Earlier this week, HERO Media and Urban Edge Network announced that they are entering a partnership. Hero Media, a 100% Black owned and certified media and technology company, and Urban Edge Network LLC (UEN), a Black-owned media company and premier advertising network with owned publishers that focus on distributing content from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other black targeted audiences are working together to to create an even larger network focused on helping brands directly engage and invest in Black and diverse owned publishers at scale.
The partnership will operate as a division of the Hero Media Network and both entities believe that the partnership can help close the gap by providing more opportunities for brands to connect with diverse owned media beyond their own inventory.
We had the opportunity to speak briefly with Joe Anthony, the founder of HERO Media, about the partnership.
Randall: Why are Urban Edge and HERO Media collaborating on this endeavor?
Joe: Whenever you are able to bring together individuals who have significant resources, and relationships, there is strength in numbers in what you can do as far as impact. Urban Edge has a very specific product and inventory that Hero Media didn’t previously have, and Hero Media has access to advertisers and brands that are looking to make pre qualified investments. Our network and the strength of it, with the products and services it provides is why it makes this so important and different.
Randall: What could the possible impact of this partnership be in changing the advertising landscape for black companies? How can small black-owned media companies succeed in this media landscape and increase their advertising opportunities?
Joe: A lot of advertisers right now are looking for efficiency and ability to engage multiple publishers at once. Most major successful media companies these days are a part of conglomerates. There is an efficiency in being able to engage these holding companies and advertise several assets in their portfolio at once. The diverse-owned media industry should learn how to create their own collectives, pull resources, and learn how to collaborate in order to create compelling offerings for advertisers.
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