Jess Jiang

And this is where the story of Peanut the squirrel meets the modern attention economy and the central question it raises. When you have the world's attention, how do you actually turn that into money?

And this is where the story of Peanut the squirrel meets the modern attention economy and the central question it raises. When you have the world's attention, how do you actually turn that into money?

And this is where the story of Peanut the squirrel meets the modern attention economy and the central question it raises. When you have the world's attention, how do you actually turn that into money?

For a long time, attention, this scarce resource, was monopolized by newspapers and TV or radio companies who used the power of celebrity or news or scandal to draw in as many eyeballs as possible in order to sell ads.

For a long time, attention, this scarce resource, was monopolized by newspapers and TV or radio companies who used the power of celebrity or news or scandal to draw in as many eyeballs as possible in order to sell ads.

For a long time, attention, this scarce resource, was monopolized by newspapers and TV or radio companies who used the power of celebrity or news or scandal to draw in as many eyeballs as possible in order to sell ads.

Which is exactly what happened when Peanut's first viral video popped off. After that, a popular animal video website called The Dodo posted a video featuring Mark and Peanut.

Which is exactly what happened when Peanut's first viral video popped off. After that, a popular animal video website called The Dodo posted a video featuring Mark and Peanut.

Which is exactly what happened when Peanut's first viral video popped off. After that, a popular animal video website called The Dodo posted a video featuring Mark and Peanut.

Mark says Peanut warmed to this newfound limelight right away. He was just a preternaturally charismatic mini fauna, especially when the cameras were rolling.

Mark says Peanut warmed to this newfound limelight right away. He was just a preternaturally charismatic mini fauna, especially when the cameras were rolling.

Mark says Peanut warmed to this newfound limelight right away. He was just a preternaturally charismatic mini fauna, especially when the cameras were rolling.

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

Now, when it came to monetizing all this newfound attention, Mark says he never set out to make money off his tiny, furry best friend. But as Peanut's profile grew in the attention economy of social media, all sorts of strange new opportunities started to present themselves.

Now, when it came to monetizing all this newfound attention, Mark says he never set out to make money off his tiny, furry best friend. But as Peanut's profile grew in the attention economy of social media, all sorts of strange new opportunities started to present themselves.

Now, when it came to monetizing all this newfound attention, Mark says he never set out to make money off his tiny, furry best friend. But as Peanut's profile grew in the attention economy of social media, all sorts of strange new opportunities started to present themselves.

Sorry, what is nuts.com?

Sorry, what is nuts.com?