Welcome to Created, the newsletter more reliable than a perfectly cooked turkey. Happy Thanksgiving y’all, here’s what we got today:
- The rise of brands as studios
- Why the Try Guys cancelled their podcast
- Outlier of the week
Will Chick-fil-A Be The Next Hollywood Studio? No, Seriously.
Chick-fil-A is taking a page of out of MrBeast’s playbook and starting their own game show on YouTube.
Sure, brands have always spent money to promote on YouTube.
But Chick-fil-A’s recent series, Play It Forward, looks very different — and signals a shift in how brands are becoming studios and hiring creators in-house.
They built massive sets. Brought in contestants. And reportedly spent $400,000 per video.
Now, Chick-fil-A is expanding into podcasts, animated shorts, and more.
Yes, the fast-food chain wants you to feast on its content as much as its Spicy Chicken Sandwich.
They're Not Alone
Dick’s Sporting Goods also recently launched its own studio, Cookie Jar & A Dream Studios, and rolled out:
- Documentary on Little League World Series that got picked up by ESPN.
- The Turnaround: a Netflix film about a Philadelphia Phillies superfan.
- Speed Goes Pro: 5-episode YouTube show with IShowSpeed.
In fact, Dick’s is one of the first consumer brands to win an Emmy for best sports documentary last year.
Our Take
The way creators work with brands is changing. Big time.
Today, most brands ask creators to do a 60-second integration.
But soon, they may be casting them in their shows and documentaries as they try to build their own channels.
Sure, will watching a family-friendly YouTube series make you more likely to dine at Chick-fil-A? Remains to be seen.
But watch the money flow in as more brands realize the opportunity to build their own formats and distribution.
Why The Try Guys Ended Their Podcast
After six years, The Try Guys announced their ending their podcast.
In a recent episode, Zach and Keith revealed the core issue: they haven’t made any money from their podcast in over a year.
Here’s what happened and why it may signal a bigger trend when it comes to podcasting.
Why They Pulled the Plug
This wasn’t about “being too busy” or “wanting a break.” It came down to the numbers and partnerships:
- Their ad-sales partner went bankrupt
- The new agency got bought out a month into the contract
- They took a small guaranteed payout and never earned past it
They kept paying two full-time staff by subsidizing the show with other Try Guys revenue, but eventually it was hard to keep going.
So they had no choice but to shut down their podcast department and let go of the team.
The Try Guys Aren’t Alone
Shelby Church recently announced she’s ending her podcast despite getting to 15K downloads per episode and earning over $1,400 an episode in just 11 months.
In her video, she explained how much work it takes to package and promote each episode.
On top of that, podcast ad revenue growth has slowed down a lot since the 2020 boom.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that podcasts are going anywhere.
It just means that more creators are realizing that it can’t be a side hustle.
🎯 Weekly Roundup: Thumbnails
Why we love these YT thumbnails:
- Underwater panic shot + “24 hours” text? You instantly want to know if she makes it (pierson)
- A floating table balanced on a rock looks impossible enough to stop your scroll (Make With Miles)
- Turning a familiar school instrument into a mystery is surprisingly effective and plays on your nostalgia (Answer in Progress)
- The contrast between “year one” and “year two” is so extreme you can’t help but want the backstory (Andrew)
🚀 Weekly Outlier
This video by Fortress Fine Woodworks has 6.8M views, which is 37 times higher than the channel’s average. Here’s why it took off:
- Wild Visual Hook: A childhood spirograph turned into a giant, router-powered carving machine sets it apart from normal woodworking builds.
- Real Stakes And Struggle: Misalignment, gear failures, and seven hours of physical carving turn the project into a story.
- Craft + Charm: His honest narration makes a complex build feel inspiring rather than intimidating.
Sponsored by Shopify
Inside Look At An Unconventional Creator Business
There’s a community for everything on the internet — and if there’s a community, there’s a business. Just ask CrochetByGenna.
After getting millions of views crocheting stuffed animals, Genna started selling her creations with a Shopify store because it’s the best place to build, run, and scale an online business.
In May alone, she sold $13,267 in digital downloads.
But on Black Friday, Genna pushed her business into an entirely different gear.
She ran a 50% off sale — and it became her biggest day of the year, bringing in over $4,000 even with the discount.
“I used to think running sales would hurt my profits — Last Black Friday…I ended up breaking my shop’s best sales day record (over $4000)!” Genna said.
And with Shopify, the setup is simple. Shopify’s Sidekick AI can build the whole sale from one prompt: “Create a 50% off sale for Black Friday.”
Sign up here for a free trial and see why the biggest creators trust Shopify.
🏆 The Created Referral Program
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Trust me, these books are packed with more tips than most paid courses.
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– Jon
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