The Brief: VidCon US is a large annual convention for online video creators, fans, and industry members.
DEEP DIVE
What Is VidCon?
VidCon takes place three times a year in the United States, Australia, and Great Britain. The most well-known event, VidCon US, takes place in Anaheim, California. The three-day event includes presentations, meet-and-greets, concerts, workshops, an expo hall, and more. The event features programming geared towards fans, creators, brands, and executives. VidCon was created by YouTuber Hank Green and acquired by Viacom in 2018.
Programming for fans includes meet-and-greets, fan booths, concerts, and panel discussions. Many of these Gen Z fans document nearly every moment of their experience, either for their social media accounts, amateur YouTube channels, or both. Ticket prices range from $90 to $850. For many young fans, VidCon provides a unique opportunity for them to meet their favorite idols IRL. Popular and beloved stars may be swarmed with devoted stans who often fawn over them and do whatever they can to get a selfie together.
Many celebrity YouTubers, Twitch streamers, TikTokers, influencers, and other video creators attend and present at VidCon. It’s an opportunity for YouTubers who may not usually be geographically close to each other to create collaborative videos and make connections with fellow creators.
For executives, agents, advertisers, brands, and managers in the digital video industry VidCon gives them a chance to learn about new developments, make new connections and build partnerships.
Over the years, VidCon has become the world’s premier event for video influencers and fans. Designed to be a way for people who are physically disconnected to get together under one roof, the event has grown from around 1,400 attendees in its first year to over 30,000 last year.
VidCon is sponsored by a number of big-name corporations and social media companies such as Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, Nickelodeon, and others.
VidCon 2019
VidCon US 2019 is taking place from July 10-13 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Tens of thousands of people are expected to be in attendance including online video stars Colleen Ballinger, Emma Chamberlain, Jacksepticeye, Liza Koshy, and David Dobrik. One year after her disastrous spinoff event “TanaCon,” YouTuber Tana Mongeau is attending VidCon 2019. This year marks the convention’s tenth anniversary.