Brendan McNerney

We called those guys in the room the VIVs, the very important Viners. We called the second tier of Viners the people in the mid-range who made content that we all liked more, who were people that were much easier to deal with, and people who we thought were going to be the next wave of top creators. We called those the Ivy Leagues.

We called those guys in the room the VIVs, the very important Viners. We called the second tier of Viners the people in the mid-range who made content that we all liked more, who were people that were much easier to deal with, and people who we thought were going to be the next wave of top creators. We called those the Ivy Leagues.

And then we called the very young Viners, people who were just starting out, but were already gaining some traction and were like making jokes in smarter, more clever ways that we thought would probably be the generation after the Ivy Leaguers. We called those sprouts. So we had creator people at that point that were awesome. really doing well with the sprouts.

And then we called the very young Viners, people who were just starting out, but were already gaining some traction and were like making jokes in smarter, more clever ways that we thought would probably be the generation after the Ivy Leaguers. We called those sprouts. So we had creator people at that point that were awesome. really doing well with the sprouts.

And then I was working with the Ivy leagues. And then, you know, it was just the VIVs that we felt like we were never going to be able to turn our way. They were already too rich and too famous and too pissed off. So we knew that eventually they were going to retire or graduate to a different platform or something, but we just needed more time.

And then I was working with the Ivy leagues. And then, you know, it was just the VIVs that we felt like we were never going to be able to turn our way. They were already too rich and too famous and too pissed off. So we knew that eventually they were going to retire or graduate to a different platform or something, but we just needed more time.

I'm going to say 60 people. Comparatively, you know, when we would travel literally around the globe to different Twitter offices, we saw the entirety of the Twitter staff, which was in the thousands, and compared to that... We didn't feel very big at all. The Vine offices when I joined were on the top floor of the New York Twitter offices.

I'm going to say 60 people. Comparatively, you know, when we would travel literally around the globe to different Twitter offices, we saw the entirety of the Twitter staff, which was in the thousands, and compared to that... We didn't feel very big at all. The Vine offices when I joined were on the top floor of the New York Twitter offices.

You know, we just had desks, no walls, so we could see everybody in one glance. And when I interviewed for the company as someone who had been working externally at an influencer agency, I just thought like, wow. OK, so Vine is in the Twitter office and then Niche, which was the Twitter owned and acquired influencer agency, was also in that office.

You know, we just had desks, no walls, so we could see everybody in one glance. And when I interviewed for the company as someone who had been working externally at an influencer agency, I just thought like, wow. OK, so Vine is in the Twitter office and then Niche, which was the Twitter owned and acquired influencer agency, was also in that office.

And I just thought the powerhouse of this trio of companies like, wow, we can really dominate when we all work together. And it became really obvious as soon as I joined that Vine was essentially the redheaded stepchild of Twitter. And very few people who worked at Twitter used Vine, understood Vine, were fluent in Vine.

And I just thought the powerhouse of this trio of companies like, wow, we can really dominate when we all work together. And it became really obvious as soon as I joined that Vine was essentially the redheaded stepchild of Twitter. And very few people who worked at Twitter used Vine, understood Vine, were fluent in Vine.

The stories that were passed down to me were that before Vine, every social media platform was trying to buy Instagram. And the founders of Instagram had a very specific request in that they not be integrated fully into whatever company bought them. They wanted to operate externally and independently. And the founders wanted to still be sort of the final word of leadership decisions.

The stories that were passed down to me were that before Vine, every social media platform was trying to buy Instagram. And the founders of Instagram had a very specific request in that they not be integrated fully into whatever company bought them. They wanted to operate externally and independently. And the founders wanted to still be sort of the final word of leadership decisions.

And what I have been told is that Twitter... decided to tell them that that was not going to be possible if they joined Twitter. And so that's what made Instagram go with Facebook because Facebook allowed them that freedom. So then Twitter felt so burned by that acquisition that when Vine came along, the founders also asked for the same autonomy and Twitter granted it to them.

And what I have been told is that Twitter... decided to tell them that that was not going to be possible if they joined Twitter. And so that's what made Instagram go with Facebook because Facebook allowed them that freedom. So then Twitter felt so burned by that acquisition that when Vine came along, the founders also asked for the same autonomy and Twitter granted it to them.

And I think there was just a real tension from the fact that the founders had come in kind of saying like, We want your money, but we don't want to be on your team. And because the founders had that philosophy, it trickled down. And whether or not the employees at Vine felt the same way, there was just this quite large and difficult tension. The political landscape was hard to navigate.

And I think there was just a real tension from the fact that the founders had come in kind of saying like, We want your money, but we don't want to be on your team. And because the founders had that philosophy, it trickled down. And whether or not the employees at Vine felt the same way, there was just this quite large and difficult tension. The political landscape was hard to navigate.

And any time we like went and had a meeting with people at Twitter and asked them, how can we better integrate? We were told you need to play for the front of the jersey, meaning you ultimately work for Twitter. So stop thinking about what's best for mine, which, of course, is like impossible to do when you're working online. I actually asked Russ about the deal they made back in 2012.

And any time we like went and had a meeting with people at Twitter and asked them, how can we better integrate? We were told you need to play for the front of the jersey, meaning you ultimately work for Twitter. So stop thinking about what's best for mine, which, of course, is like impossible to do when you're working online. I actually asked Russ about the deal they made back in 2012.