Viral meme platform 9GAG is launching an overarching media company to capitalize on advertising deals - and is already working with brands including Sony Music, Dunkin' Donuts, Netflix, Pizza Hut and My.Games
- Meme platform 9GAG is launching a media and marketing platform to drive advertising.
- While there are plenty of meme publishers, 9GAG claims its user-generated content and highly engaged users set it apart.
- Rolling Egg Media will offer brands custom and influencer content, licensing, and distribution.
- The company has already worked with brands including Sony Music, Dunkin' Donuts, Hinge, Netflix, Pizza Hut, and My.Games.
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When Ray Chan and his four cofounders Chris Chan, Brian Yu, Derek Chan, and Marco Fung pooled $1,270 in 2008 to start 9GAG, little did they know that their satirical side project would morph into a viral internet phenomenon.
9GAG is now an Instagram account with more than 50 million followers and other topic-specific accounts like "Barked" for dog lovers and "Voyaged" for travelers, as well as an advertising business. The bulk of 9GAG's revenue already comes from advertising deals, so the meme company is launching a media and marketing company to capitalize on the momentum.
Popular meme platform 9GAG is launching a media and influencer marketing platform
Rolling Egg Media encompasses 9GAG and its sub-accounts that pitch brands on the chance to tap into 9GAG's audience. In addition to Instagram, it has more than 15 million followers on Twitter and more than 41 million on Facebook.
While there's plenty of meme publishers, 9GAG claims its heavily user-generated content and highly engaged audiences on subjects like pets, travel, fitness, relationships, gaming, and entertainment set it apart.
9GAG says it has a network of over 1,000 creators that can make custom ads that mask as memes and that its verticals get more than 500,000 UGC submissions and more than 1 billion comments every day.
"The power of our community - fueled by committed creators and loyal fans - cannot be understated," said Russell Schneider, head of partnerships and business development at Rolling Egg Media.
Rolling Egg Media is pitching brands custom and influencer content, licensing, and distribution
Rolling Egg Media is a part of a wave of online meme accounts that have turned snarky memes into marketing. And Instagram recently announced it's hiring a strategic partnerships manager to focus on meme accounts and digital publishers for the first time.
Rolling Egg Media, like counterparts including Betches and Overheard, said it would help clients produce custom and influencer content and handle distribution, content licensing, and community sponsorships.
The company has worked with brands including Sony Music, Dunkin' Donuts, Hinge, Netflix, Pizza Hut, and My.Games. My.Games used 9GAG in April to promote its new game "Conqueror's Blade," which developed a content program with influencer group Viva La Dirt League.
"We see a big overlap between the 9GAG community and our target group," said Omer Karakayali, senior marketing manager at My.Games. "The best way to make our social campaigns successful is to work directly with 9GAG to engage their audience, and they know their audience better than any ad agency."