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DES MOINES, Iowa, November 23, 2021 / PRNewswire / – Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP) today announced five Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and / or LGBTQIA-owned companies as winners of their Good Impressions program. Each company receives a bonus package with free advertising space and marketing consulting services from Meredith experts worth approx. $ 100,000.
Image Courtesy: Meredith Corporation
Good impressions, started in February 2021, is a meaningful way for Meredith to bridge the economic divide for minority-owned businesses and to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the communities it serves. Reward packages are tailored to the needs and goals of each small business and include various forms of support. This support may include video consultations with key Meredith representatives who include business intelligence, research / insights, creative and marketing professionals; Introductory talks with editorial managers in print, digital and social media; and media tailored to the critical needs of each company.
“We are very excited to announce and present these winners in time for Small Business Saturday. We encourage people to support these innovative companies during this Christmas shopping season and beyond,” said Catherine Levene, President of the Meredith National Media Group and Executive Sponsor of: BLACKPRINT, the Employee Resource Group (ERG), which represents black voices at Meredith. “We look forward to sharing Meredith’s extensive advertising and marketing resources to help you take your business to the next level.”
After an extensive evaluation process, a selection committee consisting of corporate and ERG executives selected these companies as the winners of the Good Impressions 2021:
- Shea Yeleen, based in Washington, DC and owned by Rahama Wright, redefines beauty by balancing skin nutrition with the empowerment of women around the world. Every purchase of his handcrafted skin care products directly contributes to the empowerment of women in Ghana. Shea Yeleen pays her producers five times the local minimum wage. The company is committed to financial empowerment, community development, traditional processing methods, and ethically sourced organic and natural ingredients. Meredith will help this company build stronger through communications to increase their product awareness and mission, activation and presence with Meredith brands across the beauty market. “Winning the Good Impressions Pro Bono Media and Marketing Award will allow Shea Yeleen to strengthen our brand, build meaningful relationships with new customers, increase direct sales to consumers and further empower our producers Ghana“Wright said.” This investment in our business will have an impact on our suppliers, creating livelihoods and contributing to sustainability in our supply chain. ”
- The security bag, based in New Orleans, LA, and owned by David Price, saves all tickets in one place. When there is a traffic stop, it minimizes movement, allows more visibility in the vehicle and gives the driver the option of keeping their hands on the steering wheel. The use of this product reduces the possibility of misunderstandings between drivers and police, which often leads to unnecessary violence, shootings, and even death. The idea came to David as a teenager after he was given “The Talk” on how to stay safe in a society that disproportionately discriminates against young black men. Meredith will help this company develop a comprehensive strategic plan focused on maximizing brand awareness. “Being a part of Good Impressions will be life changing,” said Price. “Through Meredith’s advice, mentoring and services, I am sure it will help us quickly scale our brand and continue our work to create safer and fairer interactions with law enforcement.”
- Madhu Chocolate is an Indian-inspired bean-to-bar chocolate maker based on Austin, Texas. founder Hard Gupta and Elliott Curelop started the business from her kitchen in 2018 when Curelop decided to add Indian spice blends to the bars he would make as a hobby. Within three years, Madhu Chocolate has grown from a small cottage food company to one of the fastest growing chocolate manufacturers in the USA. Voted one of America’s best chocolates by FOOD & WINE Magazine, Madhu Chocolate sources ethically high-quality cocoa beans from Colombia. Through fair trade, it contributes to the prosperity of farmers while helping to eradicate slavery. The production facility is operated 100 percent with renewable wind energy and pursues an aggressive composting strategy in order to minimize the carbon footprint. Meredith will support Madhu Chocolate with strategies for public relations, business and marketing, combined with the creation of content and cross-platform advertising campaigns. “This award means so much to us because it confirms the uniqueness of our business concept and the quality of our products,” said Gupta. “We have made every effort to develop the flavors of our products to show that amazing chocolate doesn’t have to be so Eurocentric in taste, and it is very satisfying for us to know that others feel the same way.”
