“For the past 15 years, it has been [been] I’m going too, but what do the products look like? Tell us about your product,” Marques Brownlee said. “Okay, I’ll say it.” you About the product. ”
Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, is one of the largest and most respected YouTubers with over 16 million subscribers and 3 billion views for his reviews of technology products, gadgets, and cars since his first upload in 2008. I’ve built one of my channels. Now, Mr. Brownlee has finally launched his own product. Become a chief creative partner at Ridge Inc., a multi-million dollar accessories company that aims to become “America’s Mont Blanc,” according to CEO Sean Frank.
I sat down with Parlay Studios’ Brownlee and Frank to dig deeper into their backstory, learn how their partnership was formed, and find out what’s next. We also explored the future of the creator economy, which is helping to redefine the way creators and brands work together. We are moving forward.
The million dollar tweet that started it all
Both Mr. Brownlee’s and Mr. Frank’s stories are not conventional. While most creators today rely on quick edits, low-cost production, and flashy expressions, Brownlee does the opposite. His videos are calm, calm, and premium.
Similarly, Frank bucked trends in his industry as CEO of Ridge after taking over the reins from co-founders Paul and Daniel Cain. Rather than rely on celebrity endorsements, Frank posted on X (formerly Twitter). $1 million awarded to creators who join Ridge. That ultimately led to his Brownlee partnership with the company, which had a ripple effect throughout the creator community.
“We’ve seen a huge rise in creator brands because people buy from other people. I think that’s the direction of the future,” Frank said. He also said Ridge considered partnering with celebrities like Pedro Pascal, but quickly realized its limitations.
“We were talking to all the big talent agencies, and what we ended up with was a contract with a third-tier agent for $4 million for a one-off photo shoot. We were like, ‘This is totally disconnected.’
Instead, Frank set his sights on Brownlee, tagging him in his first tweet and even saying, “@MKBHD can have it if he wants it.”
After months of negotiations, the company signed a multi-year deal with Brownlee, giving it an equity stake in the company, a seat on its board of directors, and creative input on Ridge’s product roadmap and content strategy. This is a level of engagement rarely seen among creators.
Redefining how brands and creators work together
For Ridge, the partnership with Brownlee is an extension of the company’s strategy, which Frank says has “spent at least $10 million directly with creators to date.” Over the past six years, Ridge has collaborated with his more than 5,000 individual creators and generated 25,000 pieces of content. However, the opportunity to partner with Brownlee was a unique opportunity that could not be replicated in-house.
“You can buy things or you can make them. So trying to build this in-house can cost a lot of money,” Frank explained. “I bought a publication called EveryDayCarry.com, and my current focus is on shooting short videos and learning those skills. But I’ve also paid a tutor to help me develop this muscle. It would be a lot easier if we could hire someone to do it for us.”
It’s safe to say that Frank and Ridge got more than just a tutor from Brownlee. Not only did they gain mastery over their craft and build trust with their audience, but they also built expectations in terms of when Brownlee would launch his product.
“People ask me in interviews, ‘When are you going to make a product?'” I know I should be focusing on that, but I’m so obsessed with making videos that I don’t have the luxury of making a product.” explained Brownlee. That’s where Ridge comes in.
Brownlee and Ridge are working together to build three products.
- Ridge x MKBHD co-branded products like wallets and suitcases in new red and black colorways
- MKBHD Signature series is an improved version of existing Ridge products.
- Ridge is an entirely new product category they haven’t entered yet, but Brownlee is excited about it.
In the future, MKBHD and Ridge’s partnership could redefine the way brands and creators collaborate. For many years, when a creator collaborates with a brand, she has two main options. That means sponsoring brands and integrating them into your content, or starting your own brand from scratch, like MrBeast and Emma Chamberlain did with her Feastables and Chamberlain Coffee.
But Mr. Brownlee and Mr. Ridge’s partnership could offer a different blueprint and path for creators, especially considering Mr. Brownlee’s capital and input into the company’s direction. It’s a huge leap from being just an influencer in a brand campaign to becoming a key decision maker in a profitable multi-million dollar business with over 80 employees.
Rise of MKBHD — and the responsibility that comes with it
To fully understand the significance of Brownlee and Ridge’s partnership, it’s important to understand his beginnings and the trust he built.
“The first few years and hundreds of videos were created without any money-making ambitions or optimization intentions,” Brownlee recalls. Rather than chasing viral hits or trends, he focused on consistently delivering high-quality, honest videos to an audience of passionate tech enthusiasts. In his first year alone, Mr. Brownlee uploaded nearly 300 videos to his YouTube.
“I think that’s why the video went viral, which is the best thing that didn’t happen to us,” he said. “I create videos about products that I’m interested in and that I think will be interesting to the viewers who watch our videos.”
As his influence grew, Brownlee resisted the temptation to cash in or change his opinions for money. To this day, he has never accepted money for reviews, given brand approval rights before publication, or avoided hard truths about products that don’t meet expectations. This commitment to honesty and reliability earned Brownlee a new level of respect, which later led to further growth in his business.
“What I’ve always said, and what I hope, is that if you’re telling the truth, that shouldn’t lead to any discipline or termination,” Brownlee said. he said. “If so, you’re a lot like the good guy in that situation. Ideally, your audience can understand that you’re telling the truth and that you accept the consequences of telling the truth.” It is.”
Now, Brownlee realizes his words carry more weight, and that’s why Brownlee has called Fisker Ocean and Humane’s AIs some of the worst products he’s ever reviewed. That’s why we still prioritize honesty, even if it means ruffling feathers, like Ping’s recent review.
In a recent video, he addressed Fisker’s months-long stock decline and widespread criticism of Humane’s AI pins, saying, “Did one review ruin the entire company? I think they should scale back a little bit. ” he said. “All an honest review really does is accelerate what is already happening.”
That’s why finding a partner like Ridge makes so much sense for Brownlee. There are no conflicts of interest that could cause viewers to question reviews of other products.
“We’re kind of the perfect technology-adjacent category,” Frank explained. “We have rich design experience and manufacturing experience. But at the same time, it can complement anything [Marques] It does not intrude beyond any boundaries. ”
The next chapter of the creator economy?
MKBHD and Ridge’s partnership could spark a new trend in which more creators use their skills, influence, and audience to collaborate with multi-million dollar brands and drive further growth for them. there is. More importantly, this partnership could serve as an important case study for entrepreneurs and creators. think They have to do everything but end up stretching themselves too thin.
After all, too many creators try to become entrepreneurs but forget to create great content. Similarly, too many entrepreneurs strive to be creators and forget to create great products. What’s really remarkable about Frank, Brownlee, and their team is that they focus on their strengths and rely on each other to fill in the gaps. There’s no ego about it.
“His job is much harder than mine,” Frank said of Brownlee’s focus on producing premium content. “Neither the regiment nor the schedule seem to suit me. So I’m glad there are people like that in the world.”
“I was going to say something similar,” Brownlee said of Frank and the Ridge team’s product design and manufacturing process. “I’m not cut out to be on the other side of this equation. So I was the perfect puzzle piece.”
It will be interesting to see how the pieces of the puzzle come together as Brownlee and Ridge release more content and products together in the coming years.
Thank you, Alyssa Carroll. Sean Frank, Kevin Stayart, Jono Tan, and the Ridge and MKBHD teams who helped make this interview possible.
thank you parley studio David Hausen and I for letting us shoot in your space. sariel movie In order to produce Dan Gillette, Drew the Director, lumen studio Editors Janssen Beyer, Amanda Markovich, and Steph Sisler helped with interview preparation and research.