WHY YOUTUBE SERIES ARE THE NEW TALK SHOWS

Written for Influencer Intelligence

Have you noticed your social feeds are jam-packed with videos of celebrities eating chicken? The internet has adopted a new favourite interview format, designed to create viral moments and wildly shareable talking points. Gone are the days of stuffy press tours where celebrities sit in a branded, dark room as members of the media are unceremoniously shuffled in and out. It is no wonder that some celebs get a little grouchy having to answer the same, predictable questions while promoting their latest motion picture.

Now, irreverent content series are disrupting the PR & marketing circuit, designed with relatability and humanisation at their core, and talent are quite literally chomping at the bit for a guest spot.

Recently celebrating its 10th anniversary, Amelia Dimoldenberg’s YouTube series, ‘Chicken Shop Date’ has gone from cult delight to mainstream staple of late, with every A-lister from Billie Eilish to Andrew Garfield making an appearance on the snappy series, which sees the influencer interview famous guests under the guise of a date at a local chicken shop. Its no-frills production setting, teamed with Dimoldenberg’s trademark awkward directness makes for unmissable viewing.

A far cry from traditional talk-show style questioning, Chicken Shop Date removes celebrities from their lustrous pedestals and brings them into a fully relatable space and situation. Content creator Dimoldenberg has invented a stoic but likeable character in herself that audiences love to see put stars on the spot as she attempts to flirt her way through the interview. Talent are, of course, in on the joke, with most embracing the concept - likely grateful for some respite in an otherwise laborious and repetitive publicity cycle.

What results is an entertaining, earthy and unique series typically sliced up into multiple bitesize pieces of content with lofty engagement and fortification of the series as a pillar of pop-culture reference.

Launched in 2015, fiery web series ‘Hot Ones’ emerged as part of the First We Feast YouTube channel, with the premise of making interviewees consume increasingly spicy chicken wings whilst being asked insightfully probing questions by chilli-loving host, Sean Evans. Running for an impressive 19 seasons, big name talent including Post Malone, Cara Delevingne, Dave Grohl, Margot Robbie and Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds have tested their metal with the explosive 10-step challenge.

Now with 14.2m subscribers on the channel, the series racks up millions of views per episode, with scattered clips becoming individual memes across social media within days of being published. In the same way as Dimoldenberg’s offering, the reason Hot Ones is so captivating, is it allows audiences to view celebrities in a way they never have before, chronicling each and every uncomfortable reaction. But, far from a gimmicky spectacle, the grounding element in this sizzling series is Evans himself, who conducts meaningful, well-researched interviews with his guests. Avoiding the typical types of questions one might expect from a television or magazine profile, the Hot Ones host really digs out nuggets of information and personal annecdotes (outside of publicist-approved scripts) that add value and provoke and inspire talent to connect.

The indisputable success of both of these content series demonstrates that not only do modern audiences want to see relatable, enjoyable content in creative formats, but that they will keep coming back for it. Episodic content is in its hey-day in 2024 with media and creators alike recognising the value in soliciting repeat traffic.

Indeed, traditional media titles such as Buzzfeed and Vanity Fair have recognised and embraced the idea of displacement and rejection of normative interview structures in recent years in favour of light-hearted entertainment and themed series, with the likes of lie detector tests and puppy play taking centre stage.

Now veritable phenomena in their own right, Chicken Shop Date and Hot Ones have cemented themselves as coveted, imperative stops on any publicity tour, expanding and evolving the definition of mass media in public consciousness. This is a trend that has been contributed to by the likes of influencer-led vodcasts of late, exemplified by the buzz around Kamala Harris’ recent appearance on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy.

What can marketers learn from this?

Brands that can embrace creative concepts for content series are likely to experience success riding the wave of positive sentiment already out there. Those working with talent should be incorporating these types of content formats and outlets into their promotional plans. Additionally, those working with influencers might consider featuring their ambassadors in scenario-based content series to increase engagement.

Its official. Talent-based content of the future is relatable, buzzworthy and innovative. In order to cut through the noise, marketers should be keeping these elements front of mind.