A creator economy startup has added an experienced exec to its leadership team. Will Keenan, who made waves a decade ago as the President of the multi-channel network Endemol Beyond, has resurfaced as the Chief Revenue Officer of Coy Creator.
Variety describes Coy Creator as a “business-in-a-box” platform aimed at professional creators. The startup’s initialized name stands for “capitalize on you,” and its platform allows its partners to host experiences and content on personalized URLs. With that business plan in mind, Coy is looking to transition from its beta period to an official launch that is slated for this month. For now, visitors to the Coy website can request more information about the company’s creator- and brand-facing services.
Keenan described Coy Creator as “the future of Hollywood” and heralded the company as “the perfect place at the perfect time for me to make a return to the entertainment industry.
Variety describes Coy Creator as a “business-in-a-box” platform aimed at professional creators. The startup’s initialized name stands for “capitalize on you,” and its platform allows its partners to host experiences and content on personalized URLs. With that business plan in mind, Coy is looking to transition from its beta period to an official launch that is slated for this month. For now, visitors to the Coy website can request more information about the company’s creator- and brand-facing services.
Keenan described Coy Creator as “the future of Hollywood” and heralded the company as “the perfect place at the perfect time for me to make a return to the entertainment industry.
- 3/15/2024
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Rhett & Link‘s Mythical Entertainment has tapped Gwen Miller as Senior Director of the $5 million creator accelerator fund it launched in 2021.
The fund is Mythical’s “commitment to backing the rising stars of the creator economy,” and has so far backed four YouTubers: Jarvis Johnson, Daniel Thrasher, and creator pair The Sorry Girls.
Miller comes to Mythical from Hearst Communications, where she served as Senior Director of YouTube Strategy since 2021. In that role, she worked with brands like Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health, Seventeen, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and Esquire, and “was responsible for a portfolio with over 35 million followers and worked with creatives to grow channels across a variety of genres from celebrity interviews to health and fitness,” per a press release.
Before joining Hearst, she was VP of Content at digital lifestyle company Kin, where she helped established celebrities like Tia Mowry, Adrienne Houghton, Jeannie Mai, Tori Spelling, and...
The fund is Mythical’s “commitment to backing the rising stars of the creator economy,” and has so far backed four YouTubers: Jarvis Johnson, Daniel Thrasher, and creator pair The Sorry Girls.
Miller comes to Mythical from Hearst Communications, where she served as Senior Director of YouTube Strategy since 2021. In that role, she worked with brands like Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health, Seventeen, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and Esquire, and “was responsible for a portfolio with over 35 million followers and worked with creatives to grow channels across a variety of genres from celebrity interviews to health and fitness,” per a press release.
Before joining Hearst, she was VP of Content at digital lifestyle company Kin, where she helped established celebrities like Tia Mowry, Adrienne Houghton, Jeannie Mai, Tori Spelling, and...
- 12/15/2023
- by James Hale
- Tubefilter.com
Over the past few years, and particularly at the height of the pandemic, beauty and wellness influencers have been pivoting en masse from posting generic skincare and athleisure spon con to actively spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories. One person who may have joined this category is Michelle Phan, the Og YouTube beauty guru with 8.8 million subscribers who posted some concerning Instagram stories over the weekend that seem to highlight her gradual pivot to the spreading misinformation.
After a high-profile hiatus in 2015, Phan returned to YouTube with a splash in 2019, continuing...
After a high-profile hiatus in 2015, Phan returned to YouTube with a splash in 2019, continuing...
- 5/5/2022
- by EJ Dickson
- Rollingstone.com
MasterClass, the star-studded online education subscription service, has hired a new CFO.
Valen Tong, who formerly served as the chief business officer for Beauty For All Industries (Bfa), will oversee the finance organization at MasterClass and help to scale long-term growth. She will report to MasterClass founder and CEO David Rogier.
Tong isn’t a stranger to the digital video space. Bfa is the parent company of beauty subscription brands like Ipsy (founded by YouTube pioneer Michelle Phan) and BoxyCharm, which frequently sponsors influencers). Bfa is also the parent of Madeby Collective, an incubator that launched Addison Rae’s beauty brand, Item Beauty.
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Valen Tong, who formerly served as the chief business officer for Beauty For All Industries (Bfa), will oversee the finance organization at MasterClass and help to scale long-term growth. She will report to MasterClass founder and CEO David Rogier.
Tong isn’t a stranger to the digital video space. Bfa is the parent company of beauty subscription brands like Ipsy (founded by YouTube pioneer Michelle Phan) and BoxyCharm, which frequently sponsors influencers). Bfa is also the parent of Madeby Collective, an incubator that launched Addison Rae’s beauty brand, Item Beauty.
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- 10/29/2021
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Reddit co-founder and venture capitalist Alexis Ohanian and Tiffany Zhong -- the founder of creator startup Islands -- will tackle the burgeoning Nft market in a new podcast called Probably Nothing.
The co-hosts will cover Nft news, deep dives, and interviews with leaders in the space. The show launches today, with future installments to roll out weekly right here, as well as on Apple and Spotify.
Upcoming guests will include: Bobby Hundreds, founder of the Adam Bomb Squad Nft project; Playboy CMO Rachel Webber, Time president Keith Grossman, YouTuber and crypto enthusiast Michelle Phan, Wengie, and Christie’s Nft lead Noah Davis.
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The co-hosts will cover Nft news, deep dives, and interviews with leaders in the space. The show launches today, with future installments to roll out weekly right here, as well as on Apple and Spotify.
Upcoming guests will include: Bobby Hundreds, founder of the Adam Bomb Squad Nft project; Playboy CMO Rachel Webber, Time president Keith Grossman, YouTuber and crypto enthusiast Michelle Phan, Wengie, and Christie’s Nft lead Noah Davis.
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- 10/21/2021
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
On May 14, YouTube will host its first ever YouTube Beauty Festival, a virtual “summit-style” event that’ll feature creators including Michelle Phan, Emma Chamberlain, and Manny Mua, plus celebrities like Paris Hilton, Pharrell Williams, and Jessica Alba. The livestreamed event will be produced as a YouTube Original. It’ll premiere on YouTube’s Fashion hub, and will […]
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- 4/29/2021
- by James Hale
- Tubefilter.com
Boutique digital talent management company Rare Global has added to its roster at the same time as announcing a key new hire.
The firm has signed fashion YouTuber BestDressed, who counts 3.6 million subscribers on her channel and also generates high-level engagement, Rare notes, with roughly 1 million views per video. A graduate of UCLA film school, the 22-year-old -- whose first name is Ashley, though she does not disclose her surname -- is known for her cinematic videos, dry sense of humor, and inspirational messaging. Common video topics include fashion lookbooks and interior tutorials.
In addition to Ashley's signing, Rare has hired Refinery29’s Amber Kai (pictured below) to lead talent development. Kai formerly served as manager of talent partnerships and casting at the female-focused digital publisher, and will now lead all efforts in signing and developing new talent at Rare.
Also today, Rare has signed four up-and-coming beauty and fashion creators on TikTok and YouTube,...
The firm has signed fashion YouTuber BestDressed, who counts 3.6 million subscribers on her channel and also generates high-level engagement, Rare notes, with roughly 1 million views per video. A graduate of UCLA film school, the 22-year-old -- whose first name is Ashley, though she does not disclose her surname -- is known for her cinematic videos, dry sense of humor, and inspirational messaging. Common video topics include fashion lookbooks and interior tutorials.
