Thanks to technology and the invention of a global trend known as social media, much of the world we know today has been affected in some capacity. A career as a social media influencer or even a professional video gamer has become just as competitive as gaining a profession in law or even in the medical field. In addition, the way individuals have even branded themselves to receive career — and sometimes even life-altering — opportunities have also drastically changed over the years.
Gaining the title of one of the most recognized figures online can be quite the task, something video game streamers and content creators FaZe Swagg and FaZe JSmooth, two members of the popular FaZe Clan, know all too well. That’s why, together with McDonald’s, they are teaming up to use their star power and knowledge to discover and help out multicultural youth who are trying to make a name for themselves in the gaming and streaming world on the popular streaming platform Twitch. Together, up-and-coming streamers from different gaming genres will get the support they need to further their careers.
Each online gaming personality selected will receive an invite to Swagg and JSmooth’s stream, where they’d be introduced to a larger audience and share their stories. The lucky individuals will receive detailed advice to better assist them on their journey throughout their unique career paths. Near the end, each aspiring streamer will receive a special surprise to be announced toward the end of the McDonald’s-led collaboration.
Candidate selections will be heavily based on their popularity amongst fans. Swagg and JSmooth, whose real names are Kris Lamberson and Jordan Cox, will ask fans whom they are watching and find most interesting. The aspiring entertainer will have to have a sizable engagement with members in organizations such as the Cxmmunity, a gaming-centric HBCU organization, along with Twitch to be considered.
Following an extensive vetting process, the two professional streamers will see who really put the tools and the resources they were given to good use. Eventually, the first two Spotlight streamers will be asked to return, during which Swagg and JSmooth will surprise them with a gift, either a donation of $10,000 or a package on the front door. All of this is set to take place live on stream.
Shortly after, the duo will take a deeper dive into their mentorship with the new streamers. Swagg, JSmooth, and their new mentees will cover topics including, but not limited to, what it takes to be a streamer, the ins-and-outs of being a content creator, how to engage and be interesting enough for people to watch, and how to cultivate their individual brands, something Swagg and JSmooth have successfully done throughout their personally streaming careers.
Through the collaborative efforts with the franchise, Swagg and JSmooth hope to highlight under-represented multicultural gamers. This is also another reason why only three candidates will be selected. According to a news release, the guys with the support of McDonald’s “wanted to be able to give these streamers the time and attention they deserve.” Adding more participants or possible figures outside of the gaming world could hinder each participant’s learning experience, which is not what the two are looking to do now. “We want to make sure that this is a meaningful experience for them,” they added. “Which means having mentors who truly understand what it takes and what they are experiencing.”
The winners will be announced later this year following the vetting process done by Swagg and JSmooth.