WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.360 I produced new fronts and up fronts for seven years, and what YouTube just announced at Brandcast twenty twenty six, it is the biggest shift in the creator economy 00:00:11.520 --> 00:00:13.200 since AdSense launched. 00:00:13.715 --> 00:00:27.795 If you think that YouTube has stopped caring about creators, you need to watch this video because I am breaking down the news that came out of YouTube's upfront this week and why you need to be thinking like a showrunner from this point on. 00:00:29.690 --> 00:00:34.330 I'm not even doing an intro, okay, because I am so fired up. YouTube 00:00:34.650 --> 00:00:42.330 basically stood on stage during television upfront week, the same week that traditionally is owned by Disney, 00:00:42.330 --> 00:00:43.690 by NBCUniversal, 00:00:43.770 --> 00:00:54.715 by Warner Brothers, and they said, we're not proving we should be considered television anymore. We are television now. Honestly, after reading the reports from Brandcast 2026, 00:00:54.715 --> 00:01:11.150 I don't think most creators fully understand how big the shift actually is. YouTube officially unveiled a creator shows slate. This isn't the first time that YouTube has had original programming. They've done it before, but this is a massive shift because 00:01:11.585 --> 00:01:18.945 for the first time, at least to my knowledge, YouTube is packaging creator content as an upfront slate that advertisers 00:01:18.945 --> 00:01:20.225 can buy into 00:01:20.545 --> 00:01:23.025 exactly like traditional television. 00:01:23.440 --> 00:01:28.880 YouTube CEO, Neil Moen, has been saying that YouTube is the new TV for a few years, but this year, 00:01:29.360 --> 00:01:35.600 they didn't just say it. They acted like it. But you may be saying, hold on a second, Darren. What the heck are upfronts? 00:01:36.275 --> 00:01:42.115 And why should I care? Upfronts are a series of events that happen every year 00:01:42.435 --> 00:01:51.315 where TV broadcast companies hold these big splashy events at Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, all these big venues in New York City for advertisers, 00:01:51.990 --> 00:01:55.910 and they announce their new programming. They'll announce priorities 00:01:55.910 --> 00:02:00.230 for the year, and then, of course, they're announcing advertising opportunities. 00:02:00.550 --> 00:02:05.750 Because right after it, they go into this big selling period where all of the advertisers 00:02:06.345 --> 00:02:08.025 buy all the inventory. 00:02:08.265 --> 00:02:11.705 New fronts are the same thing, but with digital media companies. 00:02:12.105 --> 00:02:12.905 YouTube 00:02:12.905 --> 00:02:21.945 actually used to present during new fronts, not up fronts. But a few years ago, they shifted to up fronts, which in itself was a signal that a lot of creators 00:02:22.160 --> 00:02:26.400 were not paying attention to because not all creators even know what upfronts are. 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:35.440 But I do because I produce new fronts for over seven years, and I also produce the digital broadcast and a companion digital experience 00:02:35.585 --> 00:02:37.105 to NBCUniversal's 00:02:37.105 --> 00:02:41.185 upfront. So I happen to know just how important 00:02:41.425 --> 00:02:51.970 it is to pay attention to it. Now I was not at YouTube's upfront, which they call Brandcast, but I did read the reports. And here are the biggest takeaways that creators and entrepreneurs 00:02:51.970 --> 00:02:54.530 should be paying attention to. First up, 00:02:55.010 --> 00:03:00.690 YouTube officially wants creators to think like showrunners. That's right. Exactly what I've been telling you. 00:03:00.930 --> 00:03:02.450 Think like a showrunner. 00:03:02.770 --> 00:03:21.120 The biggest announcement, the one that's made all the press, the one that's being hyped up is that YouTube is launching this formal creator show slate, which included a whole array of shows, several shows from Alex Cooper. There was a show from Trevor Noah, and then there also were shows from creators such as Kareem Rama and Hopescope. 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:33.760 And I think one, maybe two micro dramas. I was actually really interested if they were going to foray into micro dramas, and it looks like they are. And they also talked more about this new interface that they've built to showcase them. 00:03:34.375 --> 00:03:38.055 This is not available to all creators, just select creators. 