In times when many have combined the internet with disinformation, fake news and images, but also with violence, the American Jimmy Donaldson, also known as MrBeast, made the surprise. No YouTuber has more subscribers than him in the world: The 25-year-old, with over 220 million subscribers, has even managed to do so by giving positive messages, with unusual ideas and several million dollars, which he distributes left and right. But what is his secret?

MrBeast’s budget now exceeds one million dollars per video. The YouTuber makes this money from YouTube itself, advertisements and various sponsorship contracts. He posts a video about every week, which is usually between 10 and 30 minutes long. MrBeast sometimes buys desert islands to let his subscribers… play. Sometimes he invites his friends on a billion-dollar yacht or makes an episode of games a la “Squid Game.” Because of his penchant for spending huge sums of money, Donaldson is also known as the “Willy Wonka of the Internet”. He’s been repeatedly described as a philanthropist, donating tens of thousands of dollars per episode, taking on tuition fees for young people to go to university, and building drinking water wells in Africa – with the publicity he needs, of course.

The secret of a YouTuber’s success

The reasons for its success are many: MrBeast’s team has a complete understanding of how the audience of his show thinks and wants: Apt titles, lots of colors, matching the philosophy of each episode. Within a few seconds everyone has understood what it is about, while Donaldson always starts the videos in the same way: With a simple and concise summary. In addition, the choice of the topic is another key factor: Smart content and strong emotions.

Of course, it’s often just curiosity that makes people stick around and watch it to the end. The American Youtuber aptly caters to the hedonistic interests of many young people from around the world. All this in a quality that is more reminiscent of Hollywood than just a TV format. However, the most important thing is perhaps the protagonists themselves: Jimmy Donaldson and his friends, whom he managed to hire as assistants and whom we see with him in almost every episode. The team’s secret: they are believable, likable, chaotic and funny.

In the deeply divided US society there are not many public figures who manage to bridge the deep divide between progressives and conservatives so playfully.

From YouTube to the food industry

MrBeast’s plans for the future are clear – and thoroughly American: He wants to develop his format even further. A few months ago he stated that he could one day invest billions in his videos. The 25-year-old, who according to Forbes magazine is estimated to make 82 million dollars a year, has also launched a series of products, including chocolates and burgers, with which he seeks to develop as a business. One thing is for sure though: MrBeast is unlikely to run out of ideas, money or subscribers anytime soon.

Edited by: Chrysa Vachtsevanu