Hearst Canvas, the digital content company within Hearst Networks, has launched Pitch, Please!, a social video series produced by Objekt in which influencers compete to help small businesses solve a problem.
Hearst Canvas’s first single IP show features social media stars such as the creator duo Will Makoni and Josh Grigson, comedians Eshaan Akbar and Darren Harriott, Celebrity Traitors star King Kenny and content creator Adeola Patronne.
Episodes are 15 minutes long and drop weekly on a dedicated YouTube channel first, before rolling out across other social video platforms, including Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok.
“The strength of Pitch, Please! lies in its clear and compelling premise, taking a genuine business challenge to the public and asking two hosts to transform that feedback into competing pitches,” said Danny Baggott, creative director at Hearst Canvas. “The format combines humor, creativity, and spontaneity, while giving featured talent the freedom to bring their own distinctive perspectives. It’s an idea with considerable potential to evolve and grow.”
Bart Frank, creative director at Objekt, added, “The idea already had everything we love: it was out of the studio, in real businesses, with real people. Our job was to give it the beats and structure to turn it into a fully-fledged format. We’ve always believed in getting out of the studio and putting funny people in funny situations. This show does exactly that. It’s chaos, but with a business plan.”
Hearst Canvas has another original brand rolling out this year: Frontier Collective.
“We built Hearst Canvas because we saw a clear opportunity to create original brands specifically for audiences who increasingly watch content on digital and social platforms,” said Heather Jones, chief creative officer for EMEA and GM for the UK at Hearst Networks. “It gives us the freedom to explore new genres, work with emerging and established talent, and build distinctive IP. Pitch, Please! and Frontier Collective bring that ambition to life across creator-led entertainment and adventure, with the potential to grow across platforms and reach global audiences.”
