Santa Monica-based DECA, a venture-backed, digital entertainment studio, said this morning that it has become the exclusive business and production partners for teen brand SMOSH, a leading provider of humorous videos on YouTube. According to DECA, it will provide financing, ad sales, marketing, distribution, and provide other business operations for SMOSH, which was created by Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox. DECA said that SMOSH has over 555,000 subscribers on YouTube, in addition to operating its own web site. DECA is venture backed by Mayfield, General Catalyst, and Atomico.
Smosh, Michael Buckley and Ze Frank ink development deals
Today DECA, a digital entertainment company, announced that it’s investing in the YouTube sensation Smosh to make original content for the web. The deal will make them an exclusive business partner in marketing and distribution. Anthony Padilla said, “We are extremely excited about joining the DECA family. We love making videos and the feedback from our fans has been amazing. With DECA’s help we look forward to bringing Smosh to even bigger audiences.” How DECA plans to find bigger audiences for the most-subscribed YouTubers ever will be interesting to see.
DECA Aims for Teens, Signs SMOSH
New media studio DECA announced today that it has become the exclusive business and production partner for YouTube darlings SMOSH…Perhaps seein’ gold in them thar Mileys and Efrons, it looks like both SMOSH and DECA are trying to build their very own web version of a Disney-like entertainment empire. In the press announcement, DECA CEO Michael Wayne highlights Padilla and Hecox’s “clean, funny content” and says he wants to build them into a “premier teen brand.” Makes sense given that SMOSH’s manager is the former president of TV animation at the Mouse House.