The words “sponsored content” can evoke images of advertising fluff, but Crackle Plus’ partnership with Publicis Media and its APX Content Ventures for The General Insurance was anything but. The team put together a high-quality program produced by Landmark Studio Group, a division of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, that is a natural extension of the deep experience and relationships the Crackle Plus advertising team has built over the years. The 10-episode artist-of-color interview series “Inside the Black Box” had Emmy and NAACP Image Awards winner Joe Morton (“Scandal,” “Terminator 2”) and celebrity acting coach/casting director Tracey Moore hosting and interacting with celebrity guests such as Phylicia Rashad and Raven-Symone. This effort was brokered through APX Content Ventures—a next-generation unit within Publicis Media that invests in quality and mission-driven programming and seeks to find, fund and elevate partners and properties that amplify diverse voices, empower women and build community, connection and trust. The series was sponsored by The General, giving the brand unique placement across various layers of the programming—including pre-roll ads, QR code integrations, brand integration within the content and “The General Audience” branded theater section featured in the show. The Crackle PR and Marketing teams also orchestrated a highly coordinated PR and marketing campaign that resulted in featured articles in AdWeek, Essence, Ebony and the “Tamron Hall Show,” just to name a few. Interview and PR requests continued to come in even after the series had been out for a month.