Steven Bartlett And Authentic Launch ‘OBSN’ To Build The Next Generation Of Creator-Led Media Companies And Brands

The strategic venture brings together Steven.com's media and audience-growth engine with Authentic's global intellectual property platform to power the world's most ambitious creators.

Steven.com, Steven Bartlett's global creator holding company, and Authentic, a global brand and entertainment platform, today announced the launch of OBSN (Obsession), a strategic venture designed for the world's most ambitious and consequential creators. At its centre is a platform providing news, analysis and live experiences for the creator economy, designed to become its definitive voice and home.

OBSN combines Steven.com's experience building creator-led media and global audiences with Authentic's platform for developing and scaling brands and intellectual property.

Steven.com's portfolio includes Steven Bartlett and his show The Diary Of A CEO, one of the most watched shows in the world, alongside several other major creators. Authentic owns more than 50 brands and operates in more than 150 countries, with teams across product, licensing, strategic partnerships, digital commerce, content and experiences.

Every partnership formed through OBSN will be tailored to the creator's ambitions, whether that's expanding a media business, developing products, growing licensing programs, pursuing strategic partnerships or exploring new opportunities for investment and global expansion. More than capital, OBSN provides creators with the infrastructure, expertise and long-term partnership required to build businesses designed to endure.

Creators are building global audiences and brands at unprecedented speed, yet the resources needed to scale remain fragmented. OBSN brings those capabilities together, giving creators a more connected path to build enduring global businesses.

Steven.com will lead OBSN's media, technology, data, and audience-growth engine, while Authentic will bring its expertise across brand building, product, licensing, strategic partnerships and global distribution. Through OBSN, the partners see opportunities to deploy hundreds of millions of dollars in the near term into creator-led businesses that meet their criteria.

"The next generation of global media companies and consumer brands will be built around creators. But a global audience of millions is not yet a company, and it certainly should not be the ceiling of a creator's potential," said Steven Bartlett, Founder of Steven.com. "Steven.com understands how to build media and audiences around creators, and Authentic understands how to build and extend brands around the world. OBSN brings those capabilities together so ambitious creators can reach the full scale of their ambition. We are aiming to deploy up to $400m in creator businesses over the coming years, OBSN is at the heart of that strategy."

OBSN's creator economy media and experiences business is already live, with more than one million followers on Instagram, and will expand across new content formats, channels and live experiences, including festivals and official awards.

"Creators are redefining media and shaping the future of entertainment, with many poised to become multigenerational brands in their own right," said Matt Maddox, President and CEO of Authentic. "We are excited to partner with Steven Bartlett and his exceptional team to launch OBSN and create a powerful new model for creators and their businesses. By combining our complementary capabilities, we will identify, invest in and scale creator-led IP - capitalizing on a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strategically deploy hundreds of millions of dollars across the creator economy and build the brands of tomorrow."

OBSN will debut at a creator-focused event in New York on September 14. Maggie Sellers Reum, investor and Founder of Hot Smart Rich, will moderate a fireside conversation with Steven Bartlett and Jamie Salter, Founder and Executive Chairman of Authentic.

For further information and to register interest visit Obsession.com

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About Authentic Brands Group

Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a global brand and entertainment platform that owns and invests in iconic intellectual property and cultural assets. It accelerates brands through a set of specialized businesses that combine powerful storytelling, premium content, unforgettable live experiences and global commerce. Through a network of more than 1,700 best-in-class licensees and strategic partners across 150 countries and expansive distribution, Authentic's brands drive more than $38 billion in annual systemwide retail sales worldwide.

Authentic's diversified portfolio spans more than 50 brands and reaches nearly one billion social media followers. Its roster includes Reebok, Champion, Shaquille O'Neal, David Beckham, Kevin Hart, Sports Illustrated, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, Marilyn Monroe, GUESS, Care Bears, Aéropostale, Nautica, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, Nine West, Brooks Brothers, Juicy Couture, Vince Camuto, Izod, Van Heusen, Dockers, Ted Baker, Hart Schaffner Marx, Vince, OVO, Barneys New York, Judith Leiber, Quiksilver, Spyder, Billabong, Volcom, Roxy, RVCA, DC Shoes, Prince, Sperry and Hunter.

For more information, visit corporate.authentic.com. Follow Authentic on LinkedIn, Instagram and WeChat.

About Steven.com

Steven.com is a global creator holding company founded by entrepreneur, investor and The Diary Of A CEO host Steven Bartlett. It brings together creator-led media, communities, consumer products, technology and investment to help creators build lasting businesses around their audiences and intellectual property. Through businesses including FlightStory, FlightCast and FlightFund, Steven.com combines content production, audience growth, commercial expertise and technology with access to capital. Its media portfolio includes The Diary Of A CEO alongside a growing group of creator-led businesses. For more information, visit Steven.com.