A host of companies pledged financial commitments to the Black community and Black-owned media last year following calls for social justice in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. Earlier this year, brands including L’Oreal, General Mills and Target announced they would designate at least 2% of ad dollars to Black-owned media companies. Now, Target is taking its promises even further with a new pitch show designed specifically for Black entrepreneurs.
Target co-created the series “Bet on Black” with Revolt, the multimedia platform founded eight years ago by Sean “Diddy” Combs. Debuting next month, the show invites Black business owners to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges who will then determine if the company deserves funding.
The businesses, which include a mix of categories like beauty, technology and entertainment, will be judged by rapper T-Pain, stylist Zerina Akers and entertainer DJ Envy, as well as Melanie Gatewood-Hall, senior divisional of merchandising in apparel and accessories at Target. Each episode of the four-part series will feature three business owners.