If you’re a YouTube creator, you may wonder: Can I get funding and still work with brands? Or how do brand deals fit into creator funding?
The short answer: yes, and when used strategically, creator funding can actually help you land bigger, better brand deals.
Let’s break down how brand deals and creator funding work together, why funding can boost your brand opportunities, and real-world examples of creators leveraging funding to grow their partnerships.
Brand Deals vs. Creator Funding: Understanding the Difference
While brand deals and creator funding both involve money coming into your channel, they serve very different purposes:
Brand Deals: a partnership with a company where you create content featuring their product or service. These deals usually come with specific deliverables, deadlines, and guidelines. The challenge? Many creators need brand money upfront to produce the content, which can limit flexibility.
Creator Funding (like Breeze): provides upfront capital for your channel without requiring you to give up ownership or creative control. Unlike brand deals, you decide how, when, and what content to produce.
Think of it this way: brand deals pay you to execute a specific project, whereas creator funding gives you the freedom and resources to make your own projects happen.
Can You Have Funding and Brand Deals?
Yes! Funding and brand deals are not mutually exclusive, they actually complement each other. Here’s how:
No Need to Wait on Brand Money: Many creators can’t start projects without upfront funds from a brand. With funding, you can begin producing content on your schedule, freeing you to find brands that truly align with your vision.
Plan Bigger, More Ambitious Projects : Here are a few examples of what our creators have been doing:
- DavidsBeenHere: Travel videos often require booking flights, accommodations, and guides months in advance. Funding has allowed him to plan trips first and secure brands later.
- Smosh: After acquiring their channel, the team was able to invest in launching new content, hiring larger crews, and upgrading production quality. Creator funding allowed them to grow the channel without relying on immediate brand deals, giving them flexibility to bring in sponsors strategically.
- Lucky Lopez: Lucky is an automotive creator using Breeze funding to build out his own shop. This new space will serve as a full creative hub where he can film videos, work on cars, and showcase his builds.
Maintain Creative Freedom: Without being tied to brand deadlines, you can create content authentically, which is more appealing to brands looking for creators who resonate with their audience naturally.
How Funding Can Boost Brand Deal Opportunities
Funding doesn’t just support content, it can actively enhance your ability to get brand deals. Here’s how:
- Pitch from a Stronger Position: Brands are more likely to invest when they see you’ve already created high-quality content and are serious about your channel.
- Selective Negotiation: Without depending on brand money, you can pick partnerships that align with your vision and negotiate better terms, including long-term collaborations.
- Elevated Production Quality: Funding lets you hire a crew, upgrade equipment, or create cinematic content. Higher production value attracts more brands.
- Strategic Campaigns: You can plan multi-part series or seasonal content, which brands love because it increases engagement and visibility over time.
Working With Brand Deals and Funding Together
Here’s a practical approach to combining funding and brand deals:
- Secure Funding First: Come talk to us at Breeze! We can get you upfront capital for your next big project.
- Produce Content Independently: Whether it’s booking trips, sourcing products, or hiring a production team, you’re in control of timing and vision.
- Pitch to Brands: Once your project is underway (or even finished) you can approach brands with a polished vision. They’re more likely to invest because they see your commitment and quality.
- Negotiate with Confidence: Since you’re not desperate for cash, you can focus on finding the right partnerships rather than just any brand.
The result? Bigger, better brand deals, more creative freedom, and a stronger channel overall.
Brand deals are a vital revenue stream for creators, but they don’t have to be the only way you fund your projects. Creator funding gives you the flexibility, resources, and freedom to plan ambitious projects, produce high-quality content, and attract the best brand partnerships.
By strategically combining funding and brand deals, creators can take control of their schedules, maintain creative freedom, and create content that resonates with both audiences and brands.
If you want to plan projects ahead, work with brands on your terms, and grow your channel without sacrificing ownership, Breeze funding is designed to help you do exactly that!
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