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Revenge is usually served hot. For Ryan Trahan, it’s ice cold — and sponsored by Google.

It’s usually a good idea to ignore the trolls that live in YouTube comment sections. Sometimes, those nasty remarks are so cutting that they must be addressed in order to keep a creator’s pride intact. To hit back at one of his haters, Ryan Trahan teamed up with Google for a survival video set in subzero wilderness.

The story goes like this: A provocateur named Broncosfan14 saw a video of Trahan sleeping in his car and claimed that the Texas native would never be able to survive in frigid Colorado weather. Trahan, who is famous for his willingness to take on extreme challenges

, decided to call Broncosfan14’s bluff.

Before heading into the wilds, Trahan needed to outfit himself. That’s where his sponsor came in. Trahan’s viral penny challenge made him one of the most in-demand creators in the online video world, and Google jumped at the opportunity to work with him. The tech giant equipped its brand partner with a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, which is powered by Google’s Android operating system. Trahan used the device’s hinged design to pull off eclectic camera angles during his solo adventure.

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Portal A helped pull off the collaboration between Trahan and Google. The digital studio is well-known for working with YouTube stars on branded projects. By facilitating Trahan’s trek, Portal A showed the potential of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, Google Maps, and other products produced by the video’s corporate sponsor.

After spending a frigid night in rural Colorado, Trahan immediately hopped on a plane to return to his hometown of Austin, Texas. The 24-year-old creator didn’t seem so comfortable in his sleeping bag, but he did receive a follow-up comment from Broncosfan14, so that must have made the entire trip totally worth it. I’m sure the Google money didn’t hurt, either.

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Published by
Sam Gutelle

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