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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Educational brands, such as course platforms and online universities, have ranked near the top of our Weekly Brand Report since we began publishing it last year. This year, a company with significant experience in the world of edutainment showed us just how massive the digital learning trend has become.
#1 Could This Change Air Travel Forever?
Channel: Mustard
Brand: Nebula
Nebula, the self-proclaimed “home of smart, thoughtful videos,” is on top of our Branded Video Report. The creator-oriented subscription service directs the passion of YouTube’s educational community to a streaming hub that costs $5 per month. A recent Nebula-branded aerodynamics lesson has collected more than four million YouTube videos through the cabinet of curiosities known as Mustard. I’m willing to bet some of those four million subscribers were willing to convert to Nebula buyers so that they could ensure early access to Mustard’s next video.
#2 RPG-7 vs Human Torso! – Ballistic High-Speed
Channel: Ballistic High-Speed
Brand: SDI
Don’t let the title of this video fool you. The demolished torso in question is one of those gel dummies they used to have on Deadliest Warrior, not a literal human body. I’m not sure how many sponsors would be willing to back a snuff film, but online school SDI was happy to reinforce this lesson in projectile warfare. Compared to the other channels near the top of this ranking, Ballistic High-Speed has a comparatively small following of about 550,000 subscribers. The channel’s presence in the #2 spot on this list is an impressive feat.
#3 Project 8200 Exposed | CIA Psychics Find Alien Bases Underground
Channel: The Why Files
Brand: Factor
We’ve started our ranking with two videos backed by educational brands, but The Why Files‘ entry on the list conveys a different kind of information. You won’t read about CIA-trained psychics or underground alien bases in a traditional classroom, but meal prep brand Factor was happy to sponsor The Why Files’ latest bit of rampant speculation. Like many other brands, Factor has taken advantage of the rise of video podcasts. The Way Files is one of the long-form shows going viral on YouTube; I guess they have a lot of fans in those subterranean alien colonies.
#4 Last to leave VC wins $50,000
Channel: isaacwhy
Brand: Lords Mobile
Factor attached its brand name to an hour-long podcast episode, but Lords Mobile got the best bang for its buck in this week’s Brand Report. The handheld battler sponsored a video that was designed to be a marathon: Isaacwhy’s latest installment in his recurring series “Last to leave VC wins.” This year, the people spending time in Isaac’s video chat hoped to outlast one another and earn a $50,000 prize. A three-hour VOD of the proceedings made its way to the isaacwhy YouTube channel, and that long-form upload offers a lot of real estate for Lords Mobile to fill up.
BONUS: #675 Searching Tokyo Station’s INSANE Food Hall for Demon Slayer Food ft @OniGiriEN
Channel: CHEFPK
Brand: Nebula
Nebula is not a one-hit wonder in the Weekly Brand Report. The streaming hub sponsored eight videos with at least 30,000 views that were all released during the first seven days of 2024. The lowest-ranking video among that group is a reminder that not all nerdy content looks the same. Sure, Nebula subscribers can check out detailed videos on subjects like aerodynamics, but they can also watch CHEFPK and OniGiriEN as they traipse through a Tokyo train station looking for anime-inspired eats. The breadth of YouTube’s “smart” community attracts a wide audience; perhaps that’s why brands like SDI are so eager to support it.
…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.
