Nickelodeon taps Aquarium Info to build Bikini Bottom replica for Kids’ Choice Awards

This year’s Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards will include a special appearance from one of the internet’s foremost aquarists. Jamie Dalton, who has received more than three billion lifetime views on her Aquarium Info YouTube channel, will build a replica of SpongeBob Squarepants‘ Bikini Bottom for the 2024 iteration of the kid-friendly award show.

Dalton is a 29-year-old fishkeeper who shows off splashy aquarium projects across multiple social channels. Like so many creators, her career took off when she shared her passion on TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her success opened up new opportunities, including a brand called Wetpets. According to our data partner Gospel Stats, Aquarium Info has landed sponsorships from the likes of Opera and BetterHelp over the past 12 months.

Her latest brand partnership will unite her with one of her childhood inspirations. Dalton is a big SpongeBob Squarepants fan, and so are her fans. An Aquarium Info video that features a miniature replica of Bikini Bottom has received more than 22 million views to date.

Since uploading that clip, Dalton has returned to the world of SpongeBob by recreating locations like the Krusty Krab and the Chum Bucket. For the 2024 Kids’ Choice Awards, she will build a Bikini Bottom replica that will be 100 times bigger than the small version she built for her snail Gary.

As social media’s slice of the children’s entertainment pie has increased, Nickelodeon has sought partnerships with creators who hold sway among Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Many of those deals — including pacts with David Dobrik, Hila Klein, and Guava Juice — have centered around SpongeBob. Though the 26-year-old animated series premiered long before the current crop of Kids’ Choice voters emerged, it took home the trophy for Best Animated Show at the Kids’ Choice Awards in 2023.

SpongeBob is nominated again this year. Tom Kenny, who provides the voice of the titular character, will host the 2024 Kids’ Choice Awards from the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. Dalton’s creation will also be featured on the broadcast, which kicks off at 8 PM ET on July 13.