Rhett & Link: How The Original Kings Of YouTube Built A Lasting Brand And Became Career Creators
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- Опубліковано 5 чер 2024
- Best friends since grade school, the two former engineers-real names Rhett James McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln “Link” Neal III-began posting comedy shows on UA-cam in 2011. Today their Burbank, California, entertainment company, Mythical, employs more than 100 people who create UA-cam series like the daily variety show Good Mythical Morning, the Mythical Kitchen cooking series and sketch comedy channel Smosh for their 18 million subscribers. The pair produces podcasts and live summits too. Their online store hawks merch ranging from hoodies to kitchen tools to toiletries.
Creators. Influencers. Streamers. Vloggers. Whatever you call them, these powerful social media personalities are calling the shots in entertainment and advertising.
This year, the 50 honorees on our second annual Forbes Top Creator list harnessed their combined 2.6 billion followers to haul in an estimated $700 million in earnings. That's up more than 20% from 2022's $570 million score. To rank the world's Top Creators, Forbes crunched data on the earnings, follower counts, engagement rates, and entrepreneurial activities of thousands of internet personalities with the help of the creator marketing firm, Influential.
The result: The fifty people tapping their massive fan bases to reshape the worlds of media, marketing, entertainment, and taste.
0:00 Introducing Rhett James McLaughlin And Lincoln Neal
0:12 Rhett & Link Explain The Mythical Brand
2:52 How A First Grade Friendship Became The Basis For The Brand
3:48 How Rhett & Link Blew Up Their UA-cam Audience By Balancing Creativity With Analytics
8:34 Pioneering The Early Days Of UA-cam And Brand Partnerships In 2006
11:07 How Rhett & Link Monetize The Brand Today
14:26 Growing The Business And Evolving With The Audience
17:23 Why Rhett & Link Are Investing In Young Upcoming Creators
20:40 Approaching Brand Deals And Choosing The Right Partnerships
22:06 The Most Important Habit For Building An Audience
24:09 What Do Brands Need To Consider Before Partnering With A Creator?
25:41 How To Monetize A Brand Without Sacrificing Authenticity And Value
28:30 Why Rhett & Link's Dream Collaborator Is Lionel Richie
30:23 What Rhett & Link Want Their Legacy To Be
31:55 Managing Co-Founder Disagreements Without Sacrificing Friendship
34:22 Advice To New Creators
Read the full story on Forbes: www.forbes.com/sites/stevenber...
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I appreciate that Forbes put their most humorless reporter on this. The awkward silence really adds to the bits.
We need some ice for this
burn 😂
It's Forbes, what were you expecting?
@@glennzanotti3346 National Lampoon 😂😂😂😂😂
Rhett trying to make jokes and the interviewer just pivots That seems so on brand for Forbes.
Yeah, I agree. The interviewer is a bit stiff/boring 😁 He would be a better fit interviewing Bill Gates types.
Comedy and relaxation is lost on Forbes. They've got to have 1 person who could handle a couple of laid back guys. Don't they?
And Link saying something super awkward and Rhett just goes "well, you said it" is on brand for them. 🤣
You can hear him laughing in the background sometimes when the screen is only focused on rhett n link
I had to stop watching because it’s so uncomfortable 🤣
The interviewer not laughing at their jokes is so awkward and yet so funny 😂 The fact that they didn’t let his dryness faze them is such a R&L thing to do. Rhett & Link are forever my favs.
Wholesomeness, authenticity, kindness, staying in their own lane, and never really selling out- that’s what makes GMM stand out.
Yes! ❤
How you define selling out?
Wholesome?
@@AliFareedMC Selling out is when a person is so focused on making as much money as possible, that it negatively impacts their creations.
it’s clear Forbes hardly did any research on them beforehand 😭 this could have been a really interesting interview but they asked such basic questions
It's Forbes. "Research" is an unknown word to them.
1000% was looking for other comments like this! How is this such a big news outlet with such a terrible interviewer!?
Yes! I felt like they answered every question before it was asked
Personally I think he asked great questions
Right?!? They didn't even get Link's real name right 😂
1. Why are we in the void, the lack of set is so unsettling
2. Rhett and Link are comedians, why do we have an interviewer in half a suit, jeans and a pair of Nikes that can't recognize or react to a joke
3. I understand the point of Forbes is making money, but to so efficiently suck the soul out of their career to make it only about making money is unsettling
4. The majority of people that are watching this are fans of Rhett and Link so why can't you pretend to know at least a bare minimum about their career
5. I love Rhett and Link, thanks for having them on the show, please make this less disconcerting in the future :)
Why don’t you go and interview them, see if you can come up with better questions
@@user-yk8tk6vr1nloaded tease. Sean Evans and his team are masters of great interview questions. Forbes has great assets and resources and they underestimated their guests and didn't employ those resources as best they could have.
