🎯 4 The Win

Social4TheWin is where strategy meets scroll-stopping ideas.
Part newsletter, part creative playbook. All signal, no noise.

This week:

• Why the lines between creators and traditional entertainment are disappearing
• How social media talent is entering the biggest stages in culture
• Why the creator economy is no longer a separate industry

It’s strategy. It’s leverage. It’s how the game actually works.

🧠 When Creators Cross Into Traditional Entertainment

Award season used to belong entirely to Hollywood and the music industry.

The Oscars.
The Grammys.
The Emmys.

Those stages were reserved for actors, musicians, and directors who had already made it through traditional industry pipelines.

Now something different is happening.

Creators who built audiences online are increasingly showing up inside those same cultural institutions.

At the Grammy Awards, artists who first gained traction on social platforms are competing for major categories.

Red carpet moments are engineered for social media distribution. Halle Bailey has appeared in several viral Glambot moments over the past few years, clips that almost instantly circulate across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

The same dynamic is happening across film and television.

Creators who started online are now appearing in major films, hosting shows, and building production companies that sit alongside traditional entertainment studios.

What used to be separate ecosystems are starting to merge.

1. Social Media Is Now the Largest Talent Pipeline

For decades, the entertainment industries relied on gatekeepers.

Studios decided who made films.
Labels decided who made music.
Networks decided who appeared on television.

Today, creators can build audiences long before those industries get involved.

Social platforms have become the largest talent discovery system in the world, producing musicians, comedians, actors, and storytellers who arrive with millions of fans already watching.

Never forget that Justin Bieber was found on YouTube 15+ years ago.  

Back in his Baby days

2. Award Shows Are Now Designed for the Internet

Award shows themselves are adapting to this shift.

Moments that once lived exclusively on broadcast television now spread primarily through social clips:

• red carpet Glambot videos
• backstage creator interviews
• viral reaction shots
• meme-able moments

The ceremony may still happen in a theater.

But the audience experiences it through the feed.

Emma Chamberlain interviewing Jack Harlow on the Met Gala red carpet.

3. The Creator Economy Is Merging With Entertainment

For years, the creator economy was treated like a separate category.

Influencers over here.
Hollywood over there.

But those lines are fading quickly.

Creators launch music careers.
Musicians break out on TikTok.
Actors build audiences directly with fans.

And across marketing and social media, awards like the Shorty Awards now recognize the campaigns, creators, and digital storytelling shaping the internet itself.

🏆 The Shorty Awards

18th Annual Shorty Awards

18th Annual Shorty Awards

One of the most interesting things about social media today is how quickly creative ideas can move from a single post to something much bigger.

A format, a creator collaboration, or a clever campaign can start in one corner of the internet and suddenly shape how brands and creators everywhere approach content.

The Shorty Awards exist to recognize the work that actually pushes culture forward.

This year, I’ll be joining a panel of more than 100 judges across the creator economy, evaluating submissions from creators, brands, and organizations across more than 100 categories covering digital campaigns, social media, video, podcasts, and more.

If you’ve created something you’re proud of this year, this is the place to put it forward.

Creators receive a $100 discount on entries, and the final Submit by the Final Deadline on March 6.

Submit your work.

I will also be judging the awards this season too!

✍️ Personal Note From Jacob

One thing that’s become increasingly clear over the past few years is how much the internet has changed the traditional paths into entertainment and culture.

For a long time, industries like film, television, and music had relatively defined pipelines. Talent moved through studios, labels, agencies, and production companies before ever appearing on the biggest stages.

Now those same stages are increasingly filled with people who built their audiences online first.

Creators launch music careers. Internet personalities appear in films. Moments from award shows are designed to travel across social media feeds minutes after they happen.

The institutions themselves haven’t disappeared. The Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, and the broader entertainment ecosystem still define major cultural milestones.

But the pipeline feeding those moments has changed.

The internet is no longer just reacting to culture. It’s increasingly producing the talent, ideas, and moments that shape it.

And award season is one of the clearest reminders of that shift.

🎯 4 The Win

Social4TheWin is where strategy meets scroll-stopping ideas. Part newsletter, part creative playbook. All signal, no noise.

This week:

• Why recognition beats content on social media

• How verification accelerates trust and opportunity

• Why being remembered matters more than being impressive

It’s strategy. It’s leverage. It’s how the game actually works.

🧠 Why Recognition Beats Content on Social Media

1. Familiarity Drives Trust (Not Quality)

There’s a well-documented concept in psychology called the mere exposure effect: people develop a preference for things simply because they’re familiar with them. Not better. Not smarter. Just familiar.

This shows up everywhere on social.

People are more likely to:

• trust creators they’ve seen repeatedly

• follow accounts they recognize

• engage with faces they remember

On a fast-moving feed, recognition becomes a shortcut. People don’t have time to deeply evaluate every post, so they rely on signals. A familiar face is one of the strongest ones.

That’s why two creators can post equally strong content and get wildly different outcomes. One feels known. The other feels like a stranger.

2. Verification Is a Trust Multiplier

Verification doesn’t magically make content better. It removes doubt.

Across platforms, verified accounts consistently:

• drive higher profile tap-through rates

• are perceived as more credible and legitimate

• are considered more seriously by brands and partners

The blue check works because it answers the silent question people ask when they see your content: Is this person worth paying attention to?

People swipe to profiles to validate creators before they follow, DM, or take them seriously. Verification shortens that decision process. Less skepticism. Less friction. Faster trust.

It’s not about status. It’s about consideration.

3. Social Media Is a Memory Game

Most creators assume the feed is a meritocracy.

That the best content wins.

It’s not.

There are plenty of creators making “good” content who still struggle to get traction. Not because the content is bad, but because they’re not remembered.

Social platforms are memory systems. They reward what feels familiar, recognizable, and easy to place. Audiences don’t re-evaluate you from scratch every time you post. They carry forward impressions.

That’s why faces outperform formats. Why recognizable creators feel bigger than they are. And why being remembered matters more than being impressive in a single moment.

Recognition compounds quietly. Once someone knows who you are, every post benefits from that stored context.

Talent gets attention.
Memory keeps attention.

👻 Why Recognition Actually Pays on Snapchat

Snapchat Is Built for Recognition

Being a Snap Star isn’t a badge. It’s a gate.

Verified creators get access to monetization when eligible, priority consideration from the platform, and instant credibility with brands. Everyone else is just posting and hoping.

On Snapchat, recognition compounds. The blue check shortens the path to money, visibility, and trust. Same content, same effort — wildly different outcomes.

If you’re serious about Snapchat, the real risk isn’t bad content. It’s being invisible… or one might say a ghost.

How to Apply for Snapchat Verification (Snap Star)

In a conversation I had with Snapchat’s Creator Team, they shared with me the current process for Snap Star consideration:

1. Attend a Snap Best Practices Webinar
Sign up for an upcoming session to get aligned on community guidelines, platform features, creator programs, and monetization opportunities.
👉 Webinar Registration Link

2. Strengthen your cross-platform presence
Make sure your Snapchat public profile link is clearly included in the bio or Linktree of your other social accounts. This helps Snap’s team quickly verify your identity and review your broader content ecosystem.

3. Submit the Snap Star application
Apply directly through Snapchat’s public Snap Star form.
👉 Snap Star Public Application Form Link

Important detail:
When completing the application, include snapstarrequest@snapchat.com in the “CC Email (Optional)” field so the team can track and review your submission efficiently.

Once submitted, Snapchat’s team will review your application against their community and brand safety standards. If approved, they’ll follow up directly with the next steps.

✍️ Personal Note From Jacob

One thing I’ve come to appreciate more over time is how much opportunity compounds once you’re already in motion. I’ve seen people with very similar, and sometimes even weaker, skill sets move faster simply because they were recognized once. One speaking opportunity turns into another. One quote turns into repeated press. Not because the work suddenly changed, but because familiarity did.

That’s shaped how I think about social media, community, and what we’re really building here. This isn’t just about making good content or having the right ideas. It’s about showing up in a way that people remember, trust, and want to come back to.

Social4TheWin exists because of that exact dynamic. Every conversation, introduction, and collaboration comes from people recognizing each other, not just exchanging links. That’s what creates momentum. That’s what turns one moment into many.

I’m grateful for everyone who reads this, shows up, shares thoughts, and keeps the conversation going. This only works because you’re here, and I’m excited to keep building whatever comes next together.

🎯4 The Win

Social4TheWin is where strategy meets scroll-stopping ideas. It’s part newsletter, part creative playbook, all signal, no noise.

This week isn’t about scrolling — it’s about showing up IRL:

🧑‍💼 Inside the YMS Creator Lounge and why small moments create big opportunities

🥂 The Fall Social is the community moment of the season

🥯 Offline Mode: Bagel-Making Class, a small table, big conversations

🎟️ Spotlight

📅 Youth Marketing Summit • Oct 22,2025 • Brooklyn

Tomorrow, I’ll be moderating a panel with leaders from Sesame Street 📺, The Washington Post 📰, and Lyft 🚕 — exploring how the next wave of platforms, storytelling, and creators is redefining marketing.

We’re also hosting a Creator Lounge at the conference, where select creators will have the chance to connect directly with industry leaders.

We have a few remaining spots for creators to join. If you’re free tomorrow and interested, send me an email and I’ll see if we can get you in.

This is an incredible opportunity to meet the decision-makers shaping the future of youth marketing.

I reached out to Olivia, the head of their programming, after attending their last event over two years ago, and the persistence and interest paid off, leading to this opportunity.

🎟️ The Invite

🍁 Upcoming Social4TheWin Events

We have two events coming up in November/Early December.

🥂 The Fall Social

This is our big fall community moment. Expect good drinks, great people, and real conversations with some of the brightest marketers, creators, and industry voices in NYC.

If you’ve been looking for a way to meet the people shaping the next wave of social, this is it.

🥯 Offline Mode: Bagel-Making Class

This one’s a little more intimate. A small group of creators and a handful of brand marketers will join us for a hands-on bagel-making workshop in NYC. It’s designed to spark real conversations, build deeper connections, and create space for meaningful brand-creator relationships.

We are partnering with Bagel Up, the company behind New York Bagel Fest, to host a first for our community.

I like my bagel classic. Cream Cheese, Nova, slice of Tomato.

Community Opportunities

🥯 BagelFest 2025 • November 16th, 2025 • Citi Field

Founder Sam Silverman has built his own media business as Bagelambasssador, turning his passion for bagels into New York’s biggest event for bagel lovers, along with bagel-making classes under his business Bagelup!

The New York BagelFest is where the world’s best bagel makers, food brands, and fans come together for a full day of tastings, celebration, and competitions at Citi Field. Join us on Sunday, November 16 and experience the epicenter of New York culture.

🎟 Media Requests: Sign Up Here.

I did mention that some people from our community may be interested in attending, so please check it out, as it should be a fun event!

🏆Play to Win

The creator economy moves at the speed of scroll. But the real power lives in the rooms where the algorithm can’t follow.

📍 A coffee. A panel. A bagel-making table. Those are the moments where connections turn into collaborations.

Online builds reach. Offline builds trust. And trust is what compounds.

And I try my best to live by the above quote!

Best,
Jacob

🎯4 The Win

One word keeps coming to mind: VALUE.

It’s been about a month since my last newsletter, and I want to catch you up on where I’ve been and where Social4TheWin is headed.

Whether I’m consulting brands or creating content myself, it always comes back to the same question: what’s the value I’m giving, what’s the value I’m getting, and what’s the bigger goal behind why I’m building this?

Where I’m At & What I’m Giving

I believe value starts with transparency. So here’s where I’m at right now:

• 💼 Sponsorships. I’ve brought on a commission-based partner to help with brand deals, and I want to expand this. If you can connect sponsors, I’ve built a commission structure so even a simple intro can turn into value for both of us.

• 👥 Internship program. I’m finalizing a small team to help with outreach, logistics, and content. They’ll support me directly and also be on-site at events.

• 🎥 Content. I want to highlight you. I may reach out about a two-part series (business breakdown + dream brand collab), and I’ve brought on a video editor to keep content flowing.

• 📱 Personal brand. I’m growing my Instagram presence as Jacob (not just Excel Daddy) to attract inbound sponsorships that ultimately fuel events and open doors for our community.

• 🔍 Perspective. I’ve sat on many sides - Nielsen analytics, TikTok client strategy (Mars, Hershey’s, Campbell’s), creator (Excel Daddy), and consultant. My goal is to bridge the gaps between creators, marketers, and platforms.

Value To You

What is the Value To You?

There are endless newsletters, groups, and communities out there. So the real question is: why this one?

• If you’re a creator, is it more brand deal flow, platforms worth your time, and opportunities to connect with decision-makers?

• If you’re a marketer, are there sharper strategies, creator insights, and real-world examples you can take back to your team?

• If you’re both, is this the bridge between your two worlds… part playbook, part pulse check, part open door?

I want this to feel less like a newsletter you skim, and more like a resource you use. So tell me: what’s more valuable — strategies, campaign breakdowns, or direct opportunities? Reply with your top two.

Two of the most recognizable people in our industry.

Also speaking of Gary Vee: I was in a post of his from a conference I attended in April that has now received 227K views. I haven’t received an opportunity from this yet, but just putting yourself out there makes opportunities like this happen. Start at 11 minutes in to see me!

See the video here!

🤝  Why Community Matters: Compounding Value

Alone, I’m just a guy calling himself Excel Daddy in a room.

Together, this community spans 200M+ followers — a reach no single campaign could buy.

But the real power isn’t the numbers. It’s the collisions:

• A marketer hears how a creator hacked distribution.

• A creator meets the brand manager searching for their exact audience.

• Someone leaves with an idea they never would’ve imagined on their own.

That’s a live network effect. Every new person who joins, shares, or contributes makes the system sharper, faster, and more valuable.

My goal is simple: for you to feel like this isn’t just mine — it’s ours.
Something you can point to and say:
I found opportunities here. I made connections here. This is where it started.

A photo from our event in July!

