Brat TV is bringing ecommerce services to its network of creator partners. The Gen Z-focused media company known for hit shows like Chicken Girls has acquired ecommerce platform Jemi.
Brat did not disclose the price tag attached to its Jemi acquisition. Brat Co-Founder Rob Fishman told Tubefilter that the transaction was an all-stock deal. Post-acquisition, Jemi’s leadership team will move on from their positions to explore new opportunities.
Annie Hwang and Jason Cui developed Jemi with help from a $1.8 million seed round, which included participation from notable VC firms like General Catalyst and Kleiner Perkins. “When we learned that Annie and Jason, Jemi’s founders, were exploring next steps for their company, we approached the team about a potential partnership,” Fishman told Tubefilter. “As we’ve been looking for new ways to team up with digital creators, Jemi’s technology presented a really interesting opportunity for us.”
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Jemi’s technology lets creators set up their own storefronts, where they can sell merch inspired by their content. The platform’s no-code site builder makes it a practical, easy-to-use tool; Jemi’s Co-Founders made it onto Forbes‘ 30 Under 30 list in 2021 after helping creators pull in $10,000 in a single month.
Brat plans to employ Jemi’s site building to help its creative community expand their revenue streams. Fishman’s team works with some of the biggest names in digital media. For example, Brat teamed up with TikToker Drew Afualo to launch her podcast The Comment Section, which has been licensed exclusively by Spotify.
“Over the past year, we’ve started working with a host of digital creators who need assistance producing their longer-form weekly video series,” Fishman told Tubefilter. “As these shows reach maturity, it’s important that we explore every avenue for monetization, including e-commerce. In the future, we’re hoping to leverage Jemi’s technology to commercialize our creator partnerships through direct sales to fans.”
Fishman said that Brat is planning additional acquisitions “in the near future.” Some of the studio’s pickups will center around Beeline, an influencer marketing arm that has been active on Snapchat. “In addition to technology offerings, we’re exploring new content verticals as well as marketing companies that may fit in with Beeline,” Fishman said.