In addition to Ashley's signing, Rare has hired Refinery29’s Amber Kai (pictured below) to lead talent development. Kai formerly served as manager of talent partnerships and casting at the female-focused digital publisher, and will now lead all efforts in signing and developing new talent at Rare.
Also today, Rare has signed four up-and-coming beauty and fashion creators on TikTok and YouTube,...
- 10/21/2020
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
With TikTok's future uncertain, Addison Rae Easterling -- one of the micro-video platform’s signature stars -- is launching a flurry of new business ventures.
After unveiling a merch collection with Fanjoy and her very own Spotify podcast, Easterling is now launching a beauty company alongside brand incubator Madeby Collective. Madeby Collective is a sister brand of Ipsy -- the beauty subscription box service and influencer community founded by YouTube luminary Michelle Phan. Madeby Collective says it uses the 160 million product reviews culled from the Ipsy community -- as well as the followings of affiliated influencers -- to create brands, and then promote them via Ipsy subscription boxes and creator content.
For her new line, Item Beauty, Easterling will serve as both co-founder and chief innovation officer. Launching Aug. 12, Item will target Gen Z consumers with clean, science-backed ingredients, it says. The line also touts fuss-free packaging and unexpected product formulations,...
After unveiling a merch collection with Fanjoy and her very own Spotify podcast, Easterling is now launching a beauty company alongside brand incubator Madeby Collective. Madeby Collective is a sister brand of Ipsy -- the beauty subscription box service and influencer community founded by YouTube luminary Michelle Phan. Madeby Collective says it uses the 160 million product reviews culled from the Ipsy community -- as well as the followings of affiliated influencers -- to create brands, and then promote them via Ipsy subscription boxes and creator content.
For her new line, Item Beauty, Easterling will serve as both co-founder and chief innovation officer. Launching Aug. 12, Item will target Gen Z consumers with clean, science-backed ingredients, it says. The line also touts fuss-free packaging and unexpected product formulations,...
- 8/3/2020
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Exclusive: DJ and producer Steve Aoki recently launched a new show on YouTube titled The Neon Future Dinner Series and to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, he will welcome Lisa Ling as a co-host and guests Ross Butler, Henry Golding and Em Cosmetics founder Michelle Phan as his guests on May 28 at 6pm Pst.
Aoki tells Deadline he created The Neon Future Dinner Series as a response to social distancing during the current pandemic and to help his desire to connect with my fans and peers. His previous guests include wil.i.am, T-Pain, Tony Hawk and Shaun White, but his fourth episode is extra special to him.
“My next dinner is a very important one to me as it celebrates [Asian Pacific American Heritage Month]”, said Aoki. “On this upcoming episode, I am so thrilled to announce that...
Aoki tells Deadline he created The Neon Future Dinner Series as a response to social distancing during the current pandemic and to help his desire to connect with my fans and peers. His previous guests include wil.i.am, T-Pain, Tony Hawk and Shaun White, but his fourth episode is extra special to him.
“My next dinner is a very important one to me as it celebrates [Asian Pacific American Heritage Month]”, said Aoki. “On this upcoming episode, I am so thrilled to announce that...
- 5/26/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Wengie To Host ‘FutureCon’, A Virtual YouTube Convention Combining Anime, Cosplay, Music, And Gaming
Lifestyle YouTube star and burgeoning musician Wengie -- whose real name is Wendy Ayche, and who counts 14 million subscribers and roughly 20 million monthly views -- is hosting a first-of-its-kind virtual event on YouTube next week dubbed FutureCon.
FutureCon will combine the worlds of anime, cosplay, music, and gaming, according to Forbes, and will premiere on May 27 at 9 pm Et on a separate Wengie channel exclusively dedicated to her music ventures. FutureCon will feature musicians, and will also comprise discussions with mental health advocates, as well as an amateur cosplay content. Per Forbes, the event is being hosted during both Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month.
For the mental health chat portion of the event, Ayche will be joined in conversation with fellow YouTube luminaries, including beauty vet Michelle Phan, singer-songwriter mxmtoon, vlogger Ryan Higa, and visual artist Zhc.
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FutureCon will combine the worlds of anime, cosplay, music, and gaming, according to Forbes, and will premiere on May 27 at 9 pm Et on a separate Wengie channel exclusively dedicated to her music ventures. FutureCon will feature musicians, and will also comprise discussions with mental health advocates, as well as an amateur cosplay content. Per Forbes, the event is being hosted during both Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month.
For the mental health chat portion of the event, Ayche will be joined in conversation with fellow YouTube luminaries, including beauty vet Michelle Phan, singer-songwriter mxmtoon, vlogger Ryan Higa, and visual artist Zhc.
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- 5/22/2020
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Watching Netflix's Hollywood, I felt surprised to see Michelle Krusiec pop up on screen in episode two. Who was this glamorous, angsty woman in gorgeous cat-eye sunglasses and a flouncy purple dress? Her presence caught me off guard - I wasn't used to seeing an Asian woman on modern American TV, let alone an Asian woman on a show about the 1940s. On top of that, it was rare to witness an Asian woman speak candidly, almost bitterly, about her frustrations, as Krusiec does with Darren Criss, who plays Raymond Ainsley. I soon pieced together that Krusiec was portraying Anna May Wong, one of the most underappreciated actresses in American history.
Culturally, the Asian American woman has always felt like a modern concept to me, even though I know this isn't true.
Unfortunately, my knowledge of Wong has been sparse, supplemented with a few lines in history books. Pop...
Culturally, the Asian American woman has always felt like a modern concept to me, even though I know this isn't true.
Unfortunately, my knowledge of Wong has been sparse, supplemented with a few lines in history books. Pop...
- 5/9/2020
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
After launching its yearlong influencer marketing initiative dubbed #TargetTalent in September, predominantly on Instagram, the mass retailer is now honing its YouTube presence -- to massive success straight out of the gate.
At first, Target appeared to be focusing #TargetTalent content on Instagram alongside the likes of Vine-turned-YouTube star Lauren Giraldo and Try Guys personality Ned Fulmer -- both of whom helped unveil #TargetTalent via sponsored posts. But now, the company has transitioned its efforts onto its YouTube channel as well, where two of that platform's preeminent creators -- lifestyle vlogger Emma Chamberlain and beauty Og Michelle Phan -- linked up with celebrities to vlog their shopping adventures down the Target aisles.
Target did not immediately respond to request for comment about how it selected its influencer partners or whether additional episodes are forthcoming.
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At first, Target appeared to be focusing #TargetTalent content on Instagram alongside the likes of Vine-turned-YouTube star Lauren Giraldo and Try Guys personality Ned Fulmer -- both of whom helped unveil #TargetTalent via sponsored posts. But now, the company has transitioned its efforts onto its YouTube channel as well, where two of that platform's preeminent creators -- lifestyle vlogger Emma Chamberlain and beauty Og Michelle Phan -- linked up with celebrities to vlog their shopping adventures down the Target aisles.
Target did not immediately respond to request for comment about how it selected its influencer partners or whether additional episodes are forthcoming.
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- 10/28/2019
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Veteran lifestyle vlogger Gigi Gorgeous, arguably the first mainstream YouTube star to come out publicly as transgender, is throwing her hat into the beauty brand ring with Gigi Gorgeous Cosmetics.
Gorgeous’s soon-to-launch eponymous makeup brand is being created in collaboration with Ipsy -- a beauty subscription box service and online retailer co-founded by fellow YouTube makeup Og Michelle Phan, though Phan is no longer affiliated with Ipsy as of 2017.
