Black in Business Returns for a Third Time offering £200,000 in Channel 4 Advertising Airtime, in partnership with Lloyds

Channel 4, in partnership with Lloyds, have today announced the return of Black in Business for a third time, offering Black entrepreneurs an expanded opportunity to accelerate their growth.

Following two successful iterations, the initiative will once again offer Black entrepreneurs free advertising and the opportunity to grow their businesses. For 2026, the programme has been expanded, with four businesses each receiving up to £200,000 worth of free advertising airtime on Channel 4 - up from £150,000 in the previous iteration. In addition, each business will benefit from the creation of a professionally produced TV advert and will gain access to expert mentorship from senior leaders at Channel 4 and Lloyds, providing guidance to unlock new opportunities and drive long-term success.

First launched in 2023, the Black in Business initiative aims to address barriers faced by Black entrepreneurs by increasing visibility, enhancing brand recognition, and enabling access to wider audiences. The initiative forms part of a commitment to improving Black representation both on-screen and more widely in the television industry with Channel 4 intending to connect Black entrepreneurs to the power of TV advertising. This forms part of a wider programme of activity from Lloyds aiming to provide support for Black entrepreneurs which includes mentoring, networking and accelerator programmes and more.   

The positive impact of the initiative has been demonstrated through the success of its previous cohorts and the meaningful results for the businesses. 

Beneficiaries of the 2024 scheme included:

• Flake Bake, London’s largest handmade Jamaican patty maker, offering a range of meat and vegetable options infused with Caribbean spices.  Flake Bake saw supermarket sales almost double year-on-year and achieved brand awareness within 2% of established category competitors
• Flora & Curl, a West Midlands-based haircare brand specialising in natural, plant-powered products. Flora & Curl experienced a 60% surge in orders during the campaign period and established a 3.5-point awareness lead over its nearest competitor
• Alonuko, a London-based luxury womenswear brand focused on handcrafted bridal and evening wear. Alonuko’s creativity shone, with 90% of people believing Alonuko sells unique and beautiful dresses, 85% acknowledging its high quality and 81% recognising its standout appeal from other bridal wear manufacturers & competitors
• Nylahs Naturals, a West Midlands-based textured haircare brand empowering Black women to embrace their natural hair. Nylahs Naturals saw a 42% increase in new customers and rose to second place within its competitive set, narrowing the gap with more established brands 

Sam Hicks, Head of Advertiser Strategy, Channel 4 Sales said: 

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Lloyds for a third year of the Black in Business initiative. We are proud to provide Black-owned businesses with the platform, creative support and advertising investment they need to grow their enterprise.

Increasing our overall package from the last cohort enables even greater impact across the Channel 4 portfolio, helping these businesses scale faster, reach new audiences, and build lasting brand recognition. This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to diversity both on and off screen in the television industry and reinforces our ongoing commitment to helping new to TV businesses scale faster.”

Amanda Murphy, CEO for Lloyds Business and Commercial Banking, said: 

 “We want more Black-owned businesses to be seen, supported and celebrated. Together, we want to tackle the barriers, open more doors and help these businesses to scale - whether that’s through our mentoring programme or the unique reach that comes with advertising on Channel 4. I’m looking forward to meeting this year’s successful businesses, and excited to see where their ambition leads them.”

Applications for Black in Business are now open. For more information and to apply visit Black in Business Award | 4 Sales

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Notes to editors:

Previous awards for Black in Business 

• Campaign Media Awards 2024- Winner in Banks and Financial services category
• Purpose Awards 2025- Best Equality and Cause campaign
• Voted #1 Best Media Idea 2023, Campaign Magazine​
• Won Gold in Financial Services at Campaign Media Awards​
• Won Best Customer Research Project Supporting Diversity in advertising & media
• Won Applications of Research Award at The Marketing Society​
• Shortlisted for Best Partnership with Purpose at ALF Awards ​
• Shortlisted for Campaign led by Cause at the Festival of Media Global Awards 

About Channel 4

Channel 4 exists to create change through entertainment. Publicly owned yet commercially funded, Channel 4 generates significant and sustainable cultural, economic and social impact across the UK – at no cost to the taxpayer.

The broadcaster’s distinctive remit is set by Parliament, and it has a role to represent unheard voices, challenge with purpose and reinvent entertainment. For more than 40 years, it has been a British success story, engaging generation after generation of young people.

Working with hundreds of creative companies every year, Channel 4 makes a major contribution to the local, regional and national economy, creating and supporting thousands of jobs and businesses across the country.

In 2024, Channel 4 launched its Fast Forward strategy to accelerate its transformation into an agile and genuinely digital-first public service streamer by 2030. It is designed to ensure Channel 4 embraces the generational shift in TV viewing, elevates its impact across the UK and stands out in a crowded market.

From its bases in London, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow, Channel 4 is fully committed to harnessing the power of its regional structure to increase its impact across the UK. Through its training and development initiative 4Skills is opening up opportunities in broadcasting, with a particular focus on disadvantaged young people and addressing skills gaps across the Nations and Regions. 4Skills invests millions in training, development and learning opportunities annually.

Through Film4 Productions, Channel 4 also invests in British filmmakers to huge critical acclaim, producing 43 Oscar wins and 97 BAFTA wins in its history.

https://www.channel4.com

About Lloyds Banking Group 

Lloyds Banking Group is a leading UK based financial services group providing a wide range of banking and financial services, focused on personal and commercial customers.    

As part of the Group, Lloyds provides expert financial support and guidance to the households, businesses and communities of Britain.    

We help businesses across the regions and nations of the UK, and across all different sectors and sizes, giving them the funding and support they need to grow both at home and abroad.    

Our support for businesses    

We’re proud to support one million UK businesses with leading digital and relationship banking services, as they start up, grow and thrive.  

Through a network of relationship teams based across the UK, as well as internationally, we deliver a mix of local understanding and global expertise necessary to provide long-term support to our clients to help them fulfil their growth aspirations.    

We offer a broad range of finance beyond term lending, spanning import and export trade finance, structured and asset finance, securitisation facilities and capital market funding.    

Our product specialists provide bespoke financial services and solutions, including tailored cash management, international trade, treasury and risk management services.    

To see the latest factsheet setting out how we support UK businesses please visit: Supporting British businesses - Lloyds Banking Group plc