Community Opportunities

Long-term, I want this section to be your shortcut to access — whether that’s brand deals, platforms that help you earn, events worth showing up for, or resources you can actually use.

For now, I’ll highlight opportunities I think are valuable, and over time, this section will grow with you.

Here are two immediate opportunities that I think are valuable:

📅 Youth Marketing Summit • Oct 22,2025 • Brooklyn

I’ll be moderating a panel with leaders from Sesame Street📺, The Washington Post📰, and Lyft 🚕 — digging into how the next wave of platforms, storytelling, and creators are shaping marketing.

I’m also in conversations with the YMS team about building a Creator Center: a dedicated space where select creators from our community can have 1:1 conversations with marketers throughout the day. More on that soon.

A few ways to plug in:

• 🎟50% off tickets → Grab your pass here

• 🎟Brand-side marketers (10+ employees): We have a limited number of free tickets reserved for our community. Reply if you’d like one.

• Creators: We are in talks with YMS to see if we can have a space to bring a small group of creators (for free) to have 1:1 conversations with marketers at the event.

This is a great chance to connect directly with decision-makers shaping the future of youth marketing.

I’m psyched to be speaking here!

💄MakeUp in NewYork • Sep 17–18, 2025 • Javits Center

This is one of the premier B2B events in beauty — where top global brands, suppliers, and innovators walk the floor to scout what’s next.

🎟 Free registration: Sign Up Here

I want to highlight this through someone close to me: my mom, Abby Wallach. She’s a beauty and fragrance innovator, brand builder, and executive producer who has launched products into Walmart, HSN, and DTC. She’s now pioneering Fragrance 2.0 with next-generation formats that open doors for collaboration with creators.

She’ll be at Booth A30 (XJ Beauty powered by Scentinvent Technologies), and if you’re in lifestyle or beauty, this is a great way to:

• Meet key players across the beauty industry

• Explore partnership opportunities with emerging brands

• Learn how to position yourself for collaborations in a $50B+ category

🏆Play to Win

The creator economy runs on attention — but it grows on value. The people who win aren’t just entertaining, they’re delivering something bigger.

• 💡 Solve a problem. Make someone’s day easier, faster, or smarter - that’s instant value.

• ✨ Spark an idea. Show people a new way of seeing or doing something. Value that sticks.

• 🚪 Open a door. Create access to brands, opportunities, or even just each other. That’s value that compounds.

Attention gets you seen. Value keeps you in the game.

To more value,
Jacob

🎯4 The Win

Social4TheWin is where strategy meets scroll-stopping ideas. It’s part newsletter, part creative playbook, all signal, no noise.

This week:

• A quick recap of our fashion-focused event with NY Swim Week.

• An Oreo campaign concept where the star is… you.

• A breakdown of how to think beyond your niche when pitching brand partnerships.

It’s strategy. It’s personalization. It’s reflection. Let’s go.

🎟️ The Invite

🌺 In Bloom: Where Fashion Meets The Feed

A few weeks back, we partnered with NY Swim Week for an immersive night blending fashion, creators, and content — reverse runway, designer pop-ups, and a packed house of 150+ attendees.

Thank you to everyone who came out, and to our incredible sponsors who made it possible:

• Beacons – powering creators with tools to own their business.

• The Shorty Awards – celebrating the best in digital and social.

• Pickle – helping brands and creators connect with ease.

• Posh – streamlining event hosting.

Panel: Where the Runway Meets the Feed
Evita Scoccia (Founder, NY Swim Week)
Julia O’Mara (Co-Founder & COO, Pickle)
Jessica Miao (Co-Founder & CEO, Apricotton)

Special Guest Talk:
Shelby Haas – on selling at scale through content that converts.

📸 Event Photos: [Download Here]
We had two incredible photographers capturing the night — if you share, please credit:

• Cristian Paez

• Eric Lipset

We’re working on a few events in September and will keep you posted!

Also, if you have been able to attend our events, I’m open to insights and recommendations. Traditionally, we have mostly focused on networking and panels, but we are thinking of changing the structure. What do you think of the panels so far?

💡The Vision

Let’s make this concept social media first.

THE INSPIRATION:

Oreo is a cultural collab machine.

• Musicians: Lady Gaga, Blackpink, Post Malone.

• Media: Mario, Pokémon, Dragon Ball Z

• Brands: Supreme, Coca-Cola, Sour Patch Kids

And just recently? A collaboration with Selena Gomez, creating a custom horchata-flavored Oreo.

Oreo has the celebrity firepower.
They’ve got the brand recognition.

However, despite all their creative muscle, a lot of the brand’s social content leans more towards meme-heavy content than moment-heavy. The kind of thing you double-tap… then immediately forget.

So I started thinking—what if Oreo didn’t just borrow culture, but went deep into personal culture?

And that’s when I thought about Nardwuar.
The interviewer who digs up a hyper-specific memory from your childhood and hands it to you like a time capsule.

What if Oreo did that?

THE CONCEPT: 

Oreo Presents: Your Childhood Dunk

A simple blue backdrop.
One person in the spotlight. A celebrity, your favorite creator, or you.

Before they arrive, Oreo has done the research. The deep cuts. The flavor no one else knows they loved as a kid.

It could be:

• Tom Cruise’s obsession with coconut cream pie.

• A singer’s go-to gas station snack on tour with their parents.

• The dessert your grandma made every holiday without fail.

Then Oreo makes a custom, one-off flavor based on that memory. Not for sale. Not mass-produced. Just for them.

Mine would be my great-great aunt’s lemon bars or my Oreo cheesecake that I used to bake as a kid.

The guest sits down with a kid or a fan, and they talk about Oreos. Dunk, twist, freeze—whatever their ritual is.

At the end, we reveal the secret: their custom flavor.
And they try it live.

Instagram post

This is a breakdown of the concept in video form if you would like to see it! I’ll be sharing more concepts on my personal IG, as well as I am putting my money where my mouth is and creating content I think is relevant to what I want to be known for. Social Media Strategy.

If you would like to see more, please give me a follow! I won’t be sharing every clip on the newsletter!

PRODUCTION: 

• Set: Minimalist. Blue Oreo backdrop. Spotlight on the guest.

• Talent: A mix of celebrities, creators, and everyday people pulled from social submissions.

• Format: 3–5 min videos—short enough to share, long enough to tell a story.

• Tone: Warm, surprising, and a little weird (in the best way).

• Distribution: Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, plus a dedicated playlist on Oreo’s site where fans can binge every episode.

ChatGPT is getting good!

WHY IT WORKS: 

It’s personal.
This isn’t just another celebrity endorsement; it’s their childhood in cookie form. That’s what makes it stick.

It’s nostalgic.
Everyone has an Oreo memory. By making it about your Oreo, it taps into the universal nostalgia baked into the brand.

It’s participatory.
Fans can submit their own “childhood dunk” stories for a chance to get a custom flavor and be featured in the series. Suddenly, Oreo isn’t just a brand. It’s a memory machine.

It’s repeatable.
New guests, new flavors, new stories, this format never runs out of runway.

We’ve all dunked an Oreo in milk.
But the best part of this concept?
It’s not about how everyone eats Oreos
It’s about how you do.

📘 The Playbook

THE CASE FOR CROSSOVERS:

• 📸 58% of creators already work across multiple content formats

• 📈65% of creators want creative ownership (I think this is 100%).

• 🧠 100% of people have more than one interest.

Your niche might be food, sports, finance, or fashion. But your life isn’t one-dimensional.

And if you want to be more than a content vending machine, you need to pull ideas from everywhere, not just your corner of the internet.

FASHION FORWARD FOR NON-FASHION CREATORS:

👗 Gucci x Travel Creator
Instead of another runway livestream, Gucci partners with a travel creator to produce “Runway Around the World” a five-city series where each outfit drop is styled entirely from local vintage markets. The clothes aren’t shipped in, they’re discovered on location.

💻 Apple x Fashion Creator
Apple teams up with a style influencer for “The Wardrobe Edit” a campaign where every iPhone photo set is shot using new camera features, but styled to represent different “eras” of the creator’s personal style. The tech becomes the archivist of the fashion story.

🌍 Airbnb x Tech Creator
Airbnb partners with a gadget reviewer for “Smart Stays” showcasing unique homes around the world by testing their tech setups. From Tokyo apartments with robotic toilets to Icelandic cabins with full VR rooms, the hook is: which Airbnb has the ultimate creator desk setup?

The point:
When you stop thinking, “What’s in my niche?” and start thinking, “What could fit in my world with the right concept?” — the possibilities multiply.

3 TOP INSIGHTS FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1. Cross-industry beats the same lane. The most memorable collaborations often come from pairing a brand with a creator outside its usual category.

2. The concept is the bridge. If the idea feels natural in your world, the audience won’t question the crossover; they’ll celebrate it.

3. Specific sells. Pitching “a travel brand in tech” is vague. Pitching “Airbnb’s Smart Stays series with a gadget reviewer” makes it real.

🏆Play to Win

The Childhood Dunk is nostalgia. But it’s also a playbook.

Because creators don’t have to be boxed in by a single category.
You can take a food brand into music, a tech brand into travel, a fashion brand into sports — if the concept earns its place.

Your niche isn’t your ceiling.
It’s your launchpad.

The best ideas pull from your world and theirs, until the crossover feels inevitable.
That’s how you stop being “just” a creator in one space and start being a storyteller brands want to follow anywhere.

Creativity isn’t the final product.
It’s the medium.

Quote Of The Week

I’m off to the hamtons for the next few weeks! Will share some exciting new concepts soon.

Best,

Jacob

🎯4 The Win

Social4TheWin is where strategy meets scroll-stopping ideas. It’s part newsletter, part creative playbook, all signal, no noise.

This week:

• Throwing a fashion-focused event with NY Swim Week in SoHo.

• Pitching a Spotify-powered satiracle runway for Kyle Gordon’s

• Breaking down how fashion builds character on the feed and beyond.

Strategy, spectacle, and satire. That’s the theme. Let’s go.

🎟️ The Invite

🌺 In Bloom: Where Fashion Meets The Feed
This Thursday, July 24 | 6:30–9:30PM | SoHo, NYC

An immersive night during NY Swim Week, reverse runway, fashion pop-ups, panel talk, and more. This one's different. Think fashion show meets content lab.

We’ve got 150+ RSVPs and counting. Would love to include you.

💬 Live Panel:
“Where the Runway Meets the Feed”
How creators, brands, and social shape what fashion looks like and what we wear.

🎤Featuring:

• Evita Scoccia (Founder, NY Swim Week)

• Julia O'Mara (Co-Founder & COO, Pickle)

• Jessica Miao (Co-Founder & CEO, Apricotton)

🎤 Special Guest Talk:
Shelby Haas on how to sell at scale through content that converts.

Our Panel Lineup

💡The Vision

What’s your favorite Kyle Gordon Song?

THE INSPIRATION:

For most concepts I write, it’s usually a combination of something going on in my life and a creator I’ve met or enjoy watching their content.

Since this week I’m hosting a fashion-focused event in NYC, I thought it would be fun to do a fashion show concept with one of my favorite creators, Kyle Gordon.

He’s not a fashion creator. He’s not trying to be.

But he’s built a whole universe of characters, each more absurd and specific than the last. And the best part… they all have their own distinct style.

• DJ Crazy Times sounds like a Eurotrash pop star and he dresses like one.

• The guy who just got back from Europe? Linen sets and smugness.

• The country music parody character? Her boots are made for walking.

So it hit me: what if you took that character-driven world and turned it into a runway show?

What if the joke became a production?
What if fashion wasn’t the end goal, but the creative accoutrement?

THE CONCEPT: 

Spotify Presents The Kyle Gordon Runway Show

This isn’t a fashion show.
It’s a live, theatrical playlist—Kyle Gordon’s Spotify discography, styled for the runway.

Each song becomes a new mini-fashion show.

Kyle performs the whole thing live, like if Eurovision dropped acid, partnered with Spotify, and let Moschino style the lineup.

It’s music meets satire meets fashion chaos.
And whether the algorithm approves it or not - I do.

Just some quick looks of his characters.

RUNWAY SETLIST: 

• DJ Crazy Times → The Euro-club finale. Neon vinyl, wraparound shades, dancers in tracksuits, Eastern European chaos.

• Girls Are the Best → A faux-feminist anthem gets a glam squad of power suits, pink boots, and synchronized hair flips.

• My Life Is The Worst Life Ever→ mid-2000s mall goth meltdown. Black skinny jeans, chipped nail polish, arm warmers, and a heavy side part.

• The Irish Drinking Song → Gritty pubcore. Ten old Irishmen in oversized tweed, sloshing pints and stomping down the runway.

• We Will Never Die → Cabincore folk fantasy. Flowy neutrals, boots, and suspenders. Feels like cult, sounds like Spotify editorial playlist.:

• HM: Ugliest Girl on the Beach 

Each segment is styled by a different designer or creative team, all underground.

PRODUCTION: 

• Live performance from Kyle as the show progresses

• Cameos from character actors (or actual influencers) walking each look

• Pre-recorded video playing behind the stage for each segment—a visual mix of the original sketch + a spoofed fragrance ad or behind-the-scenes "documentary."

WHY IT WORKS: 

This isn’t just a spectacle; it’s a reminder of what fashion does in content.

• It builds character. One look tells you everything about who someone is (or who they want you to think they are).

• It sets the tone. Fashion is the fastest way to establish mood, setting, and intention—before anyone speaks.

• It adds credibility. A character doesn’t feel real until they’re styled like they’ve lived a life.

• It makes content feel cohesive. Clothes aren’t just clothes—they’re part of the story architecture.

We’re all playing a character to some degree, whether it’s on social, at work, or in real life.
Most of us stay close to type: a version of ourselves with a slight twist.

But fashion? Fashion is the shortcut to transformation.
Change the outfit, change the context.
It’s the first signal of who you are, or who you want to be.

Style doesn’t just shape perception.
It shapes the story.
And it’s what makes a character unforgettable.

📘 The Playbook

WHY IS FASHION RELEVANT FOR EVERYONE?

