NFTs and TikTok: Two Great Tastes that Might Not Taste Great Together

Here’s what’s new and what caught my eye this week:

?Beware of These Brands: Successful creators get pinged by brands regularly. Alas, not all of those brands actually PAY creators, despite what they might promise. Famepick’s latest post highlights some of the worst , calling out 13 top brands that pay less than 20% of the creators they hire. Don’t work for free –– check out the list, along with details on how to research other brands that might come calling.

The Global State of Creators and Influence: Creativity may be evenly distributed worldwide, but influencer marketing dollars vary widely. For example, a recent study by VC firm a16z on Latin America found that Brazil tops the charts, with the average user spending more than 10 hours online daily and 40% of the population purchasing products based on creator recommendations. However, the creator economy in Brazil is nascent, with very few creators making money. Asia is also a hodgepodge, as a new “State of Influence” report shows. Facebook is dominant in Vietnam and Myanmar; YouTube rocks India, Cambodia, and Japan; and Instagram has the lion’s share in Taiwan and Hong Kong. (I’m so excited to bring VidCon to Latin America and Asia over the next 12 months!)

Why Would TikTok Launch an NFT Business? This one is a head scratcher. Double T just announced an NFT drop called “TikTok Top Moments ”, where fans can bid on “culturally significant TikTok videos.” It’s as if YouTube had launched a merch mall in 2012 to compete with Phil DeFranco’s “For Human Peoples ” and Hank Green’s “DFTBA .” I can come up with a few reasons, none of them positive, including a need to increase revenue due to a growth slowdown, or a chilling way to profit on viral videos by freezing out creators. Neither is likely –– TikTok just passed 1 BILLION monthly users , and their creator-first approach has been solid to date. Got a theory of your own? Email me your thoughts.

Fake It Until You Make It… or Go to Jail: I’ve heard of companies faking YouTube views and subs. But faking an actual YouTube employee ? That’s a first. It’s a bizarre story that might just be the tip of the iceberg . Brian Morrisey puts it in context with his piece about how when BS is a feature, not a bug, these overhyped media startups poison the well for us all.

QUIBIS:?

• YouTube (FINALLY) bans anti-vaccine videos and creators –– including some prominent names.
• Hey brands — want to go live? Start with creators .
• #SantaTok: It’s going to be a TikyToky Christmas !
• Trouble at Clubhouse : creators want to be paid. Duh.
• Peloton trainer Cody Rigsby is on Dancing with the Stars. What does this mean for the creator economy?
• Reels come to Facebook (Insta be feeling like “Why do we even have that lever? ”).
• A “Shorts Report ” isn’t what it sounds like.
• TikTok World happened , but didn’t seem to generate much buzz.

This Week at VidCon Now:

• TUESDAY: Join ChannelMeter CEO Eugene Lee, as he addresses everything from decoding the black box of Facebook monetization to Black creators growing in the creator space. Watch it live at 3 PM (PT) at live.vidcon.com .
• WEDNESDAY: Learn about the challenges of building a digital star in this era and what it’s like to be a Generation Z creator in this digital world. This session will be presented in Spanish. Watch it live at 11 AM (CST) at live.vidcon.com .
• THURSDAY: Now’s your chance to hang with YouTuber, filmmaker, and all-around crazy fangirl: Elle Mills. Bring your questions, and don't forget about the chance to snag a virtual selfie with Elle! Watch it live at 2 PM (PT) here .

Tip of the Week: This week’s tip comes from Trevor McFedries , founder of digital influencer company BRUD and a super smart investor and crypto expert.

Be yourself. I always tell people to think about a passion they have that they find the most embarrassing and lean into it. You're a college football player who loves opera? That's differentiated and interesting. Go find your tribe.

Don’t miss Trevor and Brendan Gahan’s insight talk about crypto and Web3 from last week. Watch it here !?

What We’re Watching:?

• Have you ever watched baby tortoises hatching ?
• Watch this Iron Chef make a gourmet meal out of Cheetos Mac ’n Cheese !
• Eugene from the Try Guys shares the story of how he almost didn’t attend the Met Gala.

See you around the internet, and feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested, and if someone forwarded this to you, you can sign up?on our website at?VidCon.com ?— scroll down and select “VidCon Weekly Industry Highlights."

Jim