Google veteran Pete Cory has been appointed Chairman of Arcade, the management company for YouTube stars The Sidemen. Cory’s appointment comes swiftly after Thomas Benski’s Lumina Media made a seven-figure investment in Arcade, taking a minority stake.
The Sidemen started out as a YouTube collective but now have shows on Netflix, sell a deep range of merch, and have off-screen activities including a charity soccer match that sells out Wembley Stadium. They also have their own subscription service Side+.
Arcade said that as Chairman, Cory will lead the expansion of The Sidemen’s activities. The creator collective now has over 100 million YouTube subscribers and has notched billions of views. Cory will work alongside the existing leadership team of Jordan Schwarzenberger and Sam Uwins, who founded Arcade in 2021 alongside Aaron O’Neill.
“Pete’s appointment is a major milestone for Arcade,” said Schwarzenberger. “He has a perfect blend of experience that means he can unite the traditional and the new, delivering mutual benefits for both creators and advertisers.”
“Arcade’s mission to pioneer the next phase of the creator economy is hugely important in today’s entertainment landscape, as marketeers increasingly shift from traditional advertising to creator-led campaigns,” Cory added. “The team at Arcade, working with The Sidemen, have achieved an unrivalled position across Europe, building a platform with the scale and loyalty of traditional media, but with the authenticity and influence that truly resonates with audiences.”
Arcade is ramping up as streamers and traditional broadcasters increasingly look to buy into the creator economy. Last week’s MIPCOM event in Cannes was a case study, with the largest producers, distributors and broadcasters all keen to showcase their work with creators. And the likes of Viral Nation and Dhar Mann in town. It was standing-room only at the session featuring Cory’s previous employer, YouTube, at the Cannes market.
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