00:03:38.135 --> 00:03:51.150 Now I don't wanna say I told you so, but I totally told you so. I've been saying episodic storytelling was gonna take over YouTube for over a year. In fact, YouTube CEO Neil Mohan's 2020 priorities 00:03:51.150 --> 00:03:53.150 stated, and this is a quote, 00:03:53.550 --> 00:03:58.430 the error of dismissing creator content as user generated is over, 00:03:58.830 --> 00:04:07.905 and that is a good thing. And if you stick around till the end, the last point is gonna tell you why. And the creators they highlighted look less like influencers 00:04:07.905 --> 00:04:11.025 and more like digital first production studios, 00:04:11.425 --> 00:04:13.105 creator led studios. 00:04:13.105 --> 00:04:28.360 This has also been a big talking point for mister Mohan. He has said that creators are now the new stars in studios, and they made that the center of the upfront. Here is Evan Shapiro's reporting from inside the event, and he's using the same language that I have been using. 00:04:28.985 --> 00:04:31.945 They elevate creators to showrunners. 00:04:31.945 --> 00:04:38.905 This matters because YouTube is clearly rewarding creators who can build binge worthy viewing experiences 00:04:39.145 --> 00:04:42.745 instead of isolated feeds and viral videos. 00:04:43.145 --> 00:04:43.785 Incidentally, 00:04:44.150 --> 00:04:47.510 this also aligns with what came out of Amazon's upfront. 00:04:47.910 --> 00:04:49.990 They mentioned that advertisers 00:04:49.990 --> 00:04:52.230 were now focused on outcomes, 00:04:52.310 --> 00:04:53.190 not reach. 00:04:53.270 --> 00:04:59.015 So you don't have to have the biggest audience anymore. You need to have a trusted audience. 00:04:59.015 --> 00:05:00.535 Now you say, Darren, 00:05:00.775 --> 00:05:06.295 I'm not even close to that scale, and the show's interface that you mentioned is only available to select creators, 00:05:06.455 --> 00:05:09.735 not me. So why does this matter to me and my business? 00:05:10.390 --> 00:05:18.230 Well, this is the direction that you need to be thinking because of my next point. TV watch time is surpassing mobile in The US. 00:05:18.470 --> 00:05:22.310 This is probably the most important stat from the entire event, 00:05:22.630 --> 00:05:31.265 and it has remained consistent since last year. Connected TVs continue to be YouTube's biggest watch surface in The US. And 00:05:31.905 --> 00:05:37.505 not to throw another stat at you, YouTube currently accounts for roughly 9.7% 00:05:37.505 --> 00:05:39.585 of all US TV viewership 00:05:40.090 --> 00:05:45.690 consistently beating Netflix, which is number two, and they sit at 7.6%, 00:05:45.690 --> 00:05:52.010 which is 2% less. That doesn't just translate to longer watch sessions or higher 00:05:51.945 --> 00:05:52.985 production values. 00:05:52.985 --> 00:05:54.745 That is just technicalities. 00:05:54.745 --> 00:05:57.785 What it really means is unique perspectives, 00:05:58.425 --> 00:05:59.545 uncopyable 00:05:59.545 --> 00:06:00.425 brands, 00:06:00.745 --> 00:06:02.345 and emotional connection. 00:06:02.505 --> 00:06:14.050 Things that you have. People are not just casually scrolling feeds anymore. They're still doing that. But they're also sitting on their couches watching YouTube the way you used to watch cable. 00:06:14.290 --> 00:06:17.410 And that is why you're seeing YouTube push episodic storytelling, 00:06:17.895 --> 00:06:25.255 push cinematic formats, live events. Live events are a really big thing within YouTube and also now creator led shows 00:06:25.495 --> 00:06:31.335 because it's what the data is telling them to do. Now your biggest strength is not your production studio, 00:06:31.335 --> 00:06:31.815 it's you. 00:06:32.460 --> 00:06:33.740 Your experience, 00:06:33.900 --> 00:06:35.100 your perspective, 00:06:35.420 --> 00:06:36.460 your character, 00:06:37.020 --> 00:06:42.940 which leads me to my next point, and it's a good one. YouTube wants creators building media businesses. 00:06:43.100 --> 00:06:52.495 This might be the biggest shift underneath everything, and I think it's gonna excite you. Now if you saw my prediction, I thought the big focus was gonna be shoppable experiences, 00:06:52.975 --> 00:06:55.935 but more in the vein of what they did with Coachella 00:06:55.935 --> 00:07:00.815 or what they're planning for the Oscars. Basically, those big tentpole type of events. 