As the year draws to a close, I can’t help but to reflect on the journey Hero Media has undergone the past twelve months. I launched Hero Media with Len Burnett Jr. with the intention of opening up the aperture to the investment in diverse-owned media. But if this year is any indication of what is to come for Hero Media, we are well-positioned to accomplish this and much more–disrupting the advertising, media and technology industries to underscore the importance of diverse ownership across verticals.

We started the year strong in the Black-owned media space by announcing several key partnerships expanding our reach and capabilities. This a step in the right direction in terms of closing the gap on diverse media investment, and providing more opportunities for brands to connect with diverse owned media beyond their own inventory. We look forward to continuing to add additional publishers, and creators in our network in order to support and empower diverse ownership across the industry.

In May, we welcomed the fantastic Lauren Maillian. Lauren has oversight across all Hero Media’s lines of business, with an emphasis on driving partnerships and growth to the companies first party platforms and proprietary ad tech solutions, agency relationships, content conceptualization and programming She also recently discussed some of the exciting content from Hero Media to come in 2024, which you can read about here.

June marked a major milestone for Hero Media. We celebrated Juneteenth in Cannes with the first annual Heroes of Media Awards Dinner, celebrating those who prioritize inclusive content and diverse media investments. We honored Eden Bridegman-Sklenar, Eric Austin, and Halle Berry.  We’re excited to share that Heroes of Media will return to Cannes for its second iteration of the celebration with exciting new partners, legendary honorees, and more. 

Before we closed 2023, we announced our venture into adtech by introducing Hero One, the first ML-Powered Black-owned DSP in programmatic advertising. As it stands, there is little to no diverse ownership in AdTech. It’s imperative that we have greater equity in the platforms that will dictate where and how money is allocated to Black and diverse owned media brands. In 2024, we will see that the future of advertising technology will hinge on the success of diverse-owned ad tech platforms like Hero One.
I hope you’re inspired as I am after reflecting on this year’s wins and anticipating what’s yet to come for Hero Media and the future of diverse-owned media and technology.

-Joe Anthony, Founder and Chairman, Hero Media