• 📉 50% of adults are financially literate (supposedly)

• 🍝 90% of people cook at least once a week (hopefully more than just pasta or cereal).

• 🏈 66% of the U.S. watches sports (honestly, surprised it's not higher).

But…
👕 100% of people wear clothes.

Unless you're in that microscopic nudist colony, which, respectfully, is terrifying.

Point is: fashion content is universally relevant.
Everyone wears something.
It just comes down to how you make it interesting, intelligent, and on-brand. Although, to be fair, there is a gender divide on clothes to some degree.

FASHION FORWARD FOR NON-FASHION CREATORS:

💼 1. Finance Creators

You already live in costume.
Suits, vests, the unofficial analyst starter pack—finance has its own uniform, and it’s rich with unspoken rules.

So start treating it like what it is: wardrobe design for a character.

• Outfits of the Day: Sell-Side Edition

• Trader vs. Banker Fit Check

Break it down. Make it funny. Make it sharp.
Style says just as much as a hot take on the Fed.

🍳 2. Cooking Creators

Your food has flavor. Your fit should too.

Recipes are art. So is plating. So is your mise en place. So why is everyone wearing a black tee?

Treat your kitchen like a stage—and dress the part.
Start a series:

• “What I’d wear to serve this dish to [insert celebrity or situation].”

• “Apron of the Day: Vibe Check Edition.”

Let the outfit match the meal.
It’s not about being fashionable—it’s about building a mood that makes your content taste better.

🏋️ 3. Fitness Creators

The gym has characters. Be one.

Everyone’s in a tank top. You? You’re telling a story.

• “Training like I’m in a 2004 sports movie.”

• “Fit checks for every gym phase: Bulking, Cutting, Breakup PRs.”

Your followers already project identity onto you.
Lean into it. Amplify it. Stylize it.
Outfits can say what your captions won’t.

3 TOP INSIGHTS FROM THIS ARTICLE:

• Costume ≠ superficial. The visual language is often the most strategic part.

• Content is the show. You don’t need a real runway. You need a clear concept and a strong aesthetic POV.

• Style scores the scene. The right outfit doesn’t just look good—it sets the tone, era, and emotion. Just like music, fashion adds depth to your narrative. Dress the part, and your story hits harder

🏆Play to Win

The Kyle Gordon Runway is satire. But it’s also a blueprint.

Because creators don’t need to stay in one lane.
They can be musicians, comedians, fashion icons—or all three—if the concept is smart enough.

Style isn’t just what you wear.
It’s how you world-build.
It’s the quickest way to set the scene, sell the story, and signal who you are.

Fashion isn’t the final product.
It’s the medium.

See you Thursday.

Jacob

In this issue:

• 🌸 Upcoming Event: IN Bloom — July 24th
  We’re bringing together creators, marketers, and agency leads for a summer night of creative inspiration, strategic networking, and relationship-building. This is one of our most curated lineups yet.

• 🎭 The Jay Renshaw Show: Meme-World Mastery
  We break down how Jay Renshaw is building a full-fledged character universe with Chit at the center. Plus: why most creators can’t replicate this format and what brands can learn from it.

• 📊 The Lore Continues
  A few unexpected brand collaborations with the LA Lakers and Chewy with Jay Renshaw.

🌸 How Fashion Takes Over the Feed

Join us on July 24th for IN BLOOM—an immersive fashion experience during NY Swim Week that reimagines the runway for the social media era.

This one-night-only event blends performance, creator culture, and sensory design into a show made to be seen, shared, and rewatched.

🚀 Why You Should Be There:

✅ Connect with top creators, marketers & fashion insiders
✅ Discover how social is reshaping the future of fashion shows
✅ Experience a reverse runway, designer pop-ups & sensory activations
✅ Walk away with fresh strategies for content, commerce & storytelling

💬 Live Panel:
Where the Runway Meets the Feed and You’re Dressed for the Algorithm
How creators, brands, and algorithms are reshaping the future of fashion.

🎤 Special Guest Talk:
Shelby Haas will deliver a TEDx-style masterclass on how creators and marketers can sell at scale by leading with strategy and storytelling.

🌺 What to Expect:

• 💃 Reverse Fashion Show

• 🛍️ Designer Pop-Up Shops

• 🍸 Botanical Cocktail Bar

• 🎨 Sensory Activations

• 📸 Creator-Ready Installations

• 🎙️ Insightful Conversations

📊 By the Numbers (TikTok Only)

Followers:

🎭 The Jay Renshaw Show: Why This Chaos Works

Every once in a while, a creator doesn’t just go viral, they become an icon overnight.

That’s what’s happening with The Jay Renshaw Show, a surreal office comedy that feels like Dwight Schrute mixed with Kipland Dynamite (from Napolean Dynamite) and Jim Carey in Dumb and Dumber, moved to LA, started drinking White Claw, and got his own spin-off, filmed like a docuseries, edited like a fever dream.

It truly feels like an extension of the office!

At the center of it all? Chit.
A delusional, ripped, ex-Gucci model with a taste for Pink Pony Club and a brother in IT. Chit thinks White Claw is juice and once asked if there was a “black purse in here”—referring to a person. It’s as if the coolest guy you’ve ever met lived inside the driest and goofiest person you’ve ever met.

🧱 What Makes the Show Special:

This isn’t just a few sketches stitched together. It’s a fully built ecosystem:

• 6+ recurring characters, each fully fleshed out.

• A dedicated office set at The Groundlings Theater, a legendary comedy institution.

• Character catchphrases and meme hooks:

  • “Do it, lady.”

  • “Is there a black purse in here?”

  • Linda has cake.

  • Chit works in budgeting but never does any actual work.

The world-building rivals what you'd expect from an animated series or long-running sitcom.

💡 Why You (Probably) Can’t Do This Alone

Let’s be honest: most creators can’t pull this off.

It takes:

• A full cast of actors (sketch-trained and improv-sharp).

• A physical space and regular production schedule.

• A creative lead with a vision and a team that buys in.

It’s not just a TikTok, it’s a writers' room disguised as a meme factory.

And yet, it works. The numbers speak for themselves:
129M views across just 20 videos. 2.7M shares. 14M+ likes.

That’s not virality. That’s staying power.

🧩 The Big Question: Who Owns What?

As these formats get bigger, so do the stakes:

• If brand deals start flowing, who gets paid?

• Does each actor get a cut, or just the face of the channel?

• How do you credit collaborative IP when it’s built in a theater with multiple contributors?

It’s the classic sketch-comedy dilemma: when one character blows up, do they take everyone with them?

Right now, it’s Jay Renshaw’s show. But if “Chit” becomes a brand on his own, will the rest of the cast follow—or get left behind?

🎬 Final Thought

What makes The Jay Renshaw Show fascinating isn’t just the numbers—it’s the depth. The layers of jokes. The character arcs. The shared language fans pick up.

It’s a sign that we’re entering a new era of short-form content—one where the memes are the marketing, and the universe is the product.

And as for Chit?

He may not know what a budget is...
But he is the moment.

🔌 Brand Plays: Who Should Plug Into This World?

Here’s where this could get interesting. The worldbuilding is endless. Yes, it could be easy to build a concept around an office product, but why does something have to be expected when everything else is unexpected? So here are a few ideas that come out of nowhere because that’s literally how the Jay RenShaw Show is being built.

🏀The NBA / Los Angeles Lakers

📖 Canon Addition:

Chit was drafted by the Lakers in 2006 but left mid-season for a Milan fashion week runway gig. Claims Kobe begged him to stay.

🎬 Creative Integration:

• Chit wears a custom Lakers jersey labeled “Chit #0” over his normal attire, saying he could never root for the Clippers because he’s still signed to the Lakers.

• He tells Linda he’s “still technically on the bench—just waiting on Coach to call.”

🐾 Chewy x Chit: “I Don’t Have a Dog”

📖 Canon Addition:

Chit shows up at the office every Tuesday with a giant box of Chewy goods.
When asked, he explains he doesn’t own a dog; he likes to wait for stray dogs to come up to him behind the office building “for energy alignment.”

🎬 Creative Integration:

• Chit casually has a massive dog food bag next to his desk.

• Offscreen voice: “Wait… do you have a dog?”

• Chit: “No. The dogs have me every Tuesday.”

🔁 Brand Value:

• Chewy positions itself as an emotionally intelligent cultural partner.

• Plays into wholesome absurdity, caring for animals, without owning one.

• Builds a lovable “Chit Cares” arc and turns Petco into a source of humor and softheartedness.

• Opportunity for a real-world campaign around adopting and feeding or donating dog food.

Whether you came for a breakdown of how Chit built a meme universe or the creative thought starters, thank you for being part of this world we’re building together.

From “Do It Lady” to Wellness Tuesdays, from IN Bloom to brand decks in the making, this newsletter is a space for creative strategy, cultural storytelling, and finding the fun in the unexpected.

So truly, thank you for reading. If you’ve got thoughts on how to evolve this space or want to collaborate on something wild, meaningful, or a little bit of both... I’m all ears.

Because just like a Lakers jersey over a Gucci turtleneck, the best ideas don’t always make sense—until they do.

Best,

Jacob

🎤 Live This Week: Catch Me at B&H Bild
I’m stepping out from behind the moderator chair and onto the stage.
This Tuesday at 4 PM, I’ll be speaking at B&H Bild. If you're in NYC, it's free to attend, pull up and say hi.

🎬 This Week’s Drop: The Show Era Is Here
Everyone’s making content. The smart ones are making shows. We’re breaking down how structured storytelling is becoming the biggest unlock for creators and brands looking to build something that lasts.

A QUICK THANK YOU!

I’ve had about 20 people tell me over the past few weeks that they actually read this thing.

Genuinely blows my mind. Half the time, I assume I’m just shouting into the void.

I hope something here sparked an idea, or just made you think a little differently about what you’re building. That’s the goal.

Appreciate you being here!

🎤 Next Up: Catch Me at B&H Bild (June 17th)

I’ll be speaking at B&H Bild next Tuesday at 4 PM, and this time, I’m not moderating. If you’ve only seen me host panels, this is your chance to catch me on the mic, not just passing it.

Although I do recommend you come to network, because I’ll be networking my butt off with brands. Here are a few brands exhibiting:

• Cannon

• Adobe

• Sony

• DJI

• Apple

Did I say it was a free event?

I’d love to see some familiar faces in the crowd. Come through!

My panel will be at:

• 📍 Location: Jacob Javits Center - Content Creation Stage

• 🕓 Time: Tuesday, June 18 @ 4 PM

P.S. Our next Social4TheWin event is coming soon. I’ll have the official Luma link and details in next week’s newsletter. Stay tuned.

If You Want to Win on Social, Think Like a Showrunner

Let’s skip the trends and talk about what works:

Shows.

Not one-off skits. Not single posts.
Structured, serialized content with a clear premise, built to scale attention and loyalty.

Like actual programming. With characters. Arcs. Repeatability.
And yes, I'm talking about TikTok and YouTube, not HBO. (Though some of this is better than half the crap on Hulu.)

Creators are building them. Media companies are buying them.
And the smartest brands are slowly starting to catch on.

And while I absolutely should be doing more of this myself… instead, I’m writing a newsletter about it. (Let’s call it... research.) But for now, let’s break down who’s already doing it and how this shift is changing the game for creators, companies, and everyone in between.

🎬 THE 3 TYPES OF SOCIAL SHOWS

1. Creator-Owned Shows

(aka: The blueprint)

These are shows built, hosted, and distributed entirely by individual creators. No brand involvement (yet). Just smart concepts and serious execution.

🧢 Ryan Trahan – “50 Airbnbs in 50 Days”

He’s raising $1M for St. Jude. It’s day 4 and he’s already passed $150K.
Each day = a new Airbnb + challenge + storytelling beat.
It’s bingeable, wholesome, and insanely effective.

✍️ Brand Angle: Airbnb is getting 100M+ views from this… for free. If they’re not donating $1M to St. Jude by the finale, I’ll lose hope in marketing. This is a no-brainer goodwill moment with 10x ROI in brand equity.

🎮 Ludwig – “Tip to Tip: Japan”

He and Michael Reeves went from the bottom to the top of Japan without phones or maps. It’s chaos. It’s travel. It’s a full-blown adventure series.

Think Anthony Bourdain meets Survivor meets two guys who probably shouldn’t be allowed to cross a street unsupervised.

✍️ Brand Angle: Red Bull was the sponsor, which makes sense… but where was Kikkoman? Or Pokémon? They literally walked Japan. They should’ve had to detour through a ramen factory and a real-life Pokémon Center.

Also, considering the fact that I’m a Japanophile and big anime weeb, it’s no surprise I loved this!

🧾 James Klusaritz – “Paycheck Phantom”

James is an undercover HR ghost haunting corporate America.
It’s funny. Relatable. Smart. And every video plays like a new episode of The Office if HR were actually self-aware.

✍️ Brand Angle: Where is LinkedIn? Or a giant HR tech company like Rippling? Imagine this guy doing a parody video inside LinkedIn HQ. Tell me that wouldn’t slap.

I previously wrote about James in an article a year ago about his work with Jack Links.

📱 Sydney Jo – “The Group Chat”

She reenacts dramatic group chats with voiceovers, personality shifts, and more tea than a Real Housewives reunion.
It's native to TikTok. It’s brilliant. It’s highly shareable.

✍️ Brand Angle: Apple should’ve jumped on this. Green bubbles vs. blue bubbles as actual plotlines?? That’s culture. That’s positioning. That’s a missed opportunity.

2. Brand-Owned Shows

(aka: When a brand actually gets it)

These are rare. Like, beyond rare. But I came across a channel this weekend and saw two people already post about it on LinkedIn.

🏠 Bilt – “Roomies”

Well-produced, funny, seemingly episodic (only one episode out right now).
It’s like a vertical-format sitcom that doesn’t feel like a forced ad. So we’ll have to see how this continues, but the success for one video is pretty outstanding, all things considered.

✍️ Context Reminder: Bilt is a loyalty program where you can pay rent and earn points. This is the rare case where branded content is just content, and it works.

