US studio and streaming business FilmRise has joined forces with Venture 10 Studio Group and Mars Wrigley to produce a new reality competition series Follow Me, that shows fans what it takes to become famous in the social media age.
Hosted and executive produced by Bethany Mota, and debuting on May 3, the series will debut on The FilmRise Streaming Network which includes FilmRise branded OTT and YouTube channels, before expanding to FilmRise AVOD and FAST partners.
In Follow Me, aspiring stars compete in business-themed challenges, all the time trying to build their social follower bases. During the series, contestants will be tasked with creating engaging content inspired by Mars Wrigley’s portfolio of brands, with a focus on optimising their performance on the digital platform of their choice. At the end of each episode the contestant with the least number of followers is eliminated. The one with the most followers at the end of the competition will be crowned the winner and receive the $50,000 prize from Mars Wrigley, the show’s sponsor.
The first eight-part season features eight contestants, including a model, personal trainer, gamer, dancer, among others, that compete to win the grand prize. Show participants work in a creator’s studio and compete in various social media-based challenges. Contestants will also have access to influencers who serve as mentors.
The show was unveiled by Max Einhorn, SVP of acquisitions and co-productions for FilmRise and John Stevens, co-founder of Venture 10 Studio Group. Einhorn said: “The format combines two of the most popular mediums – social media and reality competition. It’s a high-stakes rivalry that will have viewers on the edge of their seats.”
Stevens added: “The format, pairing competing influencers with mentors who help them grow their brands and achieve the most followers, will draw a young audience base that has never watched a programme like this.”
Ray Amati, media director, Mars Wrigley, added: “At Mars Wrigley, we’re focused on creating moments of everyday happiness for consumers everywhere, and that means integrating our iconic portfolio of brands throughout key platforms where fans are consuming content… Influencers play a huge role in driving cultural relevance and interest with the next generation of Mars Wrigley fans.”
