Creatorverse: More Relaxed Brand Standards Can Lead to Big Rewards
Hey Creatorverse readers,
The first time Oblivion (577,000 TikTok followers), posted about her workplace, she was nervous Staples wouldn’t be thrilled one of its employees was making content on the clock. That fear crept in again in late February when she posted “Serving KUNT by the Keurig.”
“I thought that would be the line,” Oblivion, who asked to be referred to by her TikTok handle, told me. Instead, the office supply store responded with a viral gif of Anthony Mackie dancing.
Oblivion and Staples’ partnership has become one of the buzziest brand stories of the year. It’s also the best arguments to date about why it’s a smart move for brands to fully trust creators rather than giving them a sterile list of bullet points to read. Known as the Staples Baddie, Oblivion gained attention earlier this year for her funny takes and earnest passion for everything you can do at Staples. Did you know you can make a custom mug at Staples? Take a passport photo? Create a direct mail campaign based on demographics? Oblivion knows. And thanks to her endlessly iconic delivery, now TikTok knows it too.
“Staples really did a really great job of not censoring me and letting me just do my thing,” Oblivion said. “We supported each other. We didn’t try to correct each other. We let each other be humans. I feel like that’s something that’s especially lacking in the corporate influencer space.”
@blivxx We got you covered
♬ original sound – oblivion
It’s an approach that’s worked. Staples has seen “measurable increases in store traffic” and “meaningful lifts” in the categories Oblivion has highlighted, according to the New York Times. Now she has an employee badge, is part of an advisory board and has been at the head of the table at corporate meetings.
For years, creators have complained that strict guidelines on brand partnerships harm creativity and make campaigns less effective. Oblivion’s success proves that brands are starting to listen. Back in December, Romeo (1.6 million TikTok followers) pitched a theme song for Dr. Pepper that went viral. They’ve since made jingles for both Hyundai and Vita Coco, songs that have prompted other creators to make their own remixes and music videos using the audio. Clothing company Garage has taken this idea a step further by actively encouraging its sales associates to post on the job.
As for Oblivion, her love of Staples’ custom-made items may have opened the door to fame, but she has big plans for her future. She’s already had a partnership with Lyft and, as the offers come in, wants to try her hand at acting, modeling and voice acting work.
“The hardest part about this is I want to do it all,” she said. “Truly the world, it’s my oyster, and I can’t figure out which angle to shuck it from.”
Now onto the rest.
Kayla Cobb
Senior Reporter
kayla.cobb@thewrap.com
P.S. We have some big news at TheWrap. Today is our first-ever Creators x Hollywood Summit, an invite-only Los Angeles gathering of the top creators, entertainment leaders and brand partners who are shaping the future of storytelling and the new entertainment economy. So watch this space for some interesting panels and articles.
The event is presented in partnership with global creator agency Whalar and The Lighthouse, both part of the Whalar Group, and sponsored by City National Bank, Fox Entertainment, Lionsgate, Loeb & Loeb LLP and WEBTOON.
What’s New
MrBeast’s livestream peaked at 1.1 million viewers
You know that if MrBeast (475 million YouTube subscribers) is involved, it’s going to be big. The creator’s latest jaw-dropping stunt was a three-hour livestream that involved 50 of the top streamers and $1.5 million in giveaway cash. Creators like Pokimane, Ludwig and Fanum all competed for the chance to win $1 million to give to their followers. And people were watching. Viewership for the stream peaked at 1.1 million viewers, a number so high that the chat, poll and clipping functions on the YouTube livestream struggled to keep up.
This now ranks as MrBeast’s most-watched livestream after his 100 million subscriber special in 2022.
More than 200 organizations and experts call on YouTube to ban AI slop from its kids platform
More than 200 organizations and experts, including the American Federation of Teachers and the American Counseling Association, signed an open letter last week calling for YouTube to remove AI slop from its children’s platform. The term “AI slop” refers to the wave of mass-produced, AI-generated videos that have been flooding YouTube lately. Many of these videos seem specifically designed to engage children.
That’s not the only parental complaint that’s been made against YouTube. Australia accused YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok of not doing enough to enforce the country’s social media ban. If you need a refresher, users under the age of 16 are no longer able to use social media platforms. There may be a court case from Australia if things don’t change.