3. Media Company-Owned Shows

(aka: Owning the IP, owning the channel, owning the upside)

🎤 Doing Things Media

They own Recess Therapy, Middle Class Fancy, Neurodivergent Moments, Doggos Doing Things, and like 40 other channels.
They’ve taken meme pages and turned them into real, scalable content franchises.

They don’t just post memes; they build and have purchased personalities, shows, and platforms that brands can plug into.

💥 Fallen Media

Owns What’s Poppin? with Davis Burleson, Street Hearts, and Subway Oracle.
They’ve built a street-interview empire and found a way to turn man-on-the-street chaos into repeatable, monetizable formats.

🧠 Mad Realities

I met with Talia Schulweiss, the host and producer of the show Hollywood IQ, the other week. We graduated from the same high school, about 7 years apart, though. So small world moments.

🎭 Dhar Mann Studios — The Wild Card That Works
You can roll your eyes… but Dhar Mann has built one of the most consistent short-form episodic empires on the internet. To me, it feels like Degrassi on steroids.

Every video is a mini-moral play:

• Same cast of characters

• Clear lesson every time

• Hook → tension → resolution → signature line ("So you see...")

The quality is polarizing. The structure? Flawless. This is IP at scale. It’s Aesop’s YouTube. Don’t sleep on this model, especially if you’re building content around values, transformation, or punch-you-in-the-face messaging.

🎥 Don’t Forget: Traditional Media Is Watching

This isn’t just social anymore. This is IP development (intellectual property).

Look at Reesa Teesa — her “Who TF Did I Marry?” saga was a TikTok series. A woman in her car is telling a story. And it went so viral that the series was later adapted into a movie by Alvin Gray's 9/10 Productions, titled "The Wife That Didn't Know Who She Married", and a television series by Natasha Rothwell.

TikTok = the new writers’ room.
YouTube = the new pilot season.
Short-form series are the new spec script.

The best concepts are going to get bought, adapted, and distributed way beyond social. This isn’t just brand strategy. It’s a media strategy.

😮‍💨 But... Let’s Be Real. Most People Can’t Just Launch a Show

Here’s the truth:

You can’t just decide to “start a series” and expect it to work.

Why?

Because audience recognition matters.

A lot of these creators already have:

• Strong facial recognition

• Engaged audiences who come back for them

• A history of consistently performing content

• Trust

If you haven’t built that yet, launching a series might flop.
Not because the idea’s bad, but because no one knows who you are (yet).

This is the part I think about a lot with Excel Daddy. I blew up on TikTok and put out 60 videos in my first month. Never showed my face. And I think that screwed me a bit. I posted a video the other day and it got 1,000 views. Not because it was bad or the concept is bad - because my concept is fucking great!

But because people don’t know me. People don’t know the character outside of education. And I need to figure out the production style that works.

💼 My Plan: Build a Hedge Fund Comedy Universe on TikTok

I’ve been sitting on this idea for a while: a TikTok-native series set inside a fictional hedge fund, where I play every character.

Think Meet the Klumps meets HBO’s Industry.
Dry, absurd, corporate satire. Built for vertical.

But this isn’t just for laughs… It’s a creative Trojan horse.

Right now, Excel Daddy is mostly known for tutorials. Which is great… but it limits brand range.
This show unlocks something bigger, characters that brands actually want to align with.

Here’s the lineup:

• Managing Director: Jon Hamm energy, born in Greenwich. Luxury brand deals (watches, spirits, travel).

• Vice President (Excel Daddy): Overworked but sharp. Tech, finance, B2B brands.

• First-Year Analyst: Just trying to survive. CPG, coffee, delivery apps, career platforms.

You don’t slap a logo on a slide; you embed the brand into the world.

That’s the goal. But first… I need to rebuild audience recognition, get back on camera, and remind people I’m more than Excel spreadsheets.

Let’s see what happens.
Because again, without that baseline, the best ideas go nowhere.

No Spoilers! But basically, this character, if he still worked at the hedge fund.

🧠 TL;DR — Shows Are the Future

Whether you’re a creator or a brand, here’s what to take away:

• Think in formats, not posts. Could someone binge your content like a series? Remember James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke?

• Make the brand part of the concept. Don’t just sponsor, embed. I always say that seamless integration is the key to good brand partnerships.

• Focus on structure and repeatability. A great hook is nothing without great delivery.

• Audience recognition comes first. Don’t skip the groundwork.

The future of social isn't viral.
It’s episodic, structured, and ownable.
The next big wave won’t be a post, it’ll be a pilot.

It doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
But it does need structure, characters, and a reason to care.

That’s how you turn content into something people actually remember.

I’m working on mine. You should be, too.

See you next week,
— Jacob

In this issue:

• 📅 Event Recap – Highlights and insights from our latest fireside chat with Mr. NYC Subway and The European Kid.

• 🎂 Creator x Brand Collaboration – A look at how Aris (The European Kid) could bring loud luxury to life in the Hamptons this summer through a fully immersive, narrative-driven campaign.

• 📈 Scaling Storytime – A quick strategic breakdown of how Aris could grow and build his creator-focused platform.

Two Weeks Ago:

We hosted our best event yet.
(Yes, I say that every time. But I mean it.)

🎤 The Creator’s Journey: A Fireside Chat with Mr. NYC Subway & The European Kid

A packed private studio in NYC.
Creators with 30M+ followers represented in the room (the population of Peru).
And two of the most creatively strategic creators I know.

3 Takeaways From the Conversation:

1. Authenticity is overrated.
   What matters is consistency. Aris (The European Kid) isn’t playing himself on camera, he’s playing a character. But he plays it perfectly every time.

2. Being a creator isn’t a personality, it’s a system.
   Aris turns it on when the camera is rolling. Off camera, he’s thoughtful, reserved, and strategic.

3. Real longevity comes from building beyond social.
   Andreas has turned his viral subway portraits into a thriving fine art business. Aris is the co-founder of Storytime, empowering creators to partner with local restaurants and get real value for their content.

Social media is just the surface. What matters is what you build under it.

A Taste of Elegance:

Huge thank you to Wall Street Caviar, who provided a giant tin of caviar and a luxury tasting for the evening.

Maybe one of the best caviars I’ve ever had!

They’re located in Manhattan at 14 Wall St and do caviar tastings, tapas, and weekend oyster & champagne brunches!

Check them out here: @wallstreetcaviar | Website

📸 Event Photos & Video

Download photos here:

I’ll be clipping up some of the panel moments soon, trying to get better every time. Although there were a lot of moments we won’t be able to share.

Also, I just picked up a pair of DJI 2 mics for cleaner audio next time.

🧠 Shoutout: Storytime

Creators, if you haven’t tried Storytime, you should check it out.

The app helps local creators get meals, coffee, baked goods, and more from local businesses in exchange for sharing a story on IG. I’ve seen the app, and it’s seamless to use. You go to a place on the app, show them your code, and then get the product. If I were on it (Aris I may need the hookup), I would probably use it every day.

In NYC, some of our biggest expenses are rent and food, so imagine never having to pay for lunch or coffee again.

One creator told me they’ve saved over $1,500 on food since March.

🙌 Special Thanks…

To our incredible speakers, thank you for your time and insights. What you shared was unlike anything I’ve heard from the countless panels and conferences I’ve been to.

• 📸 Mr. NYC Subway (Andreas Verrios)

  • TikTok | Instagram | Website

• 🛥️ The European Kid (Aris Yaeger)

  • TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | Storytime App

And to the team helping capture photos and video, to helping set up food/bev and our tech for the night, I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank You to the following!

• Videographer: Michael Fox - Producer and Founder of The Beach Website

• Photographer: Scott Hoffmann - Portfolio

• Photographer: Kevin Julian - Founder of Splendid Snaps Website | IG

• Photographer: Freddy Anzurez - IG

• Set Up: Megha Singh - Founder of Creator World IG

To friends who helped set up chairs, let me use their phone, took pictures/videos, shared photos with your friends, and just showed up, I appreciate you too!

🗺 What’s Next?

I’ve mapped out my events through the rest of the year:

🎙 Podcasting
🎮 Gaming
💼 B2B
👗 Fashion
🎬 Entertainment
…and a few surprises 👀

The next one will be sometime in late July, as I’m trying to build out sponsorship opportunities and strategic partnerships to ensure we continue to build the right audiences, and so I can build bigger and better events.

I take big swings.
Sometimes they land. Sometimes they don’t.
But that’s how this gets built.

I want to bring on the biggest creators in NY, CMOs from the top brands in the U.S., and the biggest social media platforms in the world! We’ll get there… but only with the help from this community and your participation!

His socials are in the above section if you want to check it out!

THE INSPIRATION:

• The new-age digital aristocrat: creators who don’t just wear luxury, they weaponize it.

• The excess of Gatsby, the confidence of Succession, and the delivery of a hypebeast villain in a silk robe.

• The Summer Hamptons circuit as the cultural epicenter of American wealth performance—a place where money, mythology, and media converge.

• Creator-as-character storytelling—where The European Kid becomes more than a creator. He becomes a living symbol of aspirational chaos.

THE CONCEPT:

A fully immersive, narrative-driven residency in the Hamptons, where The European Kid brings together the world’s loudest luxury brands. Not to sell products, but to build a world so rich, so ridiculous, and so refined, you see the satire in 4K.

This summer, The European Kid brings Succession-level energy to social media.
Think: power, wealth, and chaos—captured like an HBO drama, delivered like a TikTok series.

He’s not going to the Hamptons to relax. It’s a performance.
Think: Gatsby, if he had a TikTok account and a billionaire media strategy team.

Every brand in this story serves the world, not the other way around.

The Scene:

• A weeklong takeover at a $15,000-a-night estate from The Nightfall Group

• Arrival and departure by Blade helicopter

• Dom Pérignon on ice

• Bang & Olufsen speakers echoing through every room

• Rolexes stacked like poker chips

• Louis Vuitton luggage thrown around like it’s disposable

• Loro Piana for a soft hint of elegance beneath the noise

• A private Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management, because those are probably happening weekly in the Hamptons.

It’s not an influencer trip. It’s a modern luxury installation. The goal isn’t to sell products. It’s to build a world so over-the-top, it feels surreal.

No brand shoutouts. No tags. Just the kind of content that makes people stop scrolling and say:

“ I don’t even know what this is - but I want in.”

This is Billions meets TikTok.
A full-throttle experiment in status, storytelling, and social dominance.

P.S. If the momentum keeps building, I’d love to host a major brand event in the Hamptons—maybe 2026 if all goes to plan.

Where it all goes down

Strategy Note: The Two Sides of The European Kid

Aris is building two very different, but equally strategic, brands:

• The European Kid: a loud, cinematic character designed to capture attention and command the algorithm.

• Storytime: a creator-focused platform that helps influencers promote local restaurants through IG stories in exchange for perks.

After chatting with him, it’s clear that while The European Kid is the performance, Storytime is the passion. It’s a tool with real utility, especially for creators working in the food, lifestyle, and local business space. The challenge now is scale.

Here are three core paths forward:

1. City-by-City Expansion
   Appoint creator leads in key markets (NYC, LA, Miami, etc.) who build local partnerships and generate consistent content on the platform.

2. National & Global Brand Integration
   Partner with major chains like Starbucks, Sweetgreen, or Dunkin to increase legitimacy and reach. Joe & The Juice is already on the app in NYC, but a brand with 40,000+ locations would be a game changer.

3. Hybrid Model: Local Infrastructure, National Reach
   Build local creator ecosystems while pitching national brands. As cities gain traction, use that momentum to onboard bigger partners looking for authentic, creator-led storytelling.

Aris has already proven he can build a powerful online persona.
Storytime has the potential to be something even bigger, something that lasts.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for coming along for the ride.

Whether you're here for the strategy, the storytelling, or just to indulge in a bit of curated chaos and loud luxury, I appreciate you being part of this community.

This whole thing started with a few people in a bar. Now we’re talking helicopters, caviar, and a potential Hamptons takeover.

Best,

Jacob

Our Next Event:

🎟️ The Creator’s Journey: A Fireside Chat Featuring Mr. NYC Subway and The European Kid

Thursday, May 22 | 6:30–9:30 PM | Private Studio in NYC

Join us for an intimate evening with two of NYC’s most innovative creators and an open, unfiltered conversation about what it takes to build a creative identity, maintain momentum, and think strategically as a creator and business owner.

I thought the fireworks added a nice touch!

We’ll go deep on questions like:

• 🧠 Why do creators start, and how does their original spark evolve?

• 🎯 What do you choose to double down on or leave behind?

• 🤝 Who do you partner with, and what makes a brand collab meaningful?

• 🌍 Where do creator-to-creator collaborations work best, and how do you align, not just appear together?

• 🔮 When do you know it’s time to think beyond the algorithm, and what does success look like long-term?

This is a rare chance to hear from two creators who aren’t just shaping social media, they’re influencing culture at large.

Expect a conversation that blends creativity, strategy, and clear insight into what it means to build with purpose today and where it’s all headed.

If you show up, you’ll walk away with something you haven’t heard before and a new way of thinking about what’s possible for yourself as a creator or as a brand building on social media.

🎙️Featuring:

📸 Mr. NYC Subway (Andreas Verrios)

TikTok | Instagram | Website

From subway platforms to art galleries, Andreas has built one of NYC’s most iconic creator identities. His cinematic portraits of everyday New Yorkers and viral shoots with celebrities like Ed Sheeran and Drew Barrymore have grown into a booming fine art business, with prints selling for over $10K. He’ll share how he created a culturally resonant content series, built long-term partnerships with brands like Sony, and how he's positioning himself for success beyond content.

🛥️ The European Kid (Aris Yaeger)

TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | Storytime App

With over 3M followers, Aris rose to fame through his outrageous Euro-rich persona, “Louis.” But behind the satire is a strategic mind. He’s collaborated with creators like Jake Paul, built an ongoing series with Chiara King, and co-founded Storytime, a platform connecting creators with local businesses for meaningful, real-world partnerships. He’ll share how he’s scaling his brand with intention, prioritizing ownership, and building for longevity in a space that moves fast.

