Top 5 Branded Videos of the Week: Gun swords, super-small houses, Scientology

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.

We have an eclectic mix in our latest Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report, with a few familiar faces debuting a few unfamiliar topics. Scientology? Gun-swords?? Exercise??? FaZe Rug is at #1, and even as he fits himself into a tiny house, we take a look at how big his channel’s view count has gotten. To top it all off, we have some weird finds from the depths of Amazon–so buckle up, and check ’em all out below.

#1 I Survived the Tiniest VS Largest House in America!
Channel: FaZe Rug
Brand: Underdog Fantasy
Views: 3,089,997

FaZe Rug is back. After snagging spot #4 last week, he’s bumped up three places to be top dog–which is funny, considering his sponsor is Underdog Fantasy. That’s the same sponsor as last week, and the same sponsor who paid for 58 other videos this week. We expect to see that number keep growing from here through the winter, since the NFL just got into full swing and its seasons are one of the biggest drivers of fantasy sports traffic. As for Rug, though, he’s followed in Airrack‘s footsteps with a video where he checks out America’s most luxurious mansion…and its smallest squeeze. Rug’s video has just over 3 million views, which doesn’t seem too staggering when compared to the tens of millions MrBeast gets when he’s in spot #1–but it’s worth noting Rug’s channel as a whole brings in an impressive 125 million views a month.

#2 Youtube’s worst blacksmith makes a Gun-sword!
Channel: I did a thing
Brand: Honkai: Star Rail
Views: 2,712,750

Honkai: Star Rail developer miHoYo is one of YouTube‘s most prevalent mobile game advertisers, and in this video, I did a thing forges a fantasy weapon worthy of being wielded by any of the company’s characters. The habitual inventor of questionable things (want a flamethrowing soccer shoe?) said he swore he wouldn’t make anything resembling a gun again……unless someone paid him a lot of money. And miHoYo was willing to do just that.

#3 We Need to Rethink Exercise (Updated Version)
Channel: Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell
Brand: Brilliant
Views: 2,646,364

We know, we know. We’re sorry for bringing it up. Exercise isn’t our favorite thing, either. But that doesn’t make the biological processes behind how our bodies–“biological machines,” as Kurzgesagt calls them–absorb, process, and use nutrients from food during exercise any less fascinating. Kurzgesagt actually published the original version of this video a month ago, but thanks to feedback from its audience about approaching weight loss with more care, has published a reduxed version with input from experts. This video, like many of Kurzgesagt’s, is sponsored by education company Brilliant, which also paid for nearly 50 other videos this week.

#4 The Real American Psycho: Tom Cruise
Channel: Patrick Cc:
Brand: Underdog Fantasy
Views: 2,574,190

When someone says “Tom Cruise,” people probably think about his performances in Mission: Impossible, Edge of Tomorrow, and other box office hits. But Cruise is also known for being a scientologist, and has been one of the contentious religion’s biggest celebrity promoters. This hourlong video is a deep dive into Cruise’s association with scientology, and into scientology itself–its start, its systems, and its critics. The whole thing is pretty fascinating, and it, like FaZe Rug’s video, is sponsored by Underdog Fantasy.

BONUS #882 Weirdest Knives I could find on Amazon
Channel: MelissaBackwoods Knife & Gear Reviews
Brand: Whatnot
Views: 91,752

Who doesn’t love finding weird stuff online? Melissa Backwoods Knife & Gear Reviews often, as you can probably guess, uses her channel to review knives and other gear used by outdoorsy folks. She goes to lots of knife shows and picks up blades from blacksmiths and reputable companies. But what about knives from the depths of the internet? Can those compete with her top-notch stuff? We’ll let her tell you–and it’s all sponsored by social selling app Whatnot, a popular sponsor for thrifting and collector channels.

…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.