Four Black-owned businesses have made their TV advertising debut thanks to Channel 4 Sales’ Black in Business initiative with Lloyds. 

As part of the initiative, each business received £150,000 worth of free advertising airtime on Channel 4, along with an ad made by Quiet Storm.

The initiative, open to Black entrepreneurs, saw the four winners emerge from an application process and a shortlist of 20 businesses. Alongside free airtime, the winners received six months of mentoring guidance from senior executive sponsors at Channel 4 and Lloyds and the creation of their own adverts.

This year’s advert launch is the second Black in Business partnership between Channel 4 and Lloyds. The spot builds on the success of the inaugural 2023 edition which saw five Black-owned businesses receive £100,000 of TV airtime each.

This year’s four winning businesses were Flake Bake, London’s largest handmade Jamaican patty maker, Flora & Curl, a West Midlands-based haircare brand, Alonuko, a London-based luxury women’s fashion brand and Nylahs Natural, a West Midlands-based textured haircare brand.

Each brand has an advert that will run on Channel 4, created by Black-owned production company Quiet Storm, featuring an ethnically diverse cast that includes each business founder. The spots are all based in a retro wood-panelled lift, in a nod to the concept of an ‘elevator pitch’, and showcase each business' products.

The initiative aims to support Black-owned businesses following research by Channel 4 and Lloyds that uncovered the obstacles that Black entrepreneurs face when setting up their businesses compared to their white counterparts.

Elyn Corfield, CEO of Business & Commercial Banking at Lloyds, explained: “All businesses should have the same opportunities to succeed – but they don’t, which is why we set up our Black entrepreneurs programme and joined forces with Channel 4 to create ‘Black in Business’, supporting brilliant businesses as they look to scale.”

“Being able to provide the transformational power of TV advertising for our four extremely promising Black entrepreneurs has been a truly fulfilling process, and it’s great to see their adverts out in the world from today,” added Christopher Remie, Commercial Development Lead, Channel 4 Sales.

The campaigns are set to run across Channel 4 between now and October.