Case Study
/2025 Award Season
832%
YOY TIKTOK AUDIENCE GROWTH
224%
YOY TIKTOK REVENUE GROWTH
140%
YOY VIDEO VIEW GROWTH
Objective: Differentiate Access Hollywood from competitors at tentpole events through first-in-class social content, and turn that differentiation into real revenue and audience growth streams. This wasn't just a content refresh; it was a bet that investing in creator partnerships could convert cultural relevance into a P&L outcome, not just an engagement number.
Strategy: I built this around three deliberate pillars: content creator program, production innovation, and creative editorial.
For our creator we program, I brought in established TikTok talent as guest digital correspondents, but rather than having them perform a traditional correspondent role, I built the program around letting each creator tell the story in their own voice to ensure the content felt native to the platform.
Second, I directed a shift in how we shot and produced in the field: raw, in-the-room footage for social, captured in a way that still gave us clean horizontal cuts for YouTube and linear. This singular production choice, made in collaboration with our A/V crew, served multiple distribution pipelines instead of tripling our shoot costs and footprint.
Third, I pushed the editorial team deeper into moment-making, building segments specifically designed to generate the kind of fan reaction that travels.
Results: The strategy delivered on both halves of the objective. Engagement grew 70% and video views grew 140% year-over-year. These metrics were proof the differentiation bet worked and our content was growing and engaging new fans.
Our creator strategy specifically drove an 832% increase in TikTok follower growth and a 224% rise in platform revenue, validating the thesis that creator-led content could be a real revenue line, not just a reach play. The season's standout moment (Ilona Maher at the Emmys) earned a Webby nomination for Best Social, Events & Livestreams, giving the program industry-level validation on top of the internal numbers. This became the model I carried into subsequent award seasons with Snoop Dogg, Taylen Biggs, Zach Sang, Evan Ross Katz, and Phaedra Parks.