While Gorgeous has shared little about the forthcoming collection beyond a few snapshots on Instagram, the items tout white and pastel pink packaging with her name emblazoned in black. She noted she would be “unveiling everything this weekend on October 13 in New York City at Ipsy Live” -- a live event series for creators and customers hosted by the company. "I can’t wait to share more about the entire line and go in depth with each product, my ideas behind them,...
Gorgeous’s soon-to-launch eponymous makeup brand is being created in collaboration with Ipsy -- a beauty subscription box service and online retailer co-founded by fellow YouTube makeup Og Michelle Phan, though Phan is no longer affiliated with Ipsy as of 2017.
While Gorgeous has shared little about the forthcoming collection beyond a few snapshots on Instagram, the items tout white and pastel pink packaging with her name emblazoned in black. She noted she would be “unveiling everything this weekend on October 13 in New York City at Ipsy Live” -- a live event series for creators and customers hosted by the company. "I can’t wait to share more about the entire line and go in depth with each product, my ideas behind them,...
- 10/10/2019
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
A few years ago, Michelle Phan vanished without a trace. The YouTube star had spent more than a decade posting hundreds of makeup tutorials and accumulating millions of subscribers. Then, suddenly, she went silent on the social network. Phan's whereabouts also remained a mystery outside of the social sphere. According to The Cut, even her colleagues at her beauty brands—Ipsy and Em Cosmetics—didn't know where she had gone. In 2017, about a year after her digital disappearance, Phan resurfaced and posted a video called "Why I Left," which earned more than 13.5 million views. In the 11-minute clip, Phan explained how she always wanted to be successful and recalled...
- 9/27/2019
- E! Online
Michelle Phan, one of YouTube’s first massive makeup stars, has taken an extended break from her flagship channel for roughly two years due to creative exhaustion and to pursue other entrepreneurial endeavors.
But now, Phan -- who counts 8.9 million subscribers and 1 billion lifetime views -- is back. However, her channel isn’t hosting any of the beauty tutorials that made her a household name. Instead, it is touting a 24-hour music stream titled 24/7 Magic Hour Radio. That stream launched yesterday, Variety reports -- exactly two years after Phan’s last video.
The music stream will serve to promote Thematic -- an upstart that Phan co-founded and is also an investor in. Thematic furnishes an online marketplace where emerging musicians can license their works to video creators. To this end, Phan’s stream -- which she is running without any ads -- will feature hand-picked Thematic artists, she tells Variety,...
But now, Phan -- who counts 8.9 million subscribers and 1 billion lifetime views -- is back. However, her channel isn’t hosting any of the beauty tutorials that made her a household name. Instead, it is touting a 24-hour music stream titled 24/7 Magic Hour Radio. That stream launched yesterday, Variety reports -- exactly two years after Phan’s last video.
The music stream will serve to promote Thematic -- an upstart that Phan co-founded and is also an investor in. Thematic furnishes an online marketplace where emerging musicians can license their works to video creators. To this end, Phan’s stream -- which she is running without any ads -- will feature hand-picked Thematic artists, she tells Variety,...
- 6/3/2019
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
VidCon today announced it is moving into original content with the debut of the series VidCon Now as part of Viacom Digital Studios.
The series launches today across VidCon’s various social media channels. As part of the new digital programming initiative, Viacom alum, Stacey Kelly has been hired to serve as VidCon’s first content director and will report to VidCon General Manager Jim Louderback.
“As the world’s largest celebration of the online video community it was only natural that we would continue to deepen our relationship with our audience by launching original digital content,” said Louderback. “Stacey’s incredible background in digital and experience working with a wide variety of online video platforms makes her the ideal person to lead our programming initiative.”
Kelly will be based in Viacom’s Hollywood offices.
“I am excited to find new ways to build and engage our digital-first audiences 365 days a year,...
The series launches today across VidCon’s various social media channels. As part of the new digital programming initiative, Viacom alum, Stacey Kelly has been hired to serve as VidCon’s first content director and will report to VidCon General Manager Jim Louderback.
“As the world’s largest celebration of the online video community it was only natural that we would continue to deepen our relationship with our audience by launching original digital content,” said Louderback. “Stacey’s incredible background in digital and experience working with a wide variety of online video platforms makes her the ideal person to lead our programming initiative.”
Kelly will be based in Viacom’s Hollywood offices.
“I am excited to find new ways to build and engage our digital-first audiences 365 days a year,...
- 5/21/2019
- by Anita Bennett
- Deadline Film + TV
Alisha Marie hit the breaking point once she realized she was lying to herself.
The 25-year-old YouTube star had been posting videos to her channel at least weekly for a solid eight years. This spring, after enduring months of misery, the lifestyle vlogger, with more than 7 million YouTube followers, finally had to admit she was burned out: exhausted, creatively stuck and unhappy but afraid of jumping off the wheel. Finally, Alisha told fans in a tearful video in May that she was putting her channel on hold to recuperate.
“I started falling out of love with YouTube,” she says now, “which broke my heart.”
The problem? According to Alisha, she started feeling more stress last fall after YouTube made changes over the past year about how it recommends videos to users. The platform’s algorithms increasingly reward channels that post more frequently, have higher engagement (such as through “likes” and...
The 25-year-old YouTube star had been posting videos to her channel at least weekly for a solid eight years. This spring, after enduring months of misery, the lifestyle vlogger, with more than 7 million YouTube followers, finally had to admit she was burned out: exhausted, creatively stuck and unhappy but afraid of jumping off the wheel. Finally, Alisha told fans in a tearful video in May that she was putting her channel on hold to recuperate.
“I started falling out of love with YouTube,” she says now, “which broke my heart.”
The problem? According to Alisha, she started feeling more stress last fall after YouTube made changes over the past year about how it recommends videos to users. The platform’s algorithms increasingly reward channels that post more frequently, have higher engagement (such as through “likes” and...
- 8/29/2018
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Michelle Phan knows she’s entered "uncharted territory" as a former YouTube megastar who has now left her groundbreaking channel dormant for roughly one year. But after building her presence on the platform for 10 years, which necessitated a deeply strenuous work-life balance, the 31-year-old ultimately decided to say “thank you but no thanks” to fame in order to allocate her energy toward entrepreneurship.
“YouTubing is sort of like being an Uber driver,” she says. “Your car is your channel, and when you’re not driving the car, you’re not going to make any money -- which is not a sustainable model.”
After departing her beauty box startup Ipsy last year -- which was her first and biggest business venture (the company raised $100 million in venture capital 2015 at a $500 million valuation) -- Phan unveiled at VidCon her next act: Thematic, a free peer-to-peer music marketplace that seeks to help content...
“YouTubing is sort of like being an Uber driver,” she says. “Your car is your channel, and when you’re not driving the car, you’re not going to make any money -- which is not a sustainable model.”
After departing her beauty box startup Ipsy last year -- which was her first and biggest business venture (the company raised $100 million in venture capital 2015 at a $500 million valuation) -- Phan unveiled at VidCon her next act: Thematic, a free peer-to-peer music marketplace that seeks to help content...
- 6/28/2018
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Addressing Controversies Head-On, YouTube Lays Infrastructure To Manage Growth — Deadline Disruptors
When YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim uploaded that first video of Me at the Zoo in 2005 it was hard to imagine what the video sharing site launched under the slogan “broadcast yourself” might become.
