Inside After Party Studios: Callux and RVBBERDUCK’s Branded Content Revolution
Ben Doyle, or RVBBERDUCK, co-founded After Party Studios (APS) with YouTube personality Callux (Callum McGinley) in 2016, bridging the gap between high-production value advertising and digital-first content.
The journey began after Ben and Callum crossed paths at a KFC-branded content shoot back in 2015. They quickly recognised the untapped potential for bridging the gap between “mainstream and digital”, as well as “a thirst for higher production values in online content.” The first few years of APS were spent making branded entertainment and original content, such as their feature doc ‘KSI: Can’t Lose’, distributed by Sony Pictures. Their mission was to show how the traditional production approach could be adapted to create glossier social and digital content, while maintaining authenticity and gaining millions of views.
APS grew from humble beginnings – a basement office in East London – to a dynamic 20-strong team, producing projects for top brands like Sky, Netflix, and Revolut. Ben’s storytelling finesse combined with Callux’s instinct for what hooks audiences has resulted in an impressive portfolio, including the viral JD Sports campaign ‘Tuckin’ In’ and the award-nominated YouTube series ‘Scenes’ for Sky Sports. Inspired by advertising's "golden era”, APS blends timeless creative principles with an intimate understanding of gen z’s online habits.
“Eight years on, we’re still empowering brands to think like creators, producing authentic, engaging content that resonates,” says Ben.
Now, APS has embarked on a rebrand, and Ben spoke to LBB’s Zoe Antonov to reflect on the studio's roots and its mission, its evolution, the role of branded entertainment, and his vision for the future of digital advertising.
LBB> APS is founded by a YouTuber and a director. What is this fusion like, and what kind of skill do each of you bring? Why did it work so well?
Ben> It’s the best kind of chaos. Callum is laser-focused on the creative – his background as a YouTuber means he places 99% of the importance on whether the idea will make someone click, watch in full, and then share with their mates on WhatsApp. This is a mindset hard-wired into a creator’s brain. I can’t tell you how many brilliant ideas we’ve binned off simply because the thumbnail and title aren’t intriguing enough, or because the first six seconds of the ad won’t drag you in.
Having had the privilege of working alongside Callum and some of the world’s biggest online talent (KSI, Amelia Dimoldenberg, Munya Chawawa) over the past decade, this creator mindset has infiltrated my brain. Wearing my director hat, I bring a keen eye for production values, storytelling and craft – I want the work to be visually stunning – but this is all through the lens of ‘Will someone share it?’ or ‘Would this make you click?’. As Callum says, it doesn’t matter if you’ve made the best piece of content the world has ever seen if no one ever clicks on it.
LBB> Ever since the start, what changes have happened in APS? And what has stayed the same?
Ben> Since our inception, we’ve evolved significantly. We’ve grown from a team of four in a windowless basement beneath a Haggerston coffee shop, to over 20 talented individuals spanning creative, strategy, production and distribution. The market’s perception has also shifted; ‘social’ is no longer a dirty word or a synonym for low-rent, badly-produced content, and brands now recognise the power of online talent and the value of commissioning branded entertainment.
Our core pillars remain unchanged. We embody the creator mindset, we move fast because the online world moves faster (I firmly believe we have some of the fastest-moving producers in the industry under our roof), and we passionately believe in nurturing the next generation of talent – both in front and behind the camera. These foundational values have been key to our success, and ensure we create impactful, authentic content that resonates with audiences, upholding our commitment to quality and integrity as we continue to grow.
LBB> Now you're going through a rebrand. Why was now the best time to do so and what does this rebrand mean for APS? What will the company look like and strive for after it?
Ben> We had our heads down making the work for the last eight years, and when we looked up, we realised our external brand no longer matched the innovative, evolving nature of our company.
The rebrand reflects our identity as a creative production company deeply involved from the creative brief onwards. We wanted our website to be a dynamic platform, constantly updated to mirror the fast-paced nature of our industry. This rebrand underscores our expertise in shaping creative concepts, ensuring our brand truly reflects who we are, and the innovative work the team delivers.
LBB> Tell me about the idea that APS is taking knowledge from the "golden era" of advertising in order to fuse the old and the new. How does this work and why do you believe it's a winning strategy in a changing production environment?
Ben> I began my career in the post room of BBH London, at age 17. Simply being in the presence of such industry-leading creativity set my imagination alight. Walking around the building every morning, I was captivated by the power of the simple, strategically sharp creative ideas that could be distilled into a single sentence. This taught me the value of conveying complex messages in straightforward, engaging ways.
So, by taking inspiration from BBH’s timeless creative principles and blending with our knowledge of young audiences, we craft content and online ads that resonate with gen z and beyond – these are audiences who don’t watch TV and aren’t reached by traditional TVCs. We’re trying to forge a new lane of online ads which reach audiences on their own terms, and help brands connect in ways they’ve never connected before.
LBB> Speaking of the production environment, how do you see the industry changing and how do you believe production companies should address these changes? How is APS going through them?
Ben> It’s tough out there, and we’re navigating these industry shifts head-on. With more budgets transitioning from traditional media to online, and the in-housing of production by many agencies, our experience with restricted budgets in the social space allows us to stretch resources creatively. Our in-house creative and strategic team means we can work directly with brands, offering innovative solutions that deliver high-quality results even amidst tightening budgets.
LBB> Tell me more about your promise to help brands become relevant both amongst gen z audiences and the creator's economy. Why are you confident APS can do this?
Ben> These platforms were designed for a conversation between humans, not brands. As such, we understand that the traditional approach of force-feeding ads no longer works – we must meet the audience where they are. We focus on the value exchange, creating branded entertainment that audiences find engaging and worth their time. By helping brands produce content that's more about entertainment than hard-selling product, we build affinity in a way that resonates with today's audiences. You only have to look at a channel like Footasylum to see the power of the entertainment-first approach.
We have a track record in delivering on this promise, having helped many of our long-standing partners such as Sky, Netflix and Gillette engage and retain new audiences online.
LBB> And what are some recent projects that you are super proud of and define the capabilities of APS?
Ben> We only make stuff we’d want to watch ourselves, so I’m consistently proud of the work the team puts out - but I’m SUPER proud of ‘Scenes’, our series for Sky Sports’ YouTube channel. Now in its second season (over 72 million views and shortlisted for both The Drum and Broadcast Sports Awards for season one), the series sees online talent dropped into a match-day vlog elevated by Sky Sports’ VIP access. It’s a great example of original branded entertainment which football Twitter can’t get enough of.
I’m also super proud of our recent online ad for Revolut starring comedy genius Munya Chawawa. I directed and co-wrote the 90-second spot with Munya, peppered with nuance and in-jokes that signal to his audience that his fingerprints are all over it. I think it’s a new style of ad tailored for online audiences, that demonstrates how brands can effectively engage through using online talent without feeling forced or out of place. I love both of these projects because they define our ability to innovate and push the online world forward.
LBB> What are you most excited about in the future?
Ben> I’m excited to see brands transition into content commissioners as the power of branded entertainment continues to grow at pace, as well as see what TVCs evolve into for next-gen audiences. I also hope the production world rapidly figures out a new equilibrium and brings some stability back to all the talented freelancers who are facing the brunt of this shift – we’ve built these production companies whilst standing on their shoulders and they deserve our whole-hearted support.
