Top 5 Branded Videos of the Week: Halloween comes early with ghosts, runaway AI, and dangerous beaches

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.

In this edition of the Weekly Brand Report, we’re getting a break from MrBeast (mainly because he didn’t release a blockbuster video during the period measured for this ranking). In his stead, one of YouTube’s most formidable duos has taken the top spot in the rundown. They promoted an online counseling service in a frightening video. After watching their latest work, you may need therapy, too. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s dive right in and discuss the sponsored YouTube views that earned the most views during the second full week of August.

#1 Surviving 3 Haunted Houses in 50 Hours | Gettysburg
Channel: Sam and Colby
Brand: BetterHelp
Views: 5,699,747

Compared to many other creators, Sam and Colby‘s haunted house explorations don’t arrive on YouTube that often. The horror-hunting pair often goes multiple months at a time without uploading new fright fests, but when they finally deliver the goods, the result tends to be spectacular. The first upload on their main YouTube channel in nearly a month featured a visit to a trio of haunted houses in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where one of the most pivotal (and deadliest) Civil War battles was fought. Their sponsor, BetterHelp, is the perfect antidote for anyone who’s being chased by ghosts. With a little talk therapy, any fear can be overcome.

#2 A.I. ‐ Humanity’s Final Invention?
Channel: Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell
Brand: Brilliant
Views: 4,188,400

If traipsing through a haunted house doesn’t get your heart racing, let me introduce you to an even more ominous phobia: Runaway AI! The latest video from the German educators at Kurzgesagt is a history of human inventions that doubles as a caution about advances in AI. According to the animation hub, our current path of AI development could lead us to a point where AI can think and develop ideas faster than us — just as we surpassed other species back when we were homo erectus. That sounds like the sort of “nihilistic optimism” Kurzgesagt is famous for. Its sponsor Brilliant can be helpful for anyone looking to tackle new ideas, though we can’t promise that one of the platform’s courses will make you smarter than AI.

#3 Venezuela’s Most Dangerous Beach!
Channel: Kurt Caz
Brand: Manscaped
Views: 4,029,495

Let’s pivot from scary technology to scary geography. Travel creator Kurt Caz is famous for his adventures off the beaten path, and one of his recent sponsored videos fits that bill. Caz returned to Venezuela, the location where he filmed his most-watched long-form video. This time, his travels took him to La Guaira, a coastal town he describes as the most dangerous beach in the world. Despite his preconceptions, Caz meets some locals, boosts them on Instagram, and even does a little business for his sponsor Manscaped. The result is a video that reminds viewers that countries like Venezuela offer more than meets the eye.

#4 Hawaii: Paradise Turned to Hell
Channel: Tyler Oliveira
Brand: DeleteMe
Views: 3,503,658

Speaking of creators who travel to places that many would choose to avoid, Tyler Oliveira is back in the Weekly Brand Report. Last time we checked in with him, he was chatting to locals in a town filled with registered sex offenders. This time, he still has the same sponsor — digital identity tracker DeleteMe — but a new location in his sights. His video about the slow, steady downfall of the Hawaiian Islands may have been boosted by a recent John Oliver video on the same topic. Oliveira’s take adds in some interviews with locals to provide an unpolished look at a location that has fallen on hard times.

BONUS #1,523 Fearless Stunt Horse for House of the Dragon Cosplay
Channel: This Esme
Brand: NOW
Views: 29,873

So to recap, the top four videos in the Weekly Brand Report have featured haunted houses, AI, and two down-on-their-luck locales. You might want a mood booster after all of that, so let’s get some stunt horses in here ASAP. The vlogger known as This Esme needed a mount to complete her House of the Dragon-inspired cosplay, so she got herself a stunt horse and got to work. Her dedication to her craft will inspire horse lovers everywhere, but it also doubles as a reminder that House of the Dragon can be watched on the NOW streaming service, which — thanks to Xfinity’s acquisition of European broadcaster (and NOW operator) Sky — can now be watched in the United States. Now that you’re aware, NOW can be your mane streaming hub moving forward.

…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.