Issa Rae’s marketing division Fête enters into a strategic partnership with Team Epiphany

Fête, the marketing division of Hoorae Media co-founded by actress, writer, and producer Issa Rae, is entering into a strategic partnership with independent culture-first agency Team Epiphany. The news comes three months after the “Insecure” creator and actress launched the division during the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in June. No equity was exchanged and financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ad Age Media Summit Hear from industry leaders during October event in NYC Register here The pairing, the partners said, will allow both companies to collaborate and scale business. For Team Epiphany, the partnership is expected to open doors in the entertainment world and broaden its client roster. For Hoorae Media, the partnership is expected to jumpstart its foray into the marketing sphere. “Team Epiphany has also been doing this for 20 years. So they have incredible expertise,” said Monique Francis, head of marketing at Hoorae Media. “We can bring what we do really well,” said Francis, including “our IP and other content and experiences, our audience, the power of Issa.” In joining forces with Team Epiphany, she said, “we are able to create a super team with our powers combined.” Also read: Behind celebrity-owned agencies Team Epiphany, which has over 100 employees, first started working with Rae and her team when it led marketing efforts for the critically acclaimed HBO show “Insecure.” To promote the series, the agency helped launch Insecure Fest, a music festival, beginning with its first season in 2016. That event inspired the show to incorporate into the script a “block party,” arranged by Rae’s character Issa Dee, to support Black-owned businesses in South Los Angeles, where Rae grew up. Since then, Hoorae Media and Team Epiphany have worked on multiple projects together, including campaigns for brands such as Airbnb, for which the actress helped give away a two-day stay in South Los Angeles; an effort on behalf of American Express supporting Black-owned businesses; and HBO comedy series “Rap Sh!t,” also created by Rae. Hoorae Media also launched work for Walmart last year, though that was not done in collaboration with Team Epiphany. As part of the agreement, the two companies will work on an ad hoc basis for “strategy, experiential, and content needs for brands,” according to a statement by Hoorae Media. Coltrane Curtis, who co-founded Team Epiphany with his wife Lisa Chu 19 years ago, said this is the first time the agency has entered into a partnership with another company. “The big piece is the commitment to tell aspirational stories of our own people,” Curtis said. “There’s this whole thing that if you don't tell it the right way, somebody’s going to tell it and screw it up.” Team Epiphany “shares our mission to cultivate an exceptionally imaginative environment for all creatives who are seeking a team that reflects them and shares their values,” Rae said in a statement. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Curtis confirmed that the two companies have already begun pitching business for a spirits brand that will likely come out next year. Fête’s launch is part of a growing trend of celebrities entering the advertising space, including Terry Crews, Tony Hawk and Ryan Reynolds. But Francis said Fête’s mission of inclusive representation within its work separates it from the pack. During last year’s Cannes Festival Rae said she mandates that all the sets she works on are 60% diverse, and called on the industry to do the same. “What makes Fête different is how we’re expanding our capabilities by partnering with other like-minded and BIPOC-owned agencies, such as Team Epiphany,” Francis said. “Together, we are able to build new opportunities and collaborate on bigger projects that we otherwise wouldn't have. And we are committed to centering Black women in our work.” The Team Epiphany deal is not exclusive: Francis said that Fête, which currently has fewer than 10 employees, will partner with other companies in the future as it continues to grow. The marketing division is also working on new opportunities with brands it will look to announce soon, she said.

Issa Rae’s marketing division Fête enters into a strategic partnership with Team Epiphany

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