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It's Monday and Twitter devotees can still snag two branded signs from the platform’s latest auction. The catch: you’ll have to hire your own crew to peel them off the building.
SIGNING ON
Over a hundred creators have signed a pledge in support of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes
A new pledge is giving content creators a way to show their support for the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. More than 115 creators—who collectively reach more than 90 million followers—have contributed their signatures to Labor Over Likes, a campaign and pledge spearheaded by Gen Z For Change Deputy Executive Director Victoria Hammett.
Gen Z For Change is putting its weight behind SAG-AFTRA and WAG. By adding their names to the Labor Over Likes pledge, signees commit to following the strike guidelines shared by SAG-AFTRA.
That means:
No red carpet appearances 📸
No sponsorships or unpaid videos that boost struck companies 📵
No costumes related to programming on struck platforms 🥸
So far, notable signees of the Labor Over Likes pledge include comedian Matt Taylor, interior designer Emily Shaw, and culinary creator Jonathan Kung. Here’s what Kung had to say about the necessity of standing with strikers:
“As content creators, we produce pretty much all the content we make. We are the writers, we are the talent, we are the producers. Having that understanding of the entire process makes me realize how important every part of that process is.”
As more and more influencers come to the same realization, it’s possible that unionization efforts will intensify within the creator community itself. After all, this isn’t the first time creators have given the entertainment industry a taste of their collective strength.
HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰
Disney+ is bringing its ad-supported subscription option to Canada and nine European countries. (Tubefilter)
Fan engagement platform Braid has raised $6.8 million in a seed round that included participation from Andreessen Horowitz and Initialized Capital. (Tubefilter)
Paris Hilton is teaming up with 11:11 Media and Sawhorse Interactive to introduce Slivingland, a digital Roblox destination themed around the socialite herself. (Tubefilter)
A new integration from Bytedance would give Lemon8 users the ability to cross-post content to TikTok. (TechCrunch)
DATA • MILLIONAIRES 📈
This culinary daredevil will try just about anything—but that doesn’t mean he has to like it
Josh Allan “grew up always wanting to make videos.” He experimented with editing apps in elementary school before deciding that he wanted to become a YouTuber. So, he did.
Of course, it wasn’t quite that simple.
“…at the time, there were so many times when I would think about making content and I was just like, “Okay, I’ll do it next month,” and then, “I’ll do it in a week,” because I was just so nervous to start.”
By 2020, TikTok was on the rise and Allan was ready to take the leap into posting content. A year later, the high school student was uploading multiple videos a day and had found a culinary passion that viewers loved just as much as he did: smoothie bowls.
He focused on mixing up smoothies for a few months (including his favorite, strawberry mango) before deciding that it was time to try something new. So, he tried every new recipe that he could find—from edible crystals to papaya milk jelly and rice paper candy straws. Although Allan doesn’t actually like the majority of those foods, he loves the process of making and trying them. His 1.5 million TikTok followers and nearly 600,000 YouTube subscribers do, too:
Allan brings in tens of millions of views on YouTube every month. Data from Gospel Stats.
Nowadays, Allan’s TikTok videos are mostly dedicated to “trying different things in the kitchen,” and he’s looking forward to incorporating more travel content into his YouTube vlogs. That new focus means that viewers have a lot to look forward to: after all, with trips to New York, Los Angeles, and London in his near future, there’s no telling what kind of inspiration Allan will pick up along the way.
KICKOFF
Dude Perfect is now the proud owner of a minority stake in Burnley F.C.
Dude Perfect is doubling down on its commitment to the Premier League. The Texas-based creator group has officially become a minority owner of Burnley F.C. By investing in the soccer club, Dude Perfect follows in the footsteps of former NFL star J.J. Watt—who also owns a minority stake in Burnley.
Dude Perfect’s investment gives Burnley a modern edge.
The 141-year-old club originally teamed up with Dude Perfect earlier this year, when the YouTube group signed on as official shirt sponsors for Burnley’s junior and academy teams. Now, the club hopes that Dude Perfect’s increased involvement will draw in a new generation of fans—including a portion of the creator collective’s 60 million subscribers:
“The guys have shown a huge interest and passion in the club, its history, and our community. I’m excited by the opportunities that this partnership will bring as we continue to attract new fans and showcase the Burnley brand to a global audience.”
LISTEN UP 🎙️
From creator arrests to $100M lawsuits, August is shaping up to be a weird month
We’re only halfway through August, but it’s already been an eventful month for creators. Twitch star Kai Cenat was arrested for a giveaway-gone-wrong, YouTube’s most-followed creator (aka MrBeast) was countersued for $100 million, Call Her Daddy icon Alex Cooper launched a media network, and Dave Portnoy bought back Barstool.
Check out the latest episode of Creator Upload for a closer look at…well, all of that. It’s right here on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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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.