STV today announces it will provide a total of £100k worth of gifted airtime memberships to four businesses which are committed to diversity and inclusion across their organisation. The funding comes via the £20m STV Growth Fund, which aims to make advertising more accessible and affordable for SMEs in Scotland.
Diversity and Inclusion is a key priority across all parts of STV’s business and the wider Growth Fund. However, to help further drive inclusion across Scotland's business community, STV has ring-fenced £1m total – including the £100k gifted memberships - especially for businesses that champion diversity in Scotland. Such organisations might have strong D&I strategies in place; wish to develop a specific campaign around D&I; or may be entrepreneurs and business founders from under-represented groups.
STV is inviting businesses with a commitment to inclusive growth and who are keen to kickstart or invigorate their marketing campaigns to put themselves forward or nominate an SME for one of four £25k funded memberships. Interest should be noted via the STV Commercial website, www.stvgrowthfund.tv, by Friday 14 May and finalists will be invited to meet with a panel of judges to present their proposals in June. The judging panel is comprised of:
- Femi Otitoju is STV’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisor and is Managing Director of the Challenge Consultancy, which supports some of the UK's leading brands and organisations to develop inclusive practice.
- Barrington Reeves is the Creative Director and Founder of creative agency, Too Gallus; Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter Scotland; and is Founder of the Black Scottish Business Fund.
- Lee Beattie, Managing Partner of creative agency John Doe Group; and co-founder of the Bloody Big Brunch and virtual venue SocialEyes.
- Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE, a competition aimed at identifying and supporting Scotland’s up-and-coming, innovative, high growth entrepreneurial talent.
Interested businesses will be invited to chat to the team about how they champion diversity through their brand, thoughts on their marketing plans and to provide details on their longer-term D&I strategies. Four successful businesses will be awarded membership with immediate effect to help fund new campaigns.
The STV Growth Fund launched two years ago and is STV’s commitment to help drive the Scottish economy. To date, more than 500 deals have been done, including almost 200 SMEs who are new to television advertising. STV outlined its commitment to working with companies dedicated to inclusive growth in 2020 and are already engaged with multiple organisations on airtime campaigns.