Good morning. Tomorrow, the team is touring the venue for Press Publish NYC. To describe it in a word? Sweet. We can’t wait to share more about our one-day summit for the creator economy, coming up September 4. Sign up here to be the first to know all the details.

— Hannah Doyle & Syd Cohen 

How a Niche Meme Page Became a Media Company

Assistants vs. Agents (AvA) satirizes the entertainment industry from the POV of an agency assistant—drawing on real experiences from major Hollywood companies for an Instagram audience of 130K.

Here’s how AvA creator Warner Bailey has turned the meme page to a full-fledged media company.

Quick context: In 2018, Bailey began anonymously posting memes while working as an assistant at top Hollywood agency WME as a way to poke fun at the entertainment industry’s hustle culture. 

Seven years in, Bailey has grown the platform as a way to support and uplift assistants who often feel voiceless in their industry.

• In 2023, Bailey launched a newsletter to help young professionals find entry- and mid-level jobs in entertainment. It’s got 20,000 subs and a ~70% open rate.  

• AvA hired a content manager and on-screen talent for short-form content this year. And Bailey plans to move beyond digital content, with a book and TV series in the works.

“The goal is not to grow bigger,” Bailey told us. “It is to layer in resources and IP that allow the flywheel to expand, while creating more insightful content on the entertainment side.”

And as for monetization? Bailey is intentional about partnerships and prioritizes staying authentic to the brand identity—which means saying no more than saying yes. So far, AvA has collaborated with major studios like Netflix and Apple TV+.

“Assistants are the backbone of Hollywood, but for decades their stories have been minimized,” Bailey said. “I think AvA gave them a platform they resonated with, and one that let their voices be heard.”

How These Creators Built a $10 Million Business in 1 Year

JOGO, the UGC Fortnite development studio founded by creators Andre “Typical Gamer” Rebelo, Chad “Mustard Plays” Mustard, and Mark “Warforge” Price, recently acquired RHQ Creative, another creator-founded company that builds UGC Fortnite maps. The deal is reportedly valued at more than $500,000.

Context: Since JOGO launched last May, the company has generated $10 million in revenue, according to Fortnite.GG, a third-party data platform that tracks game traffic and revenue. 

• Its 24-person team has made 12 Fortnite maps and received more than 400 million plays across those maps. 

• Mustard Plays told Digiday JOGO has “been profitable from day one,” and it’s reinvesting profit into development and acquisition.

With the acquisition of RHQ Creative, JOGO is launching a Pro division that focuses on skill-building and competitive training maps for aspiring pro players. 

Big picture: Despite a general downturn in the gaming industry, creators are carving out audiences by sharing their content journeys. Case in point? Rebelo competed in Fortnite Championship Series Pro-Am last week, where he debuted the newly-acquired maps and invited fans to train with him.

Sponsored by CTB

How Theo Von Landed One of Hollywood’s Biggest Stars

Ben Affleck doesn’t do many podcasts. So when Theo Von set his sights on interviewing him, he needed a trusted name to make the ask.

Enter: Central Talent Booking. CTB has over 25 years of industry expertise helping podcast hosts like Theo book guests that drive reach, credibility, and watch time.

Thanks to CTB, Theo scored one of his biggest interviews of the year. The result? Affleck’s episode pulled in over 2 million YouTube views in its first week alone.

Ready to raise the bar for your show? Connect with Central Talent Booking and let them lock in your next big guest today.

Creators Revive Longtime Comedy Festival

Veteran YouTube comedy channel Smosh is leading the creator program at storied comedy festival Just For Laughs (JFL) this July. Creators selected for the program will receive development deals and mentorship.

Why it matters: JFL has been known as an event for up-and-coming comedians to gain exposure since the ’80s. But last year, the event company went bankrupt and was purchased by Quebec comedy production company ComediHa!. With the event's reboot, it's partnering with creators to offer talent development.

“We want to introduce artists to the industry at the festival and then actually help them succeed in the industry,” Just For Laughs head of development Spencer Griffin told Variety. “Whereas the old company just said, ‘good luck,’ now we want to say, ‘here’s how we take the next step together.’”

🔥 Press Worthy

• Crunch Labs is partnering with Moose Toys to launch a line of STEM toys.

• Financial creator Pattie Ehsaei releases a book, Never Date a Broke Dude.

• Beast Games is renewed for two more seasons.

• Short-form production studio American Picture Company launches a scripted dating show called The Ick.

• Jomboy Media gives a tour of its production warehouse, including camera setup and control room.

• Gaming streamer Ali “SypherPK” Hassan signs with Red Bull.

• Creator startup Shibuya launches a short-form streaming platform where fans green-light projects to go to series, featuring projects from creators like Elle Mills.

Editor’s Note: On Monday, we said Michelle Khare qualified for nomination in the Primetime Emmy category of Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series. It was actually in the category of Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series. Sorry about that.