💯 so well said!
I think almost anyone with any creative bone in their body could have down a better job interviewing them 😅 while also still gathering wisdom on their business mindset/ practices.
@@user-yk8tk6vr1nliterally a dog could... this guy is teeeerrrible. Atleast a dog reciprocates!! This guy gave them so little respect and asked them stupid youtube questions like they just made up a brand last year. Didn't even watch 1 video I bet.
I’m so used to the Mythical Crew laughing at their jokes
Even amidst the humorless landscape of the interview, Rhett and Link still are their authentic, fun-loving selves. 🧡
agreed. They know we are watching so I absolutely love how Link is just like move Rhett, I'll lay on the couch.
i laugh every single time link begins to tell an interview their “mythical origin” after them admitting several times that that is probably nowhere close to how they started
Its so weird watching a calculated, created businessman talk to two guys who have been best buds forever. Just two completely different vibes.
Interviews like this really make you appreciate how much better Colin and Samir are at interviewing people and editing interviews to keep them engaging throughout...
I love that Link is the one whos more likely to tell someone like this dude interviewing them to "stay out of this!" And kinda sternly as well. Dude interviewing coulda been a little nore loosey goosey, it seems like he doesnt know about them at all, just knows what he learned as he was preparing for the interview.
Can you point an example of where he does this? Lmao I cannot remember
I love Rhett and Link being called the Original Kings of UA-cam❤️
Technically speaking they are. They are one of few chanels that blew up like 12 years ago that's still relevant and continues to grow consistantly.
Forbes recognizing and calling them the OG Kings of UA-cam. Also Forbes not knowing a single thing about them. Also also Forbes being completely humorless. Me still watching it lol That's how you know you're a Mythical Beast, I guess
@34:12 🤣i love how they're not phased by the guys stiff reactions and continues to make jokes and be themselves
If they don’t immediately start developing Mythicali-Tea after this it’s a total missed opportunity.
I agree
Opportuni-tea
I started watching R&L in 2013 and have been a faithful consumer of all things GMM since. They’re genuine, funny, humble, and consistent. It’s been a joy to watch them grow personally and successfully. There hasn’t been one moment of my time I would want back that was spent on Mythical Entertainment. They deserve all the success they’ve earned. Plus all the great people they’ve introduced along the way that are part of the team. Also, a fan of Smosh before GMM acquired the rights. So watching them take ownership but letting that existing team keep doing their “thing” was so cool. Then letting the original creators buy it back and being fully supportive and excited for them just shows the character and quality of Rhett and Link. Truly top notch guys!!
I’m a 78 year old great grand, and a long time Rhett and Link follower. Very much enjoying this conversation.
I’ve been watching them for over a decade- I love that they keep growing
Stellar performances from rhett and link! They read the room like a book and delivered their jokes perfectly. Always continue to astound, those two 🎉
Their show is part of our daily routine! I’m so proud of what they have accomplished!
this is the strangest episode of international taste test i've ever seen. seriously, these guys are an inspiration to people of my generation as they have bridged the gap between several gens. it is such a luxury to sit down with the fam and put on rhett and link. congrats on all of your success gents.
They are literally one of the only things relieving the stress of trying to get my mam through surgery chemo and immunotherapy for stage 3 lung cancer. I'm in Ireland and it's 2am and I watch good mythical morning every night before I go to bed so I can sleep with something positive in my mind instead of pure stress, you can't put a value on that.
Building a following. Mythical puts out consistant content. You can rely on them. Thats huge. You become friends with them. You start to get their personalities and inside jokes. You become part of the family.
It’s so amazing to me that they make enough money they can afford to have such a big team of people working with/for them and it makes me happy for them. I literally love Rhett and Link and GMM so much, I’m 22 and have been watching since I was 13 or 14 yrs old. They truly are the UA-cam kings imo
They really do communicate through their differences and they proved it in such a comedic way in this interview.
I love these two men so deeply and I dont even know them personally - they seriously are just such good, beautiful people.
Yes, I have often thought about famous personalities that I feel I know so well, and how strange it must be to meet them and realize that you're a complete stranger to them...
LEGENDS.
@23:00 this is a very difficult balance to achieve but I agree with Rhett, it's what makes us fans. We get what we want but also get surprises, while at the same time, they still explore their creativity and not get stuck in one format to please the audience, because the audience isn't a monolith. Some like to go on their exploration journeys and others are comforted by the "daily routine" format they've grown to rely on (I personally love both). It's also nice that they get the fans to take part in playing some of the games, like voting and guessing what Rhett and Link would choose, losing and having to post about it on Instagram or winning and getting a silly reward in the more.