🥂 Food, Drink & Something Special:
We’ll have wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and light snacks available throughout the evening to keep things casual and comfortable.

We’re also excited to be partnering with Number One Caviar, which will be offering a complimentary caviar tasting during the event. It’s a great opportunity to try something special, connect with other attendees, and enjoy the space before and after the conversation.

Come for the insights - stay for the wine, snacks, and a little taste of luxury.

📸 We Could Use a Hand!
To help the night run smoothly, we’re looking for:

• 1–2 volunteers to assist with setup & breakdown

• A photographer to help capture the energy of the evening

So much goes into making events like this happen, and if you or someone you know would be willing to lend a hand, it would mean a lot. Just reply to this email or shoot me a message if you can help or have someone to recommend!

🔜 Coming Up Next...

We’ll be sharing a full recap of the event next week, plus a concept inspired by Aris.

After hearing how he approaches partnerships, I’ll be brainstorming a creative idea tailored to his unique voice. Whether it’s in fashion, high-end luxury, launching a festival, or something totally unexpected, the goal is to imagine a strategic move that builds his business, brings value to his audience, and most importantly, adds to his bottom line.

Stay tuned!

🎤 Next Up: The Creator Fireside Chat (May 22nd)
Join us for an intimate 1:1 with a top creator unpacking how they built their brand, forged major partnerships, and stayed ahead of the algorithm. Expect real talk, no fluff, and the type of insights you can’t Google.

📣 Why Relationships in This Industry Are Everything
Why most creators stay invisible—and how to stand out without selling out. We’re breaking down the real pipeline (platforms, agencies, and shoutouts that work), plus how to make yourself impossible to ignore.

Our Next Event:

Thursday, May 22nd: The Creator Fireside Chat 🔥

Join us for an exclusive 1:1 conversation with a leading creator. No fluff, just real talk. We'll dive deep into the journey behind the brand: from humble beginnings to global partnerships, from viral hits to long-term strategy. It’s an unfiltered look at what it actually takes to build in the creator economy today.

Whether you're a marketer, creator, or strategist, expect practical insights and behind-the-scenes stories about:

• 📈 How they got started—and what they’d do differently

• 🤝 Picking the right brand partnerships (and walking away from the wrong ones)

• 🎥 Their approach to content and storytelling across platforms

• 🧠 Thinking like a brand, not just a creator

• 🔮 Where the creator economy is headed next

Who You Know Is Everything

And I don’t just say that—I’ve lived it.

As much as I’d love to say I do it all alone, and on the day-to-day, I do, in retrospect, I don’t. Many interviews, partnerships, and opportunities come from knowing someone gracious enough to recommend me.

📲 How I Got My Job at TikTok

I didn’t apply through a portal.
I didn’t have an inside contact.
I just networked relentlessly—and here’s how it happened:

1. I reached out to someone named Lauren.

   • We barely knew each other, just Facebook friends from mutual hometown circles.

2. We hopped on a quick call.

   • I shared what I was looking for and asked if she’d refer me.

3. She said yes.

   • No magic trick. Just a genuine conversation that turned into a referral.

4. Four weeks later, I started working at TikTok.

That’s it.
That’s the story.

✅ No perfect resume.
✅ No secret playbook.
Just the right person. At the right time. From one conversation.

🌴 How a Brand Trip to the Maldives Happened

I was invited to Brand Innovators, a marketing event for execs, through a friend.

At the time, I had just launched Social4TheWin and probably shouldn’t have even been in the room.

Here’s what happened:

1. I met David Drexler
   → We hit it off.

2. David invited me to his event
   → I met David & Sue Kang, founders of Vue Collection.

3. Partnered with David & Sue on Event
   → We gave away 3 trips to the Maldives.

4. Creator bikini shoot in the Maldives
   → Vue Collection partnered with New York Swim Week.

5. Luxury event in August with Vue Collection
   → Same team, new concept, bigger impact.

One intro → another → a campaign in paradise → another event.

That’s what happens when you show up.
It’s not linear. It’s relationship compounding.

✉️ How One Email Turned Into the Shorty Awards

This one started in the most random way.

1. Emailed Beacon’s help desk
   → one question about their platform and intro.

2. Multiple conversations
   → We stayed in touch.

3. Tried to partner on my events
   → It didn’t pan out, but I’m friendly with the team.

4. Invited me to TikTok Live event
   → Small, invite-only setting.

5. I met Junmian
   → Managing Director of the Shorty Awards.

6. I shared what I was building
   → The vision behind my events and why they matter.
   → She got it immediately.

Since then:

• ✅ I’ve been invited to attend the Shorty Awards

• 🤝 We’re exploring a future partnership

• 🎟️ I got to attend the Possible Summit—for free

• 📱 Launched a new interview series with marketers & creators—started with Reddit, BeReal, and Expedia

• Gary V Called me Daddy!

David Drexler was at Possible with me! Hopefully I’ll be speaking next year!

All of that…
From one email to a help desk.
No pitch. No ask.
Just a relationship that grew naturally over time.

💼 If You’re a Marketer…

When you get laid off, who actually helps you?

I worked at TikTok for over two years.
Two years later, I barely talk to anyone from the team.

• LinkedIn Easy Apply? 1,000+ applicants per role.

• Recruiters? They care about filling the role, not you.

• The only thing that matters?
  People who know your work—and want to see you win.

🔄 Your Career Will Keep Moving. Will Your Network?

Most marketers don’t stay in one role for a decade.
You job-hop. You pivot. You level up.

But every time you do, one thing determines how fast you land:

Who’s in your corner?

Whether you’re:

• 🎯 Moving from agency to brand

• 🚀 Going in-house at a startup

• 🔄 Resetting after burnout or layoffs

You don’t need more Slack groups or LinkedIn likes.
You need people who pick up the phone when you call.

🤝 Why These Events Matter

This isn’t just about panels.
It’s about being in the room before you need something.

Because the best:

• Jobs

• Referrals

• Opportunities

Rarely go to the most qualified person
They go to the most connected one.

🎥 And Yes — Meeting Creators Makes You Better

The best marketers today don’t just work with creators, they know them.

Because when:

• Your CMO wants a last-minute TikTok campaign

• You need a speaker with real influence

• You’re building social content that hits

You won’t have time to cold-DM 20 people.
You’ll need:

• ✅ Creators you trust

• ✅ People you already vibe with

• ✅ Names you can text, not pitch

This is where those relationships start.
Better ideas. Faster execution. Real connection.

That’s the difference.

💼 If You’re a CREATOR…

Let’s be real for a second:

You can make great content.
But if brands or agencies don’t know you, you’re not getting the deal.

🌱 Want to Grow? Build with Others

Every creator you admire?
They didn’t grow alone.

• They collaborated.

• They swapped audiences.

• They DMed each other ideas.

• They showed up, even when there wasn’t a check involved.

🤝 Why These Events Matter

Whether you’re:

• 🎥 Looking to collaborate with creators outside your niche

• 💬 Wanting to swap content ideas or cross-post

• 🤝 Hoping to connect with marketers for future partnerships

These rooms are for you.

🎥 Get to Know Marketers

You don’t need to pitch every marketer in the room.

Show up.
Have real conversations.
Exchange contacts. Share stories.
Let them get to know the person behind the page.

Because the next:

• Brand partnership

• Collab video

• Paid opportunity

It isn’t going to come from a cold email.
It’s going to come from someone who’s already met you.

This is the stuff that doesn’t show up on your For You Page.
But it’s what makes everything else possible.

• Real people.

• Real community.

• Real growth.

🤝 That’s Why I Host These Events

Not just to talk about trends.
But to put the right people in the right room, before they need something.

Panels are cool.
Free drinks are great.
But the magic? That happens between the programming.
When a marketer and a creator start talking… and something clicks.

So yeah, who you know is everything.
And it all starts by showing up.

See you at the next one.

🔥 Event Recap — Our Best One Yet
160 RSVPs, 90 attendees, 3 powerhouse speakers, and one delicious pistachio liqueur later… here’s the full breakdown of our latest creator-marketer mixer, including shoutouts to our partners, volunteers, and standout moments.

🎤 Next Up: The Creator Fireside Chat (May 14)
Join us for an intimate 1:1 with a top creator unpacking how they built their brand, forged major partnerships, and stayed ahead of the algorithm. Expect real talk, no fluff, and the type of insights you can’t Google.

📣 How Creators Actually Get Discovered
Why most creators stay invisible—and how to stand out without selling out. We’re breaking down the real pipeline (platforms, agencies, and shoutouts that work), plus how to make yourself impossible to ignore.

OUR LAST EVENT:

It was truly our best yet — and yes, I say that every time, but this one really hit different.

Here’s the breakdown:

📈 160 RSVPs and ~90 attendees — a strong turnout right in line with top-tier industry events (30–50% attrition is typical).

🎤 Our Speakers:

• Blaise Ffrench – Creator with 5M+ followers, early BodyArmor investor, and actor

• Alex Onaindia – Founder & CEO of Distinction Agency, representing top athletes and digital sports talent

• Melissa Chen – Global Brand, Creative & Experiential Marketing, Senior Manager — a standout voice in bridging brand storytelling with cultural relevance

They dropped some incredible insights!

🤝 Partners:

• The Shorty Awards – Honoring the best of digital and social.

• B&H Creators – Equipping creators with tools to level up their content. We were able to give away three $100 gift cards to some of our attendees!

• Fabrizia Spirits – Provided the drinks (including a surprisingly elite pistachio liqueur — yes, it was amazing). Thanks Gabriella!

📸 Shoutout to our volunteer team — you made it happen:

• Photo/Video Leads: Michael Fox (The Beach) & Kevin Julian (Splendid Snaps)

• Photographers: Manideep Seelam, Freddy Anzurez, Mahek Mata, Ankit Alkunte

• Ops & Logistics: Peter Mamaev, Milo Baron, Kate Morris, Chitan Jikkar, Sarah Prisca, Kouadio

• LifeTime Staff: Evita Scoccia, Ezra Freeman

The team that helped make this incredible event happen! I couldn’t have done it alone!

Grateful for this community — creators, marketers, builders, and believers.

Our Next Event:

Wednesday, May 14th: The Creator Fireside Chat 🔥

Join us for an exclusive 1:1 conversation with a leading digital creator—no fluff, just real talk. We'll dive deep into the journey behind the brand: from humble beginnings to global partnerships, from viral hits to long-term strategy. It’s an unfiltered look at what it actually takes to build in the creator economy today.

Whether you're a marketer, creator, or strategist, expect practical insights and behind-the-scenes stories about:

• 📈 How they got started—and what they’d do differently

• 🤝 Picking the right brand partnerships (and walking away from the wrong ones)

• 🎥 Their approach to content and storytelling across platforms

• 🧠 Thinking like a brand, not just a creator

• 🔮 Where the creator economy is headed next

Who would you want to see on that stage?
What creator could shift the way you view content, business, or community?

I’m writing this from the POSSIBLE Summit in Miami—just heard Haley Kalil speak, and she’s my pick. Her story is wild: scientist turned creator, collaborator with A-list names, and she’s navigated controversy with grace and strategy. I think she could drop gems that change the whole room.

Hit reply and tell me: Who would blow your mind in a fireside chat?

How Creators Really Get Discovered (And Why 99% Never Will)

Let's be real.

There are millions of creators out there right now, all trying to wave their hands in the air, screaming, “Pick me! Pick me!”

But brands aren’t hunting through a forest trying to find you. And agencies aren’t climbing mountains either.

If you want to get discovered, you have to make it stupidly easy to be found.

Let's start with the basics...

1) Just Put Your Damn Email and Location in Your Bio:

You'd be shocked how many creators still don’t have basic contact info in their bio.

You need to have two things (even if it’s in your link in bio).

✅ Your email address
✅ Your location (at least your city!)

Why?
Because the reality is — when an agency is scouting for creators, they want:

• Someone they can reach out to without DM'ing you into the void.

• Someone they can book for a shoot/event without guessing if you're located in NYC or the North Pole.

You want to get picked? Make it easier to be picked.

Honestly, even if you work with an agency, I recommend putting your business email there. Not just your “name/agency@randomagency.com”

Yeah, maybe you'll get a few random emails from weird startups trying to sell you mushroom coffee or the next AI platform. But guess what?

Every major opportunity starts with a random email.
(I was a random email once, too - to some of you I still probably am)

This guy Excel Daddy might know a thing or two.

2. It's a Freaking "Where's Waldo" Game Out There

You’re not just competing with the creators in your exact niche, you’re competing with all creators.

If you're a food creator... guess what? There are about 100,000 others posting avocado toast today too.

If you normally work with a travel brand that same brand might decide they want to brand out into different content niches like fitness or sports.

Quick Numbers Check 📊 

(I’ve seen numbers all over the place, but simply there are a lot of creators and a lot of competition).

• 50 million+ people worldwide consider themselves creators (SignalFire, 2023). I’ve seen reports that say it’s up to 300M+

• In the U.S. alone?
  → About 14 million creators. I’ve also seen stats that say there are 40M+ full full-time creators (which sounds ridiculous).

• Breakdown by niche (rough estimates based on CreatorIQ and InfluencerMarketingHub data):

  • Lifestyle: 30%

  • Beauty: 15%

  • Fitness/Wellness: 10%

  • Food: 8%

  • Gaming: 7%

  • Fashion: 5%

  • Travel: 5%

  • Business/Education: 5%

  • Other (comedy, pets, etc.): 15%

Point is: You’re Waldo.

3. How Brands (Really) Find You

Spoiler alert: It's mostly not the brands.
It's the agencies behind the brands.
You think Nike’s influencer team is personally handpicking talent? No. They're outsourcing it.

Here's the real pipeline:

1. Platforms like CreatorIQ, Tagger, or Mavrck.

   • Giant databases of millions of creators.

   • If you’re not on them, you basically don’t exist to some agencies.

2. They worked with you before.

   • And usually they found you... wait for it... on one of those platforms.

