Benedict Townsend

Karen was confident that Vine's long-term survival depended on nurturing creators, especially the up-and-coming talent being crowded out by the Mafia group. So her strategy behind the scenes was to split Vine creators into three tiers, starting with those top dogs.

Karen was confident that Vine's long-term survival depended on nurturing creators, especially the up-and-coming talent being crowded out by the Mafia group. So her strategy behind the scenes was to split Vine creators into three tiers, starting with those top dogs.

It was a race against the clock. And Karen went a step further in her efforts to repair relations between Vine HQ and the Viners. She brought a creator on board to join her team.

It was a race against the clock. And Karen went a step further in her efforts to repair relations between Vine HQ and the Viners. She brought a creator on board to join her team.

Chris Melberger. We met him last episode. He had nearly a million and a half followers. He was known for bizarre comedy skits and, importantly, his connection to the 1600 Viners. These days, he's a Twitch streamer, but back then, Karen described him as her mole in the community.

Chris Melberger. We met him last episode. He had nearly a million and a half followers. He was known for bizarre comedy skits and, importantly, his connection to the 1600 Viners. These days, he's a Twitch streamer, but back then, Karen described him as her mole in the community.

So that must have been weird for you to go from being a Vine creator to being in the belly of the beast.

So that must have been weird for you to go from being a Vine creator to being in the belly of the beast.

And crucially, there were strategies to find new ways to promote creators who were previously being crowded out by Revine for Revine.

And crucially, there were strategies to find new ways to promote creators who were previously being crowded out by Revine for Revine.

One of the creators who benefited from the new creator team's efforts was Kenny Knox. He was part of Karen's Ivy League tier.

One of the creators who benefited from the new creator team's efforts was Kenny Knox. He was part of Karen's Ivy League tier.

So what kind of stuff was she doing in the Vine days to sort of help you out?

So what kind of stuff was she doing in the Vine days to sort of help you out?

Of course, the major sticking point was still monetization. Karen couldn't pay creators directly through Vine, but she found ways around it.

Of course, the major sticking point was still monetization. Karen couldn't pay creators directly through Vine, but she found ways around it.

Brendan McNerney is another former Viner who's a big fan of Karen. He describes her as, quote, the fairy godmother of Vine and says that her arrival signaled a clear moment of change in the app's relationship with its creators.

Brendan McNerney is another former Viner who's a big fan of Karen. He describes her as, quote, the fairy godmother of Vine and says that her arrival signaled a clear moment of change in the app's relationship with its creators.

It's so refreshing to hear someone be positive at this point in the story. I feel like we've had so much doom and gloom, especially from creators. I'm getting whiplash here hearing someone say, a Vine employee has made me happy. It feels like this strategy from Karen seems to be going well, at least from the creator's point of view, right? Perhaps this could be a bit of an upswing for Vine?

It's so refreshing to hear someone be positive at this point in the story. I feel like we've had so much doom and gloom, especially from creators. I'm getting whiplash here hearing someone say, a Vine employee has made me happy. It feels like this strategy from Karen seems to be going well, at least from the creator's point of view, right? Perhaps this could be a bit of an upswing for Vine?