ABOUT ESSENCE COMMUNICATIONS INC.
Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) was founded in 1968. In October 2000, ECI signed an agreement with Time Inc., a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., to form a joint venture known as Essence Communications Partners. ESSENCE was the majority owner of the venture. In March 2005, Time Inc. acquired the portion it did not already own. The company’s name changed back to Essence Communications Inc. The ECI corporate headquarters are in New York City, with offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Detroit.

For 37 years, the company has grown into a vital business of diverse media properties and communications systems that include ESSENCE, its flagship magazine launched in 1970. Its success is linked to its unique relationship with the readers of ESSENCE magazine and the strong alliances it has forged with America’s leading corporations and financial institutions.

The ECI family of companies and licensing ventures includes:

ESSENCE MAGAZINE
ECI publishes ESSENCE, the preeminent lifestyle magazine for today’s African-American woman. The publication has a monthly circulation of 1,066,245 and a readership of 8 million. The first issue of ESSENCE hit the newsstands in May 1970, with a circulation of 50,000. In 2003, ESSENCE ranked seventh on Advertising Age’s "A-List," which recognizes magazine excellence. This is the first time that an African-American targeted publication received this honor.

essence.com/aboutmag

ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL
In 1995 ECI produced the first annual Essence Music Festival. The Essence Music Festival is an unprecedented three days of cultural celebrations and ESSENCE Empowerment Seminars and three nights of performances by some of the greatest African-American artists. In 1998 the Coca-Cola Company presented this popular event for the first time as a title sponsor. In 2006, the Festival temporarily relocated to Houston in state-of-the-art Reliant Park following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. This year celebrates the return of the Essence Music Festival to its original home of New Orleans on July 5, 6 and 7. ESSENCE will continue to work closely with city and state officials to help rebuild the city of New Orleans and its educational system.

essencemusicfestival.com

WOMEN WHO ARE SHAPING THE WORLD LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
The Women Who Are Shaping the World Leadership Summit was created by the editors of ESSENCE. The Leadership Summit is a day of enrichment designed to help Black women working across the career spectrum and as entrepreneurs explore topics, issues and concerns that most profoundly affect them in the workplace and in building their businesses. It offers a one of a kind opportunity to interact with leaders who understand the challenges that African-American women face in an ever-changing work environment. Last year, the Leadership Summit took place on Friday, October 13, at the New York Marriott Marquis.

essencesummit.com

ESSENCE.com
In 1996, ECI established itself online with a multitiered interactive Web site at essence.com. While surfing the web, visitors can look forward to fashion and beauty tips, money-management strategies and quick-fix recipes. They can also obtain information about Essence Books, Essence Eyewear and ECI’s special events. In addition, essence.com provides visitors with a forum in which to meet, discuss topics related to the community and offer personal opinions about the magazine and Web site content.

LICENSING DIVISION The ECI licensing division includes:

Essence Eyewear:
ESSENCE Eyewear is a powerful fashion collection that addresses the modern needs of the ESSENCE reader, while responding to the fit and design aesthetic that African-American women desire. The collection of frames consists of exclusive designs, which feature colorful stones, enamel overlays and multi-layer plastics of the finest material.

Essence Books:
Essence Books, another component of the licensing division, is a series of books that celebrate the rich and diverse spirit of African-American family life. In 1999 ECI and Crown Publishers, Inc. (a division of Random House), entered into an agreement to publish three titles: The Essence Total Makeover: Body, Beauty, Spirit; 21st Century Sister: The ESSENCE Five Keys to Success and Black Men: In Their Own Words. Other Essence Books include: ESSENCE: 25 Years Celebrating Black Women; 50 of the Most Inspiring African-Americans (with an updated and revised version released in 2005); Wisdom of the Ages: Extraordinary People 19 to 90; Making It Happen: Creating Success and Abundance and ESSENCE Beauty Basics and Beyond: 101 Ways to Keep Your Hair and Skin Fabulous.

essence.com/essencebooks