① 203 Media operates in the niche of street interview ads, producing clips of real people reacting to a product or service that companies pay to insert into social media feeds. Founded in June of last year, this compelling but labor-intensive social-media ad format is growing in popularity. The company has successfully identified and capitalized on a market demand for authentic, unscripted content, positioning itself at the forefront of this advertising trend.
② Founder and CEO Josh Suggs is betting that demand for real, unscripted videos will increase as ads made with generative AI proliferate, and consumers grow weary of influencers’ typical paid-for posts. He emphasizes that the widening pool of media channels means advertisers must battle harder for consumer attention than ever before. “Your ads cannot look like ads anymore,” Suggs said. “Nobody wants scripted, inauthentic, staged commercials—people trust real opinions, real emotions.” This philosophy underpins the company’s entire operational approach.
③ Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands looking to grow their consumer awareness have proven to be 203 Media’s best customers. Notable clients have included cereal company Magic Spoon, accessories brand Ridge Wallet, and soap-maker Dr. Squatch. These brands primarily use the videos produced by 203 Media as paid advertisements on platforms like TikTok and Meta Platforms’ Instagram. The company’s operational model involves clients sending various consumer products, which the team then uses for filming authentic street reactions to create the final ad content.
④ According to Suggs, 203 Media is profitable and hasn’t taken external investment. In a notable financial achievement, the company brought in revenue of $218,000 this August, a significant increase from $45,000 in August 2024. His plans for expansion are twofold: starting a live social shopping service for brands and setting up street interview teams in other cities to further scale the business and replicate its New York success.
⑤ This operational model is inherently demanding and requires a specific skillset. About half of the company’s 30-or-so hires work on the front-end, walking thousands of steps daily to gather raw footage. Suggs tapped New York City’s network of aspiring actors and comedians to find interviewers, noting that the role requires zero social anxiety and exceptional resilience, as not everyone persists in this high-rejection environment. Having initially fronted the ads himself for six months, Suggs has since built a team, allowing him to delegate most daily filming to staff and freelancers. The company’s focus remains on harnessing the power of genuine human reaction in an increasingly saturated and automated digital advertising landscape.
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