PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast
Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) has announced the first round of
Comcast RISE award recipients. More than 700 Black-owned businesses
will receive consulting, media, and creative production services
from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, or
technology upgrades from Comcast Business, based on the specific
needs. This includes 166 Black-owned small businesses in
Greater Philadelphia, from
restaurants and salons to professional services and retail shops.
In addition, 3,300 small businesses have already signed up to
receive the Comcast RISE monthly newsletter, which will offer free
marketing insights and resources.
The first phase of Comcast RISE, which stands for
"Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment," focused on
U.S. Black-owned, small businesses, those hit hardest by the
pandemic according to a recent study from the National Bureau
of Economic Research. The next phase has opened up eligibility so
that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned, small
businesses can all apply.
"The fitness and wellness industry has been among the most
impacted by the pandemic and resulting stay-at-home orders. At the
onset of the pandemic, I was applying for grants and looking for
any kind of funding help to survive. And then I heard about Comcast
RISE. Receiving this grant has been a godsend," said Osayi Osunde,
Owner and Co-founder of Philadelphia-based Fit Academy. "It's been
reassuring that people see the impact we're trying to make from a
health and wellness perspective, especially at a time when it's
critical to keep people healthy, both mentally and physically. We
are grateful for the support the program has provided and how it's
allowed us to continue serving our community during this time."
"At a time when so many small businesses across the state are
struggling, it is humbling to be a part of an organization that is
helping to give back to those most affected by the pandemic," said
Michael Louden, regional vice
president for Comcast Business. "It's been powerful to connect with
the selected business owners and hear their stories. They have so
much perseverance and resilience as they continue to grow their
businesses and look for opportunities to make an impact on their
local communities. I'm looking forward to continuing the program's
momentum and being able to offer further support to the BIPOC
community."
Comcast RISE brings together two of the company's brands
—Comcast Business and Effectv, both with expertise in the small
business space — to empower business owners with the expertise and
resources needed to navigate the economic effects of the
pandemic. Comcast RISE consists of the following main
components:
- A media and technology resources program: This pillar
combines Effectv's renowned media platform and marketing expertise,
its award-winning creative agency, Mnemonic, and state-of-the-art
technical support from Comcast Business to help small businesses
foster and elevate growth. Recipients will receive help with their
marketing, media campaigns and creation of 30-second commercials,
as well as equipment and technology upgrades, including:
-
- Consulting: Advertising and marketing consultations with
local Effectv marketing, research and creative teams to gain
insights on how to grow your business.
- Media: A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day
period.
- Creative Production: Turnkey :30 TV commercial
production for their businesses.
- Technology Makeovers: Computer equipment and Internet,
Voice and Cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period.
(Taxes and other fees may still apply for tech makeover
services.)
- Business resources to help with curated content: Comcast
has launched the Comcast RISE destination complete with aggregated
small business news, tips, insights and more on the X1 platform.
The destination is designed to help businesses grow by empowering
them through education, inspiration and entertainment. Just say
"Comcast RISE" into the X1 voice remote.
- Grants: In early 2021, Comcast will be awarding grants
of up to $10,000 each for U.S.-based
small and diverse businesses that have been in operations for three
to five years.
Comcast RISE is part of a larger $100
million Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative that
Comcast launched this summer. In June, Comcast
NBCUniversal announced the development of a comprehensive,
multiyear plan to allocate $75
million in cash and $25
million in media over the next three years to fight
injustice and inequality against any race, ethnicity, gender
identity, sexual orientation or ability.
Visit www.ComcastRISE.com to apply, for more
information and the latest updates.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast
Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology
company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable,
NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of
the United States' largest
high-speed internet, video, and phone providers to residential
customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services
to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and
automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity
brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news, entertainment and
sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast
networks, television production operations, television station
groups, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and
Resorts. Sky is one of Europe's leading media and
entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range of
video content through its pay television services. It also provides
communications services, including residential high-speed internet,
phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky
News broadcast network and sports and entertainment networks,
produces original content, and has exclusive content rights.
Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more
information.
About Comcast Business
About Comcast Business Comcast
Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed
Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform
their business. Powered by an advanced network, and backed by 24/7
customer support, Comcast Business is one of the largest
contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast Business is
the nation's largest cable provider to small and mid-size
businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise market;
recognized over the last two years by leading industry associations
as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For
more information, call 866- 429-3085. Follow on Twitter
@ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at
http://business.comcast.com/social.
About Effectv
Effectv, the advertising sales division
of Comcast Cable, helps local, regional and national advertisers
use the best of digital with the power of TV to grow their
business. It provides multi-screen marketing solutions to make
advertising campaigns more effective and easier to execute.
Headquartered in New York with
offices throughout the country, Effectv has a presence in 66
markets with nearly 35 million owned and represented subscribers.
For more information, visit www.effectv.com.
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SOURCE Comcast