The Sidemen Rep Arcade Signs Max Fosh, Friends From Work & More Ahead Of Europe’s First Creator Upfront
Arcade, the management company behind YouTube collective The Sidemen, has relaunched as a broader entertainment business and signed a raft of new creators, including comedian Max Fosh, collective Friends From Work, and restaurant channel Fallow Chefs, ahead of hosting Europe's first creator media "upfront" event in London. The move signals an industry shift towards treating top creators as fully fledged media brands spanning content, commerce and culture, with Arcade positioning itself to compete with broadcasters and streamers for advertiser attention across the continent.
The relaunch follows a seven-figure investment from Lumina Media and the appointment of former Vice executive Matt Elek as chief executive, with co-founder Jordan Schwarzenberger stepping back from day-to-day duties while remaining involved. Beyond talent management, Arcade runs a commercial arm with brand partners such as Virgin Media O2, Formula E and Unilever, plus an advertising division, Creator Access, holding a YouTube Partner Sales licence. The London event is expected to draw more than 150 advertisers and brand partners for previews of creator content slates and audience data, shortly after The Sidemen's KSI departed the group, though The Sidemen themselves remain with Arcade.
In short
- Sidemen's agency Arcade relaunches, signs Max Fosh and other creators
- Hosts Europe's first creator media "upfront" event in London
- Move follows Lumina Media investment and new CEO Matt Elek
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Arcade’s expansion could help creators build more durable businesses by connecting their content with advertising, commerce and wider entertainment opportunities. A dedicated upfront may also give advertisers clearer access to creator audiences and offer an alternative to established broadcasters and streamers.
The case against
Treating creators as media brands could concentrate commercial influence in management firms and encourage content choices to follow advertiser priorities. The scale and industry framing of an upfront may also favour the largest creators, making smaller voices less visible and risking a loss of the independence that audiences value.
Explained simply
Arcade is a company that works with online creators, including The Sidemen, a group known for videos on YouTube. It helps creators manage their careers and works with brands that want to reach their audiences.
The company is expanding beyond managing talent into advertising and other commercial work. Its new chief executive is Matt Elek, a former Vice executive, and it has received investment from Lumina Media. The Sidemen remain with Arcade, although KSI has left the group.
An upfront is an event where a media business presents upcoming content to advertisers, who may then fund or advertise alongside it. Creator businesses are holding more of these events as they seek advertising deals on a scale associated with broadcasters and streaming services.
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