Channel 4 and Lloyds Bank offer £500k worth of free advertising to black-owned businesses

Channel 4 has partnered with Lloyds Bank to launch ‘Black In Business’, a new initiative offering black entrepreneurs half a million pounds-worth of free advertising.

The broadcaster will gift five black-owned business £100,000 worth of TV advertising airtime across its portfolio, with each firm set to have a bespoke ad created for them.

They will also benefit from six months of tailored marketing and business support from Channel 4, Lloyds Bank and social enterprise, DOES. Black in Business also forms part of Channel 4’s ‘Black to Front’ legacy, an ongoing commitment to improve black representation across the TV industry.

“We are incredibly proud to be joining forces with Lloyds Bank to create ‘Black in Business’, which will offer fantastic opportunities to grow and elevate Black-owned Businesses in the UK,” said Channel 4 client strategy and communications partner, Clare Peters.

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“Channel 4 has a strong track record in making real change through creative ideas such as Black in Business, our £1 million Diversity in Advertising Award and our Black to Front project,” she continued.

“Our ‘Black in Business’ ambition is not only to support Black-owned businesses but also to level the playing field when it comes to economic inclusion and highlight the contribution these businesses can make towards the wider UK economy, so we’re really excited to see where the initiative takes us.”

Lloyds Banking Group business and commercial banking CEO, Elyn Corfield added: “We are excited to announce the Black in Business initiative – supporting businesses is a core part of our purpose to help Britain prosper.”

Applications for the initiative open today (26 May) and close on 26 June, with a judging panel formed of stakeholders from Channel 4, Lloyds and DOES deciding the winners.

Priority will be given to businesses new to TV advertising, following research commissioned by 4Sales which reveals that that black entrepreneurs face more obstacles setting up and running businesses than white entrepreneurs.