I reported on New York creative scene and NYT Cooking’s huge growth, some creators have written about why this is happening. Didn’t win Cannes Lions this year covered Alex Cooper’s Unpopular Unwell Sale and spoke to the two Chernin Group Partners About betting on the creator empire. I’m natalie@theankler.com
What I bring today is Their story is about what happens when creator businesses start acting like mature media companies, and when the biggest platforms can no longer sideline podcasts, YouTube franchises, and fan-driven IP.
The big story: We spoke with Spotify’s global head of podcasts. roman wasenmullerfollowing the audio giant’s May 21st Investor Day, revealed how podcasts went from a loss-making investor headache to a profitable growth engine, and why Spotify now sees video, AI discovery, and creator memberships as the next phase of its business.
Podcasting is “very big and important to us,” Wersenmuller told me, as competition from YouTube, Netflix and everyone else for everyone’s attention increases, revealing his strategic imperative to continue growing podcasts.
But first, I got the scoop on the creator couple of YouTube’s Spy Ninjas. After more than a decade of making videos, they’re investing $25 million to expand and professionalize their business as more and more money flows in. Creator-first studio.
Keep reading to learn more about what Wasenmüller shared with me and the scoop on Spy Ninjas, including:
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Why Spotify ended podcast exclusivity and what it enabled
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3 signals that will convince Spotify your video podcast is working
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How AI could finally solve podcast discovery
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Why memberships are Spotify’s next creator economy strategy
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SCOOP: Inside Spy Ninjas’ strategic $25 million bid for a bigger YouTube franchise
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Former Jubilee executive helps turn Spy Ninjas into a professional studio
On YouTube, couple chad wild clay and V Quaint As the leader of a fictional superhero group called the Spy Ninjas, you spend your days battling secret hacker groups and helping your friends get out of trouble. The well-thought-out storytelling leans into YouTube’s ridiculousness, and it’s a huge payoff with millions of views as one of the longest-running scripted shows on the platform.
In real life, the two have taken on an even bigger mission. The company is expanding its operations by investing $25 million to expand its production capacity and specialize.
I can exclusively report that Clay, 42, and Quaint, 40, are rebranding their company Spy Ninjas Entertainment and plan to more than double their headcount this year. They are doing this with the help of former Jubilee Media COO Sherry Sorianowho joined the company last June as president of Spy Ninjas Studios.
“The magic of ‘Spy Ninjas’ is a really intentional blend of storytelling and world-building combined with the YouTube format,” says Soriano, who previously spent three years at Jubilee Media during the rise of debate-style content on YouTube. “The opportunity to take an IP that already behaves like a franchise and help it scale is really unique.”
