OG Creator Leads NFT Comeback

The TikTok Ban noise quiets down, an NFT resurgence from an unlikely creator, and more on toddlers and media.

OG Creator Leads NFT's Comeback!? NFTs are coming to kids TV!? Gary Vaynerchuk’s Vee Friends will soon star in an animated series created by Candle TV's Moonbug Entertainment . Pudgy Penguins have invaded Walmart.? What’s next – a Santa Claus themed crypto-wallet for kids?? Oh wait, that already sort of exists.? IP born in the gogo crypto days of 2020 are now being smartly extended into physical and traditional media – but primarily for kids.? Will they want a Veefriends NFT?? Maybe, but few parents will shell out $3,000 for a digital toy. But plushies?? Yeah, that works.

Kids Still Love TikTok: I did a deeper dive into the young kids and social we talked about two weeks ago (thanks to the Precise TV folks for giving me more data). ? More than a third of 2–5-year-old kids watched TikTok recently, according to the study, growing to half of 10–12-year-olds. ? More than double watched YouTube recently, while half or more of kids in each age grouping played games on a phone or tablet.? Luckily 90% of parents co-view at least once a week – but that still leaves a lot of alone time with potentially harmful content.? Check out the full report here. And if you want to see the breakout data it’s on my website.

• RELATED:? A horrific child predator network was just discovered, using Roblox and Discord to target and victimize kids – to the point of self-harm and suicide. Roblox, according to Precise TV’s study, is the top mobile game for kids, preferred by 24% of 2–5-year-olds, growing to 50% of 10–12-year-olds. It’s not just a TikTok problem, and is exactly why TikTok and other platforms need to be reined in.? Now.

The Latest on the Impending TikTok Sale or Ban:? Everyone’s got an opinion on this deal – even if they haven’t read the bill or don’t understand geopolitics. ? Including me.? The US Senate will likely take a two-week easter break starting Friday - and my DC insider doubts they will do anything until they get back.? Expect a lot more bloviating without portfolio until the second week of April.? Here’s this week’s roundup:

• The House passed the anti-TikTok bill.? On to the senate.
• Who’s lining up to buy TikTok? ? Former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, for one.? Steve Mnuchin too. Also apparently Chris Pavlovski, and Kevin O’Leary.? Larry Ellison probably already has a number in mind.? And although there’s been no rumblings, Kevin Mayer of Candle Media seems possible – he ran US TikTok for a hot minute a few years ago.
• Let's all buy TikTok together!? Are you in?? Maybe we could join forces with Henry Blodget ($).
• Could a new TikTok Photos app be imminent? ? Not until the dust clears.
• The D’Amelios start to ponder life after TikTok.
• This is still the loneliest page on the internet.? But perhaps not for long?

Show Me the Money:? Capital remains the lifeblood of any business.? Profits come and go, but without cash to pay bills and employees, businesses wither.? Chris Erwin ’s overview of 2024 creator economy funding options reveals who is writing checks and the business models currently in favor.? He missed two new community funding options though – GigaStar Market and OverSubscribe.? I’ve talked with both recently and remain intrigued by their promise. However, I can’t help saying GigahStahr Mahrket without channeling my inner (Boston) Southie.

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QUIBIS

YOUTUBE

• Echoing what we shared here last week, Polygon predicts “The End of the MrBeast Era”.
• Lots of chatter about this story predicting doom for YouTube and the creator economy ($). Yes, some big named creators have decamped.? But it’s a drop in a bucket, not a swirling waterspout of doom.? And AI isn’t to blame.??
• YouTube’s new TV interface debuts – I spotted it on my PC the other day, though, and it looked like crap.

META

• Both Matt Navarra and Lia Haberman are reporting that 15-20 photo carousels are coming to Instagram, so it’s got to be true.? What’s next?? Crystals and Diamonds?

OTHER TIKTOK

• TikTok lowers the threshold for effects creators to get paid, expands regions? – and announces that some creators have made up to $50k a month.? I’m a fan of this creator initiative – but I asked TikTok how many creators and how much was paid out and they declined to share.
• Cool new tool on TikTok lets creators search for underserved topics to help inspire videos.? Search value is also one of the variables affecting payout in the new “Creators Rewards Program”.? Still no response from my question about weights or total payout.

BRANDING AND MARKETING

• Coming soon to a TV near you – your favorite creators in 15 and 30 second ad slots, courtesy of Linqia’s CreatorTV.
• “Gosh I wish ads on Reddit looked just like organic posts”, said no one ever.? Except Reddit management.
• Custom shopping and affiliate aggregator ShopMy raises nearly $20M to accelerate its business helping creators monetize product recommendations.
• 100% AI sports commercial causes a heated debate on Instagram.?
• Paris Hilton’s Roblox activation delivered $60M in value, according to a new study from Geeiq and 11:11.? Not sure those 2–9-year-old kids are digging the Hilton vibe, but the report is interesting.

OTHER CREATOR ECONOMY

• Podcast tours heat up with Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It announcing tour dates.
• Pinterest sees a renaissance with younger ‘pinners’.? YouGov and Pinterest study finds that 16% of US uses the platform weekly, analyzes brand preferences and behaviors.
• Why Twitch streamers kinda like OG TV talk show hosts – from one of their managers.? I wonder what sort of talk show MEOWDALYN would host? Yappy Hour?
• UTA bought Medialink 4 years ago.? It didn’t end well, with the Pope departing under a cloud amid accusations of profligate spending and broken promises.??
• RELATED: Chris Erwin breaks down UTA’s acquisition of JUV.
• Company pages on LinkedIn can now boost anyone’s post (not just employees).? Brendan Gahan explains why this is a big deal.
• Yahoo launches beta of creator platform that will share half of ad revenue with creators.? Fun fact, I wrote the first Yahoo-owned article back when I worked at PCMag.? Maybe they’ll let me into the beta.
• Livestreaming sales of vacation homes builds a resort city in southern China.

GENERATIVE AI

• Sora vs. Sapiens:? Variety and Harris put Sora videos to the “Live or Memorex” test.? Humans failed.??
• Uncomfortable questions about what videos were used to train Sora – and Google’s Gemini, Meta’s Emu and V-JEPA too.
• EU passes comprehensive AI regulation legislation.

TIPS?

• Little Monster explains why SEO is dead on YouTube.
• New Creator Insider podcast features a great conversation between YouTube’s Rene Ritchie and Todd Beaupré – and ?MrBeast’s thumbnail guru.
• How do you find, develop, and grow superfans?? For Phil Ranta it’s all about the DMs

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