Rhett & Link singing "All Night Long" All Night Long is probably my favorite thing they've ever done. Talk about committing to the bit.
I’ve grown up with these guys, they’re such an important part of my life and have been with me through so many important life moments. I’m so glad they’re still doing what they do, and are helping others also.
Interviewer was struggling, how did he get this gig lol. No doubt Rhett and Link were thinking the same.
Yeppppp so bad. So disrespectful. Rhett n Link are nicer than I would have been!
It is giving the vibe that the interviewer doesn't have internet or youtube 😬 also the derek guy would read his fit to filth
Their legs were crossed the whole time, a sign they didn't trust the interviewer fully, while the interviewer had his legs opened up, showing he was trying to relate to them.
LINCOLN NEAL
The business man and the boy are at it again!
This was a struggle to watch since the interviewer clearly had no idea who he was talking to and probably didn't even watch a single whopping 15-minute episode to get any background. Props to Rhett and Link for being patient and trying to make it more comfortable/personable.
Imagine not understanding what a Forbes interview is. This was a fantastic interview that gave insight into things they DONT talk about on their 3000 episode show. L take
@@OdenDieslol on their 3000 subscriber show!? 🤣🤣🤣
Let's just add you to the interviewers pile of not knowing what you are talking about....
Unless Forbes wants their brand to be disrespecting their guests and showing no interest or effort or even want to produce a good finished product, then I think they have some work to do... but maybe that is their brand.💁🏾♀️
@@truecrimenwine489They said 3000 episodes not subscribers
@@OdenDies imagine wanting to be entertained.
Doing well by doing good. That's Rhett and Link.
I've been watching these guys almost every morning since I was 9 (I'm 20 now!) Couldn't imagine the internet without them
I’ve been watching Rhett and Link for YEARS and it’s so exciting and heartwarming to see how far they’ve come with not just their channel but their lives. These two deserve nothing but the best. Thank you Rhett & Link for everything you do for your fans.
Lincoln Neal. lol That's Charles Lincoln Neal III to you.
😂
I'm so proud of our dads
Little brothers :)
30 seconds in - "Lincoln Neal" - LOL he so fancy 🥰🎩
They look so good 🎉
Hot as usual ❤
Yeah, they do!❤
32:39 the one joke the interviewer made and Link said “stay outta this” LOL
I love interviewers who are natural and don't fake laugh when their guests say something they don't find funny. This guy is great at it.
@33:58 ahhhh~~~ I love Link so much :) How much he genuinely cares for Rhett, and Rhett right back at him. It's really awesome to see :)
I am finding myself obsessed with Link's pants...
Man I hate to pile on this interviewer because he probably had to head back to the Accounting Dept as soon as this wrapped, but damn bro barely cracked a smile in the first 30 minutes. R&L somehow manage to keep this interesting & light but Forbes missed the mark here. Most questions asked here have been covered many times before & this bean-counter couldn't be less interested in what is magical about Mythical... imho, of course
Link has officially reached the 70’s. Can’t wait to see his Mrs. Cleaver stage.
The most deserving humans of any recognition. We love you Rhett and Link.
Stevie is a big part of their success. Thanks stevie for sticking with Mythical for so long ❤
They are wearing the same shirt just different colors 🥹
One thing that stands out when they are talking business and how audience centric is, which makes sense. A lot of creators seem to think that they are owed viewership and money but its clear that Rhett and Link actively work to earn the views and money by their desire of adding value to their audience. Good way to show success.
Two people that truly deserve each other.
They’re wearing pants that match each other’s hair (not exactly, but sorta in this lighting).
Thanks, I can't unsee it now 😂
Lmao I can’t take this serious. Rhett & Link as models in the thumbnail is too funny.
I'm so happy Link brought up the Roku channel because my partner and I LOVE it! It is quite literally on 24/7 for us
My world just changed!
This was a bad interview but not at all because of Rhett or Link. They picked the only guy in the office who had never heard of UA-cam
Absolutely love these two dudes. Extremely proud and happy to them bloom
oh wow they look so good in yhe Thumbnail
Shout out to all my fellow Mythical and Myrtle Beasts!!
🎉🎉🎉
I graduated college the year before Rhett and Link met in the first grade. I am certainly not a "core" demographic, but they do have a wider reach than a lot of UA-cam creators. I have been a subscriber to their channel for several years, and watch almost every show. I have not paid to be a "Mythical Beast," that's just not my kind of thing, but there are more people like me watching them than people might think.
I’ve been watching R&L for years and never realized how good they are in terms of Marketing and Business. As a business major, this is highly inspirational!