3. They find you in the feed.

   • Yes, you could get lucky and get noticed organically — but it’s rare unless you’re already making waves. Or the people at the agencies spot you (hopefully, you pop up in their algorithm).

4. Your agency pitches you.

   • If you have a GOOD agency, they're actually outbound pitching you to brands (not just waiting for inbound offers). And they’re pitching you with strategic content ideas.

5. You tag brands in organic content.

   • But you do it smartly — not spamming, and not being a walking billboard for only one company.

4. The Power of Organic Brand Shoutouts (But Don't Overdo It)

Tagging brands you love in your content? 🔥 It works.
Brands want to work with creators who are already organically aligned.

But careful:

• If you ONLY post about one brand, you might accidentally "brand lock" yourself.

• Other brands in that category might think you're too committed (or worse, in an exclusive deal).

• Variety shows you're authentic — you love the category, not just one company writing a check.

• You don’t just want to be on the “PR List” you want a deal.

• Talk about the brand like you’re already in the deal — but leave room for others to think they can still win you.

5. So, How Do You Actually Stand Out?

Here’s your cheat code:
✅ Be easy to contact (email, city, website if you have one).
✅ Be consistently visible (tag, post, engage).
✅ Be on platforms agencies use (don't assume they’ll find you by accident).
✅ Have a point of view.
→ Brands and agencies aren’t just buying your audience — they're buying your voice. Your perspective. Your ability to say why you, as a creator and your engagement are not just good, but better than the other creators that might look or post just like you.
✅ Mix in real relationships.
→ Agencies talk. Build real ones when you can — they're the key to repeat work.
✅ Get your work in on time! (If you make the lives of your agency/brand partners easy, they will work with you again). When I was at TikTok, I pitched creators I liked and I knew were easy to work with.

At the end of the day, you can’t just be Waldo. You’ve gotta be the Waldo who’s jumping off the page in neon green, waving a sign that says "Hire Me."

Because agencies aren’t just looking for reach — they’re looking for reliability, personality, and clarity.

This is what ChatGPT thought I looked like. Idk…

And don’t forget to RSVP to our next event! Looking forward to seeing you there.

THE SOCIAL ARENA:

Live Sports as the Frontier of Digital Culture
📅 Wednesday, April 2 | NYC

A Note From Jacob:

As I put the final touches on tomorrow’s event, something hit me:

Every sponsor, every partner, almost every single person helping behind the scenes—including the venue coordinator—I met at an event this past year. Or I was introduced to them through someone I met at an event. That’s the magic of showing up.

Somehow, some way, you meet people who start rooting for you. People who want to see you win. People who, a year ago, didn’t even know you existed.

That’s the power of being in the room.

It’s no different from how you land a job, get a new opportunity, or build a business. You can try to do it alone—but it’s a hell of a lot harder.

That’s why events like this matter. Will every single conversation be life-changing? Probably not. But if you walk away with one person you click with, one idea that sticks, one insight that unlocks something new—then it’s worth it.

At the very least, you’ll hear it from me, live and unfiltered.

We’ve got 150 RSVPs for tomorrow, and I genuinely believe it’s going to be our best one yet.

🔗 Networking with top creators and marketers
Our creator guests have a collective reach of 25–35 million followers across platforms. On the brand side, we’re expecting amazing folks from Dell, the WNBA, MLS, Robinhood, Roku, and more.

🎙️ A high-impact panel on how creators and brands can show up during massive sports moments—without losing their voice or their audience.
Think: The Olympics. F1. March Madness. The moments that take over the internet.

Featuring:

• Blaise Ffrench – Creator (5M+ followers), early Body Armor investor, actor, and one of the original marketers at Body Armor before going full-time as a creator.

• Alex Onaindia – CEO of Distinction Agency, representing top-tier athletes and creators—including 3 Olympic medalists from the 2024 Paris Games.

• Melissa Chan – Global Brand, Creative & Experiential Marketing at Dell Technologies, formerly leading Global Experience at AMEX.

Expect bold takes, real conversation, and a room full of people who get it.

🏀 Three-Point Contest
We’ll randomly draw 5 names from a hat and give competitors a chance to compete for a B&H gift card. Bragging rights and a feature on the next newsletter are included!

Hope to see you there!

In this issue:

📅 Upcoming Event — Wednesday, April 2
Join us for a one-of-a-kind conversation on how creators and brands can show up during major sports moments—without losing their voice or audience.

🎯 Topic: Creator x Brand Collaboration in Sports Culture
How creators across any niche can lean into moments like March Madness, F1, or the Olympics in ways that feel natural, engaging, and on-brand.

📓 What You’ll Get:
Actionable strategies, creator-led inspiration, and real takeaways for marketers looking to build better partnerships—and creators looking to create content that lands.

THE SOCIAL ARENA:

How Major Events Dominate Digital Culture

Join us on April 2nd! 🏀

From March Madness buzzer-beaters to last-lap F1 drama, Olympic breakout stars, and viral festival moments—big events take over the internet. They define the cultural conversation and shape the way brands and creators show up online.

Join us as we explore how creators and brands can authentically tap into these cultural moments across sports and build creator partnerships similar to sports sponsorships. Expect sharp insights, meaningful networking, and a high-energy crowd.

We’re excited to feature speakers like:

• 🎤 Blaise Ffrench – Creator with 5M+ followers, early BodyArmor investor, and actor
  

• 🎤 Alex Onaindia – Founder & CEO of Distinction Agency, repping pro athletes and digital sports talent

A quick ask from Jacob:
We’re looking for 2–3 volunteers to help with check-in, and a photographer to capture the night. Our events are curated for creators, marketers, and folks in the creator economy, but volunteering is a great way to get involved if you're outside that world.

You’ll still get time to network and we’ll shout you out before the panel as well as in our next newsletter.

RSVP below to be a part of the event! 🎟️🔥

THE INSPIRATION:

Major sports moments aren't just for athletes or sports creators, they’re cultural tentpoles that dominate the internet, spark emotion, and create massive shared attention.

The inspiration behind this concept is simple: any creator, in any niche, can show up during these moments, as long as their content is creative, relevant to their voice, and thoughtfully aligned with the spirit of the event.

Whether it’s a beauty creator reimagining a Formula 1 pit stop, a workplace comedian coaching their team like it’s March Madness, or a fashion minimalist reflecting global identity through Olympic style, there’s a lane for everyone. The key is to meet the moment, not hijack it. When done right, creators and brands can both tap into the cultural conversation in ways that feel fun, fresh, and authentic.

THE CONCEPTS:

🔴 1. F1 x Beauty

Concept Title: “Beauty Pit Stop”

• Creator: Danielle Marcan TT / IG

• Brand: Charlotte Tilbury

• Idea: Reimagine an F1 pit stop as a glam reset. Quick, dramatic beauty touch-ups during "high-speed moments"—like between shows, meetings, or nights out.

🔵 2. F1 x Finance

Concept Title: “The Cost of Speed”

• Creator: Vincent Chan YT / IG / TT

• Brand: American Express

• Idea: Break down the actual cost of running an F1 team, attending Monaco GP, or building a sponsor-backed race strategy—financial storytelling meets luxury fandom.

🟪 3. March Madness x Slack

Concept Title: “Boardroom Timeout”

• Creator: Ross Pomerantz AKA Corporate Bro IG / TT

• Brand: Slack

• Idea: Office standups meet basketball timeouts. Corporate Bro coaches a sales team like it's March Madness—complete with whiteboards, buzzwords, and buzzer-beaters.

🟧 4. March Madness x Food

Concept Title: “Wings & Wins” 

• Creator: Brian Can’t Stop Eating IG / TT

• Brand: Buffalo Wild Wings

• Idea: A food-fueled journey through the classic bracket style content but for BWW. Brian pairs different wings (flavors) with game-day emotions: overtime anxiety, underdog comebacks, and heartbreak exits.

🟥 5. Olympics x Fashion x Uniqlo x Time Desaint

Concept Title: “Wardrobes of the World”

• Creator: Tim Dessaint TT / IG / YT

• Brand: Uniqlo

• Idea: Explore minimalist, global styles inspired by Olympic countries—styling through culture, movement, and intentionality.

🔵 6. Olympics x Lifestyle

Concept Title: “Mental Gymnastics”

• Creator: Drew Afualo TT / IG

• Brand: Calm

• Idea: Reframing strength through mental health. Drew explores what it means to “win” emotionally during high-stakes moments—channeling rage, calm, power, and boundaries like an Olympian.

TIPS FOR BRANDS & CREATORS

1. Tap into the energy, not just the event.
   It’s not about the sport—it’s about the emotion. Underdog stories, buzzer-beaters, high stakes, national pride. Find the human angle that aligns with your brand or creator's voice.

2. Remix the moment through your niche.
   Your lane is your superpower. Don’t force a sports angle—reframe it through what you do best. Beauty creators? Think glam-as-pit-stop. Food creators? Build a Snack Olympics. Corporate? Run Zoom standups like a coach’s huddle.

3. Be early, but stay reactive.
   Pre-plan creative concepts, but leave room for real-time responses. The internet moves fast during big events. Having flexible frameworks lets you jump in when the moment hits.

If this got you thinking, we’re diving deeper next week at our event—exploring how creators and brands can show up during major sports moments in ways that actually make sense. Would love to see you there.

Best,

Jacob

In this issue:

• 📅 Upcoming Event: Join us on April 2nd for a one-of-a-kind event! It will be an incredible way to meet other creators and marketers in person. We’re breaking down how brands, creators, and media can tap into some of the world’s biggest events. Don’t miss it!

• 🎂 Creator x Brand Collaboration: How Tiffany’s can team up with creators like Jackie Aina and Monet McMichael to bring luxury brands onto social media strategically.

• 🎬 Brand & Creator Strategies: Actionable takeaways for marketers and creators to apply to their own content or high-level partnerships.

THE SOCIAL ARENA:

How Major Events Dominate Digital Culture

Join us on April 2nd! 🏀

Big events take over the internet. From March Madness buzzer-beaters to F1’s last-lap drama, Olympic breakout stars, and viral music festival moments, these cultural touchpoints dominate social feeds and brand strategies.

Join us as we dive into how brands and creators can authentically tap into these moments across sports, entertainment, and beyond. Expect sharp insights, top-tier networking, and a high-energy crowd.

Oh, and since we’re hosting this on a court where LeBron, KD, and Melo have played… we might shoot a few hoops too.

🚀 Why you should be there:
✅ Connect with top creators & marketers
✅ Discover how brands and creators can authentically tap into cultural moments
✅ Walk away with actionable strategies for content that wins

RSVP below to be a part of the conversation! 🎟️🔥

THE CREATORS:

• Jackie Aina: TT / IG / YT with 8.5M followers

• Monet McMichael: TT / IG / YT with 5.5M followers

THE INSPIRATION:

The ideas that come most naturally to me are the ones where I’m the target audience. For men. Plain and simple. But this time, I wanted to push myself to build something that wasn’t made for me but is a concept that I think should happen.

Funny enough, the first campaign I worked on at TikTok was for Tampax Sport, a tampon brand. Quite literally a product I will never use. I was the only man on a Zoom call with 20 women discussing tampons, and it felt like a scene straight out of a movie. But that experience taught me something valuable: great marketing isn’t about what’s relevant to you, it’s about what resonates with the audience it’s meant for. It’s about listening, understanding, and creating something meaningful.

So, I wanted to try and develop something not meant for me. This time, with a concept centered on Black women, beauty, luxury, and generational influence. I know this isn’t my world, and I’m not here to speak for it, but I do believe in thinking beyond what’s familiar to me. Right now, I work solo, so I’m taking my best swing at it, knowing that the best ideas come from collaboration and cultural nuance.

THE CONCEPT:

Tiffany & Co. has long been a symbol of timeless luxury and sophistication, but today's beauty consumers crave more than just aspiration they want connection, storytelling, and inclusivity.

Crystal Clear Beauty is a multi-phase series that redefines the modern brand trip by blending luxury, self-expression, and the power of generational influence in beauty.

THE FORMAT: Beauty Tea Luxury 

True beauty isn’t just what we see, it’s what we reflect. Just like a Tiffany diamond, elegance is about legacy, craftsmanship, and transformation.

This three-part series follows Jackie Aina and Monet McMichael as they bring audiences into a luxurious world of beauty, fashion, and timeless self-expression, all wrapped in Tiffany & Co.’s signature refinement.

Given that this content is so tied into what Jackie & Monet already make Tiffany’s should let both creators take the lead in terms of content and production style.

💎 Phase 1: Beauty & Expression

Jackie and Monet come from two different worlds of beauty. Jackie, a seasoned makeup artist who has spent years perfecting her craft, and Monet, a new-generation creator bringing an everyday, relatable approach to beauty and skincare. Their styles are different, but their impact is the same: inspiring confidence and self-expression.

In both long-form and short-form videos, they do each other’s makeup, swapping techniques, sharing beauty philosophies, and reflecting on how beauty has evolved in the digital space. The conversation unfolds effortlessly in a Tiffany Blue setting, blending classic glamour with modern beauty culture.

Phase 2: Style & Identity

Style is personal. It’s how you tell the world who you are. Jackie and Monet step into a luxurious dressing room, curating Tiffany-inspired head-to-toe looks for each other while discussing the role of fashion and jewelry in self-expression.

Think classic 90s movie fashion montage.

💎 Phase 3: Luxury & Connection

For the final phase, Jackie and Monet host an elegant high tea, bringing together top beauty creators like Leilani Green, Golloria George, and Makeup by Shayla for a luxurious afternoon of style, conversation, and connection.

Coming directly from the dressing room in their new outfits, they sip from Tiffany Blue china, swap beauty tips, and simply enjoy the moment. A chance to come together, celebrate beauty, and indulge in luxury. The setting is effortlessly chic, creating space for lighthearted conversations about personal style, creative inspiration, and beauty routines.

But luxury isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about influence. If the conversation naturally shifts to how social media has reshaped luxury, how Black creators are setting new standards, or what representation looks like when creators drive the culture, then that’s part of the experience too. This moment allows for both joy and depth, elegance and evolution, without forcing the conversation in any one direction.

