Successful Vlogger family (media interview)

[Crown]

Rebecca, 28, is a ‘vlogger’ — video blogger — with her own TV channel on YouTube. Every day she sets up a tripod to film the ordinary goings on in her Aberdeenshire home, edits the day into a short film, then posts it for the world to see.

She describes this as weirdly addictive. Lucrative, too. Thanks to advertising deals, Rebecca’s husband Lee was able to give up a well-paid job in the oil industry earlier this year to concentrate full-time on vlogging, which is funding a very nice life.

Who would want to watch a self-confessed ‘ordinary mum’ go about her ordinary day? And in Aberdeen, not Beverly Hills, for goodness sake? Who knew filming your children’s socks could be your route to fame and fortune?

While Rebecca won’t reveal how much they earn, she says: ‘The vlogging makes us enough to have a very nice life, a lovely house, and the best bit is we both get to stay at home with the kids. When I started, no one was watching except my mum. I didn’t even think of having an audience.’

Today this family’s entire income comes from their vlogging.

Full article and source (worth a read): http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5041041/Vlogging-families-getting-rich.html

Channel link: https://youtube.com/channel/UCxJrnvfqSSvly5hiq2Fe68g

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Despite their success in terms of daily views (~ 250k views per day) , their SocialBlade stats show that they are losing on average 100 subs per day.

I did a bit of digging and this family seem to divide opinion and the probable reason for the current "backlash" (if that's what it is) is due to them currently being on a national tour heavily promoting their book!

They also seem to flaunt their new-found wealth a lot in their videos (father drives a porsche) and mother gives a lot of focus to expensive brands and flaunting them. I found several threads on internet forums heavily criticising them.

I suppose it just goes to show, that even being controversial and sometimes unpopular doesn't really negatively affect a channel's success......

Thoughts?

 

[Lasersgo]

Huh, that is really interesting. I had never actually heard of them before and I can see why they might be getting some negativity if they're starting to flaunt their wealth. People love to help their favorite entertainers become big, but don't want the success thrown in their face!

 

[Crown]

Huh, that is really interesting. I had never actually heard of them before and I can see why they might be getting some negativity if they're starting to flaunt their wealth. People love to help their favorite entertainers become big, but don't want the success thrown in their face!

In a previous job of mine in London, I was chatting with the CEO and he told me a story about a very successful salesman that used to work for him. This salesman was earning hundreds of thousands of pounds per year in commissions for selling high-end computer systems to companies. Most of his commission came from one very big account. Anyway, one day to celebrate a big sale, the salesman invited the "buyer" from his best customer for lunch. The salesman picked him up in his porsche and proceeded to show off all his gadgets and lavish lifestyle. A few days later, the buyer cancelled all orders with the salesman and never did business with him again. Moral of the story - Never flaunt your wealth in front of the people that created that wealth for you. ^^

 

[Gaijillionaire]

Yea. If people watch to see an ordinary life , then you stop giving it, people will leave.

 

[EVO]

So thats why my old boss (Who owned a Ferrari and an Aston Martin) visited our customers in the companys pool car a rusty old Mondeo!

 

[babyteeth4]

I've never heard of these people but I wish them well in their endeavors, I'll probably end up meeting them some day.

Time for my media rant: Every mainstream media article/television bit covering YouTube primarily focuses on the money made; frankly I'm getting sick of how much they focus on the money. Just once I'd like to read an article about a channel that doesn't mention the money aspect. You'll never see an author or an actor being interviewed constantly asked how much money they make, or how "easy" it is to do what they do! But for YouTube that's all they seem to want to focus on--unless there's a juicy scandal, although even then they have to bring up the money.

The mainstream media wants people to think that anyone can strike it rich on YouTube because in their eyes they see it as something easy that anyone can do, and that it's something like winning the lottery and you'll get the sweet life. They just don't "get" YouTube at all.

 

[KatyAdelson]

Wow! I stumbled upon the lady's channel many years ago. It's crazy to think they became so popular and rich from vlogging! But even back then, I remember thinking she had a bit of a "lavish lifestyle" tone to her videos. I didn't think there was anything wrong with it, but because I was living in a cheap-o college shoe box apartment at the time, it wasn't something I could relate to...

Actually, what you guys say about flaunting wealth is really interesting. When I worked with the ultra poor people who could barely make it through each week without getting evicted, I noticed that almost all of them had very fancy cellphones, and many had rather nice cars. It's almost like the poor try to pretend they are rich, but the rich have learned they need to pretend they aren't rich. Kind of strange....

 

[Yachts For Sale]

Time for my media rant: Every mainstream media article/television bit covering YouTube primarily focuses on the money made; frankly I'm getting sick of how much they focus on the money.

I get your point, but I also kind of understand why the media focusses on the money aspect.
The general public use YouTube regularly for a variety of reasons, but probably never give a second thought to what goes on "behind the scenes". The fact that some YouTubers can make a good living doing what they do is one of the most fascinating things about this still relatively new media. The "news" is that not only is an abundance of new, free entertainment available to everyone...but there is a whole new international multi-billion dollar industry around it as well.

