Challenge

2020 was a turning point for brands and agencies. A convergence of health and social crises forced brands to reevaluate their position on how to respond to issues and use their influence for good. We set out to disrupt and address the inequities in the advertising supply chain with a first-ever program exclusively created and distributed by Black-owned partners.

Solution 

More Than That with Gia Peppers is a first-of-its-kind radio show and podcast with a 100% Black-owned supply chain. Hosted by Gia Peppers, a leading journalist and on-air talent, and featuring guests who connect to each episode’s theme, we discuss everything from entertainment, finances, wellness, family, health and more. Season 1 launched during Black History Month in 2021 and included 9 episodes, followed by a 2-episode Juneteenth special and a 1-episode Pride special produced in collaboration with Pride.com. Season 2 aired in February 2022 and ran for 10 episodes, with a 2-episode Juneteenth special. 

With the support of brands including General Motors, Procter & Gamble, Kroger and Mastercard, we have aired two very successful seasons of the show on Black-owned radio stations across the US. The shared values of our sponsors, specifically around DE&I and building on their trajectory towards a demonstrated commitment became the catalysts for positive change that we mirrored in the writing and composition of More Than That. Each episode is structured with a custom intro, interstitial, and outro that we co-write with our sponsors to align with their shared values and the values of the Black community.  

From a production standpoint, this initiative encapsulated a new model for inspiring and authentic storytelling with over 95% of the creative and production teams (40+ collaborators) identifying as BIPOC. This includes all the writers, directors, producers, composers, and researchers in addition to our host, Gia, and all guests. Additionally, any third-party production companies that were brought onto the show were minority-owned.  

Regarding our distribution, the National Association of Black-Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) and several member CEOs lent their support and provided guidance to ensure that the series was authentic and meaningful for a sustained impact. All content ran consistently across stations owned or managed by different Black-owned networks including Radio One, American Urban Radio Networks, and Spotset (NABOB’s owned-network). We also supported a new, small Black women-owned network, Café Mocha Radio in Season 2. The show was simulcasted across all streaming and podcast platforms.  

To further our engagement with the More Than That audience, we launched social platforms in 2022. Across Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, we were able to further engage with our audience, drive listenership, provide behind-the-scenes content, and help each viewer learn something new.  

Planning further into 2023, we are focusing on Season 3 of our radio show and are developing a More Than That video series and a Spanish-language version of the show for the Hispanic/Latinx audiences.

Results 

The second season was a resounding success, building on our momentum from Season 1, with sponsorship messages (:30s) performing above radio industry norms and, at times, outperforming 95% of radio ads (:30s-:60s), up 5% from Season 1’s performance. The sponsorship messages saw +25 points in consideration and +18 points in differentiation pre versus post. This exceeded all expectations, particularly given that we were pioneering new ground.  

• Over 750MM impressions delivered across both seasons 
• $8MM invested into diverse-owned businesses across both seasons 
• Brand’s commitment to DEI, purpose and people, +34 points (up 9 pts From Season 1) 
• Doing the right thing, +32 
• Stands up for social justice & equity, +33  
• Cares about people & communities, +28 (up 3 pts from Season 1) 
• Respects my community & culture, +34 (up 9 pts from Season 1) 
• Brand affinity, +9 points 
• Brand innovation, +10 points 
• Brand esteem (proud to be associated with), +13 points (up 2pts from Season 1) 
• Brand Premium (willing to pay more for), +3 points 

Additional metrics: 

• 52% of the audience was motivated to get involved with social causes 
• 62% of Black audiences felt the content was extremely/very important to them 

The increases in attitudinal metrics were statistically significant and confirmed that a non-traditional approach could achieve similar, if not better, results than a traditional ad approach.