These days, A-list celebrities like Will Smith and professional athletes like Golden State Warriors standout Kevin Durant use YouTube to afford intimate if controlled glimpses of their private lives, even as not-ready-for-mainstream players like gamer Mark Fischbach (better known as Markiplier) or beauty guru Michelle Phan rake in millions.
YouTube has fundamentally transformed the media landscape. It democratized video creation and distribution, providing a platform where anyone with a camera, an internet connection and a passion for storytelling can reach a global audience. It gave rise to a whole new creative class of influencers, who were able to bypass the entertainment industry’s gatekeepers and tastemakers.
And its reach is, in a word, enormous. Some 1.5 billion users...
These days, A-list celebrities like Will Smith and professional athletes like Golden State Warriors standout Kevin Durant use YouTube to afford intimate if controlled glimpses of their private lives, even as not-ready-for-mainstream players like gamer Mark Fischbach (better known as Markiplier) or beauty guru Michelle Phan rake in millions.
YouTube has fundamentally transformed the media landscape. It democratized video creation and distribution, providing a platform where anyone with a camera, an internet connection and a passion for storytelling can reach a global audience. It gave rise to a whole new creative class of influencers, who were able to bypass the entertainment industry’s gatekeepers and tastemakers.
And its reach is, in a word, enormous. Some 1.5 billion users...
- 5/14/2018
- by Dawn C. Chmielewski
- Deadline Film + TV
Ipsy, the beauty subscription box startup founded by YouTube luminary Michelle Phan -- which has also cultivated a buzzy creator fleet to help drive sales -- has welcomed the latest ‘official creator’ into its family.
Burgeoning beauty vlogger Jessica Vu, who was personally discovered by Phan, joins Ipsy’s current roster of 10 official creators: Cydnee Black, Jaleesa Moses, Karen O, Lamadelynn, Lynette Cenée, Gabriel Zamora, Madison Miller, Bailey Sarian, Micaela Klein, and Roxette Arisa. Vu will make her debut this weekend in Los Angeles at Gen Beauty -- a cosmetics convention founded by Ipsy where attendees can meet their favorite influencers and also learn about brand-building from experts via a curated series of workshops and panels.
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Burgeoning beauty vlogger Jessica Vu, who was personally discovered by Phan, joins Ipsy’s current roster of 10 official creators: Cydnee Black, Jaleesa Moses, Karen O, Lamadelynn, Lynette Cenée, Gabriel Zamora, Madison Miller, Bailey Sarian, Micaela Klein, and Roxette Arisa. Vu will make her debut this weekend in Los Angeles at Gen Beauty -- a cosmetics convention founded by Ipsy where attendees can meet their favorite influencers and also learn about brand-building from experts via a curated series of workshops and panels.
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- 3/23/2018
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
On January 16, YouTube announced massive changes to its partner program. Under the new rules, creators will need to amass at least 1,000 subscribers and more than 4,000 hours of watch time before they are allowed to become a partner and earn money from ads that play before their videos. Across the internet, much of the reaction to this update has been negative. A litany of detractors, led by creators like Boogie2988 and Michelle Phan, has accused YouTube of abandoning small-sized channels.
YouTube forgot that it was the creators who made the platform, not the other way around. I was once a small creator too. Looks like Yt forgot their roots, and value profit over people. #YouTubePartnerProgram https://t.co/ilFdTnhWMP
— ˗ˏˋ ☉ ˎˊ˗ (@MichellePhan) January 17, 2018
Many people are unhappy with YouTube's decision, but there have also been plenty of creators who have voiced support for YouTube's decision. One of the most notable people...
YouTube forgot that it was the creators who made the platform, not the other way around. I was once a small creator too. Looks like Yt forgot their roots, and value profit over people. #YouTubePartnerProgram https://t.co/ilFdTnhWMP
— ˗ˏˋ ☉ ˎˊ˗ (@MichellePhan) January 17, 2018
Many people are unhappy with YouTube's decision, but there have also been plenty of creators who have voiced support for YouTube's decision. One of the most notable people...
- 1/19/2018
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
If anybody has had a near-perfect view of the transformation of the entertainment business in the age of the Internet, it may be Robert Kyncl (rhymes with “pencil”).
Born in communist Czechoslovakia, his first American job was in that most traditional Hollywood starting place, a talent agency mailroom. He later worked for a film-distribution company, then moved to Netflix “when it was still sending DVDs in the mail.” After he helped manage the Netflix transition to online video streaming, Kyncl jumped to YouTube, to perhaps the most non-traditional of jobs in the entertainment business.
Now he’s YouTube’s Chief Business Officer and, with Maany Peyvan (stet), author of a new book, Streampunks: YouTube and the Rebels Remaking Media.
I talked with the co-authors this week about the book, the transformation Kyncl has been part of, and where YouTube and Hollywood are going. Here’s our conversation:
Tubefilter: You call your book Streampunks.
Born in communist Czechoslovakia, his first American job was in that most traditional Hollywood starting place, a talent agency mailroom. He later worked for a film-distribution company, then moved to Netflix “when it was still sending DVDs in the mail.” After he helped manage the Netflix transition to online video streaming, Kyncl jumped to YouTube, to perhaps the most non-traditional of jobs in the entertainment business.
Now he’s YouTube’s Chief Business Officer and, with Maany Peyvan (stet), author of a new book, Streampunks: YouTube and the Rebels Remaking Media.
I talked with the co-authors this week about the book, the transformation Kyncl has been part of, and where YouTube and Hollywood are going. Here’s our conversation:
Tubefilter: You call your book Streampunks.
- 9/8/2017
- by David Bloom
- Tubefilter.com
A brand that allied itself with some of the biggest names in online video has shut down. Endemol Shine Beyond USA, the digital media unit launched in 2013 as Endemol Beyond, has closed its doors, and five of its employees have been let go.
From the get go, Beyond served as an attempt from Endemol -- known for producing TV shows like Fear Factor and Big Brother -- to increase its presence within the online video market. Will Keenan, a digital media vet, was brought on to run the studio upon its launch, and his team brought in a strong lineup of creative partners, including online video stars like Michelle Phan and Brittany Furlan as well as traditional media notables like Pitbull and Courtney Love.
Keenan left Endemol Beyond in 2015 and was replaced on an interim basis by Adrian Sexton, who eventually ceded the studio’s top spot to former Maker Studios exec Bonnie Pan.
From the get go, Beyond served as an attempt from Endemol -- known for producing TV shows like Fear Factor and Big Brother -- to increase its presence within the online video market. Will Keenan, a digital media vet, was brought on to run the studio upon its launch, and his team brought in a strong lineup of creative partners, including online video stars like Michelle Phan and Brittany Furlan as well as traditional media notables like Pitbull and Courtney Love.
Keenan left Endemol Beyond in 2015 and was replaced on an interim basis by Adrian Sexton, who eventually ceded the studio’s top spot to former Maker Studios exec Bonnie Pan.
- 6/15/2017
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
If the prospect of departing a massively flourishing YouTube channel -- at the apex of one’s career and without much of an explanation -- sounds unfathomable, meet Michelle Phan.
Roughly 10 months ago, Phan, who at the time was one of the most celebrated beauty gurus on all of YouTube with 8.8 million subscribers and counting, mysteriously stopped making videos. And while she has busied herself in the meantime with various projects -- including the relaunch of her beauty brand, Em Cosmetics, and an original comic series called Helios: Femina -- Phan returned to YouTube in a major way today with not one but two new videos.
