StitcherAds, a performance-focused platform brands use to build and manage social media ad campaigns, is partnering with Facebook to help retailers promote products from Black-owned brands in Facebook and Instagram ads. The partnership is part of Facebook’s #BuyBlack Friday effort, which was announced in October.
StitcherAds technology is used by brands — mostly retailers — like Sears, Saks and Finish Line. They offer ad tech to create, test, optimize, and personalize campaigns, data solutions to make retailer data actionable for social, creative tools to automate turning product catalogues into ads, and attribution capabilities to measure performance. Their tech works across Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat.
The partnership with Facebook seems to home in on the creative piece, with StitcherAds launching a turnkey #BuyBlack Friday “overlay” that retailers can use for free in the lead up to and on Black Friday.
#BuyBlack Friday is a Facebook initiative, announced as part of their “Season of Support” program — three months of support, resources, education, and thought leadership to help small businesses over the holiday season. #BuyBlack Friday attempts to spotlight Black businesses, celebrate Black culture and encourage shoppers to #BuyBlack for the holidays.
But promoting specific brands via social campaigns can be a challenge for retailers. Product feeds for major retailers frequently feature millions of SKUs and products from thousands of brands. StitcherAds’ #BuyBlack tool will “automatically help to highlight the Black-owned businesses from those product feeds.” It’s essentially automating the data and creative elements needed to showcase items from Black-owned brands in ads on Facebook and Instagram.
Alvin Bowles, VP of Business Engineering and Partnership Solutions at Facebook, says: “Facebook is committed to supporting and celebrating Black-owned businesses and their communities in the lead up to what has traditionally been the biggest retail day of the year. We are excited about how StitcherAds is able to support our #BuyBlack Friday initiative in helping retailers showcase products from Black-owned businesses across their campaigns on Facebook and Instagram.”
“This holiday season will be challenging for many small businesses, with more people shopping online than ever before,” says StitcherAds CEO and Co-Founder Declan Kennedy. “Facebook’s determination to help small businesses thrive is commendable. And, this year’s focus on celebrating Black-owned businesses and their communities is exquisite. We are honored to be able to play a role in helping to drive Facebook’s initiative forward.”
