IShowSpeed just got $23K to promote... Lithuania

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🌀 Creator economy updates

Elon Musk says he’s reviving Vine — powered by AI.
No timeline yet, but short-form video could be making a comeback on X.

VTuber agency VShojo is shutting down after top talent Ironmouse accused them of withholding payments, including a $500K charity donation.

Substack says 45% of its creators are using AI — mostly for editing and research. Female creators were more likely to express concerns over ethics, plagiarism, and environmental impact.

YouTube loosens up on F-bombs

Swearing in the first 7 seconds of your video? You’re still eligible for full ad revenue now.

YouTube’s latest update to its profanity policy means creators won’t automatically be demonetized for using strong language like “fu*k” early in a video — a big reversal from its stricter 2022 rules.

Why the change? Advertisers are getting more flexible, with many now selecting what level of profanity they’re okay with. Still, overdoing it — especially in titles or thumbnails — can hurt your earnings.

YouTube’s advice: pick your fu*k wisely.

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Going full-time is getting creators cancelled

Quitting your 9-to-5 to become a full-time creator used to be the dream. Now? It might lose you followers.

Creators like @Hubs.life_ and Callie Wilson built audiences by documenting their jobs — but when they left for full-time content creation, they were hit with backlash.

→ @Hubs.life_ was labeled a sellout for leaning into TikTok Lives
→ Wilson passed the bar, skipped a legal career — and lost 30k followers

The lesson: audiences crave authenticity, but they also want a narrative payoff. If your “journey” doesn’t end the way they imagined, it can break the parasocial bond.

Some creators have seen more support when leaving jobs for mental health reasons — but it’s clear that going full-time isn’t always the hero arc fans expect.

Lithuania just ran its biggest tourism campaign… with IShowSpeed

IShowSpeed was paid $23K by Lithuania’s tourism board to visit, livestream, eat neon-pink soup, and dance with folk singers. The whole trip lasted a day.

→ 115K+ watched live, millions more saw it on TikTok and YouTube
→ It cost less than a billboard and got 10x the attention
→ China did the same earlier this year — calling Speed the “digital-age Marco Polo”

Governments are catching on: if you want Gen Z’s attention, don’t buy ad space — invite their favorite chaotic streamer instead.

IRL events are bringing in real revenue

More creators are hosting in-person events — and brands are showing up with cash.

YouTubers Sam & Colby are running escape rooms and meetups tied to their ghost-hunting content. Dude Perfect is on a national 21-stop tour this summer, with nearly every venue sold out.

Sponsors like Samsung and IHG aren’t just watching — they’re integrating. Samsung is running on-stage trivia during shows, while Hot Topic calls these activations a “growing focus.”

Why brands love it:
→ Trackable ROI: ticket sales, merch, foot traffic
→ Built-in content from creators and fans
→ More emotional punch than a YouTube pre-roll

IRL moments are becoming the new media inventory — and creators who own the stage are starting to own the funnel too.