By Arthur Dansby Team Lead, Ad Operations and Creator of Afro Pulse
Yesterday, to coincide with Black Music Month, we, at Vevo, officially announced our latest prime media product, Afro Pulse. Afro Pulse was created to support and uplift the Black voices and talent on our platform today, as well as the past and into the future.
As the creator of Afro Pulse, I am so excited to finally see my once-idea come to fruition because Afro Pulse serves a more meaningful purpose that goes beyond ad targeting…Vevo is fully committed to supporting Black artists, which have been vital to the history and continued growth of the music industry.
An Idea Two Years in the Making
I came up with the initial concept of Afro Pulse at Vevo about two years ago, when I noticed that there was a massive gap in the promotion and recognition between the most chart-topping Black artists and those experiencing their first big hit, or even those earlier on in their careers. So many lesser-known Black artists are not enjoying the same level of visibility that they deserve.
Additionally, from working in a music company, I realized how much diversity and variety there was within Black music and our catalog. Black music is not confined to a particular genre, and this is growing all the time. We already see this in the various Black artists we have filmed as part of Vevo’s own original content series from DSCVR to Ctrl. I knew that Vevo had the expertise and capabilities to not only share Black music’s range, but to further monetize it.
Behind the Name
The name ‘Afro Pulse’ came out of a brainstorming session with my mom, who loved my idea about a product that supported Black artists. We then began thinking of ways to highlight such a diverse group of musicians. We chose the word ‘Afro’ to represent the inclusivity of this product to include all of our Black musicians worldwide.
The word ‘Pulse’ came to us as we were trying to think of why music is so trendy and cool. We concluded that music is the heartbeat of our trends and that Black artists are typically the leading wave to those trends. Black artists are the pulse of the music industry, keeping it alive and moving it forward.
Supporting Black Artists Comes First...
The core purpose of Afro Pulse, first and foremost, is to support Black music and culture. At Vevo, it is our responsibility to celebrate Black voices and to elevate Black stories, while promoting artists at all stages of their careers.
We are the custodians and tastemakers in all things music video, after all, so our content and editorial teams are on the pulse of the latest talent on the rise. And this also aligns perfectly with Vevo’s broader mission to maximize the commercial and promotional value of the music video art form overall.
...Advertiser Support is an Added Bonus
On top of our expert curation, advertisers have a new way of meaningfully supporting and surrounding themselves with Black creators. This is an added bonus and validation of the work we do.
The impact of Black music on our culture throughout history, today, and looking ahead needs to be celebrated. Black music is timeless. And Black talent has set the stage for many more musicians to follow. We owe it to them to support and uplift their voices and celebrate their talent.