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Roughly 10 months ago, Phan, who at the time was one of the most celebrated beauty gurus on all of YouTube with 8.8 million subscribers and counting, mysteriously stopped making videos. And while she has busied herself in the meantime with various projects -- including the relaunch of her beauty brand, Em Cosmetics, and an original comic series called Helios: Femina -- Phan returned to YouTube in a major way today with not one but two new videos.
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- 6/1/2017
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
It has been almost ten months since Michelle Phan posted a video to her YouTube channel, which has more than 8.8 million subscribers. Now, the 30-year-old beauty and makeup star is making a return to the public eye in a big way. Her makeup line, Em, will relaunch on April 17th more than three years after its initial rollout drew a chilly reception among Phan’s followers.
The details of the new Em line are spelled out in a thorough profile of Phan that can be found over at Racked. Here’s the basic idea: In 2013, Phan teamed up with L’oreal to launch Em, a makeup line consisting of 200 products. The line was poorly received, with many critics perceiving it to be overpriced. In 2015, Phan bought Em back from L’oreal through her company Ipsy, and now, she is set to relaunch it with a more accessible approach.
The new...
The details of the new Em line are spelled out in a thorough profile of Phan that can be found over at Racked. Here’s the basic idea: In 2013, Phan teamed up with L’oreal to launch Em, a makeup line consisting of 200 products. The line was poorly received, with many critics perceiving it to be overpriced. In 2015, Phan bought Em back from L’oreal through her company Ipsy, and now, she is set to relaunch it with a more accessible approach.
The new...
- 4/10/2017
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Michelle Phan, the YouTube beauty vlogger-turned-subscription box entrepreneur, is giving back in a major way this holiday season in collaboration with Love146 -- a New Haven, Conn.-based organization that fights child trafficking and exploitation.
Given that the International Labor Organization estimates 5 million children worldwide are caught up in human trafficking and exploitation, Phan sought to raise $35,000 this holiday season in a campaign for Love146 to fight future abuses and provide holistic care for victims. As of today, she has surpassed this goal with $38,361 from 262 donors with just four days to go. And Phan pledged to donate an additional $70,000 if the $35,000 goal was surpassed -- bringing total funds raised by the digital starlet to $105,000.
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Given that the International Labor Organization estimates 5 million children worldwide are caught up in human trafficking and exploitation, Phan sought to raise $35,000 this holiday season in a campaign for Love146 to fight future abuses and provide holistic care for victims. As of today, she has surpassed this goal with $38,361 from 262 donors with just four days to go. And Phan pledged to donate an additional $70,000 if the $35,000 goal was surpassed -- bringing total funds raised by the digital starlet to $105,000.
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- 12/27/2016
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Michelle Phan’s Icon Network, an online destination for lifestyle content created in collaboration with digital production company Endemol Shine Beyond, is launching an Asian channel fittingly dubbed Icon Asia.
Headquartered in Singapore, the network will feature original series by up-and-coming creators from different regions across the continent, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Hong Kong. All videos will initially be produced in English, with plans to expand into local languages in coming months.
In addition to Phan, inaugural Icon Asia creators will include: Thai-Hong Kong beauty guru Sichenmakeupholic; Filipina cashier by day and beauty creator by night, Michelle Dy; hair master Ross Kwan; Girl Who Cried Wolf; and Dmt Stylist, an Australian makeup artist and fashion stylist. Content will be distributed on YouTube, with supporting content on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.
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Headquartered in Singapore, the network will feature original series by up-and-coming creators from different regions across the continent, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Hong Kong. All videos will initially be produced in English, with plans to expand into local languages in coming months.
In addition to Phan, inaugural Icon Asia creators will include: Thai-Hong Kong beauty guru Sichenmakeupholic; Filipina cashier by day and beauty creator by night, Michelle Dy; hair master Ross Kwan; Girl Who Cried Wolf; and Dmt Stylist, an Australian makeup artist and fashion stylist. Content will be distributed on YouTube, with supporting content on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.
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- 5/24/2016
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
The Icon Network is setting some goals for its viewers. The digital destination, founded in 2015 by YouTube beauty queen Michelle Phan and digital network Endemol Beyond, will be the home of #LifestyleGoals, a series that will follow three YouTubers around La for a weekend while examining the work that goes into their respective channels. Subway will be the show’s official sponsor.
The three stars of #LifestyleGoals will be Promise Phan, NataliesOutlet, and SofiaStyled, all of whom are well-established on social media. Across eight episodes, they will collaborate among themselves while looping in nail artists, dancers, vloggers, and other creative friends. Along the way, they hope to reveal their lives behind the camera. They will also eat a lot of Subway sandwiches.
“In the ever-changing landscape of digital, we’ve come to know and love the authenticity of creators,” said Bonnie Pan, President of Endemol Shine Beyond USA, in a press release.
The three stars of #LifestyleGoals will be Promise Phan, NataliesOutlet, and SofiaStyled, all of whom are well-established on social media. Across eight episodes, they will collaborate among themselves while looping in nail artists, dancers, vloggers, and other creative friends. Along the way, they hope to reveal their lives behind the camera. They will also eat a lot of Subway sandwiches.
“In the ever-changing landscape of digital, we’ve come to know and love the authenticity of creators,” said Bonnie Pan, President of Endemol Shine Beyond USA, in a press release.
- 5/5/2016
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
On this, its one-year birthday, Michelle Phan’s Icon lifestyle network -- which the digital luminary launched on YouTube and other Ott services alongside Endemol Shine Beyond last March -- has announced a slew of new shows and says it will expand into Asia by year’s end.
Icon initially launched simultaneously in the U.S. and the U.K. before rolling out to France and Germany late last year. Thus far, the network has unveiled more than 25 original series, like Pretty Little Pranksters and Trash to Fab, and many of its lifestyle-leaning creators -- such CloudyApples, Sonya Esman, and JKissa Makeup -- have seen viewership on their channels catapult since joining the network, according to Endemol.
Today, Icon announced four new originals: #LifeStyleGoals, starring Promise Phan (Michelle’s sister-in-law), Natalies Outlet, and SofiaStyled, will debut in May; 5 Uses is a unique glimpse into products commonly found in kitchen pantries...
Icon initially launched simultaneously in the U.S. and the U.K. before rolling out to France and Germany late last year. Thus far, the network has unveiled more than 25 original series, like Pretty Little Pranksters and Trash to Fab, and many of its lifestyle-leaning creators -- such CloudyApples, Sonya Esman, and JKissa Makeup -- have seen viewership on their channels catapult since joining the network, according to Endemol.
Today, Icon announced four new originals: #LifeStyleGoals, starring Promise Phan (Michelle’s sister-in-law), Natalies Outlet, and SofiaStyled, will debut in May; 5 Uses is a unique glimpse into products commonly found in kitchen pantries...
- 3/30/2016
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
The wait is finally over! YouTube superstar Michelle Phan announced back in July that she was releasing a digital comic - a passion project she's been dreaming up for years - named Helios: Femina, and now her fantasy world has finally found on Line Webtoon. "Helios: Femina has been a project many years in the making for me. I actually first came up with the concept when I was a kid, so I'm really excited to finally share the first chapters of my creation," Phan says in a statement. "It's going to be amazing to be able to interact with readers with every chapter.
- 3/18/2016
- by Grace Gavilanes, @gracegavilanes
- PEOPLE.com
The wait is finally over! YouTube superstar Michelle Phan announced back in July that she was releasing a digital comic - a passion project she's been dreaming up for years - named Helios: Femina, and now her fantasy world has finally found on Line Webtoon. "Helios: Femina has been a project many years in the making for me. I actually first came up with the concept when I was a kid, so I'm really excited to finally share the first chapters of my creation," Phan says in a statement. "It's going to be amazing to be able to interact with readers with every chapter.
