Brandcast

In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, SpecialGuest worked with YouTube to refashion Brandcast, a typically in-person event filled with music and special guest speakers who exemplify the versatility of the platform’s content, as a virtual affair—one that would be just as engaging as the in-person version.

SpecialGuest came up with a “choose your own adventure” concept: During the 50-minute live event, viewers could pick from nine customizable video experiences, including Helpfulness & Learning, Finding Happiness, and Building Community. Each path depicted top creators—such as entertainment group the Try Guys, video editor and film producer Kurt Hugo Schneider, social media fitness entrepreneur Blogilates, internet personality Zach King, and many more—working on or showing off their content.

The idea was to show why YouTube is the number one place where people go to watch ad-supported content: YouTube is the mainstream. During sit-down interviews, influential people discussed the future of YouTube, including the company’s then-CEO Susan Wojcicki, who spoke about the amazing connection creators and companies can have with their audience through the platform. 

The event, which was YouTube’s biggest Brandcast event yet, was shot across nine cities—L.A., San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and more—13 locations, and 21 sets, all made to look like the same place, demonstrating what the future holds for the platform.