Welcome to Created, the newsletter that’s more stuffed than your Thanksgiving turkey. Here’s what we got for you:
- MrBeast responds to allegations
- Why Bluesky is the hottest new social platform (and will it last?)
- Weekly roundup of top YouTube thumbnails
MrBeast Breaks Silence
Jimmy Donaldson broke his silence last Friday in an interview on Caleb “Oompaville” Phelps’s channel.
He replied to allegations ranging from workplace misconduct to crypto controversies.
But was it enough to quiet YouTube’s commentary channels?
Main Takeaways:
In the conversation, Donaldson addressed the following:
Workplace Misconduct: allegations of sexual misconduct from cast member Ava Kris Tyson.
- Donaldson’s response: A law firm investigation identified "several isolated incidents," which he says were addressed.
Crypto Scandal: Coffeezilla made a video investigating MrBeast for potential insider trading.
- Response: Donaldson said trades were handled by a fund, not him directly. Coffeezilla called his explanations “not satisfying.”
Beast Games Lawsuit: contestants sued the show for alleged mistreatment.
- Response: He called many allegations exaggerated, like widespread injuries, but acknowledged some mishandling.
Obviously watch the nearly 3 hour video for full details.
What’s Next?
Donaldson plans to refund anyone with claims about his lotteries and improve workplace policies.
The interview comes as Amazon dropped the first trailer for Beast Games, promising monster trucks, fireworks, and a $5M prize.
What's Bluesky? Why Millions Are Joining The Twitter Rival
Since Elon Musk took over X, millions of users have looked for an alternative. Bluesky filled that void.
The platform just hit 22M users and is growing by a million per day.
Real talk...is this a fad?
Remember Clubhouse? Meerkat? Periscope, anyone
Unlike those once-darling apps, Bluesky has a chance to live on. Here’s why:
- Custom Feeds: Algorithm-free timelines tailored to interests.
- Content Moderation: Advanced tools to avoid hate speech.
- Open Protocol: Decentralized Fediverse, giving users even more control.
Why Now?
Bluesky’s growth exploded after the elections and users accused Musk of manipulating X’s algorithm.
Even Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly alarmed with Threads now copying features like customizable feeds.
Everyone from big publications like The Guardian to authors like Stephen King have flocked over.
Our Take:
“Algorithm free” sounds like a good idea in theory.
Until there’s too many users and posts to sort through.
Currently, Bluesky is still small compared to Threads (275M users) and X (588M). But let’s see what happens as they grow.
Case In Point:
When I worked at Instagram, we had switched from a chronological feed to an algorithmic feed.
Users were livid at first. They hated the almighty “algorithm” (and still do). But guess what?
Retention went up because the best posts from creators and media companies rose to the top versus getting buried.
It’ll be interesting to see if Bluesky resists the temptation to do the same as they grow.
🎯 Weekly Roundup: Thumbnails
Here’s why we love these YT thumbnails. Hopefully, they inspire your next one.
- Knife + banana labeled as wood is intriguing (Bobby Duke Arts)
- Glowing soundwave instantly grabs your eye (Skymography)
- Bold claim + mysterious object creates mystery (fern)
- Ridiculous ‘Chair Mop’ idea is funny and genuinely intriguing (Drew Dirksen)
🚀 Weekly Outlier
This video by Mr. Beat has got 1.2M views which is 7.3 times higher than the channel’s average. Here’s why it took off:
- Unique Angle: The unusual topic — favorite drinks of U.S. presidents — grabs attention instantly.
- Relatable Humor: Light jokes about caffeine and drinks make history feel fun and approachable.
- Historically Accurate: True details from presidents’ love for whiskey or Diet Coke deliver on the video's promise.
💰 Job Board
- Epic Gardening is hiring a YouTube producer
- Maitrix Studios is hiring a video editor
- Creator League is hiring a senior social producer
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🏆 The Created Referral Program
Know someone who’d also love this newsletter? Refer them and get gifts.
Refer 1 friend: you’ll get my Infinite Ideas book. It’s my 8 best tips to find viral ideas for your next upload.
Refer 5 friends: you’ll get my Top 50 Thumbnails book. It includes a detailed breakdown of why they work so you improve your packaging.
Trust me, these books are packed with more tips than most paid courses.
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👋 See You Inside
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– Jon
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