Whistle To Launch Social Video Network In Collaboration With Survivalist Host Bear Grylls

Tubefilter’s coverage of the 2020 IAB NewFronts is brought to you in partnership with – an entertainment AI company that integrates brands into influencer, streaming, TV, music, and film content. You can check out all our NewFronts coverage right here.

Team Whistle — the digital network that comprises its eponymous studio, New Form, marketing service firm Tiny Horse, and mobile-first studio Vertical Networks — announced at its NewFronts presentation today the formation of the Bear Grylls Digital Network.

The venture, bowing this fall, will produce digitally native shows starring Grylls — a British adventurer known for his survivalist content — and marks a partnership between Whistle, French production company Banijay Group, and The Natural Studios. In addition to shows featuring Grylls, the network will also produce brand-safe, outdoor lifestyle, and adventure programming starring Whistle talent. Series will be distributed globally across Bear’s social channels, including YouTube

“This is about giving people access to the coolest tips and tricks of survival, as well as a look behind-the-scenes of my adventures, my life, and my friends,” Grylls said in a statement. “Ultimately, we want to empower people to be able to survive and thrive in the wild and in life.”

In addition, Whistle has announced today the relaunch of its Snapchat Discover channel, Brother, a young male-focused hub with 22 million subscribers that creates content around comedy, education, culture, and dating. The rebrand will comprise new shows like Meet The Pets (featuring celebrity pets) and Get Out Of My Kitchen (a celebrity cooking competition), and will reach beyond Snapchat to build a presence on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and via podcasts.

Whistle, which creates short-form content on social media as well as scripted and unscripted long-form programming, says that it has seen viewership skyrocket in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic. The past six weeks have marked the company’s six highest weeks of overall viewership of all time.

BEN is an entertainment AI company that integrates brands into influencer, streaming, TV, music, and film content with guaranteed ROI. With its proprietary AI and platform, BEN is the first and only company using machine learning and deep learning neural networks to identify high-impact opportunities for authentic, non-disruptive brand integrations. BEN combines its AI with 40+ years of experience and a team of industry experts to connect brands with the right audiences and content opportunities in meaningful ways. If you’d like to find out how BEN can increase your sales by 10x (like we have done for our other clients), then get in touch with us today.