Youtube foodies
Arthur Ogden
You may have heard the strange and outlandish term in high school hallways recently; “I like my cheese drippy, bruh.” As bizarre as this quote may be, it does in fact have a distinct origin. The infamous YouTuber Logan Paul described his new product, Lunchly, in this way, displaying to the camera how the nacho-themed meal has a meltier cheese compared to its rival brand, Lunchables. Lunchly was formulated by Paul alongside KSI and Mr. Beast, two other prominent figures in the lives of many young viewers. They’ve begun advertising for their new food item, arguing it has important “healthy aspects” such as protein and electrolytes. And of course, a “drippy cheese,” in which they make the point that Lunchly uses real cheese, rather than the fake, artificial kind. But when customers started getting moldy cheese packets due to the swap, the Youtubers responsible refused to take accountability, merely laughing it off for clickbait. And they aren’t the only ones. A new epidemic has swept media personalities; the sale of their very own food products, often without careful thought or consideration for their viewers. This begs the question; is the sale of personalized food products ethical? If so, how can it be done safely? Today, we’ll explore the social media food craze, why it’s so popular, public opinion and morality issues, and how it can be done right.
Myna cookies by Pokiemain, Prime by KSI and Logan Paul, Feastables by Mr. Beast, Joyride by Ryan Trahan, Pizzafy by Airrack, and so many more of these foods flood the market. Youtubers have been making food for a while, but now more than ever, selling sustenance is on the rise. And while it may sound strange, thinking about it carefully, there's some sense behind it. Say Joe is over here watching his favorite Youtuber online, when they drop a new lip-gloss brand. Joe is immediately withdrawn, since he’s not a big fan of makeup, and doesn’t give it a second thought. But food is universal. Yes, we may have different tastes and preferences, but we all need to eat. And it’s a lot easier to try a cookie snack from a gas station than buy merch online. It's quick and cheap, and has the possibility to draw in more buyers. According to Mashable.com on Youtube food products;“The most successful of these ventures, arguably, has been MrBeast Burger, a virtual restaurant launched in August 2020 by 24-year-old Jimmy Donaldson, whose MrBeast YouTube channel currently boasts 97 million subscribers and 16 billion video views. To make MrBeast Burger available in more than 1,000 locations across the U.S. and U.K, Donaldson employs local ghost kitchens (defined as a virtual restaurant, that serves customers exclusively by delivery and pick-up based on phone and online ordering) to prepare, package, and deliver MrBeast Burger-branded menu items through delivery apps like UberEats and Doordash. His marketing strategy was releasing a YouTube video about the brand on the day of launch that now has more than 110 million views.” These food products, like the MrBeast Burgers, have the ability to become extremely profitable.
Now, gross cheese hasn’t been the only complaint from buyers. Youtuber foods have had a history of controversies. Pokiemane, for example, recently was under fire for users saying her Myna cookies were overpriced, at $28 a bag. Her response to the comment on stream was to call them “broke boys.”
Many other products have been criticized for the same reasons, high prices for usually less than satisfactory quality. And none could showcase this better than Lunchly, but the issues here aren’t only pinned down by inflation and indigestion. Marketing also plays a role. Many Youtubers have largely young fanbases, and market their products as “healthy” for children. But in the end, it’s artificial food with concerning levels of sodium. If a YouTuber was actually trying to sell healthy food for kids, they’d sell a salad kit. Best said by Owen Lahiji, “I think influencers are trying to take advantage of the fact that kids are gullible.” These are the snake oil salesmen of the modern age.
But the content creator food market isn’t all bad. There are ways to do it better. Especially with channels specifically based around food in the first place. It’s great to follow food influencers as they try out local cuisines or snacks, and give you an honest opinion for when you can try them yourself. These types of creators can also make snacks, like Oath Overnight Oats from Feel Good Foodie, vegan, low sugar, and crafted as a healthy snack. Although not all creator brands have to be heart healthy— It really comes down to marketing. The Be Happy snacks by the Damelio family aren’t a salad, but they don’t try to convince buyers they are either. They’re bags of flavored popcorn claiming to be delicious and fun, but never telling kids that they’re a healthier option, or trying to convince them into eating it for reasons untrue. Simply making a fun snacking brand, healthy or not, isn’t the problem. It’s the false advertising that crosses ethical lines.
So, if you’re a content creator looking to make a brand name, or a content consumer excited to buy your favorite Youtuber’s candy bar or what have it, go nuts. It’s not morally wrong to create or consume, as long as you (for the most part) make your food accessible for the “broke boys,” and steer clear of false promises for a chip bag claiming it’ll put you in tip-top shape. Logan Paul may like his cheese drippy, but for the most part, many would rather their cheese fresh from the supermarket. Go forth and prosper, Youtube fiends, on hopefully more than the nacho cheese from Lunchly.