Yes Theory
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Yes Theory | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Occupations | |
YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Genres | |
| Subscribers | 6.88 million[1] |
| Total views | 796 million[1] |
| Network | Vertical Network |
Last updated: September 1, 2021 | |
| Website | yestheory |
Yes Theory is a digital media brand built around a YouTube channel founded by Thomas Brag, Ammar Kandil, Matt Dajer and Derin Emre.
Yes Theory first gained national media attention with their message of inclusivity in the wake of terror attacks.[2] They have been featured in a range of national and international media.[2][3][4][5][6]
Their content has been praised as experiencing foreign cultures in "a fresh and authentic way";[7] and "consistently radiating positivity and promote living life with an open mind, exactly what YouTube and the world needs."[8]
The Yes Theory brand revolves around the group's mantra of "Seek Discomfort," a phrase also featured in the group's clothing brand.
Background
Thomas Brag was born in 1992, in France, to Swedish parents, and attributes a sense of adventure to his parents. He received his BA degree from McGill University where he majored in entrepreneurship. He also spent a semester at Draper University, and later interviewed its founder, the billionaire venture capital investor Tim Draper. Before YouTube, Brag would make short skits with his second cousin, Warrick Rhode, when they got to see each other. This gave him the skills necessary to make and edit YouTube videos.[citation needed]
Matt Dajer was born in 1992, in New York and grew up in Paris and Greenwich, CT. He also has connections to Puerto Rico on his father's side. Dajer also obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from McGill University in 2014.[citation needed] Dajer announced in a YouTube video on February 25, 2021, that he no longer plans to appear in the group's episodes but continues to work on the brand.[9] He is also currently writing the Yes Theory book.
Ammar Kandil, was born in 1994 in Egypt and spent his early life outside of Cairo. He enrolled in the African Leadership Academy in South Africa. In 2011 during the Egyptian revolution, he studied at Quest University on a scholarship.[10]
Derin Emre was born in Turkey and co-founded Yes Theory, initially taking the role of cameraman. He left Yes Theory in 2017 because of a passport issue but occasionally visits the team and has been featured in videos since. [11]
The Yes Theory team has expanded since its inception, introducing a team of editors, Tristan Kevitch, Thomas Dajer (Matt's brother) and Cam Peddle. The brand additionally employs a team to manage their Seek Discomfort clothing and merchandise brand.
History
The group met in Montreal, Quebec, and started to work together on their first video series in the summer of 2015.[12] Yes Theory began as a series of challenges organized by Dajer and Brag (with help from Kandil and Emre), filmed in Montreal, in the summer of 2015, a project initiated by Brag under the name "Project 30".[12] At the time, they were all sleeping on a friend's sofa in Montreal. Thomas and Matt had briefly met before in McGill University. They came into contact with Ammar at a party after he told Thomas his plans of climbing the Pyramids of Giza. Derin was the last to join the group that Summer. Each challenge was designed to push the group outside of their comfort zone.[13] By the end of the month, the group only had around two thousand subscribers. Their name was then changed to 'Generation Y Not'.
Near the end of 2015, Yes Theory received an offer to relocate to Venice, California and be paid to make videos by Snapchat subsidiary Vertical Networks. As part of one of their first stunts, they successfully approached the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, for a Christmas card which they sold for charity with proceeds going to Syrian refugees. Trudeau commented at the time "great stuff around diversity".[14] After their success and viral hit, Yes Theory was awarded a budget to make their first thirty videos. In January 2016, the group travelled to The Caribbean to continue their media endeavors.
In May of 2016, the group moved to Venice, California after being signed to Vertical Networks, to a house they often referred to as the '506' and featured heavily in their videos, and changed their name again to 'Yes Theory'.[when?] Unfortunately, since then that house has been demolished and the group was forced to relocate. The current 'Yes House' is located nearby in Venice.
