People Magazine recently reported the creative collective Sway House has ended, as we know it. However, Gruen told Benzinga we “haven’t heard the last of Sway,” and that there are a “few big announcements that will have people stunned.”
The group of influencers, known for their presence on social medias like TikTok, decided to move on after “shatter[ing] the preconceived notion of what it means to be a social media star,” Gruen told People.
The collective, comprised of Josh Richards, Griffin Johnson, Bryce Hall, Jaden Hossler, Noah Beck, Anthony Reeves, Kio Cyr and Quinton Griggs, was close with Gruen who co-founded TalentX Entertainment, a talent development company for digital creators.
Since the news surfaced, here are three big things members of the group have managed to accomplish.
Sillybandz: The collective announced it would take a 30% stake in the Sillybandz franchise. This development comes as the group looks to diversify their engagements, and leverage the power of their social medias to “sway” purchases of the product.
“This is just our first stake in a company Gen Zers love,” said 22-year-old Sway Boys co-founder Gruen. “We’re building and we’re trailblazing and through our proven investment process we’re creating the first social media billionaires.”
Further, Sillybandz were once a sensation and could be found at most retailers. Today, however, the brand is more nostalgic.
“We voraciously want to ‒ and will ‒ bring back Sillybandz to where it once was," Gruen told Fox Business in an email. "The king of all viral toys will become viral once more and return to its rightful place on everyone’s ‒ no matter the age ‒ arms."
Scholarships: Richards and Johnson of Sway House partnered with youth sports social networking app SportsHi to commit $20,000 of scholarship money to underserved high school students, People reported.
The app enables students networking and scholarship opportunities. In addition to the commitment, Richards and Johnson will also become investors in the company.
"I'm going to be graduating from college soon so it's going to be really cool to watch these young athletes and young college students go through the process," said Johnson. "And hopefully see how the scholarship I can give them helps them move forward."
Fan Football: Fan Controlled Football is an indoor football league controlled by fans.
To scale the concept strategically, Richards and Johnson will join the company as co-creative directors.
In a tweet, Johnson said, “I am excited to announce that I am now co-creative director with @JoshRichards of the newest and most innovative sports league, the @fcflio.”
Photo via TalentX Entertainment.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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