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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This week, we’re taking a break from MrBeast videos in our Weekly Brand Report — but only because Jimmy Donaldson didn’t release any qualifying sponsored videos during the period measured for this ranking. In the absence of MrBeast, we’re getting a chance to deep dive into some channels that have taken very different paths to YouTube stardom. From the collaborative efforts of FaZe Rug to the special effects wizardry of the Corridor Crew, this Weekly Brand Report has it all (except for a certain creator from North Carolina).
#1 I FaceTimed 100 YouTubers WITHOUT Them Knowing…
Channel: FaZe Rug
Brand: Underdog Fantasy
Brian Awadis did Underdog Fantasy a solid in one of his recent YouTube videos. The entertainer known as FaZe Rug gave the sports betting platform a shout-out amidst a flurry of 100 FaceTime calls to popular creators. Several notables who have previously ranked #1 in this column, including Ryan Trahan and Logan Paul, answered Awadis’ calls and gave his video some added name recognition. Just think about how big this video could have been if Dhar Mann and MrBeast had picked up their phones instead of giving Rug the cold shoulder. At any rate, I’m sure he and his sponsor are happy with the 3.3 million views they’ve received thus far.
#2 This Invention Made Disney MILLIONS, but Then They LOST It!
Channel: Corridor Crew
Brand: Squarespace
The Corridor Crew is famous for creating entertainment powered by hi-tech solutions. The YouTube vets know a thing or two about digital effects, but for a recent video sponsored by Squarespace, they kicked it old school. They tried out the Sodium Vapor light system that powered the special effects on many classic Disney films before the green screen took over. The video seems like it required a little more effort and technical know-how than the typical Corridor video, but the results are a blast from the past that has drawn unanimous acclaim from commenters.
#3 Can this forgotten invention save your life?
Channel: I did a thing
Brand: Odoo
Speaking of bygone technology, let’s talk about I did a thing and his “pedestrian catcher.” In his latest bit of scientific hijinks, the creator born Alex Apollonov used his engineering skills to devise an amusing, old-fashioned contraption. His pedestrian catcher resembles the wacky grills that added a modicum of safety to the earliest automobiles. Unfortunately, there aren’t any pedestrian catcher companies around to sponsor this video, but Apollonov’s deal with Belgian business management suite Odoo does the job just fine.
#4 I Investigated the City of Sëggz Offenders…
Channel: Tyler Oliveira
Brand: DeleteMe
If you’re able to suss out the sound-alike wordplay in this video’s title, you may wonder how Tyler Oliveira managed to land a sponsor for a video that doesn’t seem to live up to typical brand safety standards. There might not be too many companies that are willing to support a stroll through “Pervert Park,” but DeleteMe was brave enough to back Oliveira. The partnership makes sense; Oliveira had a tough time on his exploratory journey through a neighborhood filled with registered sex offenders, and he made a few enemies along the way, so he may need to monitor his digital data for a bit.
BONUS #1,481 Fixing Bad Videos With One Change…
Channel: Hayden Hillier-Smith
Brand: Lickd
In many YouTube sponsorships, a creator explains how a particular product has made their videos more efficient or improved their creative process. For a recent team-up with background music provider Lickd, editor Hayden Hillier-Smith took that idea to the next level. He showed how smart applications of background music can improve some of YouTube’s most-watched videos. He applied his skills to his own content, a clip by Ryan Trahan, and even a scene from the Barbie movie. Maybe Trahan and Greta Gerwig should get in touch with Lickd themselves, because the platform seems to power some improvements for their work.
…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.