Nothing better than a tiny cucumber sandwich, caviar, and little pastries.

What’s in it for Jackie & Monet?

🛍 Gateway to Bigger Luxury Collaborations: This campaign sets a precedent for future partnerships, positioning them for ambassador roles, designer collaborations, and creative director opportunities with top-tier luxury brands in fashion, jewelry, and lifestyle.

💎 Strengthening Their Luxury Brand Portfolio: Jackie and Monet already work with high-end brands, but this campaign lets them build a strong, lasting association with Tiffany & Co. Being part of a multi-phase, experience-driven partnership integrates Tiffany seamlessly into their content and personal brand, rather than just another one-off sponsorship.

What’s in it for Tiffany’s?

📲 Massive Social Media Reach: highly shareable short-form and long-form content strategy.
🛍 Luxury Beyond Jewelry: Highlights Tiffany homeware and accessories as part of a full lifestyle experience.
🎥 Brand Trip 2.0: Reinvents the traditional influencer campaign into a high-touch, experience-driven brand moment.

FOR THE BRANDS:

1. Sell a Lifestyle, Not Just a Product: Great campaigns don’t just push products—they create aspirational moments. Tiffany isn’t just showcasing jewelry; it’s embedding itself in beauty, fashion, and culture through a multi-layered experience. Brands should think bigger than endorsements, how does your product fit into a broader narrative?

2. Let Creators Lead the Storytelling: Luxury brands thrive on exclusivity, but social media thrives on authenticity. Instead of controlling the message, Tiffany’s would let Jackie and Monet seamlessly integrate the brand into their world. The result? Content that feels natural, not forced.

FOR THE CREATORS:

1. Think Beyond the Sponsorship: Jackie and Monet wouldn’t just wear Tiffany, they become part of its brand story. The best partnerships aren’t transactional; they build credibility and long-term brand equity. Creators should focus on partnerships that align with their personal brand for future collaborations, not just quick paychecks.

2. Curate a Brand Image That Feels Inevitable: Jackie and Monet don’t need to “fit” into luxury—they already embody it. The best brand deals happen when the collaboration feels organic, not a stretch. Creators should ask: Does this partnership reinforce or dilute my positioning? If the answer isn’t obvious, it’s the wrong deal.

If you’ve made it this far, just know that while I’ve heated the water, steeped the chamomile, and poured these concepts into your Tiffany Blue teacup, I appreciate you taking a sip.

Whether you’re here for inspiration, brainstorming brand collaborations, or just indulging in a little luxury storytelling, I appreciate you being part of this community.

But seriously, thanks for reading and being part of this journey. Hopefully, we’ll see you at our next event! And if you have any thoughts on how to make this newsletter even better, I’m all ears—because just like a well-set table, there’s always room for improvement.

Best,

Jacob

In this issue:

• 📅 Upcoming Event: Join us on April 2nd for a one-of-a-kind event! It will be an incredible way to meet other creators and marketers in person. We’re breaking down how brands, creators, and media can tap into some of the world’s biggest events. Don’t miss it!

• 🎂 Creator x Brand Collaboration: How Le Pain Quotidien can team up with creators like Allison Chen to turn baking into an immersive content experience.

• 🎬 Brand & Creator Strategies: Actionable takeaways for marketers and creators to apply to their own content or high-level partnerships.

📢 Let’s keep building this community. If you learned something new or thought this was interesting I would really appreciate this if you could share this with a creator or marketing friend who you think would find value in this! Please forward them this email or drop the link below in a group chat.

I started this from zero, and we’ve already grown to 1,000+ readers purely through word of mouth. Every new person helps us make bigger, better events and content, and I’d love for you to be part of that growth.

💬 If you share it, reply and let me know. I always appreciate it!

THE SOCIAL ARENA:

How Major Events Dominate Digital Culture

🏀 Join us on April 2nd! 🏀

Big events take over the internet. From March Madness buzzer-beaters to F1’s last-lap drama, Olympic breakout stars, and viral music festival moments, these cultural touchpoints dominate social feeds and brand strategies.

Join us as we dive into how brands and creators can authentically tap into these moments across sports, entertainment, and beyond. Expect sharp insights, top-tier networking, and a high-energy crowd.

Oh, and since we’re hosting this on a court where LeBron, KD, and Melo have played… we might shoot a few hoops too.

🚀 Why you should be there:
✅ Connect with top creators & marketers
✅ Discover how brands and creators can authentically tap into cultural moments
✅ Walk away with actionable strategies for content that wins

RSVP below to be a part of the conversation! 🎟️🔥

That pastry is called a croquembouche which is a giant stack of choux pastry puffs made into a cone and tied together with threads of caramel (not carmel).

THE INSPIRATION:

This week, we’re diving into a brand and creator partnership that needs to happen. Like most things, my best ideas come from meeting new people and finding unexpected connections in everyday moments. Case in point: I went to a creator event and met Allison Chen, who had made a 10-foot-long cake. Not just any cake—three different flavors, each one more insane than the last.

Allison Chen: IG / TT / YT + Her Recipes

I love to bake and have been thinking about taking a French pastry class at some point. While looking into it, I remembered that Le Pain Quotidien used to offer baking workshops, but I couldn’t find a current class schedule. That got me thinking: what if they partnered with creators to bring these workshops back? It would not only revive the experience but also boost brand awareness and help them reach a whole new audience.

The campaign is titled The Everyday Pâtisserie:

Je parle un peu français (I speak a little French) but for our non-French speakers 

• Le Pain Quotidian is French for “The Daily Bread” or the Everday Bread.

• A Pâtisser is French for pastry chef 

• A Pâtisserie is French for a shop where French pastries and cakes are sold

• You pronounce Pâtisser like Pa-Tis-Ee-Yay (The Everday Pâtisser rhymes)

The cake was insane.

THE CONCEPT:

Le Pain Quotidien has long been known for its rustic breads, cozy cafés, and European-style dining experience. But one of its lesser-known offerings? Pastry-making workshops. A hands-on experience that connects customers to the art of French baking.

Enter Allison Chen, a pastry chef and creator who has built an audience around her stunning confections, deep knowledge of classic techniques, and at times goofball personality. She didn’t just wake up one day as a master pâtisser, she trained at a French pastry school, where she honed her craft in an immersive, classroom setting.

I think she should bring that experience back to life, not as a student, but as a teacher.

The Everyday Pâtisserie is a multi-tiered partnership between Le Pain Quotidien and Allison Chen that turns baking into an interactive storytelling experience. From nostalgic reflections to hands-on classes to an in-store product collaboration, this campaign brings the art of pâtisserie to life in a way that feels personal, experiential, and creator-driven.

THE FORMAT: The Everday Pâtisser 

Every great chef starts as a student. Every expert was once a beginner. And every creator, at some point, had to take the leap from learning to leading. The Everyday Pâtisserie is a multi-phase journey that mirrors that exact transformation, bringing audiences along as Allison goes from student to master, from classroom to café, from learning the craft to redefining it.

📍Phase 1: The Student’s Journey

Allison reflects on her time as a pastry student, sharing never-before-seen footage and stories from her French pastry school days. This nostalgic, behind-the-scenes content highlights her love for the craft and sets the stage for the partnership, showing that even masters were once students.

👩‍🍳 Phase 2: From Student to Teacher

Le Pain Quotidien hosts an exclusive Madeleine-making class led by Allison, bringing back the hands-on workshop experience that LPQ hasn’t widely offered in recent years.

• Two potential directions:

  • Public event: Ticketed masterclass for pastry lovers and aspiring bakers.

  • Creator-exclusive event: LPQ sponsors an invite-only experience for top food & lifestyle creators to immerse themselves in the baking process, generating buzz and high-quality UGC.

🍰 Phase 3: A Day in the Life - The Master at Work

A content series showcasing Allison running her own pastry class, offering a first-hand look at the art of teaching. This behind-the-scenes footage creates a strong emotional arc, reinforcing the full-circle journey from student to master while showcasing the LPQ experience in a fresh, engaging way.

⭐️ Phase 4: The Signature Pastry - The Alchenny Madeleine

Allison’s signature pastry, The Alchenny Madeleine, officially debuts on the LPQ menu. This isn’t just a collaboration, it’s an in-store affiliate activation where Allison earns a commission from every sale of her creation, driving organic promotion from both her audience and LPQ customers.

Bonus Concept: Café & Croissant Creator Series

A relaxed in-store creator gathering where Allison and other food creators discuss the art of French pastry over coffee and croissants, turning LPQ locations into content hubs and conversation spaces.

What’s in it for Allison?

👩‍🍳 From Creator to Culinary Authority – Hosting a class at LPQ establishes Allison as a leading voice in modern pâtisserie, expanding her influence beyond social media. Think about the value Peleton Instructors have gotten from being associated with the brand.

📚 Cookbook & Online Class Launchpad – The workshop builds momentum for a future cookbook, online course, or digital pastry academy by proving audience demand.

💰 Revenue & Business Growth – This partnership creates multiple income streams, including paid event appearances, and affiliate commissions from a specialty pastry “The Alchenny Madeleine” that would be available in store.

📈 Brand Expansion & Audience Growth – Aligning with LPQ gives Allison exposure to food industry professionals, new customers, and media opportunities, growing her audience beyond digital platforms.

What’s in it for LPQ?

🍰 Bridging the Gap Between Creators & Culinary Brands - LPQ becomes an industry leader by pioneering creator-driven food collaborations in a space where cafés have yet to capitalize.

📍 In-Store Traffic & Experiential Marketing - Creator-led pastry workshops bring new customers into LPQ locations, turning them into immersive culinary destinations.

📲 Massive Social Media Exposure - Partnering with Allison fuels organic reach, viral content, and brand awareness without traditional advertising costs.

💰 New Revenue Streams & Sales Growth - Exclusive creator-backed menu items and ticketed workshops introduce fresh revenue opportunities that extend beyond standard café sales.

FOR THE BRANDS:

1. Turn Your Location Into a Content Playground: Food brands struggle to create engaging content, but a creator-led experience, whether it’s a workshop, menu item, or event, fuels endless storytelling, behind-the-scenes footage, and organic buzz. TBH any brand or company with a physical location can do this.

2. Make Your Brand a Cultural Touchpoint, Not Just a Place to Eat: For restaurants by bringing in a creator, your restaurant or café goes from being a dining spot to an experience.

FOR THE CREATORS:

1. Use Brand Partnerships to Reinforce Your Authority: Just like top influencers leverage major collaborations to build credibility, aligning with an established brand solidifies your expertise and gives you recognition beyond social media.

2. Cross-Promote Your Existing Work for Maximum Impact: Use brand-backed events, activations, and content as a way to plug your own projects, drive traffic to your platforms, and convert new audiences into long-term followers.

3. Make Every Partnership a Multi-Platform Content Series: A single collaboration can fuel weeks of content, from behind-the-scenes prep to fan reactions, process videos, and the final product launch.

If you’ve made it this far, just know that while I’m the one cooking up these concepts, I appreciate you taking a bite. Hopefully, it was delicious enough to make you want to snap a pic, because, let’s be real, phones eat first.

Whether you’re here for inspiration, brainstorming your brand collabs, or ready to whip up something yourself, I appreciate you being part of this community.

Fun Jacob fact: I used to bake quite a bit in high school, but if I tried to pull off a 10-foot cake like Allison, I’d probably set off a fire alarm at this point.

But seriously, thanks for reading and being part of this journey. Hopefully, we’ll see you at our next event! And if you’ve got any thoughts on how to make this newsletter even better, I’m always open to a little creative feedback, just like a good recipe, there’s always room for improvement.

Best,

Jacob

This week, we’re diving into a brand and creator partnership inspired by creators who work with Crowdwork Media: Anthony Crouchelli, Allen Ye, & Chris Chung (Hellah Sidibe was also just a great creator but does not work with Crowdwork).

In this issue:

• 📅 Upcoming Events": The next big creator & marketing gathering you won’t want to miss. Don’t forget to sign up!

• 🏀 Creator x Brand Collaboration: Breaking down how Gatorade can evolve its brand through creator-led storytelling and activations.

• 🎬 Brand & Creator Strategies: What both marketers and creators can take away from this idea and leverage in their own content or for high-level content partnerships.

You might’ve noticed a few design changes and hopefully you’re into them because I’m really trying to make this a fun, engaging read from the content to the visuals. Every detail is intentional, so let me know if it’s hitting the mark!

P.S. If you have any creator or marketing friends who might find this interesting, please share it with them! I started this from 0, and we’ve already grown to 1,000+ readers and interested event attendees purely through organic outreach, let’s keep building!

FROM BRACKETS TO BUZZ:

The Power Of Social In March Madness

🏀 Tentative Date: April 2nd (subject to change) 🏀

The NCAA Tournament isn’t just about the games, it’s about the viral moments, real-time engagement, and digital storytelling that captivate millions. From buzzer-beaters to bracket-busters, March Madness is one of the biggest sports marketing moments of the year.

This event will explore how social media fuels the madness, from athlete-driven content to brand campaigns that break through the noise.

CREATOR SPOTLIGHT:

Brought to us by CrowdWork Media!

• Anthony Crouchelli: IG 61K Followers

• Allen Ye:  IG / TT 510K Followers

• Chris Chung:  IG 50K Followers

• Hellah Sidibe: IG / TT / YT 1.01M Followers

Just assuming I can’t and will never beat any of these guys in a race

THE CONCEPT:

For 60 years, Gatorade has fueled the world’s top athletes, but in the era of creator-driven competition, what does it take to truly outlast, outwork, and outperform? Enter the G60 Gauntlet, a high-stakes showdown where elite athlete creators, runners, bodybuilders, hybrid athletes, and endurance freaks, push their limits across grueling tests of speed, strength, endurance, and resilience.

At the end of the day, strength fades, and speed slows, but endurance is what defines the elite. 