- 3/18/2016
- by Grace Gavilanes, @gracegavilanes
- PEOPLE.com
Michelle Phan can now add comic book creator to her growing list of accolades that already includes a thriving digital network alongside Endemol Beyond and a hugely lucrative beauty subscription service.
Helios: Femina, a comic series conceived by the YouTube phenomenon when she was just 11 years old, has launched today exclusively on the digital comic publishing platform Line Webtoon.
The first three chapters of the Helios: Femina are currently available on Line Webtoon, while the remaining 26 chapters will roll out for free exclusively on the platform every Sunday beginning March 27.
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Helios: Femina, a comic series conceived by the YouTube phenomenon when she was just 11 years old, has launched today exclusively on the digital comic publishing platform Line Webtoon.
The first three chapters of the Helios: Femina are currently available on Line Webtoon, while the remaining 26 chapters will roll out for free exclusively on the platform every Sunday beginning March 27.
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- 3/18/2016
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
In the spring of 2016, The Webby Awards will celebrate its 20th year of honoring the best of the best brands and individuals on the internet. And for the next few days, the show is looking for entries for its upcoming event. The annual Webby Awards, which bestows what the New York Times calls “the internet’s highest honor,” is accepting submissions for award consideration through December 18, 2015.
The Webby Awards accepts submissions across a range of categories under five different genres, which include websites, advertising and media, mobile sites and apps, social, and online film and video. Because the world of online video is constantly growing, the 2016 awards show will now boast five new categories under the online film and video genre. This year, creators can submit entries for art and experimental films, music videos, fashion and beauty videos, cinematic virtual reality projects, or interactive and gaming virtual reality works.
Last...
The Webby Awards accepts submissions across a range of categories under five different genres, which include websites, advertising and media, mobile sites and apps, social, and online film and video. Because the world of online video is constantly growing, the 2016 awards show will now boast five new categories under the online film and video genre. This year, creators can submit entries for art and experimental films, music videos, fashion and beauty videos, cinematic virtual reality projects, or interactive and gaming virtual reality works.
Last...
- 12/15/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
Over the past 20 months, YouTube has bought billboard space in major Us cities to promote some of its most popular homegrown stars. More recently, a man with a much smaller digital operation has purchased his own advertising space in order to bring attention to his channel. That man is an artist named Jesse Edwards, and he designed a Los Angeles billboard in the style of YouTube’s ads.
Passersby can find Edwards’ billboard on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, above a gallery where he recently had a show. The display hawks Edwards’ YouTube channel, Painting Passion, on which he blends art tutorials with his urban, in-your-face easel-side manner. In order to draw attention to his videos, Edwards plastered a giant picture of the character Pepe the Frog, known as a meme on sites like 4chan and Twitch, next to the name of his channel. As with YouTube’s ads, Edwards also included his subscriber count,...
Passersby can find Edwards’ billboard on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, above a gallery where he recently had a show. The display hawks Edwards’ YouTube channel, Painting Passion, on which he blends art tutorials with his urban, in-your-face easel-side manner. In order to draw attention to his videos, Edwards plastered a giant picture of the character Pepe the Frog, known as a meme on sites like 4chan and Twitch, next to the name of his channel. As with YouTube’s ads, Edwards also included his subscriber count,...
- 12/15/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Endemol Beyond has some new content just in time for holiday shoppers to enjoy as they wait in those long Christmas lines. The YouTube multi-channel network will debut the all-new travel and lifestyle series Culture Chic on Verizon’s go90 mobile video platform. Additionally, Endemol will premiere the second season of Pretty Little Pranksters on the Icon Network's YouTube channel.
Culture Chic stars fashion blogger and YouTuber Sonya Esman, who boasts over 1.5 million subscribers on her channel. The series will follow Esman as she explores the extreme lifestyles of different cultures around the world, like the transgender beauty pageants in Thailand. Esman will also introduce viewers to the Black Diamond Girls of Tokyo, as well as the trends in waist training (basically a “new” version of wearing corsets to slim the waist) in New York City.
In addition to Culture Chic, Endemol will also bring back its original beauty prank...
Culture Chic stars fashion blogger and YouTuber Sonya Esman, who boasts over 1.5 million subscribers on her channel. The series will follow Esman as she explores the extreme lifestyles of different cultures around the world, like the transgender beauty pageants in Thailand. Esman will also introduce viewers to the Black Diamond Girls of Tokyo, as well as the trends in waist training (basically a “new” version of wearing corsets to slim the waist) in New York City.
In addition to Culture Chic, Endemol will also bring back its original beauty prank...
- 12/4/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
Beachfront Media is expanding beyond its mobile video specialty. The mobile video technology and distribution company is launching a new over-the-top service dubbed Rise to help its creators reach new audiences on devices like Apple TVs.
The premium, full-service Rise is described in a release as helping “the most popular online video creators and digital media networks deploy apps directly to all the places millennials consume content.” In addition to Apple TVs, Rise can also place Beachfront Media creators’ programming on Roku devices, Android TVs, and Amazon Fire TVs. Rise provides analytics and various monetization options to creators, such as Svod subscriptions and video ads, and also gives creators access to an exclusive video upload feature.
“The message is simple: If you’re a premium online video creator or digital media network, Rise is the conduit through which you grow your direct to consumer video business on Ott services like Apple TV,...
The premium, full-service Rise is described in a release as helping “the most popular online video creators and digital media networks deploy apps directly to all the places millennials consume content.” In addition to Apple TVs, Rise can also place Beachfront Media creators’ programming on Roku devices, Android TVs, and Amazon Fire TVs. Rise provides analytics and various monetization options to creators, such as Svod subscriptions and video ads, and also gives creators access to an exclusive video upload feature.
“The message is simple: If you’re a premium online video creator or digital media network, Rise is the conduit through which you grow your direct to consumer video business on Ott services like Apple TV,...
- 11/10/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
Sandi Crystal Ball has joined the ranks of YouTubers to release their own game. The 26-year-old YouTuber, who runs the channel CutePolish and boasts over 2.5 million subscribers, launched her free mobile video game Polish Blast on October 23, 2015.
Developed by Red Piston, Polish Blast is a tile-matching puzzle mobile game (a la Candy Crush Saga), where players have to match at least three nail polish bottles of the same shape and color in order to level up. The mobile game boasts 140 levels, five different game modes, and Facebook connectivity so users can compete with their friends. Available for iOS and Android, Polish Blast also features a cartoon version and voice of Ball instructing gamers on how to play.
Ball, who’s partnered with StyleHaul and recently signed a content deal with Michelle Phan’s Icon Network, said in a video how Polish Blast is “the perfect combination of both of my favorite things,...
Developed by Red Piston, Polish Blast is a tile-matching puzzle mobile game (a la Candy Crush Saga), where players have to match at least three nail polish bottles of the same shape and color in order to level up. The mobile game boasts 140 levels, five different game modes, and Facebook connectivity so users can compete with their friends. Available for iOS and Android, Polish Blast also features a cartoon version and voice of Ball instructing gamers on how to play.
Ball, who’s partnered with StyleHaul and recently signed a content deal with Michelle Phan’s Icon Network, said in a video how Polish Blast is “the perfect combination of both of my favorite things,...
