SwayBrand disrupts influencer marketplace bringing equity to branding

Horace Flournoy launched SwayBrand with one idea in mind: to help brands develop authentic partnerships and source original creative content from Black, Latino, and Asian influencers who may normally go undiscovered by brand marketing teams.

SwayBrand, a Black-owned startup, is led by a diverse team of entertainment, technology, and culture professionals who are disrupting the influencer marketplace. Its two-sided tech platform invites brands to connect and collaborate with multicultural creators—Authentikas—to develop content that profoundly impacts their cultural relevance and reach and unlocks the immense buying power of diverse audiences.

One of three winners of the 4th annual NFL Players Association (NFLPA) Pitch Day in Miami this past January, SwayBrand has received player-marketing opportunities from the NFLPA as part of the prize package. Among the ways the company has leveraged the NFLPA resources are player videos, insights to best serve athletes, and partnership opportunities with other players’ associations.

SwayBrand provides the opportunity for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) influencers to pitch and connect with brands directly for content partnerships.

“Our platform’s point of differentiation is driven by our innovative technology and agility. From discovering new brand product drops to controlling your profile and booking information to pitching collab ideas directly to brands, we’re offering endless opportunities for brands to authentically connect with ambassadors. As we continue to grow, we will always prioritize solutions and features for brands to more efficiently create content that’s on trend with ‘the culture.,” says Flournoy, SwayBrand’s CEO and co-founder.

Flournoy continues, “The SwayBrand team is focused on disrupting how brands select influencers and how influencers source and execute brand deals. Until now, our culture has not properly captured or commanded the economic value and impact from the trends and movements that we start for brands. We are changing that. SwayBrand’s vision is also to create a platform and marketplace to combat the challenges brands face in authentically connecting with multicultural audiences. The reason why brands have traditionally had a hard time with this is that they haven’t done well in hiring us for their brand marketing and leadership positions. We’ve seen countless examples of brands missing the mark in authentically connecting with the ‘culture’ resulting in very public crises. SwayBrand is a win-win for everyone.”

In 2020, many brands participated in #BlackOutTuesday by posting a black square on Instagram, to show their alliance with the Black Lives Matter movement. Flournoy is calling on brands to follow through on their commitment to allyship with action and has created a platform for them to do just that.