Will the MrBeast Brand Survive?

CREATOR NEWSLETTER

Issue #259 | July 30, 2024

Presented by:

Since MrBeast, aka Jimmy Donaldson, skyrocketed to fame at 19 years old, he has survived numerous controversies. In fact, sparking viral internet discourse has become somewhat integral to the now-26-year-old’s brand — with his clickbaity thumbnails and titles for extravagant “charity” videos frequently teetering the line between altruistic and exploitative.

There’s no question MrBeast knows how to strike up a conversation online. See: suing his business partner, fanboying over Elon Musk, asking fans to clean up his chocolate bar displays, or buying a dystopian neighborhood compound for his employees to live in.

But, at least for me, it’s been a bit surprising to see Donaldson’s family-friendly, wide-grinning persona emerge from all these controversies with his reputation seemingly unscathed.

Back in 2021, 11 of MrBeast’s former employees spoke to the New York Times about what it was like to work for the millionaire. In short, many alleged a difficult workplace “rife with favoritism and bullying.” The YouTuber was also criticized years prior for his use of slurs and offensive jokes at the beginning of his career. But that did little to stop Donaldson’s upward mobility. Just a few short years later, he became the most-subscribed YouTube channel of all time.

All of this begs the question, can the MrBeast brand survive anything? Well, with a couple of high-profile, disconcerting controversies in the past week — related to workplace injuries and inappropriate comments from MrBeast and his collaborators — it seems that the internet’s perception of the Beast might finally be taking a turn for the worse. 

– Grace Stanley, Deputy Editor

PERSONALITIES

Can MrBeast Be Canceled?

A wave of controversies could shake MrBeast’s whole empire.

By Steven Asarch, Passionfruit Contributor

MrBeast, Jimmy Donaldson

→ READ THE FULL STORY

Ready to expand your reach—and earnings? Turn your knowledge into an online course today.

Teachable creators average six figures in lifetime earnings, thanks to the platform’s easy, customizable digital products. From courses and coaching to memberships and community, start generating income you can count on today.

Explore Teachable

IN THE BIZ

LABOR

SAG-AFTRA Launches Strike Against Video Game Companies

‘Enough is enough.’ 

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

CULTURE

Paris 2024: The Influencer Olympics

This Olympics is going vertical. 

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

JOB BOARD

YOUTUBE MADE ME DO IT

This week on the Reactorverse podcast, we welcome YaBoyRoshi! Roshi breaks down his journey into content creation by learning from others along the way.

Be sure to subscribe to the Passionfruit YouTube channel so you don’t miss an episode! If you’d prefer to listen in audio form, we also have a podcast feed. And if you want to catch the episodes early, join us on Patreon!

Copyright © 2024 Passionfruit, All rights reserved.

You are receiving this email because you signed up to get the latest tips, tricks,
and trends in the creator economy from Passionfruit.

Have an idea for our next big story or want to get featured? Email us at tips@passionfru.it

Don’t want to hear from us anymore?
Click here to unsubscribe 

To view in your browser click here 

Content for Creators.

News, tips, and tricks delivered to your inbox twice a week.

Newsletter Signup

Latest Newsletters

  • 📈 Top Executives Share Predictions for 2023

    📈 Top Executives Share Predictions for 2023

    CREATOR ECONOMY NEWSLETTER Issue #98 | Jan. 5, 2023 Seismic shifts rattled the creator economy in 2022. The rise of BeReal, AI-driven tech, VidCon’s return, and splashy creator-owned businesses like MrBeast’s Feastables all left their mark on the scene. We witnessed the tumultuous fall of TikTok’s creator fund, creator-backed crypto projects, TikTok-rival Triller, and even…

    By

    Grace Stanley

  • 💵 What Can We Learn From TikTok’s Richest Creators?

    💵 What Can We Learn From TikTok’s Richest Creators?

    CREATOR ECONOMY NEWSLETTER Issue #97 | Jan. 3, 2023 As a relatively new platform, TikTok is still a wild west of sorts in the content creation game and has a reputation for reach over reward. Its monetization potential hasn’t stacked up to YouTube’s just yet, but its active userbase is a behemoth, surpassing over 1.5…

    By

    Grace Stanley

  • 👩‍💻 These Creators Are Keeping Their Day Jobs

    👩‍💻 These Creators Are Keeping Their Day Jobs

    CREATOR ECONOMY NEWSLETTER Issue #96 | Dec. 29, 2022 For many, quitting a 9-to-5 job to pursue content creation full-time is a dream. However, there are a growing number of creators who are rejecting this move—even when they are able to earn enough off social media to make a living. Instead, they are keeping their…

    By

    Grace Stanley