- 10/23/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
Rosanna Pansino has made a name for herself as one of the most prolific (and geeky) food vloggers on all of YouTube. The digital celebrity boasts over 4.7 million total subscribers and a collective one billion views on her channel. YouTube featured Pansino alongside beauty and lifestyle creators Michelle Phan and Bethany Mota in an early 2014 ad campaign. Pansino, who's partnered with Kin Community, has also teamed with brands like home decor company Wayfair and cake decorating magnate Wilton Enterprises for branded series.
Now, Pansino will join the ranks of published YouTube authors with her upcoming publication The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook, based on her wildly popular web series of the same name. Pansino's debut print work hits digital and store shelves on November 3, 2015. To celebrate the Nerdy Nummies Cookbook and kick off a 30-stop book tour, Pansino will appear at Stream Con NYC on October 31. Here's what the digital baking and...
Now, Pansino will join the ranks of published YouTube authors with her upcoming publication The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook, based on her wildly popular web series of the same name. Pansino's debut print work hits digital and store shelves on November 3, 2015. To celebrate the Nerdy Nummies Cookbook and kick off a 30-stop book tour, Pansino will appear at Stream Con NYC on October 31. Here's what the digital baking and...
- 10/16/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and that distinction is very important to Lizzie Velasquez. Velasquez, a YouTube vlogger and motivational speaker, has a rare congenital disease that prevents her from accumulating body fat and dramatically impacts her physical appearance. As a result, she has become a regular target for cyberbullies, who have in the past dubbed her the “world’s ugliest woman.”
Velasquez has dedicated her life to standing up to her bullies and speaking out against bullying in all its forms. Now, she’s getting some help. In a new video posted by the Women Rising organization, celebrities recognize National Bullying Prevention Month and vow to “stand with Lizzie.”
Many of the stars who stand with Lizzie, such as iJustine, Michelle Phan, and Felicia Day, are her peers on YouTube. Others, such as Kristen Bell, Chris Hemsworth, and Katie Couric, and known for their work in TV and film.
Velasquez has dedicated her life to standing up to her bullies and speaking out against bullying in all its forms. Now, she’s getting some help. In a new video posted by the Women Rising organization, celebrities recognize National Bullying Prevention Month and vow to “stand with Lizzie.”
Many of the stars who stand with Lizzie, such as iJustine, Michelle Phan, and Felicia Day, are her peers on YouTube. Others, such as Kristen Bell, Chris Hemsworth, and Katie Couric, and known for their work in TV and film.
- 10/2/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Well, that was potentially awkward. Just a month after rapper Future sounded off on Twitter about his ex-fiancée, Ciara, the pair were at the same event in L.A. on Thursday, Sept. 17.The exes both attended the 2015 Streamy Awards at the Hollywood Palladium, where the rapper performed and Ciara presented an award for Best Comedy Series alongside Youtube beauty guru Michelle Phan. Photos: Celebrity Feuds: The Biggest Ever! It appeared that the pair might have been attempting to avoid each other – Future didn't walk the red carpet and [...]...
- 9/18/2015
- Us Weekly
In 2007, a woman named Stephanie Lenz uploaded a 29-second video to YouTube of her 18-month-old son jamming out to Prince's "Let's Go Crazy" in the kitchen. That kid will probably hate her for it by the time he enters middle school because the video now has 1.3 million views and counting. The problem? One of those viewers happened to be Universal Music Group — the label that used to own the rights to Prince's music — which ordered YouTube to take down the video shortly after it went viral, citing copyright infringement. It's a common practice on YouTube to have labels yank their music from videos — even Michelle Phan, who has close to 8 million subscribers, was sued last year for allegedly using copyrighted music on her channel. Except, in a surprise turn of events, Lenz and her son may have actually just become one of the first...
- 9/15/2015
- by Dee Lockett
- Vulture
Ipsy has a new influx of cash to help expand its business. The beauty box subscription service, co-founded in 2011 by YouTube star and beauty industry magnate Michelle Phan, has closed $100 million in a Series B funding round.
Ipsy’s Series B round was led by both Tpb Growth and Sherpa Capital. The subscription service had previously raised roughly $2.8 million in funding from 500 Startups and Crosscut Ventures. With that funding alone, ipsy managed to reach $84 million in revenue in 2014, and hit the $150 million mark in May 2015.
"We see consumer preferences shifting dynamically across industries and ipsy embodies this trend for beauty,” said David Trujillo, a partner at Tpg, in a release. “ipsy has created a platform through which brands can more easily access customers, creators can connect with and expand their audiences, and consumers can discover new products and share these experiences via social media. We look forward to partnering with...
Ipsy’s Series B round was led by both Tpb Growth and Sherpa Capital. The subscription service had previously raised roughly $2.8 million in funding from 500 Startups and Crosscut Ventures. With that funding alone, ipsy managed to reach $84 million in revenue in 2014, and hit the $150 million mark in May 2015.
"We see consumer preferences shifting dynamically across industries and ipsy embodies this trend for beauty,” said David Trujillo, a partner at Tpg, in a release. “ipsy has created a platform through which brands can more easily access customers, creators can connect with and expand their audiences, and consumers can discover new products and share these experiences via social media. We look forward to partnering with...
- 9/14/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
The content creators who are partnered with the Endemol Beyond USA multi-channel network gain large view counts on platforms like YouTube and Vine; now, they are featured on a new website as well. Endemol Beyond has launched GetBeyond.us, a destination where viewers can access videos from the network’s assorted partners, verticals, and web series.
GetBeyond.us, which Endemol Beyond designed alongside digital media company Piksel, features a simple design. The main page is divided into multiple categories, which invite viewers to watch Endemol Beyond’s top creative partners (such as Michelle Phan and Brittany Furlan), its genre-specific channels (such as gaming hub Smasher), its in-house web series (like Pitbull’s The Most Bad Ones), and its most recent videos. Additional drop-down menus direct users to even more of the network’s content.
GetBeyond.us is reminiscent of other websites designed by multi-channel networks, such as Maker Studios’ Maker.
GetBeyond.us, which Endemol Beyond designed alongside digital media company Piksel, features a simple design. The main page is divided into multiple categories, which invite viewers to watch Endemol Beyond’s top creative partners (such as Michelle Phan and Brittany Furlan), its genre-specific channels (such as gaming hub Smasher), its in-house web series (like Pitbull’s The Most Bad Ones), and its most recent videos. Additional drop-down menus direct users to even more of the network’s content.
GetBeyond.us is reminiscent of other websites designed by multi-channel networks, such as Maker Studios’ Maker.
- 9/9/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
YouTube is once again launching print, TV, digital, and billboard ads that promote its most popular homegrown content creators, and this time, it is focusing on a pair of its most marketable stars. Vloggers Lilly “Superwoman” Singh and Tyler Oakley will be the next two poster children for YouTube’s 17-month-old marketing campaign.
The first round YouTube’s creator-focused ads launched in April 2014, when Michelle Phan, Bethany Mota, and Rosanna Pansino appeared on billboards, in TV commercials, and across several other highly-visible locations. Since then, YouTube has expanded the campaign a number of times, with each expansion focusing on a new selection of content creators. The world’s biggest video site even brought the campaign overseas, where it featured British stars like Zoella and The Slow Mo Guys. In total, ten creators have been put in the spotlight.
This time, YouTube has opted to promote two of its most likeable personalities.
