Born Blak to tackle underrepresentation of First Nation voices in media

Publicis Groupe, spearheaded by Publicis Groupe PR and influencer agency Herd MSL, has teamed with influencer marketing agency Born Bred to launch Born Blak.

Born Blak is a long-term program that aims to reduce First Nations disadvantage and create opportunities for First Nations content creators who have been underrepresented in Australian marketing and communications.

The initiative will foster, educate, and mentor emerging First Nations content creators, providing them with the skills and connections to increase their access to commercial opportunities.

The development of Born Blak has and will continue to be guided by the Born Blak Advisory Panel, which comprises of Matty Mills, proud Gamilaraay/Kamilaroi man, TV presenter, actor, podcaster, and entertainment reporter for NiTV; Yvonne Weldon, proud Wiradijuri woman, Australian local government politician and deputy chairwoman of Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council; Cody Schaeffer, a Quandamooka man, founder and director of Borderline Australia, ex- radio presenter and mental health advocate; Tom Forrest, a Yorta Yorta man, ABC Kimberley Indigenous trainee features reporter, film maker and content creator; Tilly Langford, a Gumbaynggirr woman, student ambassador & Gadigal Centre assistant at The University of Sydney, content creator & Blak activist; and Samuel Stubbs, a Wangkatha man, WAFL player, Aboriginal engagement officer Perth Football Club and content creator.

The panel will provide specialised guidance throughout the ongoing development of Born Blak, will review program applications, support the shortlist process, and deliver ongoing consultancy on behalf of the First Nations community.

Born Blak is seeking applications from emerging First Nations social media influencers and content creators who drive a robust First Nations perspective in their content, and have a determination to showcase Indigenous culture to a broad Australian audience.

Applicants must be of Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander descent, aged 18+, have a growing presence on social media and a vested interest in storytelling.

Mills said he is thrilled to be part of Born Blak and continue his work of amplifying the voices and stories of First Nations mob across the country.

"Unfortunately, there continues to be a lack of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation across Australian Media, including in the online and social space," said Mills.

"I believe Born Blak will help cultivate our unique stories and elevate the voices of an untapped pool of very talented First Nation storytellers. This is an opportunity to share the longest continuous culture with the rest of the world and I couldn’t be more proud of the work we’ve done to design a program that will help a new generation of mob do just that.”

Ash Jackson, a Wuthathi woman and head of First Nations creator development at Born Bred Talent, said the overarching objective is to amplify Indigenous voices in mainstream media and facilitate greater access to Indigenous perspectives for consumers.

"For First Nations peoples, community ties have always been a vital source of resilience," said Jackson.

"We want to help honour this legacy, and Born Blak will be an important program to help prioritise storytelling and community-building, and increase First Nations creators’ awareness of the industry landscape.”

Skye Lambley, CEO of Herd MSL, said research shows that 79% of Australians can’t name any brands that have featured Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in their campaigns.

"That’s a shocking reality, and as an industry we must recognise the need to do more to tackle this issue head on," said Lambley.

"Born Blak is an important initiative to address this chronic imbalance and an opportunity to help drive tangible commercial partnerships and monetisation opportunities for First Nations creators with Australia’s leading brands.”