Pocket.watch Forges New YouTube Pacts & Book Deal

Pocket.watch has entered into new partnerships with YouTube’s EvanTube and CaptainSparklez, while also landing a book imprint with Simon & Schuster.

EvanTube includes kids’ and family channels EvanTubeHD, JillianTubeHD and EvanTubeGaming, while CaptainSparklez is a gaming entertainment channel created by Jordan Maron. “Pocket.watch’s team of great executives is building something unique in kids’ and family entertainment and we know we can work together to grow our brand and bring it to a much wider audience in many new places,” said Jared, creator of the EvanTube channels.

Pocket.watch has also tied up with Simon Spotlight, part of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, which will create books under the pocket.watch brand. The first titles from the new imprint are slated for delivery in late fall 2018.

“I’m incredibly excited to bring EvanTube and CaptainSparklez into the pocket.watch family,” noted pocket.watch CEO Chris M. Williams. “While all of our creator partners have seen tremendous success on YouTube, we’ve only scratched the surface for growing their brands with premium series, licensed merchandise, games, live events and, of course, books through our new Simon Spotlight imprint.”

“Pocket.watch has a great portfolio of kids’ and family franchise brands and original IP that are ripe for growth through books and we couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the prospects of this groundbreaking partnership,” stated Valerie Garfield, VP, publisher of novelty and licensed publishing for Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

In addition, Walt Disney Company alum Bruce Gordan has been named chief financial officer of pocket.watch. The company also appointed a number of new advisors: Kerry Tucker, former CEO of Hello Sunshine; Barry Blumberg, former chief content officer of Defy Media; Jacob Shwirtz, global head of social media strategy at WeWork; Greg Clayman, former president of Vertical Networks; and Jon Goldman, venture partner at Greycroft.

In six months, pocket.watch has gained more than 1 billion monthly views spanning 20 YouTube channels with a combined subscriber base of more than 34 million.