Great show! Thanks for interviewing my two favorite entertainers. 😊
Why on Earth did Forbes use Rhetts full name, and not even get Link’s name correct? That’s a pretty huge oversight when you don’t even know the names of the people you are interviewing 😂 It’s very obvious this person didn’t do a great job prepping for this piece if he doesn’t even know that Link’s name is Charles.
Chill
I was finna say the same thing. I’m not surprised that they didn’t efficiently dive into who they’re interviewing, just trynna make money off of those who make their own money lol
i've been watching them since 11th grade and now i'm a mom and they're still my fave!
kings 😤
Forbes should have gone on GMM .. they would have gotten more exposure. 19k views on this video in 13 days? ... ouch
that couch is the star of the show
...why does it look so delicious?
They should have chosen a funny interviewer to interview two funny guys
It's a shame this interviewer is so rigid and stiff. He seems like he has a traditional media background and is not well suited for an interview with these two. There is no rhythm or flow to it.
I'm happy they got to be featured on this channel as any exposure is good, but I think Forbes did themselves an injustice by not having a better interview prepared.
I've watched them for 10 years, it's crazy how far they've come, very handsome still!
Great job! I see you guys all time from Good Mythical Morning!
I know Forbes is very professional and serious, but I wish they had chosen an interviewer that didn’t come off as so rigid and to the point. Rhett and Link are very…not that. Comes across that the interviewer doesn’t know who they’re talking to.
Or atleast knew who they were or was interested in learning. I couldn't watch it i felt disrespected for them. It was like he was ingerveiwing an up and coming 20yr old influencer who was trying to show they had business skills.
Rhett and link are what every guy wants in his bromance ;)
Rhett and Link are always wonderful in interviews, this guy is the first time I’ve seen them struggling and they still managed to give interesting responses to dry questions! Wish they would’ve gotten someone that at least went with the flow
There were a few points where it felt like a natural conversation, but the interviewer did not seem to match their pace/energy very well
I love seeing the boys out and about!
Amazing interview of Brett and Wink, Steve!
My guys made it after over a decade, almost 2 decades, of mythical mornings❤
UA-cam GOATS
Omggg under one of the most recent video somebody was talking about how sad it will be one day when they stop the channel, and I said I only see them growing and maybe changing the format. Little did I know that they already had a whole channel on TV! Watching them from high school till now and seeing that growth is something else 🎉
This interview is fascinating to me. It some how captures this weird divide that I feel like see more than ever within generations. I have peers that are like the interviewer that very serious, so well put together, an air of maturity. While I am and like many of people I know are closer to a Rhett and Link laid back friendly atmosphere. It is just so interesting how can have people the same age yet couldn't be more different from each other.
Love these guys so much that if they are on video ANYWHERE- I watch it AND I "like" it!
Yesssss i love them!! been watching them for over a decade!!! ❤❤❤ they are unproblematic KINGS
C'mon, Lionel! Make their lifelong dreams come true!!! ❤❤❤
Learn something new every day watching Mythical.
Education through humor.
Always love watching Rhett and Link :)
I wish the pic Forbes used was from the “recreating viral internet photos” they did with Smosh, complete with the white fur rug
I love them so much. They are such an inspiration to so much of what I am building as well. I love them as creators, people, and business owners. There is so much to learn.
This is New way of supporting healthy working culture and making millions at The same time. I wish there was more ceo:s like them.
They're wearing the same shirt in different colors and that's nothing short of brilliant.
I watch GMM everyday its part of my daily routine. I found their videos on Facebook and started watching and have for years now. It shows you that there is good hearted fun people out there that can entertain all walks of life and don't have to stray away from their own identity. I wish I had a best friend like these guys. It's pretty neat to watch. I recommend their shows to everyone young and old that there is something on there for them to enjoy. I am a Mythical Beast.
not necessarily related to the video but I love that green couch they're sitting on lol
A part of their success is definitely their consistency and coordination!
🙋♀️ I'm the one for 9 years now! I love Mythical and it is a huge part of my life ❤
It's kind of wild that I've been watching them for so long that I can't even remember which year it was when I started...possibly 2012, maybe 2013...and now they're being interviewed by Forbes and are amongst the top earning people on this platform, going on Jimmy Fallon too. I still watch their videos every day. They've provided years of entertainment that I'm externally grateful for. Their team/crew are fantastic, too. And I love what they've done with the Mythical Kitchen and their podcasts. Link hit the nail on the head in terms of their sense of humour. Many of the jokes and bits that they do are very similar to my own and my friends' senses of humour and it makes for easy watching/laughing.
2011
This is like a grey crayon interviewing the rest of the crayon box
I was there since day one pre good mythical morning. Good stuff guys.
If GMM makes tea, it should be called "not my cup of tea"
The amount of times Rhett has said that over the years 😂
I love how this interview begins: "First question, talk to me about..."
That's not a question, genius.