TOGETHER WITH

It’s Wednesday and TikTok is (allegedly) wooing netizens who miss the golden age of Instagram by developing its very own photo-sharing app.

SLAM DUNK

Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime is now the official sports drink of the L.A. Lakers

The announcement: In its two years on the market, Prime Hydration has inked deals with NASCAR champ Timmy Hill, English soccer club Arsenal, and the UFC (among others). Now, Logan Paul and KSI’s energy drink brand is turning its attention to an NBA team.

• Paul announced Prime’s partnership with the Los Angeles Lakers in an Instagram post that showed him dunking a basketball while wearing the team’s signature gold-and-purple jersey.

The strategy: Prime didn’t claim roughly $1 billion in sales last year by being thrifty. The brand has kept demand high by partnering with fan-favorite organizations, teams, and athletes in every sport from hockey to MMA. A 2023 Super Bowl ad and branded appearances at Paul’s WWE fights have further served to keep Prime in the public eye.

Industry implications: That landmark success and Prime’s steady stream of high-profile partnerships have already inspired a wave of creator-led product lines and cross-industry campaigns. Now, KSI and Paul’s growing influence in the sports world could draw a national icon into the creator economy.

• KSI and Paul’s latest partnership puts them in close proximity to LeBron James—a Lakers star who has already expressed an interest in streaming. Given that curiosity and Paul’s own desire to face James in the wrestling ring, could Prime’s Lakers deal be the impetus for another barrier-breaking partnership?

🔆 SPONSORED 🔆

From authentic content to cutting-edge editing skills, Viral Nation creators are changing the face of influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is more beneficial to brands than ever before—especially when creator partners command dedicated cross-platform followings in target verticals. Viral Nation Talent gets it: as the world’s leading creator representation agency, Viral Nation connects brands and creators across all verticals and platforms. 

Meet the latest signees to Viral Nation’s award-winning roster of 900+ creators, athletes, and celebrities:

Victoria Lyn 💄
6.6 million TikTok and Instagram followers are obsessed with Victoria’s skillfully-edited beauty videos. The creator’s aesthetically-pleasing style has led to collaborations with Nudestix, MAC, Colleen Rothschild, Smashbox, Ulta, Glossier, and Kosas.

Montana Boyz 🤠
College football stars-turned-models Kaleb, Mark, and Kade stay busy balancing ranch life with their following of 600K+ Instagram and TikTok fans—not to mention the buzz surrounding Mark's romance with Laguna Beach's Kristin Cavallari.

Jasmin Acosta 💅​​​
After collecting 1M+ TikTok and Instagram followers, lifestyle and beauty creator Jasmin is kicking off a new YouTube channel to share her adventures at cosmetology school.

Zach Pines 🍳
Since discovering his passion for cooking on TikTok and Instagram, Zach has found that millions of fans will tune in for content focused on all his interests—including gaming, tech, camping, home decor, and exercising.

Check out Viral Nation’s website to find out more about their industry-leading creator roster:

Learn more about Viral Nation →

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• X appears to be working on an app that will allow users to watch long-form video content on their smart TVs. (Tubefilter)
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• CoComelon owner Moonbug and production house VaynerWatt have teamed up to produce an animated YouTube series inspired by the VeeFriends. (Tubefilter)
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• An in-app prompt encouraging U.S.-based users to protest a proposed ban on TikTok appears to have amplified legislative concerns regarding the app’s political influence. (Tubefilter)
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• According to TechCrunch, TikTok’s Effect Creator Rewards program will now compensate creators only for effects used in public videos. (TechCrunch)

DATA • U.S. TOP 50 📈

This Shorts comedian can make a statement without uttering a single word

You might know Adam Rose from shows like Suits and Santa Clarita Diet—but the character actor doesn’t need a script to make an impact on Shorts.

The creator: Rose’s silent comedy style has earned him an impressive following across both YouTube and TikTok, where he’s become known for his hilarious facial expressions and signature blue cardigan (à la short-form legend Khaby Lame).

• While Rose doesn’t yet have the same reach as his Italian counterpart, his online audience is growing rapidly. The actor’s comedy sketches now reach more than 7 million fans and routinely bring in millions of views on YouTube and TikTok—especially when fluorescent vests and yellow hard hats are involved.

The stats: March is already proving to be an especially successful month for Rose. The creator picked up 105.9 million views across our last seven-day count, bringing him to 22nd place in our U.S. Top 50 chart.

• That weekly total made up a hefty chunk of Rose’s lifetime YouTube viewership, which currently stands at 885.8 million views.
  
  

• Nearly half of those views come from Rose’s top five Shorts, which claim almost 400 million views all on their own.

LOCKED AND LOADED

Loaded just acquired one of the gaming world’s most influential talent agencies

Loaded—a gaming-focused management firm that reps the #1 most-watched team of creators on Twitch—has acquired GG Talent Group.

The power players: Both Loaded and GG represent major stars in the streaming world. The latter company counts Elajjaz, MissMikkaa, Distortion2, AnnieFuchsia, Zy0x, and Forsen among its roster of 90+ gaming creators, which collectively generated 167.2 million hours of watch time in 2023 (per Streams Charts).

• Only Loaded’s team drove more watch time last year; in total, Streams Charts says the firm’s roster of roughly 35 creators (including shroud, CouRage, DrLupo, QTCinderella, Symfuhny, Myth, QuarterJade, and Sydeon) produced 277.6 million hours in 2023.

The acquisition: Loaded funded its acquisition of GG through a $20 million Series A raised in spring 2022 (led by Coral Tree Partners). Now that the deal is sealed, Loaded says both companies “will retain their brand presence, and combine their experience, reputation and talent offerings for anyone looking to enter or extend their footprint in the gaming industry.”

• GG’s founders will play an integral role in that strategy. Former S&P Global analyst Eric Harper and influencer marketing strategist Angela Harper will both join the Loaded team to “oversee GG Talent Group’s portfolio and drive “commercialization opportunities with the rest of the Loaded portfolio” (per Loaded).

Why it matters: Gaming creators have become influential players in the sphere of influencer marketing, but the gaming world can be a complex space for outside brands to navigate.

• In addition to the 2022 launch of its production and consultancy arm (aka Open World), Loaded’s acquisition of GG will solidify its position as a support system for both leading gaming creators and brands entering the gaming world from a variety of verticals.

WATCH THIS 📺

A major scandal is ruffling feathers in the birdwatching community

The series: If you’ve ever wondered about the cutthroat hierarchy of a quilting club or the social inner workings of a birdwatching group, aerithgirl’s Niche Tea series is for you.

• The creator’s episodic videos give viewers a peek into scandals rocking the world’s most niche communities—from controversies in theoretical physics to the latest drama sparking tension among sea glass hunters.
  
  

• The birdspiracy: Niche Tea Episode #32 examines two sides of a frenzied race to record 10,000 bird sightings—and a shocking upset that rocked the global birdwatching community to its core.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen. Drew Baldwin helped edit, too. It's a team effort.