MrBeast, YouTube and the mainstreaming of long-form creator marketing

For the second straight year, creator marketing was one of the leading trends at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. As dozens of influencers crowded the Croisette together with their brand, agency and social partners, it was clearer than ever that creators have entered marketing’s mainstream, a fact the festival emphasized by launching its inaugural Lions Creator program. A key focus of the week was how brands and creators can come together effectively and productively. Joining Ad Age Studio 30 Editor John Dioso at the Dentsu Beach House to explore strengthening this connection were Lauren Benedict, chief revenue officer at Spotter, a platform that offers capital, community, and software to YouTube creators; Samir Chaudry and Colin Rosenblum, co-hosts of the creator economy podcast and YouTube show “Colin & Samir”; and Marc Hustvedt, president of the remarkably successful YouTube sensation Jimmy Donaldson, more commonly known as MrBeast. With more than 300 million subscribers worldwide, MrBeast recently became the No. 1 channel on YouTube, but Hustvedt pointed out that the 400 million unique views each episode of MrBeast draws—numbers that rival the biggest TV shows, including the Super Bowl—better represent the enormous growth of creator content as both mass media entertainment and a marketing platform. Rosenblum noted the sophistication of MrBeast’s operations and how creators, who in the past were often regarded as merely “talent” or hosts, are now seen as full-fledged media companies. “MrBeast has the largest soundstage in North America in Greenville, North Carolina,” said Rosenblum. “It shows us what’s possible and the level of sophistication that this industry can have when it’s not just talent anymore.” MrBeast’s business partnerships include collaborations with restaurant chain Zaxby’s promoting the MrBeast Box, which in addition to chicken and fries; MrBeast-branded toys, water bottles and of course the enormously popular Feastables chocolate bars; and a $100 million deal with Amazon to produce a reality game show series. The list goes on. Long-form, purposeful viewing on the big screen Making this possible, beyond MrBeast’s own talents as a content marketer, is the rising importance of long-form content. Benedict noted how Spotter partners with brands to use long-form video on YouTube to attract higher attention scores compared with linear TV and other streaming services. This engaged viewership presents a prime opportunity for brands to integrate their messages seamlessly into the content, she said. And no one, Benedict added, represents the value and quality of long-form content in Spotter’s portfolio more than MrBeast, a Spotter partner. “The majority of the content and the creators that Spotter works with are very much focused on long-form, episodic, 22-minutes-on-average content,” she said. “The long-form content from creators that we partner with on YouTube has a much higher attention score than that of linear TV, which is probably no surprise—but also with the younger generation, adults 18 to 49, that brands covet. It’s purposeful viewing. It is the future of storytelling and where brands want to be, but also need to be.” Perhaps another sign of where the future is headed: Over 70% of Spotter’s campaigns year-to-date have been delivered on connected TV, with long-form content on big screens becoming a norm. Integrated, not interruptive, advertising The success of long-form creator marketing—on which the brand-creator partnership increasingly depends—is integrated, not interruptive, advertising, Benedict stressed. “Surrounding an episode with creative that is relevant to the platform and experiences the consumer is having is how the brand gains the trust of the viewer above and beyond the trust that the creator has established,” she said. Rosenblum agreed, adding that trust between brands and creators is essential to making partnerships work. “The partnerships that work best are when the brands respect that creators know what works with their audiences,” he said. “As a brand, you need to make sure you’re very intimately familiar with the creator that you’re working with. What the MrBeast team and a lot of the top creators do really well is make sure they fight for that trust from the brand. And then conversely, making sure if you’re a brand, that you feel confident respecting and giving that trust.” Once that trusting relationship is established, Chaudry added, marketers will be more apt to allow creators to guide them in what creative works best with their audiences—and ultimately in producing a more measurable form of advertising. “I think that’s the next evolution of what we’re going to see in the ad industry with creators,” he said. Brands that get it Chaudry praised Shopify for its deep engagement with YouTube creators and willingness to take creative risks; Rosenblum mentioned Red Bull’s innovative approach, likening their partnership with streamer Ludwig with their athlete endorsements; and Hustvedt shouted out Logan Paul and KSI’s beverage brand Prime Hydration, which he described as “a new Gatorade” in its appeal to young boys. “The brands that are doing it right are the ones that are thinking about creators and advertising, whether it’s integrated within or surrounding as a must-have channel that’s part of their media mix today,” said Benedict. “When creators show up in branded content, we move product and drive ROI. Brands that show up in creator content are going to be more liked, more purchased and more highly recommended. It’s truly something that works.” MrBeast’s Hustvedt added that brands need to pay attention not just to creators as marketing partners, but also to the success of creator-led products such as Feastables, which in less than two years has become a top 10 chocolate brand in a centuries-old industry. “I think the rise of creator brands is probably a bigger part of the story—which is that this isn’t just about paying the bills with a brand deal, but also about building billion-dollar businesses that are taking share from legacy incumbents,” he said. “And if the brands don’t try to learn how to be creators, they’re going to lose real share in the aisle. We’ve reached a scale where we can do integrated media campaigns that meaningfully move the needle for brand partners.” About Spotter Spotter is a platform designed to accelerate growth for the world’s best creators and brands. Creators working with Spotter can access the capital, knowledge, community and personalized AI software products they need to succeed. To date, Spotter has deployed over $900 million in investments to help YouTube creators reinvest in themselves. For more information about Spotter, please visit https://www.spotter.la/.

MrBeast, YouTube and the mainstreaming of long-form creator marketing

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