AnimationEpic celebrated its 15-year anniversary in Regal theaters
The animated YouTube channel AnimationEpic (900,000 YouTube subscribers) celebrated its 15-year anniversary in a big way — by debuting three episodes in theaters. The nationwide theatrical event took place across more than 40 Regal Cinemas theaters. A one-night event isn’t going to save the theatrical industry. But, after the success of Markiplier’s “Iron Lung” and ahead of Kane Parsons’ “Backrooms,” this continues the trend of creators moving to the big screen.
Platform Updates
YouTube will roll out “Coachella TV” this weekend, a 24/7 dedicated livestream
Coachella is almost upon us, which is basically the influencer Super Bowl. And YouTube is prepared for the influx of attention. In addition to livestreaming all seven stages simultaneously, the platform is also launching“Coachella TV,” a 24/7 interactive music viewing channel that will show both archival performances and festival highlights. Yep, YouTube has basically remade MTV. Sorry Paramount.
Creators can launch, host and monetize podcasts directly from beehiv
Beehiv, the creator-focused platform that brings together newsletters, websites and tools, has officially entered its podcast era. Creators will now be able to publish a new episode of a podcast, share it with their subscribers and track its performance and growth all without leaving beehiv. Considering the fact that podcasts have become a major audience growth tool, it’s a good move from the platform.
Instagram Plus may let you anonymously watch Stories
Last week, it was confirmed that Meta has been testing a premium subscription called Instagram Plus. The offering will let subscribers watch a Story — a photo or video that disappears after 24 hours — without the original poster knowing they watched it. It will also let subscribers see how many people watch their Stories, extend a Story beyond 24 hours and let them create unlimited audience lists for their Stories. Right now, Instagram users can only post Stories to their Close Friends list. Insta creeping is about to get a little more expensive.
Movers and Shakers
Khaby Lame will an ambassador for the 2026 Youth Olympics
The most popular TikToker around Khaby Lame (161 million TikTok followers) will be an ambassador for the 2026 Youth Olympics, which will take place in his home country of Senegal. He will be the Dakar 2026 ambassador.
John Chungus is getting his own interview show
Five months ago, John Chungus — a cheery older man in a bowtie — went viral for encouraging the internet to go out and touch grass. That turned out to be an Anthony Po stunt, the creator who’s a master at orchestrating viral events out of thin air. But John Chungus will live on. The character will star as the host of “The John Chungus Show,” an interview show produced by Anthpo’s studio, Pufferfish. And based on his announcement video, it sure seems like Olivia Rodrigo will be his first guest.
Gianmarco’s “The Downside” joins Vox Media Podcast Network
Gianmarco Soresi’s weekly comedy podcast “The Downside” is coming to the Vox Media Podcast Network. Co-hosted by Russell Daniels, the podcast was previously with Headgum, but Vox will take over sales, marketing and distribution for the podcast. It’s a move that continues Vox’s investment in creator-led podcasts.
Vox isn’t the only media company turning to creators. Last week marked the launch of “Let’s Talk Numbers,”a new show from The Washington Post that’s hosted by JC Rodriguez (597,000 TikTok followers).
Who to Watch
@huskistaken What’s going on… Full reaction vid @Mostly Human Media ♬ original sound – Husk
Husk
When Husk (369,000 TikTok followers) first started asking ChatGPT questions, it started as a bit about how much a person could annoy an AI assistant. Yet despite his worst intentions, Husk has intentionally become one of the greatest AI critics around. He has single-handedly shown that ChatGPT confidently lies about its ability to tell time and translate languages. His videos have become so popular and influential, they were even shown to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman(For the record, when Husk showed Chat the video of Altman saying the AI model isn’t able to keep track of time, Chat confidently disagreed with Altman Really heartwarming stuff). When the AI uprising comes, Husk will almost certainly be the first to go. But until then, his boots-on-the-ground reporting has become must-watch entertainment.
Bonus Content
- How Instagram’s ‘PG-13’ Branding for Teens Unraveled (via The New York Times)
- Inside the Multibillion-Dollar Business of Child Influencers (excerpt via The Rolling Stone)
- Adam W Is Taking Creator Strategy Off Screen And Into The Real World (via Forbes)
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This report provides a weekly deep dive into the creator economy. It highlights key trends, political and technological developments, data points and industry leaders all with the goal of making you smarter about this constantly evolving space.
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