E244 Josh Ott: How Black Culture Shapes Modern Brand Strategy

Josh Ott is a sales and marketing leader with over 15 years of experience in startups and media. He is currently Head of Revenue at The Shade Room, the leading digital media platform covering Black culture, with over 42 million followers across social channels. The early years of his career were spent leading ad sales and partnerships with former roles at ABC, BET, MTV,Scripps, and Pivot. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to create a successful grass-fed beef company, which further fueled his passion for brand growth and development. MAGNA Media Trials and The Shade Room released new research that quantifies how Black culture drives consumer spending globally. Despite this influence, brand investments in Black creators and Black-led platforms fall short. The report, Cultural Capital: What Black Culture Means for Modern Brands, highlights the growth opportunity and the risk for marketers who fail to engage authentically.