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! For the third week in a row, MrBeast is sitting in the #1 position, and a relatively unknown sponsor is thankful for his continued success.
Other big-name creators are chasing Jimmy Donaldson in this week’s brand report. Marques Brownlee, Veritasium, and Kurzgesagt are three channels occupied by brainy creators, and those smartypants stars are showing that they know how to put together a proper sponsorship, too.
#1 $10,000 Every Day You Survive In A Grocery Store
Channel: MrBeast
Brand: Kanga Coolers via Shopify
Earlier this year, ecommerce platform Shopify announced that it would cede its spot next to a MrBeast video to provide exposure for a company that could use the boost. That company ended up being Kanga Coolers, a Shark Tank success story that has turned into a thriving small business. Thanks to MrBeast’s support, Kanga will have a direct line to millions of potential customers. The Kanga-sponsored video is now over 108 million views, and MrBeast has once again landed in the #1 spot in our branded video ranking. That’s the sort of bump that only MrBeast can provide.
#2 Driving Tesla Cybertruck: Everything You Need to Know!
Channel: Marques Brownlee
Brand: Ridge
What has four wheels, a stainless steel body, and an angular design that resembles the Batmobile? If you said “the Tesla Cybertruck,” then you’re really keeping up on your automotive tech trends. So is Marques Brownlee. In one of his recent videos, the king of YouTube tech reviews took Tesla’s 80s-looking monstrosity for a ride. Videos that relate to Elon Musk often put up big numbers on YouTube, and this one is no exception. Brownlee’s sponsor Ridge, a maker of luggage and other equipment, will be happy to see that his Tesla test drive now has more than 17 million views.
#3 The SAT Question Everyone Got Wrong
Channel: Veritasium
Brand: Brilliant
If you’re lucky to be unaffected by the scourge known as test anxiety, Derek Muller‘s latest addition to the Veritasium channel may instill some new feelings. Muller shared the story of an SAT question gone wrong. I can’t imagine how it would have felt to be a high school senior in 1982, when this absolute stumper wreaked havoc for even the brightest math students. Luckily, thanks to Muller’s sponsor Brilliant, today’s high schoolers can be a little more prepared for those tricky questions. If enough viewers sign up for Brilliant, we may never see a sequel to this Veritasium video.
#4 The Internet is Worse Than Ever – Now What?
Channel: Kurzgesagt – In A Nutshell
Brands: Ground News
Kurzgesagt occupies a unique niche in the YouTube community. The German animation hub examines tough topics through its trademark philosophy known as “optimistic nihilism.” That combination of positivity and harsh reality allows Kurzgesagt to explore some of the universe’s toughest issues while still leaving room for home. The channel’s exploration of the decline of internet discourse is daming, but Kurzgesagt wants users to strive for civility. It is encouraging viewers to display media literacy, and its sponsor Ground News — which evaluates bias in popular sources — is part of that plan.
BONUS: #1,732 for anyone looking for a fresh start, let’s reset our finances together
Channel: Rowena Tsai
Brand: Rakuten
The holiday season typically brings busy financial statements, and Rowena Tsai is helping her fans make sense of all those transactions. Tsai provided a creator’s viewpoint on money management while completing a 30-day journey toward a balanced ledger. Her sponsor, the Japanese financial services company Rakuten, offers several tools to help users demystify their finances. Better bookkeeping may come easy to Tsai, but even for those who are confused by their expenses, a post-holiday accounting session can be a valuable part of a January reset.
…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.
