But the business side is what’s so intriguing and compelling that not a lot of people understand it when they first get into it. And I just want to be the beacon of hope that somebody says, “Hey, that was Cam. Played football at a high level. Played college football at a high level. Did so many different things at a high level.” But now the new high level is content.
Samuels: The reason we’re here is the opportunity to figure out that Cam’s got an HBCU tour that he’s about to be up and running. So, now there’s a chance for brands to underwrite the tour and be integrated into it. When this man is out making culture happen in real time, in the moment, there’s now a chance for brands to be a part of that when it’s happening, as opposed to finding out after the fact. We want brands to get in earlier and play a bigger role in making sure people like Cam are going to deliver the right stuff for the culture.
Why is it necessary for athlete creators to have a good relationship with the advertising community?
Newton: That’s what I’m trying to learn. My lady tells me, “Play to your strengths, partner in your weaknesses.” I’ll be a fool if I told you I know everything about branding. Insert Revolt, insert Offscript, insert companies that can say, “Hold on …,” and the chef’s kiss of this dynamic is that they’re not trying to change anything. We’re not trying to change anything for them.
Virality is not something you can just guess will happen. We know we’re going to go viral. We just want support. And it’s not going viral with the intent to harm. It’s going viral with the intent to ask questions. Every single time you’ve heard a conversation with “Funky Friday,” it stemmed from a conversation that needed to happen. And I’ve learned from the forefathers of the David Lettermans, the Oprah Winfreys, and the Arsenio Halls. That’s all my methodology is to now bring it into a digestible form on “Funky Friday.”
Are you here at IAB NewFronts to learn what advertisers are looking for when it comes to working with you and/or make advertisers feel comfortable with your brand?
Newton: It’s both. The sweet spot is this: You have to understand what the brand is looking for, and it doesn’t have to cost you or change who you really are.
Samuels: Brands shouldn’t be showing up expecting Cam to change. Brands need to respect and appreciate that him being himself authentically is what creates the moments that these young kids are looking for, people who are authentic and raw in their nature. That’s the beauty of Cam.
The job of the advertiser is to say, “Cam is crushing it. How do we show up? How do we integrate? How do we play with this thing that’s already working?”
Why should advertisers and brand partners be interested in aligning with sports and culture-driven platforms like Revolt?
Samuels: I think that advertisers already understand the power of sports. What we’re looking to do is help them understand and unlock a whole new space or category in sports, outside of things like live, that are getting just as many numbers.