The first round YouTube’s creator-focused ads launched in April 2014, when Michelle Phan, Bethany Mota, and Rosanna Pansino appeared on billboards, in TV commercials, and across several other highly-visible locations. Since then, YouTube has expanded the campaign a number of times, with each expansion focusing on a new selection of content creators. The world’s biggest video site even brought the campaign overseas, where it featured British stars like Zoella and The Slow Mo Guys. In total, ten creators have been put in the spotlight.
This time, YouTube has opted to promote two of its most likeable personalities.
- 9/8/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
In June of this year, Beachfront Media announced a partnership with Amazon to provide video content creators the opportunity to create and place their own, dedicated apps full of their online video programming on TVs and beyond. The technology ensures creators can deploy their apps and programming onto any device to which you can hook up an Amazon Fire TV box and/or stick. Said programming is most likely already available on YouTube (or on whatever platform to which the creator normally uploads his/her videos), but the app guarantees a stronger measure of control over a video’s money making capabilities outside of your typical YouTube revenue share. Top tier creators like Michelle Phan are already utilizing the service to create an Amazon app for her Icon Style network.
With Phan and some of her online video peers already signed up to the platform, Beachfront is looking to expand...
With Phan and some of her online video peers already signed up to the platform, Beachfront is looking to expand...
- 9/4/2015
- by Michael Varrati
- Tubefilter.com
There’s been a big shakeup at the top of a prominent multi-channel network. Will Keenan, who has served as the President of Endemol Beyond since 2013, has announced his departure, with COO Adrian Sexton taking over the network’s top executive position.
Keenan revealed his decision in a statement. “These last two years as president of Endemol Beyond USA have been monumental for me,” he said. “I’m extremely proud to have spearheaded the creation of, and laid the foundation for, one of the fastest-growing and most award-winning digital networks in North America.”
Sexton, who has been named interim president, joined Endemol Beyond in March 2015. Before that, he worked at Participant Media, where he was Evp of Digital. His work with Endemol includes a recent deal that brings hundreds of the network’s videos to Vessel.
Keenan, who previously worked at Maker Studios, joined forces with Endemol Beyond in 2013, during the venture’s early stages.
Keenan revealed his decision in a statement. “These last two years as president of Endemol Beyond USA have been monumental for me,” he said. “I’m extremely proud to have spearheaded the creation of, and laid the foundation for, one of the fastest-growing and most award-winning digital networks in North America.”
Sexton, who has been named interim president, joined Endemol Beyond in March 2015. Before that, he worked at Participant Media, where he was Evp of Digital. His work with Endemol includes a recent deal that brings hundreds of the network’s videos to Vessel.
Keenan, who previously worked at Maker Studios, joined forces with Endemol Beyond in 2013, during the venture’s early stages.
- 8/20/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
A significant legal dispute involving a prominent YouTube star has been resolved. Michelle Phan, whose beauty videos have earned her nearly eight million subscribers on the world’s most popular video site, has settled out of court with Ultra Records, which in July 2014 accused her of illegally using its artists’ tracks as background music.
Ultra’s initial claim concerned artists like Kaskade, who Phan frequently used as the soundtrack for her makeup tutorials. According to Ultra, Phan never properly acquired the licenses she needed to use those tracks, and the label claimed she “continues to willfully infringe in blatant disregard of Plaintiff’s rights of ownership.”
Shortly after news of Ultra’s claim broke, Phan’s team fired back. Her legal advisors launched a counterclaim in September 2014, in which they argued that “Ultra agreed to allow Michelle to use the music and Michelle intends to fight this lawsuit and bring her own claims against Ultra.
Ultra’s initial claim concerned artists like Kaskade, who Phan frequently used as the soundtrack for her makeup tutorials. According to Ultra, Phan never properly acquired the licenses she needed to use those tracks, and the label claimed she “continues to willfully infringe in blatant disregard of Plaintiff’s rights of ownership.”
Shortly after news of Ultra’s claim broke, Phan’s team fired back. Her legal advisors launched a counterclaim in September 2014, in which they argued that “Ultra agreed to allow Michelle to use the music and Michelle intends to fight this lawsuit and bring her own claims against Ultra.
- 8/13/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Michelle Phan is not just one of YouTube’s most beloved beauty gurus; she’s also one of the video site’s savviest businesspeople. In the past year alone, she has expanded her personal brand through a book, an online video network, and several other projects. The latest edition to Phan’s empire is a comic series called The Enchantress that will debut on Line Webtoon.
Across 26 chapters, The Enchantress will explore a world where “elemental magic” is commonplace and must be used to “save humanity.” “Most people think of me as a makeup guru, but might be surprised to know I’m also a trained artist and a huge comic book fan,” said Phan in a press release. “The Enchantress is my passion project that has been brewing since I was 11 and I’m so excited to finally pursue this dream of mine. As a digital native, it made...
Across 26 chapters, The Enchantress will explore a world where “elemental magic” is commonplace and must be used to “save humanity.” “Most people think of me as a makeup guru, but might be surprised to know I’m also a trained artist and a huge comic book fan,” said Phan in a press release. “The Enchantress is my passion project that has been brewing since I was 11 and I’m so excited to finally pursue this dream of mine. As a digital native, it made...
- 7/6/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Each month, Reuters talks to significant people about the first jobs they ever worked. This First Jobs series has been running since 2013, and its latest rendition focuses on the YouTube community. Reuters talked to four online video stars--Michelle Phan, Cassey Ho, Matthew Santoro, and Bunny Meyer--about the positions they held before they began achieving fame on the Internet.
First Jobs isn’t the most substantive journalism out there, but it is interesting to read the ways in which YouTube stars’ early life experiences have informed their current work. Phan, for example, discusses the time she made $600 in two months selling candy in school, a success that forecasted her current success in the business world. And Ho, who offers fitness routines on her Blogilates channel, jokes about how her own candy business may have subtly influenced her decision to help people stay in shape.
"It's ironic that I now run a fitness blog,...
First Jobs isn’t the most substantive journalism out there, but it is interesting to read the ways in which YouTube stars’ early life experiences have informed their current work. Phan, for example, discusses the time she made $600 in two months selling candy in school, a success that forecasted her current success in the business world. And Ho, who offers fitness routines on her Blogilates channel, jokes about how her own candy business may have subtly influenced her decision to help people stay in shape.
"It's ironic that I now run a fitness blog,...
- 7/2/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
The Icon Network is getting its nails done. The digital lifestyle network launched by Michelle Phan back in March 2015, welcomed new content partner and YouTube star CutePolish, a channel dedicated to the pursuit of all things nail art.
CutePolish is run by 26-year-old Canadian Sandi Crystal Ball. Ball grew up in a small town of about 300 people in Newfoundland; with little to do, she taught herself coding and computer repair by the age of 12. When Ball attended college to be a teacher, the YouTube star would paint her nails a different style each week, and classmates asked her to show them how. Ball founded her channel in February 2010, combining all her skills and love for computers, teaching, and nail art.
Under Ball’s deal with Icon, CutePolish will produce exclusive content and videos for the network to release across its various platforms (including a recently-created app for Amazon Fire TVs...
CutePolish is run by 26-year-old Canadian Sandi Crystal Ball. Ball grew up in a small town of about 300 people in Newfoundland; with little to do, she taught herself coding and computer repair by the age of 12. When Ball attended college to be a teacher, the YouTube star would paint her nails a different style each week, and classmates asked her to show them how. Ball founded her channel in February 2010, combining all her skills and love for computers, teaching, and nail art.
Under Ball’s deal with Icon, CutePolish will produce exclusive content and videos for the network to release across its various platforms (including a recently-created app for Amazon Fire TVs...
- 7/2/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
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