Good morning. Creators are taking unique approaches to promoting their TV shows—Markiplier live-streamed himself cleaning virtual dirt in the game PowerWash Simulator for three hours, while Brian Jordan Alvarez performed the trending “I Love Your Daughter” dance over a dozen times on TikTok.
The result? Markiplier’s Edge of Sleep regularly ranked in Prime Video’s Top 10 throughout its first week, and Alvarez’s English Teacher is currently the second-most popular show on Hulu.
Livvy Dunne Joins Jake Paul’s ‘W’ as Co-Owner
Gymnast Livvy Dunne is entering her first brand ownership venture by partnering with Logan Paul on his personal care line, W / W
LSU gymnast and TikTok creator Olivia “Livvy” Dunne is now a co-owner in Jake Paul’s personal care line, W, the duo announced yesterday.
Context: Paul launched the Gen Z-focused brand in June, with the goal of keeping its products (including deodorant and body wash) under $10.
Dunne joins celebrities including rapper Rubi Rose and MMA fighter Sean O’Malley as W co-owners and industry “champions.”
Why it matters: With over 13 million followers and partnerships with brands including Vuori, Nautica, and Bodyarmor, Dunne is one of the most well-known (and highest-earning) college athletes in the country.
Her name, image, and likeness valuation (a measure of her potential earnings over the next 12 months) is $4 million—ranking second out of all college athletes, according to sports analytics database On3.
Now, Dunne brings her influence to W. She told Women’s Wear Daily that she “immediately hit it off” with Paul after meeting him over the summer and bonding over their mutual efforts to build brands beyond social media.
“Some content ideas that we have in store are very creative and cool,” Dunne told WWD, noting that her followers, ranging from “young gymnasts” to “college guys,” are excited she teamed up with Paul.
Zoom out: As we noted on Monday, Paul continues to expand his business empire, from an estimated $40 million in earnings from his upcoming boxing match with Mike Tyson to a 25-unit franchise deal with sports bar chain Dog Haus.
Logan ‘The Cucumber Guy’ Moffitt Finds Representation
Logan Moffitt was making cooking and travel videos for over two years when his sliced cucumber recipes went viral / Logan Moffitt
Logan Moffitt, whose quart container cucumber salad recipes have earned him the moniker “The Cucumber Guy,” has signed with Underscore Talent, Moffitt’s team told us.
How he got here →
Moffitt, 23, has been making cooking and travel content for over two years, with 3.2 million TikTok followers at the start of this year.
Moffitt’s recipe for soy sauce cucumber salad posted in July has since received over 15 million views. Moffitt committed to the bit, making over 100 cucumber-related videos. His TikTok following has swelled to 6.8 million.
Everyone from Alix Earle to Wishbone Kitchen to Giada DeLaurentiis have tried variations of his slice-and-shake cucumber salads, and its popularity supposedly led to a cucumber shortage.
Moffitt also vlogs on YouTube and received his gold play button for 1 million subscribers this week.
Looking ahead: Moffitt signed with Underscore Talent to expand his content beyond cucumbers, working with brands like Rosetta Stone, Netflix, and Sephora.
"[Moffitt’s] rise in food and lifestyle content has been incredibly organic,” Megan Brown from Underscore Talent said. “Logan’s passion for Asian cuisine allows him to act as a cultural bridge, inspiring audiences to explore and appreciate global flavors. We’re excited to help him continue shaping the cultural landscape.”
Education Gets a Home on the FYP
TikTok is adding an education tab to the homepage for all US, UK, and Ireland users / AFP via Getty Images
This week, TikTok launched a custom feed exclusively for science, tech, engineering, and math (STEM) content on its FYP. Now, users will find “STEM” as a standalone tab, next to Explore, Shop, and Following.
Read the room: A dozen states just sued the platform for prioritizing growth over child safety, and an NPR report revealed that TikTok execs have been aware of its addictive qualities.
TikTok’s new STEM homebase mimics that of its Chinese counterpart, Douyin, which focuses largely on educational and skill improvement content (in addition to a robust Shop feature).
🔥 Press Worthy
TommyInnit is writing a comedy book.
Get Inbox Zero forever with InboxDone—reclaim 3 hours a day, like Creator Wizard’s Justin Moore.*
Running creator Kate Mackz interviews VP candidate Governor Tim Walz.
Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai is ending his YouTube channel after two years of game development education.
Speeed creators James Pumphrey and Jesse Wood sign with UTA.
Ludwig’s Offbrand Studio publishes its first video game, Rivals of Aether 2.
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The content we’re looking forward to reading, watching, and listening to this weekend.
Read: GQ columnist Chris Black explores why modern celebrities aspire to appear “relatable” rather than “cool”—no matter how famous they get.
Watch: LA-based creator Shoji Yamasaki mimics trash on TikTok as a performance art against littering.
Listen: Adobe’s Chief Strategy Officer Scott Belsky talks AI ethics, developing taste, and how tech is reshaping creative work with Colin and Samir.
