NBA great Russell Westbrook is known for his success on the basketball court, but he has found success off it too as entrepreneur and philanthropist. His company, Russell Westbrook Enterprises, now is entering the digital media sector with the launch of a new division called RW Digital, which will focus on helping brands reach more diverse audiences.“What we brought to market is the first certified minority-owned programmatic media-buying solution built specifically to support advertisers and agencies reach those multicultural audiences more efficiently while navigating cultural bias as well,” Donnell Beverly Jr., president of Russell Westbrook Enterprises, told Cheddar News' Closing Bell during a discussion detailing the division’s plans.

Closing Bell

Russell Westbrook’s Digital Media Division to Focus on Multicultural Audiences

But let's turn now to the business. Sports Russell Westbrook, one of the NBA's greatest players of all time with career accomplishments that include a league MVP award and nine all star game selections well off the court. The basketball stores found success stars, found success as an entrepreneur and philanthropist through his company, Russell Westbrook Enterprises, which is involved in business lines like real estate, venture capital, insurance, education and fashion. And now it's getting into the digital media sector with the launch of a new division called R. W. Digital. It's gonna focus on helping brands reach more diverse audiences. And joining me now to discuss is Donnell Beverly Jr, president of Russell Westbrook Enterprises. Donald, thank you so much for coming on the show. Give me some more details about our W digital. Yeah, thanks for having me on as well. I mean we're excited to bring this to market. And what we brought to market is the first certified minority on programmatic media buying solution, you know, built specifically to support advertisers and agencies reach those multicultural audiences more efficiently while navigating cultural bias as well. Um So I think throughout the last couple of years, you know, through the corporate marketplace and talking to a number of corporations, you know, we understand that the common pain point for those corporations are reaching these audiences. Um and that gave Russell and I had a battery to try and solve another solution. Um and that's what we've done. We've brought this to to market and we're excited. So I know you already have amassed a pretty nice client portfolio does include brands. I'm reading Donna like A. T. And T. Pepsico and American Airlines, what are you doing with these brands in particular when it comes to our w digital. Yeah so you know we'll receive a campaign and uh and uh RFP um on the set that they want to put out into market they'll tell us what demographics where who what when where and why. Um We will leverage our proprietary D. Mp. Um and we'll build a custom audience and then we will then go out and then target. Excuse me, reach those audiences. Um you know and exceed the Cape er that they have for us. I think you know the beautiful thing about it is that you know, we use a multi varied approach. We doesn't we don't use one single dataset to identify the audience that we want to target. And so you know with the strategies that we put into market has just been an unbelievable uptick in performance and you know we look forward to keeping our clients happy, I'm sure. And I know Russell Westbrook still very busy obviously on the court Donald, how active is he in Russell Westbrook and our prices when he's off the court. I mean people would be surprised how involved Russell is with his limited time, especially throughout the summer. I try to make the most of the time but during the season obviously you know we travel and meet him, you know at away games and and make the most of his time. Um, but Russell's very hands on, he's very hands on. He, you know, especially when there's deals on the table to help us close those deals. Um but you know, if you know anything about Russell, nothing kind of moves without just his input and making sure that he's at the table with us. Of course, I know he's been very successful obviously on the court, it's good to see his successes off the court as well. I know he's an active investor as well. Any upcoming investments Donal that you think Russell might be making himself as it relates to this enterprise? Yeah, I think, I mean we have a lot of things in the pipeline, we're looking at um you know, things in the automotive industry a lot more real estate, I think everything that we do um and just really want to highlight is built off of solutions. How do we create solutions for the communities that we want to serve? Um, and for society, right? We love investments where they benefit society. Um, and so that's where we've been focusing at and you know, especially on the community side as well. I think not only investing capital, you know, Russell is a huge proponent of investing time and energy and so I want to give a big shout out to our um l a promise fund team, you know, we've been able to launch the Russell Westbrook, why not Academies as well? We have a middle school in high school. And so, you know, we're really taking a grassroots approach across everything that we're doing. Um and it's just incredible work and it's um you know, self satisfying. All right, Danielle Beverly Jr, president of Russell Westbrook Enterprises Donald, thank you so much for coming on the show.