Inside BET’s Transformation From Media Company to Movement

On this episode of Advertising and marketing Vanguard, host Jenny Rooney sits down with Kimberly Paige, EVP and CMO of BET, to discover the intersection of content material, tradition, and group in fashionable media. 

From judging at Cannes Lions to celebrating BET’s forty fifth anniversary, Kimberly shares how her in depth expertise at P&G, Coca-Cola, and Coty formed her method to genuine storytelling and model evolution. 

Find out how BET is pioneering change by way of strategic model partnerships, streaming innovation, and a dedication to significant content material that drives each cultural affect and business success. 

A must-listen for advertising leaders looking for to grasp how heritage manufacturers can keep related whereas sustaining their core mission.

With over twenty years of selling expertise, Kimberly beforehand spent 17 years at Coca-Cola in numerous management roles, together with working the worldwide Sprite enterprise and main their Ventures in Rising Manufacturers division. She started her profession at Procter & Gamble, the place she developed foundational advertising expertise that proceed to tell her method right now.

Episode highlights:

[03:32] What Good Advertising and marketing Appears Like As we speak — Contemporary from judging Cannes Lions, Kimberly emphasizes the significance of genuine storytelling in right now’s panorama: “We actually wanna get again to actual true storytelling—this notion of Advertising and marketing with large M. And that actually is that if it’s significant, if it issues, it’ll transfer the metrics. And I believe we’re actually attempting to get again to significant work.” She notes that in a world the place TikTok has turn out to be a significant leisure competitor, the bar for high quality storytelling has by no means been greater.

[10:06] Making use of CPG Ideas to Leisure — Kimberly explains how her various background serves her in leisure: “As entrepreneurs, our major position is demand creation, whatever the class. The fantastic thing about actually having this huge expertise is that you just see shoppers in a wide range of other ways by way of their journeys.” She emphasizes how each model should now turn out to be an incredible storyteller, making her leisure expertise worthwhile throughout industries.

[14:23] BET’s Evolution and Mission — Discussing BET’s 45-year journey, Kimberly explains the model’s evolution: “Our mission is not only about offering Black content material, and I believe that’s the distinction. It truly is about altering outcomes for our group. I believe we thrive at this intersection of content material, tradition, and group.” She emphasizes how BET has shifted from being the one place to see Black tradition to specializing in significant affect.

[18:51] Strategic Choices That Modified Trajectory — Kimberly shares two key choices she’s happy with: main Paramount International’s first transfer into streaming and redesigning BET’s visible id system. On the brand redesign, she recollects: “Our CEO saying, ‘You broke the brand.’ And I stated, ‘No, I liberated it.’ It was actually based mostly off an perception round creating this lovely black clean canvas as a result of I believe that’s what tradition is. It will possibly’t be outlined. It will possibly’t be sure.”