Welcome to Created, the newsletter that’s cooler than Brat Summer. Here’s what we got for you:
- Inside Trump's creator strategy...and how it compares to Kamala Harris
- The "Hawk Tuah girl" makes her next business move
- Outlier video of the week & what you can learn from it
Adin Ross Interviews Trump as 580,000 Watch Live
Former President Donald Trump appeared on Adin Ross’s livestream, where the popular streamer gifted him a Tesla Cybertruck and Rolex.
Backstory:
- The interview had 580,000+ concurrent viewers at its peak (the 3rd most popular livestream on Kick this year)
- It covered everything from politics to Ross's online controversies.
- Trump said his 18-year-old son Barron encouraged him to do it.
Our Take:
Creators are officially part of the campaign trail.
Trump is leveraging Adin Ross’s massive, young and male fanbase to reach a key voter demographic. It’s part of a calculated, ongoing effort:
- In June, Trump appeared on Logan Paul’s podcast.
- In July, Trump appeared on pro-golfer-turned-YouTuber Bryson DeChambeau’s channel.
- Last week, JD Vance went on the Nelk Boys’ Full Send Podcast.
What about the Democrats?
Beyond reposting Charli XCX’s endorsement and embracing “Brat Summer,” Kamala Harris hasn’t engaged as much with creators directly on their turf. On their shows.
Yes, there are tons of memes and TikToks about Harris.
But not as many with Harris (or Biden when he was in the race).
Expect that to change as the Democratic National Convention approaches.
See You at The White House
I got invited a creator event at The White House next week so I’ll share more on how they’re involving creators. Stay tuned.
"Hawk Tuah Girl" Sells $65,000 in Merch, Aims To Expand Empire
Can a viral moment turn into a profitable career as a creator?
That’s the question Hailey Welch aka “Hawk Tuah girl” faces after her rise to fame, specially with news of her filing several trademarks last week.
Backstory:
- In June, Hailey Welch went viral from interview clip, racking up 52M views.
- She quit her job, signed with an agency, and appeared on Bill Maher, Plan Bri and WWE
- Welch filed trademarks for Hawk Tuah, Bet on That Thang (for a sports betting site) and a hot sauce called...Hawk Sauce.
Let's talk money:
So far, Welch sold over $65,000 of Hawk Tuah merch.
But getting people to buy Hawk Sauce? That’ll take more than a good pun.
Just look at Doughbrik’s up-and-downs…and David Dobrik had a way bigger fanbase.
It doesn’t help that Welch had the “most awkward stage appearance ever” at a concert where no one cheered for her.
So it's over, right? Not exactly.
Welch averages 3M+ views on IG. People regularly comment on her “realness” and how we “might’ve made the right person famous.”
But to last, she’ll need to learn from another viral-star-turned-creator: Brittany Broski.
After her viral kombucha reaction, Broski turned her meme status into 2M+ subscribers on YouTube.
How? She put in work on YouTube, posting 156 videos to her main channel and 109 on her 2nd channel.
Our take:
Memes are born on short-form. Stars are born on long-form.
Today, Hawk Tuah is a meme. But Welch isn’t a star.
To get there, she needs to show her personality..and long-form is the best way. That means a consistent YT format or podcast.
That way, fans will know if she actually likes hot sauce or sports. If not, selling products related to those areas will feel like a gimmick.
🎯 Weekly Roundup: Thumbnails
Here’s why we love these YT thumbnails. Hopefully, they inspire your next one.
- Complex concept (pool cue robot) conveyed simply with text and white line (Stuff Made Here)
- Unlimited basil? Sometimes all you need is a powerful message (Sheffield Made Plants)
- Immersive first-person view draws you into the driving experience (Avi P)
- Clear contrast makes you wonder why the humanoid robot is dangerous (Veritasium)
🚀 Weekly Outlier
This video by Jak Piggot has got 1.5M views though he has 807K subscribers. That’s 11 times higher than the channel’s average.
Here’s why it took off so you can apply to your next video:
- Stops Your Scroll: Jak’s "YouTube checkpoint" instantly catches your eye when scrolling.
- Unexpected Bliss: He then instructs you to take a deep breath and become aware of the present moment, not too common for YT.
- Truly Original: The somewhat meta and meditative video is stark contrast to the rest of the platform, often edited to maximise engagement.
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“If people would like to learn, practice, and teach, I like to think that the world can improve by virtue of sharing tools,” says Andrew Huberman.
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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.
Copy this unique link and email, text, or post it: [RH_REFLINK GOES HERE]
👋 See You Inside
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Nothing great is created alone.
– Jon
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