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TOGETHER WITH
It's Monday and creator tech company Afterparty has raised $5 million to develop a platform where fans can interact with AI avatar versions of their favorite influencers.
DONUT MEDIA X ZUMIEZ
Donut Media just snagged its first official retail partner: Zumiez
Donut Media is on a roll. With 8 million YouTube subscribers and the U.S.’s top automotive podcast under its belt, the Streamy Award-winning content company is doing pretty well for itself
Now, Donut has added a retail partnership to that list of accomplishments.
Zumiez will stock Donut Media merch at its U.S. and Canada-based brick-and-mortar locations, as well as through its digital storefront. European fans will also be able to find Donut swag in 30 locations of Blue Tomato, a subsidiary that Zumiez acquired for $75 million in 2012.
“For Donut and Zumiez, we see our customer communities overlapping at the intersection of automotive culture and streetwear fashion. This partnership positions both companies to reach new audiences, create mind-blowing experiences, and tell authentic product stories.”
So, what kind of swag can Donut die-hards snag at Zumiez?
The lifestyle/skateboarding shop is currently stocking previously released Donut t-shirts, hoodies, hats, stickers, lanyards, and air fresheners. The two brands also plan to co-release future merch—including workwear, jackets, and pants—in time for upcoming holidays and through seasonal drops.
“Clothes are basically car parts for your body and apparel has been a big part of what we do since the beginning. We all grew up shopping at Zumiez and are beyond stoked to partner with their team to make our products more readily available to car enthusiasts everywhere.”
🔆 SPONSORED 🔆
Not sure what Juice’s creator business and banking tools are all about? Here’s an FAQ from the industry’s top creators:
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With Juice, you’ll have access to everything from creator tax tools to personalized funding and community. Here’s why the creators behind The Editing Podcast joined up:
“We decided to work with Creative Juice because they are a respected brand helping creators realize their far out dreams with personalized funding and resources. We wanted to be a part of the family.”
2. How can Juice help me grow my business? 📈
Juice’s IRS-compliant tax and banking tools allow creators to generate invoices, pay contractors, and track expenses. For YouTuber Zhong, that means having a “go-to creator banking account where I can separate my personal and business expenses, invoice brands and manage my tax needs.”
3. Can Juice help with funding and career support, too? 🤝
Juice is always there for creators, with upfront funding, community resources, AdSense advances, and Pulse, a brand-new blog dedicated to helping creators supercharge their businesses. The result: YouTuber Unreal Dreamer says the support he received from Juice “has accelerated” his dream “by years.”
PLUS receive your first CPA session for free when you open a new Juice Banking account and fund your account with $100 using code CPA. (Terms & Conditions apply.)
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HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰
OpenAI is facing a copyright infringement lawsuit headlined by 17 prominent writers, including Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin. (Tubefilter)
MrBeast has partnered with Samsung to make the company’s Galaxy brand his official vlog camera. (Tubefilter)
Meta reportedly plans to create “dozens” of chatbot personas, including a “sassy” version aimed at young users. (The Verge)
Amazon has announced the introduction of “limited advertisements” to Prime Video in 2024, as well as a pricier ad-free subscription option. (Gizmodo)
DATA • MILLIONAIRES 📈
All hail Astraea: Queen of cosplay and TikTok’s reigning monarch
Over the last three years, Queen Astraea has built up a fanbase of 2 million TikTok followers, worked with major brands like Hulu and HBO, and established herself as internet royalty. It’s no exaggeration to call her a social media icon—but back in 2020, the creator was still a graphic design intern at the “bottom of the barrel.” And then the pandemic hit.
As Astraea’s company transitioned to work-from-home, she was laid off without notice. In fact, the creator was still “mid-crying” when a friend from one of her LARP groups called to suggest she give TikTok a shot.
That call changed the trajectory of Astraea’s entire career.
The cosplayer spent six months scrolling through videos before she finally “plucked up the courage” to post one of her own: a simple, lo-fi clip featuring one of her costumes. That video collected 700,000 views overnight, so Astraea posted another—and “they just kept going viral.” By the time her TikTok account reached 100,000 followers, the creator had captured the attention of multiple brands. A sustainable income followed soon after.
“I think that is the best thing I could ever ask for in this life is that I have great friendships and I get to work and do things that I love with the people that really inspire me as well.”
Nowadays, Astraea is a full-time TikToker with a loyal following and strong ties to the creator community. In addition to developing her own content and costumes, she makes it a priority to “highlight other fashion creatives and put a spotlight on them and put them on the map.”
POLITICS & THE INTERNET
A key White House official will address creators at VidCon Baltimore
VidCon Baltimore’s first keynote speaker is one for the history books. When the conference kicks off on September 28, Christian Tom—an official Assistant to the President and the Director of the White House Office of Digital Strategy—will be there to christen its East Coast debut.
Tom’s opening remarks will share details about his office’s creator partnerships and influencer-focused campaigns, which have appealed to young voters since Biden’s 2020 presidential run. Those efforts have taken on added complexity amidst the government’s strained negotiations with TikTok—especially as the president himself has considered a federal ban on the app.
“Our efforts to reach all Americans online are rooted in meeting people where they are. This increasingly means not only by creating White House content from White House channels, but also working with a wide range of creators, on topics that matter to them and their audiences.”
A keynote from one of D.C.’s higher-ups won’t be out of place at VidCon Baltimore. The event is set to occur mere miles from the U.S. capital, and will focus heavily on programming themes like “Politics & the Internet.” (Of course, D.C. won’t be the only locale represented at VidCon Baltimore; attendees can also anticipate appearances by Rich Black Guy and CircleToonsHD, as well as an activation by Arlington-based PBS.)
If you haven’t snagged a ticket yet, now is a good time. VidCon Baltimore begins on September 28 and runs until October 1—meaning the big event is only three days away.
LISTEN UP 🎙️
This week on the podcast...
Last week’s Made on YouTube event hit creators with a series of bombshell announcements. From AI-driven Shorts features to a brand-new editing app, YouTubers have plenty of fresh tools to test out—some of which could revolutionize the industry.
Tune into the latest episode of Creator Upload for a full breakdown of YouTube’s biggest updates. It’s all 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.