TheSoul Publishing Acquires Majority Stake in Underscore Talent

Together the industry leaders will create a truly unique offering to better serve creators and global audiences

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TheSoul Publishing, the largest short-form digital content publisher in the world, acquires a majority stake in Underscore Talent, the leading next-generation management firm within the creator economy. The deal was announced jointly by TheSoul Publishing CEO Arthur Mamedov and Underscore Talent Co-CEOs Reza Izad and Dan Weinstein. 

The investment allows Underscore Talent access to TheSoul Publishing's proprietary, world-class tools, technology, and production resources. This will provide creators access to exceptional content production and distribution capabilities, further cementing TheSoul Publishing as a complete creative ecosystem in today's fast-evolving global entertainment landscape. As part of the acquisition, Izad and Weinstein will join TheSoul Publishing Board of Directors and further drive TheSoul's business growth and expansion globally.

TheSoul Publishing produces award-winning, entertaining, positive, and original content for a global audience. TheSoul's portfolio of well-known brands, including 5-Minute Crafts^®, Bright Side, 123 GO!,  Avocado Couple, La La Life, Teen-Z, Baby Zoo, Slick Slime Sam, and Polar reach more than 1.5 billion social followers across YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snap and Pinterest. Its global creative production team spans over 70 countries and consistently delivers engaging and irresistibly shareable content for all ages in 20 different languages.

Launched less than two years ago by Izad, Weinstein and Michael Green, the founders of Studio71, Underscore Talent has grown into an industry powerhouse with a roster of 200+ clients receiving a personalized and scalable 360° management experience across all areas, including brand partnerships, consumer products, e-commerce, social media, gaming, growth and optimization strategy, film and television, music, publishing, production, content distribution, podcasting, and live events. Last month, Underscore Talent launched Underscore LABS, a Web3 IP studio focusing on the intersection of media, entertainment, community, and Web3.

"Over the past few years, I've had the privilege of working alongside and getting to know Reza and Dan. Their ventures have been game-changing for the digital creator community, and we've closely followed the immediate success of Underscore Talent from its early days," said Mamedov. "Underscore brings unparalleled strategic expertise, a best-in-class management team, and a significant client roster, while TheSoul Publishing is merging its know-how, processes, and technology to amplify the voices of creators beyond what they could achieve elsewhere. Together, our goal is to empower the growth and development of the business by enhancing the service offerings for creators with the creation powerhouse we have built."

Izad and Weinstein said: "Often, our clients are requesting enhanced capabilities, technical support, and additional resources to further build their business. Arthur and his team at TheSoul Publishing have built an impressive world-class international infrastructure for content ideation, creation and distribution. Now, our clients will have a strategic advantage by utilizing this proprietary digital innovation to further amplify their creative capabilities and output across platforms, while avoiding fatigue and burnout." 

TheSoul's Victor Potrel, VP of Content Distribution and Iva Rukelj, General Counsel, North America will join Underscore Talent's Board of Directors. They are based out of London and New York, respectively.

Supported by a talented international production team across six continents, TheSoul Publishing is headquartered in Cyprus, where it began in 2016. The company's state-of-the-art facilities are located throughout Europe in Limassol, Cyprus; Riga, Latvia; and Budapest, Hungary with other offices in London and Los Angeles.  In October, TheSoul Publishing once again surpassed 200 billion social media views in a calendar year. The studio reached this milestone across Facebook and YouTube, ahead of every worldwide legacy studio or digital creator, according to data from Tubular.

For more information, visit www.thesoul-publishing.com and underscoretalent.com

Underscore Talent is the leading next-generation talent management firm known for its successful and diverse creative clients. Launched in 2021, the company represents more than 200 of the top global YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, Snapchat, gaming, and podcast content creators. Led by entertainment industry veterans Reza Izad, Dan Weinstein and Michael Green, Underscore's team assists their roster of creators in leveraging today's "attention economy" to build long-lasting and lucrative careers. Recently, Underscore Talent launched Underscore LABS, a Web3 IP studio focusing on the intersection of media, entertainment, community, and Web3. For more information, visit underscoretalent.com.

TheSoul Publishing is the award-winning digital studio that produces entertaining, positive and original content for a global audience.

One of the world's most prolific and popular online media companies, TheSoul Publishing reaches more than 1.5 billion social followers across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Snap. Its global creative team consistently delivers engaging and irresistibly shareable content for all ages, in 20 different languages, distributed via a social media-driven cross-platform network.

From cutting-edge 3D technology, to eye-catching stop motion, from fun live-action to catchy music videos, from inspirational craft projects to vibrant animation, TheSoul Publishing's portfolio of media brands has it all. TheSoul Publishing's universe of well-known channels includes 5-Minute Crafts^®, Bright Side, 123 GO!, Avocado Couple, La La Life, Teen-Z, Baby Zoo, Slick Slime Sam and Polar.

Its most-viewed channel, 5-Minute Crafts^®, is the number one DIY digital brand in the world and the only brand to consistently rank among the Top-10 of all YouTube channels and among the Top-10 of all Facebook pages.

TheSoul Publishing has garnered numerous accolades including top honors and nominations from the Webby, Shorty, Telly, Viddy, Streamy, Stevie and Lovie awards. The company was named 'Digital Studio of the Year' at Digiday's 2021 Video & TV Awards and, most recently, was nominated for 'Digital Team of the Year' at The Drum's 2022 Digital Industry Awards.

For further information about TheSoul Publishing visit the website.

SOURCE TheSoul Publishing