TOGETHER WITH

It’s Wednesday and X has hit another milestone in its mission to become “the everything app.” The platform’s latest experiment: a Twitter-ified spin on Zoom calls.

TRADEMARK TROLLING

Someone just attempted to trademark TikTok’s viral “demure” phrase. Is the original creator out of luck?

The incident: Jools Lebron (aka the creator behind TikTok’s “very demure, very mindful” trend) has already scored multiple brand deals since going viral earlier this month. Launching her own merch was the obvious next step. But when she went to explore her options, Lebron realized someone had already filed a trademark application for her signature catchphrase.

That application, filed on August 20 by Jefferson A. Bates, asks to trademark “very demure, very mindful” for the purposes of advertising, marketing, and promotional services. This isn’t the first time Bates has attempted to trademark other people’s sayings. His (often unsuccessful) efforts suggest that he might be a trademark troll—aka someone who tries to extort original creators for the rights to use their own sayings.

In a now-deleted video response to Bates’ filing, Lebron expressed regret that she had “dropped the ball”:

The fine print: Luckily for Lebron, trademark lawyer Ashley Nkadi (aka @bellewoods) doesn’t think there was ever a ball for her to drop—mainly because of something called “trademark priority.” Basically, Lebron’s status as the first person to use the “very demure” phrase, the fact that she did so in a public video, and the execution of brand deals prior to Bates’ filing means that she has priority consideration. All she has to do is file her own application, and it’ll bump Bates’.

The question: That precedent will undoubtedly be a comfort to many social media trendsetters, but it does raise some red flags. At the top of the list: will the litigious trademarking of viral catchphrases discourage other creators from building upon popular trends?

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Ask a Talent Agent: The Impact of Authentic Representation

As a creator, finding the right support system is crucial—but it’s not always obvious what that support should look like. After all, 360° creator talent representation isn’t just about account management or technical support; it’s about building partnerships that foster creators’ unique dreams and career goals.

That’s why Viral Nation Talent is dedicated to providing personalized, one-on-one representation—and why we sat down with Viral Nation agents to ask how working with creators has made an impact on their lives:

What's the most rewarding part about working with creators?

1. “Their successes are mine, and I love every single one of my clients, and so appreciate them trusting me to handle their brand.”
Toni-Rose Goulden - Senior Talent Agent of Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Talent 

2. "Seeing incredible content projects come to life.”
Michael Chew, Director of Comedy, Entertainment, Gaming, Music & Sports

3. "Supporting creators in achieving their personal and professional goals.”
Cooper Short, Agent: “I’ve worked with creators who have been able to retire their parents financially or purchase their first home because of the incredible work we’ve been able to accomplish together."

Hit the link below to learn more:

Meet your Viral Nation agent →

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• A new study from Pew Research Center found that 48% of TikTok users aged 18-29 use the platform specifically to keep up with politics and political issues. (Tubefilter)
  
  

• Brands and incoming college students are rushing to join in on two of the season’s biggest TikTok trends: #DormTok and #RushTok. (Tubefilter)
  
  

• X’s Grok chatbot will direct users who ask election-related questions to Vote.org following complaints about misinformation from multiple state officials. (Ars Technica)
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• Instagram will now allow users to layer text and images on top of regular photo posts. (Engadget)

DATA • GLOBAL TOP 50 📈

This YouTube-famous bus once ranked among Indonesia’s most-Googled topics

The history: Thomas the Tank Engine might have been the big thing for ‘00s babies, but Gen A is all about Tayo the Little Bus. After becoming such a hit in Korea that buses were named for its main character, the kid-friendly show was translated into 11 different languages—including Indonesian.

It wasn’t long before the show’s Indonesian-language YouTube channel, Tayo Bus Kecil, became a downright phenomenon. The show’s catchy theme song is now a viral meme in the world’s fourth-most populous nation, where Tayo once ranked among its most-Googled topics.

The stats: Tayo Bus Kecil’s popularity in Indonesia has earned it a prominent place among YouTube’s kid-friendly channels.

• The hub cruised into our Global Top 50 chart during the last full week of April by snagging a total of 228.2 million views.
  
  

• That seven-day count represented a 5% week-over-week bump.
  
  

• The result: Tayo claimed a spot at #48 in the Global Top 50 and grew its lifetime view count to over 8.6 billion.
  
  

• Given that a single video accounts for more than 1 billion of those views, we’re sure the little bus that could isn’t done climbing the charts.

Check out our full Global Top 50 here or head on over to Gospel Stats for more YouTube channel insights.

CLOSING DOWN

Meta is shutting down its AR platform in 2025—and effects creators aren’t happy

The announcement: Meta has revealed plans to shut down its five-year-old augmented reality platform, Spark, by January 14, 2025. That announcement came in the form of a company blog post, which explained that the shuttering of Spark will make Meta’s third-party AR effects unavailable across platforms like Facebook and Instagram. (Check out this FAQ to find out which features will stick around after January.)

The response: That abrupt announcement didn’t go over well with effects creators. Some took to a Spark forum to express their displeasure over the platform’s unexpected termination, while others noted that the end of Spark monetization will put them out of work.

The context: Meta has a storied history of sudden (and often poorly communicated) product decisions.

The company pivoted to video twice, removed the Facebook Gaming app shortly after investing millions in streamers, and changed its name to support a metaverse push that it later deprioritized. Luckily for spurned Spark creators, monetization programs on Snap and TikTok now pay AR artists for their most-used effects—meaning the end of Spark could signify a new beginning for some creators’ careers.

WATCH THIS 📺

JaidenAnimations’ MrBeast video reveals roadblocks for animation creators

The challenge: Seven weeks ago, YouTuber Jaiden Animations won MrBeast‘s 50-creator challenge (and, as a result, $1 million for her subscribers). A lot has happened since then—including the onset of alleged ethics scandals in the MrBeast operation—but Jaiden’s animated video about the challenge just dropped this week.

A disclaimer attached to the video explains the reason for that timing and the absence of any commentary on the ongoing allegations:

That blurb highlights a common hurdle for animation creators, who often struggle to produce content quickly enough to satisfy YouTube’s recommendation algorithm. Check out our full article here to learn more about that issue and Jaiden’s plan for her $1 million prize.

Creator economy marketing starts here. Get in touch to advertise with Tubefilter.

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