In a previous job of mine in London, I was chatting with the CEO and he told me a story about a very successful salesman that used to work for him. This salesman was earning hundreds of thousands of pounds per year in commissions for selling high-end computer systems to companies. Most of his commission came from one very big account. Anyway, one day to celebrate a big sale, the salesman invited the "buyer" from his best customer for lunch. The salesman picked him up in his porsche and proceeded to show off all his gadgets and lavish lifestyle. A few days later, the buyer cancelled all orders with the salesman and never did business with him again. Moral of the story - Never flaunt your wealth in front of the people that created that wealth for you. ^

Great story, and there is a strong lesson to learn from this too.
In the computer industry it is clearly seen by some as distasteful for a salesman to make "too much" money. In my industry on the other hand it's expected of salespeople to have a lavish lifestyle. Just for the record...I drive a 10 year old Golf TDI with 450,000 km on the clock (it's been a rough few years).... no lavish lifestyle here for the time being

It's very similar with YouTube. Some Creators are known for their amazing lifestyle. Look at Jon Olsson for example, viewers tune in to him precisely for that reason.
People do NOT tune in to a "family of Irish vloggers living in London" for that reason though...so I suspect you may be correct about the reason their channel has flatlined and is now in decline.

As creators we have to respect our audience. We have to give them what they want. If success on YouTube means that there is a change in the lifestyle we have been "selling" to our subscribers, then the viewers need to feel that they are sharing in the success and enjoying it...not have their noses rubbed in it.

I'm saying this like I know what I'm talking about. I haven't watched any of this family's videos...

 

[Crown]

I've never heard of these people but I wish them well in their endeavors, I'll probably end up meeting them some day.

Me too. I wish them every success.

I only brought up the other stuff after I checked out their SocialBlade stats - Clearly they have p****d off their subs in some way for them to be all unsubbing. Flaunting their wealth was one of the things I saw people complaining about. Also, apparently (according to the consensus), the father is annoying (I'm putting it mildly lol) but I didn't watch anough of their vids to really make up my own opinion on that. ^^

Time for my media rant: Every mainstream media article/television bit covering YouTube primarily focuses on the money made; frankly I'm getting sick of how much they focus on the money. Just once I'd like to read an article about a channel that doesn't mention the money aspect. You'll never see an author or an actor being interviewed constantly asked how much money they make, or how "easy" it is to do what they do! But for YouTube that's all they seem to want to focus on--unless there's a juicy scandal, although even then they have to bring up the money.

You're right of course but I suppose we have to see it from the media's point of view. - They need an "angle" for their story so that they can have a nice clickbait title. Majority of the public don't even know you can make money making YouTube videos and so the fact that a family of 4 can live of their earnings gives them that angle. I'm not sure it's so much about the money but more the fact that making YT videos can be a job. I agree though that that attracts dreamers that then think it's easy to do, which we all know it's not. But if you take away the "money angle", all that's left is a family of 4 that make videos. Not really an exciting story.

I should also point out that the Uk media outlet in question "The Daily Mail" isn't exactly renowned for its high quality of journalism anyway. ^^

Great story, and there is a strong lesson to learn from this too.
In the computer industry it is clearly seen by some as distasteful for a salesman to make "too much" money. In my industry on the other hand it's expected of salespeople to have a lavish lifestyle. Just for the record...I drive a 10 year old Golf TDI with 450,000 km on the clock (it's been a rough few years).... no lavish lifestyle here for the time being

Absolutely, it depends on the industry. In my story above, the "buyer" was just an ordinary employee earning a fixed wage and probably just getting by. In your industry, I could definitely see how it'd be important to show signs of wealth (and also habits of knowing how to behave around wealthy people) but without actually getting overexcited about it!

Do you get French TV where you are? Do you speak French? There was a very good documentary on the "M6" channel about an Italian guy (not rich at all) who goes to St Tropez every summer to offer "concierge services" for the rich Yacht owners down there. It shows how he dresses well and drives a nice car to blend in and then uses his bubbly personality to befriend them all lol. It's still on catch up TV I think.

 

[Yachts For Sale]

Do you get French TV where you are? Do you speak French? There was a very good documentary on the "M6" channel about an Italian guy (not rich at all) who goes to St Tropez every summer to offer "concierge services" for the rich Yacht owners down there. It shows how he dresses well and drives a nice car to blend in and then uses his bubbly personality to befriend them all lol. It's still on catch up TV I think.

I never watch French TV...or Italian TV...Can't stand it. The documentary about the Italian guy going to St Tropez sounds interesting though, so I might make an exception.
I'm also embarrassed to admit that after more than a decade of working regularly in France, I can't speak French. It's shameful really, I'm fluent in Italian but just can't get French into my head. I feel a bit like Homer Simpson when he said "Every time I learn something new, a little of the old gets pushed out of my brain".

I think the quote ends " remember that time I took a wine making course and forgot how to drive?"