Issa Rae Launches Ensemble to Connect Brands with Diverse Creators – urbangeekz

American actress, writer, and producer Issa Rae has launched Ensemble, a new company that connects brands with diverse creators. 

Ensemble brings world-class production and distribution infrastructure to a diverse collective of talented and influential creators. The company collaborates with brands, platforms, and publishers to produce and distribute epic content that shapes culture, engages audiences, and moves products.

Ensemble’s mission is to close the pay gap between creators of color and white creators by making the creator economy more equitable. Research shows that Black creators made 35% less than their white counterparts. 

The company seeks to attract ad spending by connecting brands with a network of 50 up-and-coming creators, including Drew Afualo, Leo Gonzalez, and Mark Phillips. It’s signed up Chili’s, Pepsi, and Popeyes as clients. 

Although Rae funds Ensemble, a small team of advertising and marketing veterans will run it: Ian Schafer, co-founder and president; Matt Berger, head of revenue; and Keith Lee, head of revenue operations.

“We just see it as an evolution of the next generation of talent discovery, and the path is not obvious,” Schafer said to Business Insider. “People used to look at digital as the minor leagues. It’s very much the major leagues, but the thesis is that the future talent is much more likely to be discovered by audiences and financed by brands.”

Rae’s Ensemble is already partnering with multimedia instant messaging platform Snap on its 523 Program. The two will work on expanding Snap’s 523 creator accelerator program and making it available to creators from all minority ethnic groups and the LGBTQ+ community. Ensemble will help brands and 523 creators produce content and receive mentorship.

“Ensemble shares our mission to amplify the stories of creators from underrepresented communities,” the company said. “Together, we’ll empower this year’s 523 class of storytellers while providing brands with opportunities to collaborate directly with them.” Applications for the 2024 creator cohort are open from May 1 to June 1.

How Issa Rae Is Advancing Opportunities For People Of Color

According to TIME, Issa Rae has long prioritized creating pipelines for people of color.

Issa Rae, best known for HBO’s “Insecure” and “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” also has a marketing company, Fete, a management company, ColorCreative, and an audio division, Raedio. 

She already has a separate media and entertainment company, Hooray Media, formed in 2020 out of Issa Rae Productions. Montrel McKay, Hoorae’s president of development and production, said to Business Insider that the goal was for Ensemble to be independent of Rae’s persona.

Her other ventures include Sienna Naturals, a hair care line, and Viarae, a prosecco with E. & J. Gallo Winery.

“I recognize that I have to do well economically to be able to make change,” she told TIME. “That’s frustrating, that’s ugly. But I recognize that money moves things faster – and so much of what I do is with the intention to help make those moves.”

Photo Credit ????:  Issa Rae  Courtesy ColorCreative / Tyren Redd