Welcome to our rundown of the most-watched branded YouTube videos of the week.
We’re publishing this snippet of a larger Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report in order to analyze sponsorship trends in the creator economy. Any video launched in tandem with an official brand partner is eligible for the ranking.
And – as the name up above would imply – all the data comes from Gospel Stats. If you’re interested in learning more about Gospel – and which brands are sponsoring what creators on YouTube
It’s a good time to be MrBeast. The star of YouTube’s most-watched videos is still flying high even after he announced a step back from his management team at Night. Brands are doing whatever it takes to work with the creator of YouTube’s most spectacular videos, and Donaldson is harnessing those sponsorships to create bigger, more impressive pieces of work. That cycle continued this week, as MrBeast took the top two spots in our Weekly Brand Report, while other regulars in this ranking enjoyed their own successful brand partnerships.
#1 Protect The Yacht, Keep It!
Channel: MrBeast
Brand: Bloons TD 6
MrBeast is back in front of our Weekly Brand Report. The North Carolina-based YouTuber gives his brand partners big boosts every time he drops another one of his high-concept, big-budget videos. Those clips often take inspiration from video games, which creates opportunities for mobile titles that are eager for engagement on YouTube. Jimmy Donaldson turned a yacht into the setting for a tower defense game, and that created an opportunity for Bloons TD 6, the latest chapter in a popular (if much less high stakes) tower defense franchise.
#2 Ages 1-100 Try My Chocolate
Channel: MrBeast
Brand: Feastables
If that chart-topping partnership isn’t enough MrBeast for you, direct your eyes to the second-most watched sponsored YouTube video during the seven-day period measured for this ranking. Once again, Jimmy Donaldson is center stage, but this time, he’s joined by the stars of a recent video. The resulting Short shows us why Donaldson and his ilk are so coveted among big-name brands. The current king of YouTube plugged his sweets brand at virtually no cost; all he needed were a few co-stars who had already signed up to take part in a MrBeast video.
#3 Live at Met Gala 2024 With Vogue
Channel: Vogue
Brand: eBay, Porsche
Over the past few years, Vogue has forged more connections with creators, thus driving a bigger audience for the Met Gala on YouTube. In 2024, Vogue‘s investment in YouTube as a Met Gala distributor paid off. The fashion magazine’s all-access stream pulled in more than 13 million views. That’s the sort of traffic sponsors eBay and Porsche were hoping for when they joined forces with Vogue. As per usual, some of the fashion choices at the event itself had, well, a few more unexpected choices.
#4 Smoking is Awesome
Channel: Kurzgesagt – In A Nutshell
Brand: NordVPN
Let’s go back to the “smoking is awesome” claim that made it into the headline for this write-up. That assertion comes from Kurzgesagt, a Weekly Brand Report regular with a penchant for intriguing video titles. As is often the case for the channel known as “In A Nutshell,” the smoking video doesn’t go in the direction most viewers would expect. According to Kurzgesagt, smoking does feel awesome, and the learning the science behind those good vibes allows us to understand why nicotine is such a dangerous substance. The sponsor is (you guessed it) a virtual private network provider — NordVPN, to be precise.
BONUS #1,720 BOMBSHELL Dropped On Freeland Leaves Her SPEECHLESS
Channel: House of Canada
Brand: Private Internet Access
Speaking of virtual private networks, a company called Private Internet Access made 14 appearances in this week’s Weekly Brand Report. Like many VPN providers, Private Internet Access runs the gamut with its YouTube sponsorships, backing everything from anime face-offs to political content on both sides of the aisle. An alarming number of the company’s branded videos, however, lead toward conservative viewpoints. House of Canada, a channel associated with the right-wing creator mistersunshinebaby, has received multiple Private Internet Access sponsorships. I guess the VPN would come in handy for outsiders looking to pry into the world of Canadian politics.
