Since its inception, MTV and our brands have built deep relationships with our global audience of more than a billion people by standing up and talking about issues in ways that resonate with young people. We use that reach to spread messages and celebrate achievements, ideas, and perspectives that matter.
MTV Entertainment Studios’ (MTVE) “SEE ME, HEAR ME, KNOW ME” campaign, offers a diverse array of social and linear content ranging between :10 - :60 seconds, that aims to increase visibility and expand representation. Our audiences are diverse, from different communities and cultures. We not only want to amplify their voices and share their messages, but we feel it’s our responsibility to invest in them as well.
The “SEE ME” portion of our campaign does just that. Our goal is to support underrepresented creatives by commissioning and paying for their creative concepts, providing funding for production, and by turning over our social and linear platforms to them so the world can hear and see their unique voice and vision.
In honor of each Heritage Month, MTV Entertainment Studios (MTVE) partners with a filmmaker from the community to create a distinct “SEE ME” spot that amplifies his / her / their voice and gives them the space to explore, spotlight, and celebrate their communities through their own personal lens. Each filmmaker is given complete autonomy over their work and production process with as much or as little support from the MTVE creative team as they desire. Their completed film is then given a national platform across all our brand social and series channels as well as our nine networks.
Since there are so many diverse voices in need of amplification, sometimes the challenge is to narrow down our selections to a short list of artists who will ultimately execute our “SEE ME” spots. However, we work with Social Impact partners – organizations whose work centers these communities – to make sure we’re considering diverse voices from the community as well as issues important to the community. Our work is unique in that we are one of very few entertainment companies committed to approaching DE&I work in this way.
All our brand social and series channels post these spots, and they premiere as a roadblock on all nine of MTV Entertainment Studios’ linear channels – MTV, VH1, Logo, Comedy Central, CMT, Smithsonian Channel, Paramount Network, Pop TV, & TV Land. To give these creators maximum visibility, the films are also programmed to run on our linear channels throughout the remainder of the month.
We believe our efforts to amplify diverse voices is a success because we are committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion– not just in thought, but in deed. In 2022, our “SEE ME” executions aired 1,986 times – where we donated a total of 24 hours of air time equal to over $2.5 million dollars in ad revenue. Overall, this campaign aired over 6,200 times - nearly 60 hours of total airtime - equivalent to more than $8 million dollars in ad revenue.
