The marketplace, Diverse & Inclusive Media Exchange (DIME) will be available to clients of media agencies Spark Foundry (where the service is managed), Zenith, and Starcom.
Two services will programmatically be provided through the Publicis Inventory Exchange (PIE). The first provides access to inventory from publishers that target underrepresented communities. Publicis Media is partnering with the global diversity media network – Brand Advance, to help advertisers connect with more than 500 publishers that produce content for different underrepresented groups, including ethnic groups, young and older audiences, people with disabilities, those of different religious beliefs, and so on.
The second part of DIME uses existing publisher partner relationships, initially with the Guardian Media Group and Reach, to match brands with inventory that adheres to a set of inclusive values. In essence, it is about avoiding content that labels different communities and underrepresented groups with negative stereotypes.
Publicis Media is due to start implementing client campaigns using the marketplace over the next few months.
The international advertising giant launched a cross-industry consortium called The Once and For All Coalition last year in July. An initiative to remove barriers to equitable financial opportunity and representation of ethnically-diverse suppliers to help its clients uncover opportunities that mirror their brand values and drive growth with audiences in a multicultural world.