WhoSay

WhoSay emerged in 2010 as a platform designed to bridge the gap between celebrities and their fanbases, founded by Steve Ellis and the Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Initially conceived as an exclusive, invitation-only media service, it provided notable personalities with tools to manage their social media presence across various platforms from a single dashboard, ensuring content was authenticated and directly from the source. This model positioned WhoSay as a trusted intermediary in the burgeoning world of digital influence. The company's trajectory shifted significantly as the influencer marketing landscape matured.

In January 2018, Viacom acquired WhoSay, integrating it into its marketing and advertising operations. This acquisition marked a strategic pivot, transforming WhoSay into an in-house influencer marketing agency for Viacom's extensive portfolio of brands. Post-acquisition, the business model solidified around creating and executing brand-trusted marketing campaigns. The firm leverages its deep connections within the entertainment industry, stemming from its CAA origins, to connect advertisers with a wide spectrum of talent, from top-tier celebrities to micro-influencers. WhoSay's core service involves developing and managing these campaigns across all verticals, aiming to deliver superior engagement and measurable results compared to traditional social and mobile advertising.

The service offering is comprehensive, covering talent procurement, creative strategy, content production, and campaign analytics. By managing the entire workflow, WhoSay ensures brand safety and authentic alignment between the advertiser and the influencer. Its value proposition lies in its ability to harness the power of influential voices to generate authentic content that resonates with specific target audiences. Revenue is generated by charging brands for the creation and management of these influencer marketing campaigns, operating as a full-service agency within the larger ViacomCBS (now Paramount) ecosystem.

Keywords: influencer marketing, celebrity endorsements, branded content, social media campaigns, talent management, digital advertising, content marketing, brand safety, Viacom, creative agency