00:07:01.215 --> 00:07:05.920 Now as I said, I wasn't at the event, so I'm just reading reports, but it seemed like 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:13.520 that wasn't exactly the vibe. They did talk about this, but the vibe was centered on creators 00:07:13.760 --> 00:07:15.200 being the studios. 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:16.400 The platform 00:07:17.315 --> 00:07:19.875 is hyping creator led studios. 00:07:19.875 --> 00:07:33.850 The platform is moving creators away from relying purely on AdSense, which if you are monetized, AdSense is amazing, but it doesn't provide a huge amount of revenue. YouTube is now moving towards diversified diversified media businesses. 00:07:34.250 --> 00:07:35.610 That includes shopping, 00:07:35.610 --> 00:07:37.450 that includes brand integrations, 00:07:37.530 --> 00:07:40.250 that includes memberships, that includes live events, 00:07:40.490 --> 00:07:44.970 that includes affiliate revenue, and it also includes interactive viewing experiences. 00:07:45.625 --> 00:07:47.385 They called this frictionless 00:07:47.385 --> 00:07:56.665 commerce, which would allow viewers to buy products directly from the TV screen without leaving the app. Even the new ad formats and the shopping integrations 00:07:56.665 --> 00:08:01.850 were all designed around turning YouTube into a full entertainment and commerce 00:08:02.090 --> 00:08:02.970 ecosystem. 00:08:03.130 --> 00:08:07.050 Now I know you may not see yourself as a studio yet, but 00:08:07.450 --> 00:08:11.610 YouTube sees you as a studio. And I don't see that as intimidating. 00:08:11.610 --> 00:08:13.290 I see that as super inspiring. 00:08:13.825 --> 00:08:15.825 Could you ever imagine 00:08:16.065 --> 00:08:25.185 that you could be building a TV studio right now from your own home? The biggest takeaway from Brandcast twenty twenty six is this. 00:08:26.030 --> 00:08:30.030 The error of just posting random videos is ending. 00:08:30.510 --> 00:08:35.470 YouTube is now rewarding creators who can or have the potential 00:08:35.790 --> 00:08:37.550 to build worlds, 00:08:37.790 --> 00:08:39.230 to create repeatable 00:08:39.230 --> 00:08:39.710 formats, 00:08:40.195 --> 00:08:42.835 to build audience relationships, 00:08:42.835 --> 00:08:44.755 not just viral videos, 00:08:44.915 --> 00:08:46.755 to develop recognizable 00:08:46.755 --> 00:08:48.195 and uncopyable 00:08:48.195 --> 00:08:49.715 brand identities, 00:08:49.715 --> 00:08:53.235 and turn their channels into actual entertainment 00:08:53.235 --> 00:08:54.035 networks 00:08:54.560 --> 00:08:56.800 with commerce and shopping. 00:08:57.120 --> 00:08:58.080 In other words, 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:00.480 the creator economy is growing up. 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:09.725 I mean, it's in its twenties now, so I think it was time. And the creators who will prosper in this next era probably are not gonna look like influencers, 00:09:09.725 --> 00:09:12.365 at least not the way that we've seen influencers. 00:09:12.685 --> 00:09:16.205 They're going to look like the new showrunners. 00:09:16.205 --> 00:09:22.925 And that is why I love this era because I get to bring together all of my loves and also all of my career experience 00:09:23.165 --> 00:09:24.205 creating shows, 00:09:24.790 --> 00:09:27.430 working with media companies and brands, 00:09:27.590 --> 00:09:41.185 producing thought leadership content, and now building a personal brand. So I'm into it. Now I want you to head into this weekend thinking differently. So to help you with this shift, I actually just finished putting together a season planner 00:09:41.425 --> 00:09:48.065 that I have put inside my school community. It's called the storytelling room, which has over 480 creators right now. 00:09:48.545 --> 00:10:04.590 And the season planner is designed to help you stop thinking about the next upload and start mapping out episode arcs. You can grab that planner plus a whole bunch of other resources and also join our live chats. I do live chats every other week within my school community 00:10:04.865 --> 00:10:08.145 by clicking on the link that's in my video description. 00:10:08.305 --> 00:10:17.185 But if you feel overwhelmed or you want even more strategic guidance, I do coach, I do consult, and you can get all of that info in my video description, 00:10:17.425 --> 00:10:17.825 or 00:10:18.230 --> 00:10:23.990 you can check out this playlist that's popping up on the screen. Until next time, keep thinking like a showrunner.