year as part of its regular sales suite.
The launch comes at a time when more advertisers are promising to spend more of their ad dollars with minority media to reach more diverse audiences.
Also Read: Vevo Lets Advertisers Tap Into Nostalgic Music Videos
“Brands and agencies are actively looking to bolster diverse voices and content today more than ever, evident in the most recent pledges by Dentsu, IPG and GroupM, among others. They hear the demands by Black Americans for more culturally relevant programming that features Black leads and reflects their own lives and experiences,” said Jesse Judelman, senior VP of sales, Americas, Vevo.
“Given the importance of supporting Black culture, coupled with Vevo’s own rapidly expanding distribution network, we felt now was the perfect time to launch Afro Pulse, a product which was a couple of years in the making,” Judelman said. “Afro Pulse is also particularly unique to Vevo as it is an impactful synergy of the content and ad sides of our business, making it an offering that only we can provide through our extensive catalog.”
Also Read: Vevo Taps iSpot for CTV Audience Measurement
Afro Pulse is curated to include Black artists from all genres and career stages. This allows brands to connect with consumers that are actively seeking out new and emerging talent, instead of only targeting artists who are already household names or fit within a specific genre, Vevo said.
Programming for Afro Pulse is hand-picked and updated monthly by Vevo’s editorial team.
Also Read: Vevo Ads Available to Buyers on FreeWheel’s Strata Platform
“June is Black Music Month, but the appreciation we have for Black music is part of our everyday programming at Vevo. From Jazz to Rock to Rap to Hip Hop, Black voices and songs have shaped culture throughout the world and over the centuries, and continue to pave the way in music today,” said Arthur Dansby, Vevo’s ad operations team lead and creator of Afro Pulse. “As the custodians of music videos, it is our commitment and duty to foster the discovery and commercial support of Black artists from all genres, both emerging and established in their careers.”
In addition to Black Music Month, advertisers can pair Afro Pulse buys with Vevo’s BET Awards Tentpole program or with other TV channel takeovers or artist takeovers.
