Good morning. Snoop Dogg has launched a Cocomelon-inspired kid’s YouTube channel called Doggyland. Between this, FaZe Clan, and Martha Stewart, you can’t deny—the guy’s got range.

–Hannah Doyle

YouTube Channel Solves Missing Persons Case

In early August, 16-year-old Kiely Rodni went missing in Truckee, California, spurring an investigation that stretched for two weeks. Within an hour of starting their search for Rodni on Sunday, the YouTube dive team Adventures with Purpose (AWP) said they found a car with human remains inside that appear to belong to Rodni.

Who is AWP? 

• The group launched their channel in 2018 to document their efforts cleaning up trash from local rivers (often finding old cars and trucks in the process). 

• In 2019, a family requested AWP’s help finding a missing loved one. After a successful search, AWP switched their focus to helping other families in similar situations. 

• So far, the group has solved 23 cold cases using sonar and diving equipment to search bodies of water like rivers and lakes.

Which brings AWP to Truckee: Over the last month, Rodni’s case garnered national attention—and required the efforts of 18 agencies combing through two states and thousands of acres. 

Nevada County Sheriff Captain Sam Brown told The Daily Beast that he believes local law enforcement contacted the YouTube channel to aid in the investigation, recognizing that AWP had expertise and technology local investigators and volunteers didn’t.

Our Take

Local investigators are often short on time, tech, and experience when it comes to cases like Rodni’s. AWP, on the other hand, is an “underwater sonar search and recovery dive team dedicated to helping families of missing loved ones” that specializes in underwater search.  

In that way, this story could serve as a positive example of the potential crossover between the public sector and the creator world. But it also introduces complexity: Although AWP’s efforts appear to be warranted and appreciated, it’s difficult to vet the motivations of all non-expert creators entering ongoing investigations. 

Amouranth Opens Talent Assistance Firm

The Twitch streamer and OnlyFans creator isn’t shy about her business acumen—from buying up gas stations to acquiring pool toy companies. Now she’s onto her next venture: Real Work, a personal assistant service for creators.

Quick background: Real Work was inspired by Amouranth’s realization that hiring a team to help with scheduling and operations could meaningfully uplevel her business. According to Business Insider, after Amouranth hired her own team (which became Real Work’s founding team), her monthly OnlyFans earnings jumped from $350,000 to $1.5 million.

Amouranth saw that fellow OnlyFans creators had the same needs—often, proper management is lacking in the adult entertainment space due to more traditional firms’ squeamishness in signing adult talent.

Real Work has its sights set broadly: The agency aims to appeal to all manner of content creators and connect them with remote or local personnel who can assist in organizing, scheduling, and editing content.

Our Take

Personal assistants aren’t new business—just look to WeWoreWhat’s attempt with her MOE creator-focused project management tool. But making the service trustworthy can be a challenge. The clientele that Real Work has built through word of mouth has helped it build a reputation as a reliable network. That, coupled with Amouranth’s personal ROI as proof, makes it a promising offering.

Brands Look To Get In on BeReal

BeReal is still in those early stages of the social app lifecycle, bright-eyed and ad-free…with brands chomping at the bit.

Companies including Chipotle and Saie Beauty are experimenting on the spontaneity-first app despite its lack of a formal ads marketplace by incentivizing followers to post about them in exchange for exclusive discounts and leaking images of unreleased products. These strategies are in an effort to gain exposure to the 7.5 million people who have downloaded BeReal this year.

Our Take

BeReal is in a fragile place—how can it monetize without ruining its allure? While the discover tab could be an entrypoint that isn’t super invasive to the overall experience, the premise of the app seems to run contrary to advertising’s premise.

👀 Creator Moves

Welcome to a new semi-regular roundup of the job opportunities some of the biggest creators are offering.

• Johnny Harris is hiring for two positions: a researcher/writer to work on upcoming video scripts and an experienced editor/animator to help with motion graphics. 

• Tinx is looking for a part-time videographer based in LA to help with Reels and TikToks (email [email protected]). 

• MrBeast is hiring a recruiter to manage his ongoing hiring spree.

🔥 Press Worthy

• Lil Nas X is YSL’s new beauty ambassador.

• Snapchat launches a BeReal-esque Dual Camera.

• Laylo is powering drops for the world’s biggest musicians, podcasters, video creators, brands, and more.*

• Charli D’Amelio and her mom Heidi will compete on Dancing With The Stars.

• TikTok is testing a “nearby” feature for local feeds.

• AI is blurring the line between a YouTuber and VTuber.

*This is sponsored advertising content.