the marketplace to monetize fame

Hey! Here's the latest from Trapital:

new podcast: Steven Galanis, CEO and co-founder of Cameo

Steven breaks down his company's marketplace for personalized celebrity video shoutouts. He discusses how Cameo blew up in 2020, how it found product-market fit, got early success with Snoop Dogg, and wants to solve the gap between fame and monetization. He also shares where the company is heading and potential future products from the company.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, other platforms, or watch on YouTube.

The Verzuz breakdown

Gucci vs Jeezy had all the primetime event elements. There was anticipation, tension, drama, and a happy ending. A few people on Twitter said that Jeezy won the popular vote but Gucci won the electoral college. There's a number of ways to interpret that... and somehow, they all make sense.

The event drew over 9.1 million viewers across all platforms including Instagram Live, Apple Music, and Apple TV. There's definitely audience overlap in those numbers, but it's still impressive.

Verzuz has branded itself well, but peak viewership still relies on the matchup. How many remaining matchups can draw an audience that can match Jill Scott-Erykah Badu, Brandy-Monica, or Gucci-Jeezy? The number is limited, but the rising success may increase participation.

Verzuz audio on Apple Music. One of the overlooked benefits of the Verzuz-Apple Music partnership is the audio simulcast. Fans can listen to live Verzuz battles in the background while commenting on social media or group chats without switching back and forth between apps. Apple should promote this feature more heavily!

Nicki Minaj, HBO, and the hip-hop docu-series

On the 10th anniversary of Pink Friday, Nicki Minaj announced a six-part docu-series on her life coming to HBO Max.

The docu-series wave. Nicki joins dozens of music stars who have taken us behind the scenes with their documentaries. But I'm not gonna lie, six episodes is a lot. The same content could have been stretched over three 1-hour episodes or four 45-minute episodes. But more episodes means more repeat visits to HBO Max. That means more opportunities to pitch viewers on the other HBO Max content. It's all part of the game.

HBO Max's role. The streaming service now has 38 million subscribers, one-fifth of what Netflix currently has. By doing a deal with HBO Max, Nicki's reach is limited relative to her peers on Netflix.

But there are several considerations. Nicki might get more favorable placement and algorithm favorability on HBO Max than she would have gotten on Netflix. Also, Netflix might have only been willing to produce one 90 minute documentary (e.g. Taylor Swift's Miss Americana and Travis Scott's Look Mom I Can Fly).

Netflix proved earlier this year with Cobra Kai that it can guarantee reach that can't be matched on any other platform. The closest competitor is HBO, but it's still far behind.

Trapital Players of the Week: Janet Hubert and Will Smith

After a 27-year public dispute, the actress who played Aunt Viv and Will Smith talked through their differences at the 30th anniversary of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion. It took a lot of strength on both parties, but especially Janet. Will's comments damaged her career and caused her family tons of trauma. I'm glad they finally came together and talked it out.

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Enjoy the rest of your weekend! I'll be back next week.

Dan

P.S. - want the latest from Trapital when it drops? Sign up here: trapital.co