- The mission of Modi Toys, based in Edison, New Jersey, and owned by siblings Avani Modi Sarkar and Viral Modes, designed to arouse curiosity about Indian culture by putting meaningful toys, games and books into the hands of children around the world. Her business idea was inspired by her own children, hoping to create toys and books that reflected her South Asian roots and Hindu beliefs. Each of the plush toys plays mantras about specific deities that are sung by Indian artists. Selected toys can be personalized with children’s names in any language. Meredith will support Modi Toys with marketing advice, data analysis and presentation. “Growing up in America, my brother and I always felt connected to our South Asian heritage. However, when we became parents, we found we lacked the resources to foster the same sense of connectedness with our own children, ”said Sarkar. “We looked for toys that reflected our roots, but we couldn’t find anything that reflected diversity in belief. We developed our products as part of a broader movement to make playrooms more inclusive and to celebrate individuality and otherness. Meredith team for creating this initiative and taking proactive steps to help small minority owned businesses, not just a good one, but to leave a lasting impression. ”
- Hair care for young kings, based in Atlanta, GA, and owned by Cora Miller and Stefan Miller, is the first multicultural beauty brand for young men. Inspired by their son, the company makes clean products to promote the health and growth of textured hair. The Millers founded the company with a mission to redefine male grooming for the next generation by encouraging young colored men to come out with full confidence and take pride in their self-care. All products are herbal, free from harmful ingredients, and contain fragrances that appeal to young men. Meredith will help Hair care for young kings with brand building, marketing strategy, partnerships and contact with Meredith brands. “This award really validates our mission and vision for the brand,” said Stefan Müller. “We are excited to leverage Meredith’s bank of experts to uncover insights, make valuable connections, and capitalize on their skills and expertise that are invaluable to our growing brand. We look forward to making new connections and throughout.” the whole process to really learn and grow. “
According to MetLife and the U.S. Chamber’s Special Report on Race and Inequality on Main Street, published in August 2020, small businesses owned by minorities are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus and the associated economic consequences. According to a survey conducted for the report, two in three (66%) of minority-owned small businesses were concerned about closing permanently, compared with 57% for non-minority small businesses. Minority-owned companies are also slightly more likely to report trying to obtain a loan to survive the economic turmoil (14% versus 8% of non-minority-owned companies) related to the coronavirus.
The Good Impressions program was founded by Sharuq Alam and Peachy-Jean Retizos. Inspired by Meredith’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, they knew the company could make a difference to these companies through its industry-leading advertising and marketing resources. Supported by Executive Sponsor Ahu Terzi, Meredith VP of Corporate Beauty; Marketing Manager Christine Staley; Co-chair Isabelle Gomez; and a dedicated team of individuals from all levels of the organization, Alam was thrilled that this program was made a reality. “The Good Impressions team members and I are so inspired by these entrepreneurs. Their innovation, drive, dedication and hard work prove that you can make your dreams come true and do something good for society at the same time. I’m so glad you did Meredith can be apart from that. ”
To learn more about the Good Impressions program, visit https://goodimpressionsbymeredith.com/
ABOUT MEREDITH CORPORATION
Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP), a leading media company for nearly 120 years, produces service journalism that engages audiences with relevant, inspiring, and trustworthy content. Meredith reaches consumers where they are on multiple platforms including digital, video, magazine and television shows. Meredith’s National Media Group reaches nearly 95 percent of US women and more than 190 million US consumers each month through iconic brands like PEOPLE, Better Homes & Gardens, Allrecipes, Southern Living and REAL SIMPLE. Meredith’s premium digital network reaches more than 150 million consumers each month. The company is the No. 1 US magazine owner with 36 million subscribers and the No. 2 global licensor with solid brand licensing activities that include a Better Homes & Gardens partnership with Walmart. Meredith’s Local Media Group portfolio includes 17 television channels, serving 11 percent of US households and 30 million viewers. Meredith’s portfolio is focused on large, fast-growing markets with seven stations in the country’s top 25 markets, including Atlanta, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Portland as well as 13 stations in the top 50.
SOURCE Meredith Corporation
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