At a time when many associate the Internet with danger – with fake news, fake images, violent videos and divisive hatred – Jimmy Donaldson aka MrBeast can surprise. No individual has more YouTube subscribers (over 220 million!) than the 25-year-old – and hardly anyone has more influence on the Internet. MrBeast does it all with positive messages, charming wit, crazy ideas and millions of dollars that he distributes to ordinary people. What is the secret of the most famous YouTuber in the world?
Delving into the depths of MrBeast’s many videos is like following a child into a candy store. Donaldson makes what you always wanted to do or know (“What can the most luxurious yacht in the world do?”) tangible – and with it better television. He is always relaxed, with a saying on his lips and surrounded by goofy friends.
MrBeast’s budget is now more than a million dollars per video. He earns money through YouTube, advertising and sponsorship contracts. There is a new video about every week, usually between 10 and 30 minutes long. This is how much money TV channels have at their disposal for full-length entertainment shows. There are hardly any limits to MrBeast with this financial framework: sometimes he buys deserted islands so that his subscribers can play for them. He also invites his friends on a yacht worth a billion dollars or recreates the survival competition from the famous series “Squid Game”.
“Willy Wonka des Internets”
Because he likes to throw around tons of money, Donaldson is also called the “Willy Wonka of the Internet” (not to mention, MrBeast has actually had Wonka’s chocolate factory recreated and let his subscribers eat it). Donaldson is repeatedly described as a philanthropist because he repeatedly gives away tens of thousands of dollars, pays for young people’s studies or – in a highly publicized manner – has dozens of wells built in Africa.
Donaldson’s triumph began rather plainly ten years ago in the children’s room. At that time, the man from Greenville (North Carolina) uploaded videos of himself playing computer games. Finally, six years ago, he gained some notoriety with a video in which he counted from 1 to 100,000 in 40 hours.
Then it went up step by step: “I started in my bedroom and then I got a small office building and then we outgrew it in about three months and then I had like a small warehouse, then I had a bigger one warehouse and then I had two warehouses because the videos kept getting bigger,” MrBeast himself recently said.
There are many reasons for success
Now every video is a glossy production that makes TV shows green with envy. But the reasons for its success are manifold: Firstly, MrBeast’s team understands its audience: the headlines are to the point, the small preview images – so-called thumbnails – almost always show Donaldson in an animated, colorful environment that matches the episode. This creates awareness in the face of strong Internet competition.
Plus, everyone knows what it’s about after a few seconds: That’s why Donaldson always starts his videos the same way, with the simplest possible summary of the episode (“We just landed in Antarctica and we’ll survive here for the next 50 hours”). And then of course it’s about the content: MrBeast and his team have a feel for exciting topics and always play with great emotions.
But often it is curiosity that keeps people sticking with it. The YouTuber serves the hedonistic interests of many affluent young people worldwide. MrBeast makes almost anything possible, whether it’s the most elaborate stage designs or access to places that would otherwise remain closed. Everything in a quality that is more reminiscent of Hollywood than TV.
Who is Jimmy Donaldson?
But the most important thing is probably the protagonists themselves: Jimmy Donaldson, but also his friends, whom he was able to hire as sidekicks with increasing success and who can be seen with him in almost every episode. The group’s secret: They are credible, nice, chaotic, funny – suitable for the masses. In the deeply divided United States, there are not many public figures who can so playfully bridge the deep gap between progressives and conservatives.
MrBeast’s future plans are clear – he is completely American: he wants to continue to grow. A few months ago he even said that he could one day throw around billions in his videos. It’s not that far yet for the 25-year-old, who, according to Forbes, earns $82 million a year. But he already has a few products such as chocolate bars and burgers that he wants to further develop as independent businesses. And one thing should be clear: MrBeast is unlikely to run out of ideas, money or subscribers in the foreseeable future.
YouTube Channel by MrBeast
