Michelle Phan, Rosanna Pansino and Bethany Mota are icons of a new generation
Bethany Mota:
I had been cyberbullied, which is funny that eventually I decided to kind of pursue this. Then I started watching YouTube videos and saw girls my age who were talking about beauty and fashion. At this point in my life, I felt like I didn't really have a voice. I saw all of these women who were using their voices to speak to people all around the world. Eventually I decided to make my own [video]. Growing up, I was always a very shy girl. I didn't want anyone in my house to know that I was filming videos, except my mom. I didn't want my dad or my sister to find out because I knew they'd make fun of me. All I remember is, when filming my first video, I was basically whispering. That was my goal, to make sure no one heard me.
Beauty tutorial maven Michelle Phan, 27, baking impresario Rosanna
Pansino, 30, and fashion and lifestyle guru Bethany Mota, 19, hardly
need an introduction. The three women were the first YouTube stars
featured in the video service's 2014 marketing push (for which PHD won a Media Plan of the Year),
which introduced the online personalities to the offline public.
Since the campaign, their careers have skyrocketed, proving that YouTube has become a magnet for innovative entertainment and creative talent that brands need to back. We caught up with the three women to find out about their humble beginnings and where they are today.
Since the campaign, their careers have skyrocketed, proving that YouTube has become a magnet for innovative entertainment and creative talent that brands need to back. We caught up with the three women to find out about their humble beginnings and where they are today.
How did it all begin for you?
Michelle Phan: I had a blog and was documenting my life
as a college student in an art school. I had a few comments left by a
few girls asking if I could do a tutorial on how I did my makeup. I
didn't think my makeup was all that special, but I try my best to share
whatever I can with my viewers. It made more sense to film the makeup tutorial
because the process of makeup is so beautiful; it's like watching
someone paint. I uploaded my first video, not expecting anyone else t
o
watch it except for those girls. Within the first week, it got over
40,000 views.
o
watch it except for those girls. Within the first week, it got over
40,000 views.
Rosanna Pansino: I moved to L.A. I wasn't really sure
what I wanted to do, but I really like the entertainment industry. I
started to make videos on YouTube to get more comfortable being in front
of the camera. The first video I filmed was with my sister. We decided
that we were going to blog us volunteering for Earth Day back in
Seattle. It was just really fun, and I fell in love with being creative
and creating my own content. Baking has always been one of my many
hobbies. After I uploaded my first baking tutorial video, I got a really
positive response from the online community, and they started to demand
more videos like that.
Bethany Mota:I had been cyberbullied, which is funny that eventually I decided to kind of pursue this. Then I started watching YouTube videos and saw girls my age who were talking about beauty and fashion. At this point in my life, I felt like I didn't really have a voice. I saw all of these women who were using their voices to speak to people all around the world. Eventually I decided to make my own [video]. Growing up, I was always a very shy girl. I didn't want anyone in my house to know that I was filming videos, except my mom. I didn't want my dad or my sister to find out because I knew they'd make fun of me. All I remember is, when filming my first video, I was basically whispering. That was my goal, to make sure no one heard me.
And, now you've all literally become the faces of YouTube
premium content. Are you ever surprised at how big your following has
gotten?
Mota: It shocks me every day! Four years ago, I was at a mall, and I heard this girl calling my name. She ran to me, and I got really freaked out. I'm like, wait, I don't know this girl--what's going on? Reading comments, people saying "I love your videos," it's awesome, but seeing them in person, it's just completely different. It's like, wow, there's actual real people who watch my videos.
Mota: It shocks me every day! Four years ago, I was at a mall, and I heard this girl calling my name. She ran to me, and I got really freaked out. I'm like, wait, I don't know this girl--what's going on? Reading comments, people saying "I love your videos," it's awesome, but seeing them in person, it's just completely different. It's like, wow, there's actual real people who watch my videos.
Phan: I'm used to everything digital--the pictures, the
avatars of the person, the profiles--so when I get to see someone in
the flesh, it's really nice. [In the beginning], I was very secretive
about my channel. My roommate didn't even know I had a YouTube channel. I
was scared that people would think I was weird or vain, but I just had
this passion to teach, and it was a little side hobby that I had. I was
really shocked that anyone outside of the YouTube space would recognize
me in real life.
I'm sure it only got crazier once the YouTube national campaign rolled out earlier this year.
Pansino: I didn't really know what it was until they
rolled it out completely. I stayed up to watch the very first airing of
the TV commercial, and I was so excited that I started rolling on the
floor. It was so funny [to me]. When we were in New York and going to
the different interviews, I saw a few of the billboards and it was just
unreal.
Phan: I just finished shooting my other national
commercial for Diet Dr Pepper, so I was thinking to myself, I could have
two commercials running at the same time. That's awesome! I saw the
commercial run, and it was really surreal and cool too because they used
a lot of my videos. It just felt very familiar and really satisfying.
Mota: I remember when I went to Brandcast
in New York, I got into a taxi cab and I heard my voice. I thought my
mom was watching a video of me, but it was actually on a little TV
screen in the cab. It's really something that I never thought would
happen. I never thought I'd be on billboards.
Phan: I think it was just incredible that YouTube
chose three girls to launch this campaign. That's really powerful
because you really see how YouTube, or just the digital platform in
general, has opened so many doors for working women everywhere, and now
they have another path to take in their career.
So does this open the door for other opportunities?
Mota: I've gotten to have my own clothing line [for Aéropostale], which is insane. That's been a big dream of mine growing up. Seeing my viewers wear my clothes and wear the things that I design, you never think that's going to happen. Being on Dancing With the Stars has happened through my YouTube channel.
Mota: I've gotten to have my own clothing line [for Aéropostale], which is insane. That's been a big dream of mine growing up. Seeing my viewers wear my clothes and wear the things that I design, you never think that's going to happen. Being on Dancing With the Stars has happened through my YouTube channel.
Phan: It's been very easy to travel. It's a great way
for me to connect with my international audience and also for me to
learn about new cultures. I'm getting opportunities that I probably
would've never been able to have gotten if I took the more traditional
route--like sponsorship deals, having my own makeup line with L'Oréal
and starting my own [beauty sample service and community] Ipsy.
Pansino: My favorite memory from this year was meeting
[a cancer patient named] Angelina through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
We decorated Star Wars cookies together for a day. I never thought that a
kid would want to spend a day with me for their wish. I started crying
at the end of the day. It was such a moving experience.
Read Full Article At Adweek.com
