YouTube puts creators of all sorts first at this year’s Brandcast

Call it a three-peat.

For the third year in a row, Nielsen dubbed YouTube the No. 1 TV streamer in watch time, and YouTube executives gathered at Lincoln Center in NYC to host Brandcast, where they once again made the case to advertisers that YouTube is everything TV is and more.

At Wednesday night’s event, executives including YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, YouTube CBO Mary Ellen Coe, and Google President Sean Downey positioned YouTube as a hub for everything from videos to podcasts to scripted entertainment, providing a one-stop shop for advertisers that rivals other streaming and social options.

“We think TV budgets could be spent on YouTube. We think quote-unquote ‘social budgets’ could be spent on YouTube,” Downey told the Wall Street Journal ahead of the event. “We think ‘discovery’ budgets could be spent on YouTube. We think performance budgets could be spent on YouTube.”

New stars and studios: Ahead of the event, Mohan tweeted that “YouTubers are the new stars and studios,” echoing a sentiment that has dominated Brandcast messaging in recent years. This year, YouTube announced the release of its first-ever official Creator Shows, created by talent at the event including host and comedian Trevor Noah, Alex Cooper of Call Her Daddy and the Unwell Network, and Kareem Rahma of the social series “Subway Takes.” Rahma pitched his new cab-driver interview series, “Keep the Meter Running,” to advertisers directly as part of the presentation.

It’s part of what some have dubbed a “matchmaker” strategy for YouTube, where the platform serves as the liaison between brands and creators as other streaming companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime court creator talent with upfront payments. YouTube reportedly worked with Rahma and other creators to establish content calendars for potential advertiser campaigns around show episodes and guests, mirroring traditional TV buys.

To help push Shorts, YouTube also emphasized its Creator Partnerships offering unveiled at NewFronts, in which advertisers can use creators’ video clips to create ads with paid amplification.

No time outs: Similar to years past, sports continued to play a large role at Brandcast, although NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was not in attendance this year. (He did make an appearance at Disney’s Tuesday presentation.) YouTube showcased another package option for advertisers, allowing them to tie sports-adjacent creator content to specific games and tournaments.

Of course, AI: What’s a sales pitch in 2026 without AI? YouTube was no exception when it came to touting its use of the technology, including showing off a new tool exclusive to upfronts buyers to help custom-build ad inventory around more niche cultural events, like concerts.

One for the road: This year’s Brandcast capped off with a performance from singer Chappell Roan, likely in the hopes that attendees would be “hot to go”...out and make some calls following the event.