Good morning. Even though the NFL didn’t pay Rihanna for her halftime performance, search trends for her Fenty brand skyrocketed last night—adding more value to her beauty and fashion empire that’s already worth an estimated $1.4 billion.

— Hannah Doyle & Nate Graber-Lipperman

Jay Shetty Starts "Purpose-Driven" Talent Agency

Known for “making wisdom go viral,” Jay Shetty has chatted with celebrities like Kendall Jenner, Kobe Bryant, and Alex Cooper about their vulnerabilities on his chart-topping podcast On Purpose.

Now, the health and wellness creator is launching something new: House of 1212, a full-service agency that focuses on representing talent who are “impacting positive change” and connecting them with brands for “purpose-driven” partnerships.

Shetty’s uplifting, motivational content is beloved by over 50 million followers across platforms, and he was recently named Chief Purpose Officer for meditation app Calm.

How’d he get here?

• The business school grad spent three years living as a monk in Mumbai before transitioning into his role as a social media coach

• Shetty’s work caught the attention of Arianna Huffington, who brought him on as a senior producer and host of daily live show #FollowTheReader, stimulating conversations around mindfulness and career success

• In 2017, he left the company to focus on creating his own self-help content, becoming a speaker, creator, and founder in the process

Over the past few years, he’s started a production company, launched a tea brand, and published two books.

House of 1212 named Shetty co-founder and partner, while his former chief of staff Rula Zaabri will serve as CEO.

Big picture: We’ve written about other creators launching management companies, a list that includes Twitch streamer Pokimane’s RTS and financial creators Erika Kullberg and Apple Crider’s Creators Agency.

No one knows the business of creating better than creators themselves. With a void for mentorship and incubation in the space, for digital veterans like Jay Shetty, identifying and supporting talent that matches his brand values offers clear upside as he builds his empire.

YouTube Tests Changes to its Creator-Brand Partner Program

BrandConnect, YouTube’s in-house marketing service that matches creators with brands to make paid content, is reported to be testing changes to its operations, going from a staff-operated program to a self-service model.

How it currently works: Brands approach YouTube looking for a creator to do an integration with. YouTube’s BrandConnect team then pitches the idea to relevant creators.

“These deals come once you get pretty established as a YouTuber,” Ashley Alexander, aka UrMomAshley, told Colin and Samir in an interview.

She started working with blue-chip brands like Gatorade, Capital One, and Sony through BrandConnect in spring of 2022, nine years into creating on YouTube.

The difference between a BrandConnect integration and a typical brand deal? They often involve more restrictions, like blurring out all unassociated logos and avoiding certain language. They also come with high payouts.

Colin and Samir worked with BrandConnect for the first time last year, and they saw some of the highest brand rates through the program.

How this new self-serve model works:

• Instead of a YouTube staffer being the liaison between the brand and creator, a brand can reach a creator directly through YouTube Studio.

• All in the platform, creators have step-by-step instructions on what content to include and exclude, and rates are listed for the creator’s consideration. According to Insider, rates might be lower in the new model.

Big picture: Since YouTube acquired what we now know as BrandConnect in 2016, it evolved from being an automated marketplace to a more hands-on operation. But today’s macroeconomic climate has YouTube focused on efficiency. The company laid off a handful of BrandConnect employees and this self-serve model allows for a lower cost/higher volume operation.

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But, how? On Everbloom, creators can raise capital and share their success with anyone who wants to invest in their careers in exchange for a share of their revenue.

Their first drop featuring @AveryB goes live tomorrow. With over 790k subscribers and 94M+ views, Avery is known for his high-production dating challenges and his DailyAvery vlog with a fiercely loyal fanbase.

Every drop is an opportunity to support creators and earn when they earn. Purchases can also unlock exclusive perks, access to the creator's community, and opportunities to contribute to future projects.

The countdown to tomorrow’s drop starts now—Check it out here.

Interest in PRIME Spikes After Super Bowl Ad

ICYMI: On Sunday, Logan Paul and KSI's sports drink became the first creator-led brand to run an ad surrounding the Super Bowl. The commercial aired just before kickoff.

By the numbers: Over the past 24 hours, we used Google Trends to track peak search interest in PRIME relative to other products that made an appearance.

• 3x more searches than Pepsi, who aired two commercials featuring Ben Stiller and Steve Martin

• 1.5x more searches than Rihanna’s cosmetics brand Fenty and the return of M&M’S mascots

• 1.3x more searches than Doritos, who tabbed Jack Harlow, Missy Elliot and Elton John for their campaign

The 30-second spot hyped the brand’s rapid growth and partnerships with Arsenal and the UFC. What’d you think of the commercial? Let us know here.

👀 Creator Moves

• UrAvgConsumer is hiring a project manager to oversee video projects, calendars, and schedules. Send resume to [email protected].

• IMOTO is looking for a video editor to edit 4–8 anime Shorts a month.

• Ali-A is hiring a Fortnite production/content lead to help with video production.

Bonus: Colin and Samir are looking for a full-time editor to help with post-production on their YouTube channel.

🔥 Press Worthy

• Tristan Jass opens a ball-handling instructional program.

• Remi Bader pens an opinion piece for The Cut.

• Hasan Piker raises more than $1 million for Turkey and Syria relief.

• Enrollment for Ali Abdaal’s Part-Time YouTuber Academy’s final live cohort is open. Secure your spot here.

• MrBeast cameos in NFL’s “Run With It” commercial.

• MatPat’s Creator Ink launches an animation studio.

• BeReal’s downloads drop 95% from their 2022 peak.

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