The arrival of social media has changed the very nature of celebrity; today, believe it our not, Instagram and Tik Tok clout is the highest form of advertising currency. Young consumers have always tended to distrust major corporations, but it’s only recently that marketers have pivoted to target the all-important Gen-Z and millennial demographics through members of their own tribes. With an infinite array of lucrative brand deals and sponsorships available, and no shortage of other income streams (merch, music, tours), savvy young digital content creators with big social followings can afford to live it up in ways yesterday’s rockstars could never imagine.
We’ve seen that phenomenon impact Dirt’s traffic, too. In our list of all-time most popular stories, seven of the top 10 discuss the real estate purchases of homegrown superstars, not traditional mass-market celebrities. Turns out Emma Chamberlain, Jeffree Star, James Charles, Joe Rogan, and David Dobrik all have more rabid fanbases than all the more traditional “A-list” names, at least if the eye-popping click-through rates are to be believed.
So when discussing what topics to cover for our very first video/podcast episode, we both agreed that the bonkers homes of YouTube’s rich and famous couldn’t be ignored. Through everything from coffee companies and cosmetics, to podcasts and apparel, these young creatirs have demonstrated that when it comes to their earnings, the sky is clearly not the limit — outer space, possibly.
Now live on YouTube, here’s a peek at Dirt editors James McClain and Mae Hamilton gawking, and occasionally dissecting, a handful of the snazziest creator mansions. Look for the episode to soon be available for streaming on Spotify, too — that is, if these influencers don’t sell their “starter” mansions and move to bigger ones before next week.
