Social Rocket
CAKES Body has launched CAKES Media, its own entertainment division. The social-first brand wants to do more than convert its TikTok reach into further ads; it aims to build a lasting audience for its own video formats.
From TikTok to owned media
CAKES was founded 2022 and grew mainly through founder-led social content. The company states that it generated more than 100 million US dollars in gross revenue in its first three years.
The first CAKES Media project, the roughly 57-minute documentary "Viral: The New American Dream", was published on YouTube. At launch, Digiday reported more than 371.000 views. The brand also hired former Red Bull manager Caley Wildermuth as Head of Content. Further seasons and creator-led formats are planned.
Longform becomes the source for social clips
CAKES intends to use longer formats as its editorial core and cut shortform assets from them for TikTok and other platforms. This partly reverses the usual social logic: instead of producing many isolated short videos, a larger format is created first and then repurposed across channels.
At the same time, TikTok is automating more and more campaign work. Our overview of TikTok Ads 2026 covers this development.
Why owned reach is becoming more attractive
According to Digiday, CAKES is funding the new unit from its brand or top-of-funnel budget. One reason is rising costs for digital advertising. Paid media remains part of the strategy; the brand continues to outsource media buying.
The difference lies in the asset: paid reach ends when the budget ends, whereas an owned channel and recurring formats can build audience and brand loyalty over time. That TikTok is now attracting significantly larger advertising budgets is also shown by our data on the back-to-school business 2026.
For other brands, the case is mainly interesting as a test model: a recognisable format, longform as a content source, and a better balance between paid distribution and owned media. Results should still be judged by business outcomes, not just views. More on this in our analysis of creator marketing and measurement standards.