YouTube content
After moving to Venice, California, and being signed to Vertical Networks, they went on a series of international trips.[timeframe?] They gained media attention in London by welcoming British people at Heathrow Airport with hugs, described in the press as "truly heartwarming".[citation needed]
Other activities they have embarked on include taking an Irish girl on a last minute trip to Japan, who said of the experience "they try to connect to people around the world and let them know that they're not alone and bring people together".[citation needed]
In September 2018, their challenge to get American actor and media personality Will Smith to bungee jump from a helicopter over the Grand Canyon was taken up by Smith.[15]
In October 2018, they orchestrated a viral stunt of what appeared to be Justin Bieber eating a burrito sideways.[16] In reality, the group flew a Justin Bieber look-alike named Brad Sousa out to Los Angeles and fabricated the entire scene.[17][18] It was actually Yes Theory's friend Conor who posted the video to the subreddit 'r/mildlyinfuriating'.
In February 2019, they released Frozen Alive, a feature-length documentary about endurance athlete Wim Hof. This was following a visit to Poland and spending 4 days with Hof learning his method and ascending a mountain, all while bare chested and bare legged in temperatures as low as -20C, as an endurance feat.[19] This was their first long-form documentary.
In September 2019, they released The Lost Pyramid, a feature-length documentary about their adventure through the Guatemalan jungle to visit El Mirador and climb the previously unrecorded La Danta pyramid.[20]
In September 2020, Ammar released his autobiographical documentary Free Child in partnership with Google.
References
- ^ a b "About YesTheory". YouTube.
- ^ a b CBC News. (November 16, 2015). Terror attacks inspire a made-in-Montreal 'act of love'. CBC News.
- ^ Byrne, A. (February 5, 2019). Irish girl gets taken on last minute dream trip to Japan by YouTube stars. Irish Mirror.
- ^ Collier, Hatty. “Pranksters Blag Joyride in Bling Gold-Plated Ferrari Owned by World Champion Kickboxer Riyadh Al-Azzawi.” Evening Standard, November 14, 2016.
- ^ Barnes, B. (September 30, 2018). With a Murdoch in Charge, a Start-Up Leads the Way on Mobile Video. The New York Times. Retrieved July 23, 2019
- ^ Spangler, T. (September 20, 2018). Will Smith Shares YouTube Video of His First Bungee Jump, Leading Up to Grand Canyon Stunt. Variety.
- ^ Randall, D. (July 20, 2019). Why Everyone Should Watch “Yes Theory” On YouTube, Men's Variety
- ^ Kikaon, T. (Sep 2018). Yes Theory Is Changing the World and Here’s Why. Affinity.
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRjISzJPsuk
- ^ Krass, P., & Krass, P. (October 2, 2018). To Improve His Mental Health, Yes Theory Co-Founder Seeks Discomfort (And A Boost From Will Smith). Forbes.
- ^ "Endemol Shine North America". www.endemolshine.us. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
- ^ a b Dunlop, M. (July 21, 2015). Montreal web series Project 30 reaches more than 200K views Project 30 series aims to inspire people to get out of their comfort zone". CBC News.
- ^ Montreal web series Project 30 reaches more than 200K views Project 30 series aims to inspire people to get out of their comfort zone". CBC News.
- ^ CBC News. "Justin Trudeau Poses for Generation Y Not's Christmas Card." CBC News, December 23, 2015.
- ^ "Will Smith does helicopter bungee jump". BBC News. 2018-09-26. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
- ^ Wida, Erica (October 26, 2018). "Does Justin Bieber not know how to eat a burrito? Viral photo sparks debate". Today.
- ^ Theory, Yes (October 28, 2018). "We Fooled the Internet w/ Fake Justin Bieber Burrito Photo". Youtube.
- ^ Mensah, D. (October 26, 2018). 'Justin Bieber's burrito' and other foods eaten 'wrong'. BBC News.
- ^ Rosenblum, C., & Chaudry, S. (February 2, 2019). Frozen Alive. Retrieved July 24, 2019, from https://www.colinandsamir.com/frozen-alive
- ^ "Finding the Lost Largest Pyramid in the World". youtube.com. Yes Theory. September 15, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
External links
