The Rise and Fall of Content Houses: PR Takeaways

What was once thought to be the future for influencer partnerships, content houses failed almost as quickly as they rose to stardom.  

Social media stars created content and shared their lives in these Los Angeles based mansions, which frequently put money and virality ahead of the well-being of its members. The Hype House and Team 10 are two of the more notorious examples of this, both of which highlighted the negative aspects of influencer culture. 

Collaborative groups began on YouTube with channels such as “Our Second Life” but the exposure really began with “Team 10,” which was established in 2017 by YouTuber Jake Paul. Although the idea of young content creators living together in a mansion in Beverly Hills, filming videos for publicity seemed appealing, the actual situation turned out to be significantly more disorganized — claims of emotional blackmail, disregard for safety and contractual abuse.  

One of Team 10's most well-known members, Alissa Violet, came out publicly accusing Paul of mistreating her, including managing her career and infidelity, emphasizing the way the boundaries between personal and professional relationships in the house blurred. As a result of public arguments and Team 10's approach of prioritizing content over member safety, many members departed the group. 

In an episode of Paul’s brother’s podcast from 2019, he said, “There was so much going on that I couldn’t control everything…there wasn’t the right business team surrounding the talent.” 

The Hype House had a similar journey on TikTok. When Thomas Petrou founded it, around the creation of the app, the platform's leading creators used it as a way to boost their popularity. 

The Hype House immediately became the most popular content house with TikTok’s most successful creators a part of the collective. However, issues quickly began and many of the members claimed they never received any of the income earned by their work, even though the house attracted a lot of attention. It was revealed by members who later left the group, that Petrou received the proceeds from brand agreements and collaborations.  

Typically, at the expense of their personal accounts, the creators had to film — usually brand deals — for the collective's main page to remain a member of the house. Tensions were further exposed by a Netflix series that followed the Hype House's dynamics. Eventually, all of the original members resigned, expressing discontent with the organization's management and the disparity in wealth. 

Now, the Hype House continues to attempt to grow their brand and recruit new members but just like every other trend — we’re over it. 

The emergence and fall of content houses such as Team 10 and the Hype House can teach PR professionals how to manage creator communities, protect brand reputation and navigate crises. We learn the importance of transparency, controlling the narrative, protecting the well-being of talent, crisis management and long-term success in an ever-changing digital world rather than quick viral success.