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. You can also download our YouTube 2025 Sponsorship Landscape Report here.
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Mo’ MrBeast, mo’ money. As usual, he has top spot, but is also in spot #2 this week. Both videos have very similar titles–and the same sponsor. 👀
As for the rest of this week, it’s celebs, the military, and a little “Can you hear me now?”
Check it all out below…
#1 Press This Button To Win $250,000
Channel: MrBeast Gaming
Brand: Moose Toys
Views: 16,205,686
MrBeast has been doing a lot of splashy stuff with streamers lately, and this video is no different. What sets it apart from MrBeast’s average-person/man on the street challenges (like the one in spot #2 this week) is that streamers typically get the big cash prizes for their fans, not for themselves.
In this 20-minute upload on MrBeast’s side Gaming channel, Pokimane, ExtraEmily, and ElAbrahaham compete in rounds of Minecraft challenges for the chance to win $250K–all earmarked for their fans. This is a win for MrBeast, who gets ~16 million views and a sponsorship from Moose Toys (the producer behind his MrBeast Lab toys); it’s also a win for the victorious creator. How? We won’t give spoilers, but we will say MrBeast announces the winner’s plans to go live and give the $250K away on a special stream.
Engagement all around.
#2 Bring Me A Glass Of Water = Win $10,000
Channel: MrBeast
Brand: MrBeast Lab aka Moose Toys
Views: 15,020,106
If some random dude walked up to you and offered you $10K to fill a glass, you might be a little suspicious. But since MrBeast is the face of YouTube’s current era, most people trust that when he says he’s got $10K, he’s got $10K.
This 40-second video follows one man’s heart-pounding, sidewalk-jogging journey to find enough water to fill a single glass in just 120 seconds. MrBeast doesn’t make it too hard: “I think there’s a restaurant over there,” he tosses out.
Of course, the entire challenge is just because he needs water to show off his new line of MrBeast Labs toys–which, when dunked in water, shake off a coating of “rust” and reveal underlying colors.
#3 Inside a Marine Expeditionary Operation: From Sea to Shore
Channel: Unconventional, Newsweek, 2nd Marine Division
Brand: Jeep
Views: 10,734,482
Newsweek is doing some interesting stuff on YouTube. Its series Unconventional partners with branches of the American military for a variety of coverage. Sometimes it’s racing a car against an F-16. And sometimes, like in this week’s video, it’s following the full scale of a military operation.
Obviously this episode isn’t revealing any top-secret secrets, but it is hosted by someone who used to know them. Newsweek tapped former American spy turned journalist Naveed Jamali to take viewers through the minutiae of a day in the military–all supported by the series’ partner Jeep.
#4 Wait, Preston!
Channel: Preston
Brand: Verizon
Views: 8,303,816
What if you could walk into a Verizon store and come face to face with Preston?
Well, YouTube is making that happen. The platform has a long-ongoing association with Verizon that mainly centers on promoting YouTube TV and the NFL Sunday Ticket. Now YouTube’s also pumping Premium, with Preston’s help.
This 28-second clip honestly reads closer to a made-for-TV ad than most YouTube sponsor spots. We follow an enthusiastic cameraperson sa they run into Preston, who turns, raises his voice, and begins telling viewers all about the benefits of YouTube Premium…which just so happens to be cheaper (but not free!) for Verizon customers. Oh, and fans can catch him in Verizon stores across the country, thanks to new interactive displays.
YouTube is starting to do more in-house-produced content with creators again, so maybe we’ll see more of this kinda thing in the coming months…
BONUS #1,755 Ranking Celebrity Frozen Meals
Channel: Peebs
Brand: Azuna
Views: 111,590
Gordon Ramsay talks a lot of smack about frozen food on Kitchen Nightmares. We’re talking restaurant after restaurant getting reamed for flying in frozen appys and pastas instead of making everything in-house. I’m not saying I disagree with Ramsay here (especially in the Age of Sysco), but it is a little strange for his next biz move to be, well, a frozen food line.
But it’s cool: Peebs‘ deep dive into Ramsay–and other celebrities’–microwave meals is sponsored by New York-based air freshener co Azuna, so if anything stinks up the house, he’s got it covered.
…and there’s a lot more data where that came from. If you like our Weekly Top 5, you’ll love everything else Gospel has to offer. Start with our newly released YouTube 2025 Sponsorship Landscape Report, which you can download right here.
