TOGETHER WITH

It’s Tuesday and the Oscars is paving the way for AI-powered wins. In a statement, the Academy revealed that the use of AI in filmmaking will “neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination.”

Today’s News

LINKING UP

Instagram wants to instill a sense of community with collaborative “storylines”

The tool: Instagram might just have a new collaborative feature up its sleeve. The Meta-owned platform is reportedly working on Storylines, a tool designed to facilitate linked sequences of Stories uploaded by multiple creators.

That intel comes from Alessandro Paluzzi, a tech leaker known for uncovering upcoming features on prominent apps (including previous Instagram updates like long-form Reels and multiple links-in-bio). Earlier this month, Paluzzi posted a screenshot on X that explains how Storylines will function. In essence, creators will be able to append responses to Stories uploaded by accounts they follow. Their own followers can then continue the chain, creating a Storyline of posts that Paluzzi says would “show up together.”

The context: Right now, Storylines appears to be in the early stages of development—but if it does become a permanent fixture, the feature would support Meta’s push to bring a greater sense of community to Instagram.

Since the start of the year, the platform has embraced the rising potential of creator-fan interactions by equipping creator-led accounts with two-way conversations and introducing 20 rapid-fire updates to its DMs function.

Storylines would also feed into Instagram’s apparent desire to emphasize formats other than Reels. Though the TikTok lookalike draws big numbers, Meta is reportedly mulling over the possibility of a standalone Reels app—a development that would leave Stories in a much more prominent position on Instagram.

 🔆 SPONSORED 🔆

LIONS Creators is the creator industry’s ultimate gateway to growth. Will you be there?

The creator industry is ever-evolving, with shifting consumer expectations, algorithms, and opportunities at every turn. The one constant: Cannes Lions. 

The annual five-day Festival is the ultimate meeting place for the global marketing community—and now, it’s also the creator industry’s gateway to growth. With a dedicated pass, programme, and place for creators at Cannes Lions, LIONS Creators is an unparalleled opportunity to connect with the industry’s top players, visionaries, and CMOs to drive innovation and collaboration. 

On this year’s speaker list:

• Jake Shane, Digital Entertainer, Comedian, and Podcast Host, Pass That Puss Inc.

• Colin and Samir, Hosts of The Colin and Samir Show

• Bethenny Frankel, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Content Creator, BB Endeavors LLC, BStrong

With LIONS Creators, you’ll gain unparalleled access to industry leaders and brands while simultaneously elevating your craft, expanding your network, and channeling your talent into real opportunities.

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HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• Less than two months after launching, Ticks BD has outranked all other YouTube channels across the globe to snag a spot at #1 in Tubefilter’s weekly Global Top 50 subscriber chart. (Tubefilter)
  
  

• Meta announced yesterday that it will begin “using AI to help place suspected teens into Teen Accounts settings.” (Meta Newsroom)
  
  

• Roblox says it has launched regional pricing for in-experience items in order to “better adapt to local market conditions” and help creators “accelerate international growth.” (Roblox)
  
  

• It’s official: Bluesky’s blue checkmarks launched yesterday as part of the platform’s mission to “proactively verify authentic and notable accounts.” (Bluesky)

GOSPEL STATS 📈

Top Branded Videos of the Week: YouTube giants rule the roost

Every once in a while, Gospel Stats’ weekly ranking of top-viewed sponsored YouTube videos is dominated by relative newcomers and underdogs.

This is not one of those weeks. Gospel’s latest Brand Report is a veritable who’s who of top YouTubers, from MrBeast to Ryan Trahan to Mark Rober. Add in a podcast episode from Joe Rogan at #4, and you’ve got a nice encapsulation of the average Trending tab.

🥇 #1. MrBeast x DoorDash: Watch This Video To Feed 1 Person In Need (41.6M views)
MrBeast’s latest viral expedition comes with a twist: the creator says that every single view will help feed someone in need. To prove that point, he spends most of the DoorDash-backed upload exploring hunger-stricken areas and nonprofits—and, of course, donating everything from desks to farm equipment.

🥈 #2. Ryan Trahan x Shopify: How Many Days Can I Double $1? (8.7M views)
Ryan Trahan made a massive splash in 2022 by scrounging up enough funds to present a giant penny to MrBeast. Three years later, the creator’s latest money-growing adventure is one spot behind the beast man on the branded charts. That Shopify-sponsored video follows Trahan as he tries to double a daily allotment of cash in time to hit $1 million in just 20 days.

🥉 #3. Mark Rober x CrunchLabs: How Do Hot Air Balloons Steer? (+6 Other Science Mysteries) (7.8M views)
Hunger-busting and money-doubling are business-as-usual for MrBeast and Trahan—and Mark Rober’s latest video is just as true to character. The former NASA engineer answered a series of STEM-focused questions in a clip sponsored by his own science-y subscription box company, CrunchLabs.

Check out the full branded ranking here and head over to Gospel Stats for more YouTube sponsorship insights.

BIG TECH EASTER

YouTube, Meta, and Amazon all snagged sponsor spots at the White House Egg Roll

The event: Since 1878, the White House’s slate of spring celebrations has included an Easter Egg Roll—and for the past 147 years, that event has been primarily sponsored by the nonprofit American Egg Board.

In 2025, however, Big Tech chipped in for the White House’s first significantly corporate-sponsored Easter Egg Roll. Per CBS, the White House paid event company Harbinger to create corporate sponsorship packages and find companies to fill them. NASA, the Toy Association, the New York Stock Association, the International Fresh Produce Association, the National Confectioners Association, PAAS, and Signature Brands all signed on, alongside a few of the world’s top tech corporations.

YouTube, Meta, and Amazon—three companies with ties to million-dollar, Trump-supporting donations—each paid at least $75,000 and up to $200,000 to host activations. YouTube sponsored the Bunny Hop Stage, Meta offered an “AI-Powered Experience and Photo Opportunity,” and Amazon paid for a “Family Photo Opportunity Celebrating Reading” and reading nook. The money paid by Egg Roll sponsors reportedly goes to the White House Historical Association, which is dedicated to preserving the White House and its history.

The context: This isn’t the first time brands have participated in the Egg Roll. YouTube told Tubefilter that 2025 marks its third year hosting an activation, with creator Art for Kids Hub and SciShow Kids host Jessi Knudsen Castañeda entertaining kids at previous events. (This time around, the platform brought YouTuber Go With YoYo to the Bunny Hop Stage.)

That being said, 2025 is the first year Big Tech corporations have made such sizable financial contributions. As Business Insider points out, the White House has generally kept the Egg Roll non-corporate, with extremely limited and “tightly controlled” brand partnerships. This appears to be the first year the White House has worked with an event company to offer buy-in packages to brands.

WATCH THIS 👀

Creators worked behind the scenes on A Minecraft Movie, too

The movie magic: From appearances by DanTDM and Aphmau to a background character honoring Technoblade, A Minecraft Movie had no shortage of creator cameos. (In fact, the film even managed to propel Technoblade’s YouTube channel back into our Top 50 chart.)

But one creator’s involvement in the film went far beyond an on-camera appearance. In a new video, Minecraft YouTuber Mumbo Jumbo walked viewers through the many redstone contraptions he engineered for the movie, revealing that he was involved in everything from “idea formulation” to testing out the feasibility of director Jared Hess’ onscreen concepts.

You can check out Mumbo Jumbo’s full rundown here, but be warned—the video contains its fair share of spoilers.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Drew Baldwin, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen.