YouTube Creators Are Becoming the New TV Networks

Friends,

This week, I had the opportunity to speak with Chris J Smith who I describe as the "Ari Gold of creators", who has closed over a thousand brand deals for YouTube creators in just three years. Our conversation revealed fascinating insights into how the creator economy is reshaping brand partnerships and challenging traditional advertising models. What emerged was a portrait of an industry in transition one where the rules are being rewritten by those who understand both the creative and commercial potential of YouTube.

The Shifting Landscape of Creator Partnerships

The creator partnership ecosystem has evolved dramatically in recent years. As Chris explained, "YouTube is obviously dominating on televisions, on short form. And I do think it's a world where brands just haven't tapped into the whole full thing about YouTube yet."

This untapped potential represents both a challenge and an opportunity. Whilst brand integrations on YouTube aren't new—companies like Surfshark, Factor, HelloFresh, and DoorDash have been early adopters—there remains a significant gap between what's possible and what's being done.

What's particularly interesting is how the metrics for measuring success have shifted. "Before, they were saying about followers. It's all about followers, followers, followers," Chris noted. "And now you're probably seeing loads of people now say, sod followers, which I've been saying."

The industry has moved through several phases of valuation:

1. Initially focusing on follower counts

2. Shifting to viewership metrics (typically over 30 days)

3. Narrowing to viewership of branded content specifically

4. Now evolving toward series and formats as the key metric

This evolution reflects a deeper understanding of how audiences engage with creators. As Chris aptly demonstrated through a thought experiment he conducts at dinner parties: ask people to name five TikTok creators they watch, and they'll struggle to recall names despite consuming their content. Ask about YouTube creators, however, and people can name not just the creators but details about their lives, content history, and merchandise.

"That kind of just sums up the difference," he explained. "TikTok in short form, which still is great by the way for the brands, but it's like, that's more of an interest graph here. Meanwhile, to YouTube and long form content, people are watching you and being committed to you."

The Art of the Creator Deal

What makes a successful brand integration? According to Chris, it starts with asking the right questions—about 30 of them in a typical meeting. "Sales is asking questions," he emphasised. Understanding what success looks like for a brand is crucial before matching them with the right creator.

Some creators excel at driving views, whilst others are better at conversions like app downloads. This nuanced understanding allows for more strategic partnerships. "If it's only views, great. I can give them talent who got views," Chris explained. "Then there's some talent who are better at conversions."

The most effective deals emerge when brands adopt a "social-first" approach rather than treating creator partnerships as an afterthought. Chris cited a campaign with Airbnb featuring a creator who performs as Edna from "The Incredibles" as an exemplary case: "The agency we talked to for it all, they did not go, we're going to launch an icon house. OK, we need to then just launch it and then think about social. It was all kind of in the plan."

This integrated approach stands in contrast to what often happens: "What happens with campaigns sometimes is let's launch, it's not social first, let's launch this massive product. It's getting loads of traction. Now let's find social."

The Format Revolution

One of the most compelling insights from our conversation was Chris's emphasis on formats and series as the future of creator partnerships. Rather than evaluating a YouTube channel based on overall average views, he advocates for analysing specific formats within a channel.

"If you actually look at some of them, like you look at good, good golf, who are the golf guys... you'll see they'll do the golf knockout series... They'll have the two versus two series. They'll have the pro-am series... If you look at the results from each of those different types of content, the viewership is very different."

This format-specific approach allows brands to integrate more naturally into content that aligns with their products or services. For example, an eSIM company might partner with travel-focused content rather than other formats on the same channel.

Chris has developed what he calls the "ABC method" for creators:

• Series A: The proven format that consistently performs well

• Series B: A developing format published weekly that's being refined

• Series C: Experimental formats published less frequently

"So you'll always have a new series and format that is always kind of in prepped, refined, and when you need it to be put into place full time, it's there," he explained.

Reimagining Brand Presence on YouTube

Perhaps the most forward-thinking aspect of Chris's approach is how he's reimagining the way brands appear on YouTube. Rather than simply selling mid-roll integrations, he's "selling creative with a channel."

This involves pre-planning content calendars for creators and then approaching brands with specific video concepts that align with their objectives. "We are basically going, those are five ones, I think, you know, make sense. Let's go with a brand being a scent bird, just for the sake of it. Do like subscription stuff for our scents. And we go, okay, we've got this video slot here with Tucker."

This approach benefits everyone involved:

• Creators know what they're filming in advance

• Brands understand exactly what they're getting

• The integration feels more natural and maintains viewer retention

Chris is also pioneering new advertising formats inspired by traditional television, such as having "sponsored by" tags and brand graphics appear on screen without interrupting the content. "I had people get in touch about a certain talent to work with, or they reach out to us directly just in general, because they're like, we need some help, don't know who to go for. I have 100% said to people, I don't believe you have anyone for you."

The Future: Brands as Entertainment Networks

Looking ahead, Chris envisions brands creating their own YouTube channels focused on entertainment rather than product promotion. He cites Foot Asylum as a successful example: "Influencers, fun game shows, formats and series, funny enough. They've got those series and formats in there and they're having it be entertaining. And if they need to push a certain product or promotion thing, they can, very subtly."

The key advantage? "It's IP they own, which is entertainment, which people watch week in, week out, monthly." This owned IP can then be distributed across multiple platforms, similar to how "Hot Ones" went from YouTube to airline entertainment systems.

This approach represents a fundamental shift in how brands approach content. Rather than creating glossy advertisements that interrupt entertainment, brands become the entertainment themselves. "I'm basically saying, and the team is saying, let me take the budget you're doing on print TV or sorry, print or like TV adverts, which by the way, they cost millions. And I'm saying you could do it, you could get something similar to those results or even better quality of results."

The Human Element of Deal-Making

Throughout our conversation, what struck me most was Chris's emphasis on relationship-building and persistence. His own career journey exemplifies this approach—after being rejected for a position, he continued to provide value until he eventually landed an internship that evolved into his current role.

"You've got to be ferocious and tenacious and not annoy people, but give value to people. And a no doesn't mean never," he reflected. This philosophy has served him well in closing over a thousand deals in three years.

When I asked what separates the best creators from the rest, his answer was revealing: "I would say open-mindedness, like taking out the ego out of the content. If it's not working now, being honest and being like, why, and being self-aware of, need to change this now."

The Road Ahead

As our conversation concluded, I was left with a clear sense that we're witnessing a fundamental transformation in how brands and creators collaborate. The old models of interruption-based advertising are giving way to more integrated, entertainment-focused approaches where the line between content and commerce blurs.

For brands willing to embrace this shift, the opportunities are enormous. As Chris put it, "YouTube is the place to be for brands long-term, whether it's their own content or being with talent for sure."

The future belongs to those who understand that today's audiences don't want to be sold to—they want to be entertained. And in that entertainment, there's room for brands to play a meaningful role, not as interrupters but as enablers of the content people actually want to watch.

As I reflect on our conversation, I'm convinced that we're just scratching the surface of what's possible when brands truly embrace the creative potential of YouTube. The most successful will be those who approach it not as another advertising channel, but as a fundamentally different way of connecting with audiences.

One built on entertainment, authenticity, and genuine value.