After a failed pivot to video and mass layoffs, Mic is hiring again, for branded content positions
- On Monday, millennial-focused news site Mic published its first job openings after its mass layoffs and sale to Bustle Digital Group (BDG) in November.
- The two open roles are for branded content. One position is described as permanent, the other as contract.
- Mic pivoted to video in 2017, relying on the format and Facebook for traffic before the original site's demise.
Mic, the news site for millennials that laid off nearly all of its employees in late November ahead of its sale to Bustle Digital Group, is hiring again, but with an exclusive focus on branded video content.
The two Mic Brand Newsroom positions appeared on Bustle Digital Group's job page Monday morning, according to Google search data.
One position, "Video Editor, Branded Content," is described as permanent. The role calls for an editor who will produce three to four branded social videos per week. The posting says the content will range "from technology to diversity and inclusion to female empowerment, and will live on Mic's own distributed properties as well as our client's and partner's social platform accounts."
The other posted position is described as a contract role, "Producer, Branded Content," focusing on content related to "climate justice, sustainability, and advocacy." The listing says the contract lasts nine months with the possibility of full-time after that.
Branded content was a fundamental part of the site's strategy, according to a 2016 Wall Street Journal interview with then-CEO Chris Altcheck. The new positions indicate that brand partnerships will continue to play a role for the company.
Mic's demise came after it put unwavering faith in Facebook and video. When neither paid off, it was left strapped for cash. It laid off most of its staff ahead of its sale to Bustle Digital Group.
Since the layoffs, Mic has begun producing content by contract employees with an emphasis on answering common service queries like, "Your partner lost their job. Now what?" and "How to find cheap eats wherever you travel."
Bustle Digital Group did not immediately respond for comment.
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