• Tom Brady was winning Super Bowls at 40

• LeBron James has shattered almost every NBA record in 22 seasons

• Serena Williams won a Grand Slam while pregnant

This isn’t just for marathoners; it’s for the strongest, fastest, and toughest competitors, from YouTubers like Jeff Nippard and Will Tennyson to bodybuilders like Chris Bumstead and Sam Sulek, to endurance legends like David Goggins. One by one, they’ll fall, until only one remains, the ultimate competitor, crowned as Gatorade’s next social-first athlete partner.

THE CREATORS:

When selecting competitors, I knew I needed athletes who embodied that relentless mindset. I first met Allen Ye on a panel last year, where his endurance training insights stuck with me. Through Sam Katz, founder of CrowdWork, I was introduced to Anthony Crouchelli and Chris Chung, two athletes whose drive and discipline define this challenge. And then there’s Hellah Sidibe, whose daily commitment to running fascinates me as someone who rarely runs more than ten feet. His discipline proves that consistency beats talent every time.

It made perfect sense to feature creators who push limits, adapt, and endure. And with Gatorade’s 60th anniversary, the number 60 became the foundation.

• 60 competitors

• 6 grueling challenges

• 1 champion

The G60 Gauntlet isn’t just a competition it’s a battle against time, against the body, and against every instinct telling you to stop. Because the greatest athletes don’t just win. They endure.

Here was the panel Sam added me on where I met Allen.

THE FORMAT: G60 GAUNTLET

Each phase is a single, defining challenge that eliminates a portion of the competitors, focusing on strategy, grit, and endurance. Every challenge is a mental game just as much as a physical one.

🏃‍♂️Phase 1 Endurance: 12-Hour Shadow Run (60 → 40)

A mental and physical battle of endurance, competitors run for 12 hours, but with a twist: they have no idea how fast their opponents are going. Push too hard and burn out, pace too slow, and risk elimination. At the end, the bottom 20 distances are cut.

💪🏽Phase 2 Strength: The Last to Drop Strength Showdown (40 → 25)

Exhausted from the run, athletes must now hold a progressively heavier weighted bar overhead. The longer they last, the closer they get to survival. The first 15 to drop are out.

🧠Phase 3 Strategy: The NYC Gauntlet (25 → 10)

A city-wide race that’s part obstacle course, part mind game. Inspired by The Amazing Race, competitors must decipher cryptic clues leading to physical challenges across NYC. The first 15 to finish advance, everyone else is lost in the city.

⚡Phase 4 Power: The 1,000-Calorie Burn (10 → 5)

A pure test of energy output, burn 1,000 calories as fast as possible using any method: rowing, sprinting, cycling, or burpees. The last five to finish are eliminated.

🛁Phase 5 Recovery:  The Ice Tank (5 → 3)

Because every fitness influencer swears by the cold plunge, athletes must endure an ice bath while rowing at a steady pace. The first five to give in are out.

🚀Phase 6 Speed: The Final Mile One Last Sprint for Glory (3 → 5 → 1)

After everything, it all comes down to a one-mile, winner-takes-all sprint down the West Side Highway. No pacing, no strategy, just a fight to the finish line. First across wins and is crowned Gatorade’s Official Creator Athlete.

But fans can vote to bring back two eliminated athletes back for the final showdown.

G60 Gauntlet

A Social-First Spectacle & Content Machine

The G60 Gauntlet isn’t just a competition, it’s a content goldmine, generating hundreds of high-impact videos across platforms, and turning every challenge into a viral moment.

• Mid-Performance Interviews

• Behind-the-Scenes Creator Coverage

• Data-Driven Performance Breakdown

• Multiple Angles, Infinite Reach

Athlete-Generated Content & Fan Comebacks: Competitors receive pre-cut content packs, slow-motion highlights, reaction clips, and training footage, to post in real-time, with fans voting two eliminated athletes back into the Final Showdown.

What’s in It for the Creators?

Elite athlete creators deserve elite rewards, and this competition delivers both financial stakes and career-defining exposure.

💰 $1,000,000 Winner-Takes-All Partnership

The champion signs a $1M Gatorade sponsorship, becoming the official Gatorade Creator Athlete for a year.

💵 $10,000 Entry Fee for Every Competitor

Every athlete gets $10,000 to compete, but they must post 3+ times about the event, ensuring social engagement. Trust me, I get it, depending on the size of the creator this is probably nothing. But if you look at a reality tv show where most people competing get nothing this is far and away a better deal + this is probably the first step to doing sponsored content with the brand which would be a lot more lucrative.

📈 Exposure & Growth

Competitors gain cross-community exposure, Gatorade-backed media opportunities, and a chance to be featured in future brand campaigns.

FOR THE BRANDS:

1. Make Campaigns Feel Like Entertainment, Not Ads: People engage with experiences, not marketing. Build something they want to watch, share, or participate in. Make people feel something.

2. Turn Everything Into a Content Machine: Every launch has multiple stories—behind-the-scenes, competitor POVs, fan reactions. Unlock every angle.

3. Give the Audience a Role, Not Just a Seat: When fans influence outcomes, engagement explodes. Make them part of the story.

FOR THE CREATORS:

1. Prove Your Value Beyond a One-Time Post: Brands don’t just want reach; they want engagement, longevity, and impact. Show how you can create multi-layered content like behind-the-scenes, reactions, and training footage—not just a single ad.

2. Make the Brand Part of Your Journey: Gatorade isn’t just a sponsor in G60 Gauntlet it’s woven into the struggles, endurance, and recovery. The best brand partnerships align with your personal narrative rather than feeling like forced promotions.

3. Show Brands You Can Drive Conversation, Not Just Views: The wildcard comeback round forces creators to activate their audience. Brands want partners who engage followers, create interactive moments, and drive real community loyalty.

4. The Best Brand Deals Come from Playing the Long Game: $10K to compete in G60 Gauntlet is just an entry point. The real money is in proving your value, building relationships, and turning one deal into a long-term partnership. Stop chasing checks, start building brand equity.

Oh boy, if you’ve made it this far, just know that while I’m the one running this marathon, you the people who are a part of the community either cheering from the sidelines, holding up a sign of support or if you’ve been jogging alongside me I greatly appreciate it. Metaphorically, of course, because let’s be real if I ran an actual marathon, I’d quite literally die.

But seriously, thank you for reading and being part of this journey. Hopefully, we’ll see you at our next event! And if you’ve got any thoughts on how to make this newsletter better, I always appreciate a good push in the right direction.

Best,

Jacob

Welcome New People

If you’re new to our newsletter and community welcome! Here we share information on upcoming and past events, insights on the social media industry, and some creative strategies at the intersection of creators and brands.

Our Next Event:

We’re finalizing the date for our next event sometime in March and hopefully, we’ll be able to bring some Madness! If you don’t get it I’m hoping to do a March Madness-focused event.

I’ll be in touch in the next issue with a finalized date so please look forward to that!

Microsoft Co-Pilot Event:

I had the opportunity to attend an event as Excel Daddy, where I spoke with the Microsoft 365 Copilot team about AI, their product, and how it’s shaping the future of workplace efficiency.

Many of you have probably attended similar events, likely within your own niche. I hope you’re not just showing up. I hope you’re building relationships. While Microsoft is naturally a strong fit for my content, I also paid close attention to Edelman, the PR agency that co-hosted the event. Agencies like Edelman can be just as valuable, if not more, than the brands themselves. So next time you're at an event, don’t just connect with the company. Build relationships with the people behind the scenes, too.

Also, there were some incredible creators there that I had the pleasure of meeting - a few of whom I included in the concept below!

Note to self - take more pictures.

Corporate Creators X Apple TV

Creator Spotlight:

Max Farber @Farbsy: 👨‍💻CEO of Customer Service👨‍💻 has over 1.3M Followers across his channels IG / TT / YT

Laura Whaley @loewhaley: Your virtual work bestie has over 7.8M Followers across her channels IG / TT / YT

Ben Sweeny @corporate.sween: CEO of Corporate America has over 550K Followers across his channels IG / TT / YT

Sam Wilson @liljehu_: Corporate Dumpster Fire has over 330K followers across his channels IG / TT / YT

Our Cast!

Why These Creators?

I met Max, Laura, Ben, and Sam at the Microsoft event I attended, and seeing them all in person reinforced something I already knew, corporate content just works.

Why? Because the modern workplace is a shared experience filled with unspoken rules, absurd policies, and moments of quiet rebellion. These creators have built massive audiences by saying what employees think but can’t always say out loud. Their content thrives on relatability, and it taps into something universal:

• The corporate jargon that means nothing.

• The performative enthusiasm.

• The quiet defiance hidden under professionalism.

That’s what makes them perfect for a Severance concept—because Severance itself is a hyper-exaggerated version of the exact workplace culture they parody every day. It’s the logical next step. Instead of just talking about corporate absurdity, this would put them inside the ultimate corporate nightmare and let them play it out in real time.

Notable mentions who could also be a part of the campaign:

Corporate Natalie and Corporate Bro

The Concept:

Social Media #Severed

Apple TV’s Severance is a brilliant satire on corporate life, taking the idea of work-life balance to its most extreme conclusion. It explores the disconnect between who we are at work and who we are outside of it, and what happens when that separation becomes absolute.

So, what if instead of just a traditional creator campaign, Apple TV leaned into the actual mechanics of the show, and applied Severance’s storytelling to social media?

Part 1: The Creators Join Lumon
This campaign starts like any real corporate job—day one at a new company.

🔹 Each creator posts their “first day” at Lumon Industries, shot in their signature content style.

• Max gets hired as Head of Customer Service, enthusiastically explaining how Lumon values “corporate synergy” (but never defines what that means).

• Laura is HR, giving eerily positive guidance like “It’s totally normal that you don’t remember your personal life, just focus on being your best work self!”

• Ben is Middle Management, delivering an empty welcome speech, saying things like “You’re a valued employee… I assume. I don’t know what you do, but keep doing it.”

• Sam is the skeptical new hire, immediately sensing something is off but playing along.

🔹 Their followers become part of the onboarding experience, watching their posts unfold as if they, too, were starting at Lumon.

🔹 The tone starts normal… but gets subtly more unsettling—workplace rules are overly strict, personal details are ignored, and everyone is too enthusiastic about their jobs.

This makes the experience feel real and immersive, rather than just another sponsored post.

Lumon is the name of the company just in case you don’t watch

Part 2: Their Feeds Become ‘Corporate Reality’
After onboarding, their content shifts into full Lumon propaganda mode—mirroring Severance’s eerie corporate culture but in their own comedic style.

👨‍💻 Max (@Farbsy) – CEO of Customer Service

• Posts over-the-top corporate training videos full of vague buzzwords and no real information.

• “Customer service is an attitude. A mindset. A calling. Also, please do not ask any questions.”

💼 Laura (@loewhaley) – Your Virtual Work Bestie

• Posts Lumon policy reminders that sound helpful… but are actually terrifying.

• “Having personal thoughts during work hours is a violation of company policy. If you’re struggling, just schedule a wellness check-in (Note: Wellness check-ins last 6 hours and involve sitting alone in a white room).”

📊 Ben (@corporate.sween) – CEO of Corporate America

• Shares meaningless corporate pep talks, constantly pretending everything is fine.

• “Remember: Work is its own reward. Also, there are no doors. Ever notice that? Anyway, great work, team!”

🔥 Sam (@liljehu_) – Corporate Dumpster Fire

• Posts increasingly confused updates, realizing something is very wrong.

• “Hey, so quick question… does anyone remember their commute here? Or their last day off?”

Don’t drink the corporate kool-aid!

Part 3: The Creators Come Together – The Lumon Office Crossover

After building up their individual Severance arcs, the creators finally meet in the same office—leading to the ultimate workplace crossover.

🔹 Their roles clash in ridiculous ways:

• Max hosts a mandatory enthusiasm seminar, forcing everyone to recite company slogans.

• Laura leads a conflict resolution session, but all problems are resolved by saying “We are all happy here.”

• Ben holds a strategy meeting but has no agenda and refuses to end it.

• Sam questions reality, but everyone gaslights him into believing he loves his job.

🔹 Dialogue feels straight out of Severance, but with their usual comedic delivery.

• “Excited for another productive workday! What do we do again?”

• “I asked HR for my employee file, and they gave me a single sticky note that says ‘Yes.’”

• “I took my break and stared at a white wall for 30 minutes. Refreshing.”

🔹 Tension escalates until they start questioning their reality—but there’s no way out.

This part gives audiences the shared experience of “working” at Lumon, making it feel like a real-world version of Severance unfolding on social media.

Work place friendships are so much fun!

Part 4: The ‘Outies’ React – The Big Reveal

At the end of the campaign, the creators “wake up” as their normal selves and finally see what they’ve been posting.

🔹 Their reactions are filmed as duets of them reacting to their own unsettling content.

• Max: “Why am I selling ‘mandatory joyfulness’ like a cult leader??”

• Laura: “HR Laura is way too into compliance… wait, do I say this in real life?”

• Ben: “I gave a 3-hour meeting on synergy. I don’t even know what synergy means.”

• Sam: “WHY DID NO ONE LISTEN TO ME?!”

🔹 The audience experiences the “reintegration” process alongside them, mirroring the show’s core themes.

This moment completes the arc, turning it from a simple marketing stunt into an interactive social experiment that fully embodies the Severance concept.

Honestly a great show you should give it a watch!

Why This Concept?

I’ve been watching Severance lately, and it struck me how much marketing, and creativity in general, comes from connecting the dots between what you’re consuming and what you’re doing in your own life.

That’s what happened here. I met these creators at Microsoft’s event, I know their styles, and I saw a natural intersection with Severance that Apple TV never capitalized on.

The best marketing doesn’t just plug creators into a campaign—it seamlessly blends a brand into their unique content style, making it feel natural and engaging. This concept does that by taking the core themes of the show and applying them to social media in a way that makes the audience feel part of the world.

If you’ve made it this far thanks so much for taking the time to read my thoughts. If you have any thoughts or insight on how I can make this newsletter better or if you want to hear anything in particular I always appreciate insightful recommendations.

Best,

Jacob