Welcome to our rundown of the most-watched branded YouTube videos of the week.
We’re publishing this snippet of a larger Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report in order to analyze sponsorship trends in the creator economy. Any video launched in tandem with an official brand partner is eligible for the ranking.
And – as the name up above would imply – all the data comes from Gospel Stats. If you’re interested in learning more about Gospel – and which brands are sponsoring what creators on YouTube – click here.
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Welcome back to the Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report! The first few iterations of this analysis have revealed that educational videos — especially those that relate to engineering — regularly rank among the most-watched sponsored uploads on YouTube. This week, that trend continued to develop.
In mid-October, videos about homemade gadgets and historical technology claimed top spots in our sponsored video ranking. It seems that brands are using those videos to target “smart” users who might be interested in learning about advanced technological concepts. But the #1 video in the ranking has nothing to do with any of that:
#1 $1 Vs $100,000,000 House!
Channel: MrBeast
Brand: Feastables
For the second week in a row, a video uploaded by MrBeast hit the top spot in our rundown of sponsored YouTube videos. To support his tours of high-end homes, Jimmy Donaldson turned to his own brand to give himself a boost. His candy company Feastables serves as the sponsor for his latest high-production-value extravaganza. Donaldson has set up a series of symbiotic relationships among the facets of his MrBeast brand. His chocolate bar money supports his big-budget blowouts, and his success on YouTube supports his retail efforts in return.
#2 I made 6 absurd pencil sharpeners
Channel: Stuff Made Here
Brand: Brilliant
Last week, we highlighted the digital course platform Brilliant, which sponsored the latest bit of “optimistic nihilism” from German animation hub Kurzgesagt. This week, the highest-ranking Brilliant-sponsored video is a bit more whimsical: It’s a rundown of some experimental pencil sharpeners built by engineering creator Shane Wighton of the Stuff Made Here channel. Brilliant is betting that viewers who visit channels like Kurzgesagt and Stuff Made Here are curious enough to explore educational content during their free time. Based on the viewership received by this video, that’s a sharp assumption.
#3 Wirtz pumps are really clever
Channel: Steve Mould
Brand: Incogni
Speaking of stylish contraptions, let’s talk about the Wirtz pump. That’s the name of a contraption that’s nearly 300 years old but was recently revived in a video published by science YouTuber Steve Mould. Using easy-to-understand narration, Mould broke down the operation of the Wirtz pump and explained the fluid dynamics that inform its use. His video doesn’t have anything to do with digital security, but Incogni is making the same bet as Brilliant: It’s gambling on the curiosity of Mould’s viewers and challenging them to look into the complex technology that goes into its data protection services — no spiral pumps necessary.
#4 REVOLT WORLD: Hip Hop Without Limits – Top Moments Recap With Yung Miami, YG, Jeezy, Juvenile & More
Channel: REVOLT
Brand: Walmart
The partnership between Diddy’s REVOLT brand and Walmart continues to bear fruit. The big-box retailer maintained its support for the hip-hop brand during Revolt World, a gathering that hit Atlanta on September 22. The highlight reel from the event is sponsored by Walmart, a longtime supporter of Black creators. REVOLT and Walmart also collaborated on the #6 video in our branded video ranking: A new episode of the shopping-focused game show Receipts. This partnership seems to have more longevity than most of the products I’ve ever purchased at Walmart.
BONUS: #1,681 Boldly Bombing Bugger All – The Bomber War Episode 1
Channel: HardThrasher
Brand: World of Warships
For years, the free-to-play naval combat game World of Warships has sponsored military history videos on YouTube. The ships available in the game serve as visual aids for many of the topics discussed by the internet’s history community. This week, four new YouTube videos sponsored by World of Warships picked up at least 25,000 views. That group includes a long-form upload from the podcaster and YouTuber HardThrasher. His video discussing the origins of strategic bombing is a perfect opportunity for a World of Warships integration. Given the state of current events, analysis of bombing campaigns is as relevant now as it was in the 1930s.
…and there’s a lot more data where that came from. If you’re interested in learning more about Gospel – and which brands are sponsoring what creators on YouTube – click here.
